Phonsavan, Vieng Xai, Xam Neua and back (involuntarily Luang Prabang again)
Where to go next, it was a big question. When I opened the map I was confused, so many places to see here. So I decided, I wanna see the cave city in Vieng Xai. Not knowing what to expect, we took a bus from the South bus station and headed to Phonsavan.
Luckily we met a guy whose brother is a tourist guide and he picked us up at the bus station and took us to a lovely and super clean guesthouse. No complaints.
We rented a bike (got a discount: 1 USD per day) and started exploring. We visited the beautiful Plain of Jars, waterfall, hot springs, caves, temples, the local market and ate the best fried tofu ever. Unfortunately, we did not read the deal with the rental shop so we returned the bike a bit late, so we paid another 4 USD. So in total no discount, how obvious.
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From Phonsavan we took an almost private minivan to Xam Neua, not too many people were travelling with us, but we did pretty much deliver different items all over the area.
In Xam Neua in the bus station we asked for a bus to Vieng Xai, we were told the bus goes at 7.30. So we found a guesthouse only a kilometre from the bus station to make it easier for us in the morning. Of course in the morning we left for the bus earlier, to make sure it wouldn’t go without us. How surprised we were, when we, already sweating, reached the bus station and were told that the bus goes from the other one station, nearby the airport, maybe four kilometres away. The quick-witted guy looked around and waved to a tuk-tuk driver having his breakfast. We had around nine minutes to get to the other bus station. Nervous? Maybe a little bit. Of course, we asked how much to pay. Ten ten was the correct answer, so we sat down into the tuk-tuk and were super excited how in only eight minutes we got to the other side of the town. Smiley tuk-tuk driver hopped into his tuk-tuk and after 50 metres stopped and went out with an excuse - two minutes. Now it is the time to get nervous, but he only took his breakfast and beer and started driving the truck. We were almost flying. And I think we really did because we reached the bus station on time. Only local people in a very local bus, that is probably older than me, maybe it had been used in China for a few years when I was born. Nice one. I kind of expected that all the people would go to the same place as us, so we settled on the very last seats and were enjoying the crazy zigzag drive. All of a sudden the bus stopped and we were told this is Vieng Xai. Not so many houses around but we got off and walked towards a little village which was approximately one kilometre far away. It might be more, it was hot, and we had backpacks. Fortunately, we found bungalows by the little pond, got a good price and our new adventures could start.
The very first adventure was the bathroom in the bungalow, no door. So we had to manage a schedule about using the toilet, I need privacy. There is also a beautiful Indian restaurant nearby, so I could get paneer masala and kheer every day. But the Indian food was not the reason why I went there. The reason was the cave city. During the years when the USA was bombing Laos, the leaders and also local peoples were hiding in the caves in the mountains. They built an amazing infrastructure - houses, school, hospital, theatre as well. Listening to the stories about those hard times made me sad. All the killing, violence, wars, fighting around the world. For what? For the power and control over others? Politics, religions, gold, money, those are not justified arguments for killing.
The village as it is known today is brand new, many things were destroyed. But I was feeling an interesting energy. Silence and peace. Only in the morning, around 5 am is the silence interrupted by music and talks from the speakers around the village. Nice start of the day, for three hours. I felt like I was in the Czech countryside in the eighties.
Days were passing and we decided to take the only one bus back to Xam Neua. The bus arrived already overfilled by people. How to get in? First, we were rejected, there was no space for two people and their rucksack. However a smile helps to solve all problems, so we got inside and our backpack on the roof. Stuck by the door we were enjoying the zigzag drive. In the bus station in Xam Neua, we asked for the bus to Phonsavan or to Vang Vieng. Two different times, two different buses. Vang Vieng seems on the map to be only ten hours of driving, so we accepted the “direct bus there”. But next time I should use common sense. If Vang Vieng is behind Phonsavan, we should pass Phonsavan, so it would be one bus there. But we found the big difference after six hours on the bus when we knew we were not heading towards Phonsavan but the opposite way. We did a big loop around Laos, and also passed Luang Prabang. Spent twenty-four hours in an overfilled sitting bus. It was a new experience which I was waiting for :-D We could, of course, take the bus to Phonsavan, stay there overnight and then go to Vang Vieng. But I would not have got this twenty-four hours bus experience.
Never regret your decision, find the positive.