Escape from Vientiane

I went to Bor Pen Nyang for the last sunset, even the sun knew I was leaving, it was pretty much a no show then I went back to the Guest House to wait to be picked up. 

I got picked up in a Tuk Tuk that was way over loaded, three guys had to hang off the back. We got to the bus station and were on our way.

We stopped in the middle of nowhere at one in the morning where I was able to suck down three cigarettes, then moved on. I even managed to have a cigarette in the toilet, the buses aren’t modern enough to have smoke detectors.

 

Thank goodness I booked a double sleeper, I slept diagonally with my feet hanging out in the aisle and could almost sleep comfortably (with enough pain killers and Valium). 

We arrived at Pakse about six thirty and I left my back pack with the mini van guy and went for breakfast. At seven thirty we headed for the drop off point at the river to get across to Don Khong the largest island. The whole way I had my window open with the sun straight in on my face, it was glorious. 

We arrived at the rivers edge and got a boat across to the island and I recognised a guy, Phil, who I met at a “Family Guy” bar in Vang Vieng.  

Check out Four Thousand Islands for yourself, it’s basically a group of main islands that are permanently occupied but when the river is low there are thousands of sandbar “islands”. 

http://wikitravel.org/en/Si_Phan_Don

When we arrived at Don Khong Island, Phil and I headed in the opposite direction to the rest of the group and got really nice rooms, ten dollars each, clean, air-conditioned, big soft bed, although the shower holder was installed by a little person, it is about one metre from the ground. 

There is no wifi here (or a TV) but I am uploading using Phil’s Three G. After a brief walk around the small town I found Buddha and gave thanks to “O beautiful one” for the safe journey then found a place for a massage and went back to a river side bar for lunch.  

I went back to my room to write this blog then it poured, thunder and lightning, I mean I have not seen rain like this since Saigon, it was beautiful. 

Probably have a quiet night with some dinner and some beers because Phil and I are talking about heading down to the smaller bottom islands tomorrow morning.

NOTE; I MAY BE OFF LINE FOR SOME TIME, WIFI IS VERY LIMITED HERE.