Before the Temple walk here are some interesting pictures:
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| The Good |
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| The Bad |
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| and the UGLY |
Temple walk to Pha That Luang via Patuxai below, about an hours walk and the largest temple in Vientiane lots to see but the temples close during the lunchtime period 12-13:00.
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| Patuxai (supposed to be a replica of L'Arc De Triumph) |
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| A Beehive under Patuxai! |
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| Pha That Luang |
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| My Tuk Tuk back... |
So it was a Tuk Tuk back! Dropped into a local Chinese Knop Chai Deu for lunch Chicken Yellow Curry and a couple of large Beerlao!
Sunday 2nd Feb
Curtesy van to the domestic airport (a bit of a dump) for Flight #5 but arrived just after 9am and they weren't checking my flight in until 10am, so I just had to wait. I can see this is going to be the way...
Checked in bag just under the 20Kg allowance, going to have to lose something along the way - it's way to heavy and I could never use it as a backpack! The flight to Luang Prabang was only 32 mins! as opposed to 11 hours by coach/bus/van, took the right decision there although the costs were opposite ends of the scale, i.e. £20 v £115 but I have to think of the time and me. As this is now a popular destination it has a brand new airport, very pleasant.
Taxi, needed to be pre-booked just like when I arrived at Vientiane for 50000K or USD6 but they seemed rare, and people were being grouped together and stuck in a minivan. So the Tuk Tuk's we're not allowed to pick passengers up. However, I saw one stopped on the way out and as the queue got bigger I walked to it and got him to take me for the same price, £3.80
Got to my guesthouse and the lady just showed me to a room and charged me USD100, whereas I had booked with Booking.com for USD120, so USD20 saving. She knocked a couple of times, one saying that she had charged the other guests who arrived after me the USD30 a night, she must of felt sorry for me!
A quick change and out for a walk but I was hungry and thirsty so found a Tapas bar, the Opera House. They had free WiFi and I settled down to a large Beerlao and some chicken spring rolls, just what I needed.
Started chatting to a young girl Leticija, from Croatia but doing a years experience in Australia. So another beer or two. She had to go and I was feeling very chilled. It was now approaching dinner time, so I ordered Green Chicken curry and another beer.
Final bill was 125000K about £9.40
Back to the guest house and bought another large Beerlao for 10000K - 75p and sat outside my door. My neighbours came home a French couple, both working for the French Embassy in Beijing. We chatted for 30-45mins before I wished them Bonne Nuit.
Phileas
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