Hanoi to Laos

Our train left Hanoi at 11pm and what ensued was one of those journey's where everything just came together perfectly well, despite having made no plans for our multi-leg journey. Our first bit of luck was on the overnight train, which we could only book seats for, all the sleepers were taken. Within 10 minutes of the train leaving we were asked if we would like to have our own private A/C sleeper room, which had become available. Of course there was a price, this was an enterprising offer from the girls working on the train, but the price was perfectly reasonable (after some proper asian style haggling, with a smile). We had a really nice sleep in the locked safety and comfort of our own private room.

We arrived in Vinh, down the Vietnamese coast at 5am just before sunrise, we had to then make our arrangements here to get a bus into Laos. The bus routes seemed complex for the area we wanted to go and looked like they would involve many transfers and plenty of time sitting around, but we really wanted to break free from the usual routes and take more remote roads into Laos bringing us to the city of Phonsavan. But before we could get there we had to sort out what the guide book said would be several different busses to get there. That morning in Vinh brought us a fantastic meeting of coincidence with a guy from Laos who was driving a bus all the way to Phonsovan, he does this 3 times a week at 6am and we were there at the right time and just happened to bump into this guy, a mile from the bus station. This saved us an incredible amount of messing around, and certainly time too.

The journey to Phonsovan was beautiful, the mountains grew bigger and bigger as we approached the border. The border was in a high mountain pass that didn't look like it saw many tourists at all. The border crossing took us 2 hours to get through, with their unimaginably slow pace of sorting us out and doing the paper work. Once we started moving again the bus began to descend through some very steep mountain switch-backs, no worries though we had a great bus driver. We did unfortunately pass another bus that wasn't so lucky. A large passenger coach had come skidding off the road on one of the steep turns, toppled over on its side and slid part way down an embankment where it rested awkwardly. The scene had obviously just unfolded as stunned passengers milled about on the road, one woman was screaming and crying near to the bus. I assumed we would stop to help but after a few words between our bus driver and someone on the road we moved on, leaving these people on an isolated mountain road. Strange.

Phonsovan was uneventful, we decided to leave the following morning for Luang Prabeng. We were already noticing a big difference between Laos and Vietnam, the people were very genuine, friendly and easy going in Laos.

The following morning went smoothly, we boarded our bus and started our 7 hour trip for Luang Prabang. Everything was fine until we stopped by the roadside to pick someone up. This guy had a small motorcycle with him which was loaded onto the roof. As they loaded the motorcycle on the roof our new passenger stood outside our window hanging on to the side of the bus helping load the motorcycle on. It was at this point that Steff noticed something odd about our new passenger, he had a gun, a very large gun, hidden under his coat. This was an attempt to conceal a weapon that was clearly too large for the coat trying to hide it, a trench-coat might have been more appropriate, the end of this assault rifle was sticking clearly, uncomfortably, out the bottom of his coat. He got on the bus and sat at the front, the butt of his gun sticking out of the shoulder of his coat so that it was clearly visible down the aisle. Right, this is where I started to get a bit worried, I was certain i had read something somewhere that might help understand this situation. I grabbed the guide book, searched the index, buses...safety, here we go, page 251 'Dangers & Annoyances', I started to read; oh, this wasn't good. We were on route 7, one of two known routes in Laos where buses have been taken by rebels and passengers shot to death. Route 7 is very remote, there is nothing along this road, no traffic either... How does he look, this guy? He was fidgeting, I think his hands were sweating, I was certain that the situation had the potential for a rapid decent into blood and chaos, but maybe i was being irrational. Don't rebels need to just take the bus too? Perhaps he was visiting his grandma, who knows. What about the motorcycle, was this a getaway vehicle for after he has disposed of us all. My overactive imagination was full steam ahead, Steff decided to have a nap and slept peacefully beside me, had she forgotten about this guy?

We did arrive in Luang Prabang, alive. The guy with a gun even helped me get my bag off, nice rebel insurgent. Oh, I should mention one funny thing that did happen on the bus. At one point, a few hours into the bus ride I really had to go to the loo, I just couldn't hold it, so i decided to ask the bus driver to pull over for a quick stop. I walked to the front of the bus and what do i do, i walk right into the end of this guys gun. My thigh made hard contact with the butt of the gun under this guys coat. "Sorry," I said, trying to pretend I just knocked his shoulder or something. What a stupid thing to do, it's almost like because I was so concerned about this gun and this guy that I walked straight into it (maybe a case of "whatever you do, just don't mention the war." Faulty Towers fans will know what I mean) Anyhow, I did manage to get off and pee with out being shot . Bizarre situation really. We met a German guy later that night in Luang Prabeng who we told our experience too, he mentioned that this guy might have been an undercover army officer on the bus incase of an attempted rebel takeover, this made us feel better, I think.

The drive overall was very beautiful, it is amazing how undeveloped Laos is. Lots of mountains and hills all rolling with thick lush green jungle. The country is like a calm wilderness haven in the midst of an ambitious Asian storm of emerging capitalism and overpopulation. Overall, a pleasant change of pace from China, Thailand and Vietnam.