Sabai dee Laos!!!
Day 9 (15th March 2008)
The wait was long so I had black coffee first (I was told to go to Richie’s Resto and wait there). Super inky black naman yung coffee na to, as in di na malasahan ang kape sa sobrang pait nya!
Sitting here, drinking coffee, all of a sudden I have this longing to see Eiesha. I truly miss Lang-lang. Paano na lang kaya if I go away permanently and live somewhere far? Kawawa naman yung pamangkin ko. Actually, kawawa din ako coz I don’t think it would be that easy for me to adapt to a life without her. At least now, I know she’s just a phone call away and she stays with me every weekend.
Hay naku, mapadami yata ang bili ko nito ng Hello Kitty! Guilt trip talaga…
Crossing the Cambodia - Laos border
I thought we’ll take a bus in crossing the border. Hahahha….. we had to go on a ferry to cross the Mekong River before trekking to a waiting van, we rode for about 1 ½ hours before we arrive at a very small checkpoint. As in, minuscule ha! 
This is the border control and immigration unit at Dom Kralor. Di ba mas lower ang GDP ng Laos? Ano na lang kaya ang itsura ng border office ng Laos? 
Anyways, yes it is true, you have to pay U$1 for “stamp fees”.
Pareho lang ang laki nila…hehehe…. Hahay buhay, nakahinga ako ng maluwag kasi at least kilala pala nila ang Republika ng Pilipinas at alam nila na exempted sa visa! But still, you have to fork out another U$2 for “stamp fees” (mas garapal sila dito!).
Had to wait for awhile as we are going to change cars, I’m off to the bus station (about 40 minutes from the immigration depot) for Pakse which is another 2-3hrs from Veun Kham.
Travelers who come to Southern Laos usually stay behind at Don Khone or Don Det (or otherwise known as the Four Thousand Islands, also another World Heritage site) but it’s so touristy, so densely packed with backpackers that the place has a commercial feel to it now. Just sitting there waiting for my ride (another 45 minutes wait at the boat area). Although I wish I have the luxury of stopping by for a night to watch the sunset and maybe catch a glimpse of the Irrawaddy dolphins. Mangarap ka ng gising!!!
And here I thought it would be a nightmarish border crossing (from all the tales from various online forums) but there was no hitch at all. After waiting at Veun Kham, I went to a different van again for another 2 ½ hrs ride to Pakse.
Had lunch with Penny (she’s from UK) she’s also travelling solo to Vientiane. We swapped travel tales coz she also came from Phnom Penh although she was travelling longer than I am. We started reminiscing about trips to India (she did her first India trip way back 15 years ago).
I still have 3-4 hours to while away before I have to go to the bus station for my overnight trip.
The wait was long so I had black coffee first (I was told to go to Richie’s Resto and wait there). Super inky black naman yung coffee na to, as in di na malasahan ang kape sa sobrang pait nya!
Sitting here, drinking coffee, all of a sudden I have this longing to see Eiesha. I truly miss Lang-lang. Paano na lang kaya if I go away permanently and live somewhere far? Kawawa naman yung pamangkin ko. Actually, kawawa din ako coz I don’t think it would be that easy for me to adapt to a life without her. At least now, I know she’s just a phone call away and she stays with me every weekend.
Hay naku, mapadami yata ang bili ko nito ng Hello Kitty! Guilt trip talaga…
Crossing the Cambodia - Laos border
I thought we’ll take a bus in crossing the border. Hahahha….. we had to go on a ferry to cross the Mekong River before trekking to a waiting van, we rode for about 1 ½ hours before we arrive at a very small checkpoint. As in, minuscule ha! This is the border control and immigration unit at Dom Kralor. Di ba mas lower ang GDP ng Laos? Ano na lang kaya ang itsura ng border office ng Laos? Anyways, yes it is true, you have to pay U$1 for “stamp fees”.
Pareho lang ang laki nila…hehehe…. Hahay buhay, nakahinga ako ng maluwag kasi at least kilala pala nila ang Republika ng Pilipinas at alam nila na exempted sa visa! But still, you have to fork out another U$2 for “stamp fees” (mas garapal sila dito!).
Had to wait for awhile as we are going to change cars, I’m off to the bus station (about 40 minutes from the immigration depot) for Pakse which is another 2-3hrs from Veun Kham.
Travelers who come to Southern Laos usually stay behind at Don Khone or Don Det (or otherwise known as the Four Thousand Islands, also another World Heritage site) but it’s so touristy, so densely packed with backpackers that the place has a commercial feel to it now. Just sitting there waiting for my ride (another 45 minutes wait at the boat area). Although I wish I have the luxury of stopping by for a night to watch the sunset and maybe catch a glimpse of the Irrawaddy dolphins. Mangarap ka ng gising!!!
And here I thought it would be a nightmarish border crossing (from all the tales from various online forums) but there was no hitch at all. After waiting at Veun Kham, I went to a different van again for another 2 ½ hrs ride to Pakse.
Had lunch with Penny (she’s from UK) she’s also travelling solo to Vientiane. We swapped travel tales coz she also came from Phnom Penh although she was travelling longer than I am. We started reminiscing about trips to India (she did her first India trip way back 15 years ago).
I still have 3-4 hours to while away before I have to go to the bus station for my overnight trip.
Here are some shots around Pakse, (Champasak Province) Southern Laos.
Comments
By the way, take a break muna from your travelogue and take some time to answer some meme's. I have a tag for you in my blog, the 20 questions meme!!
Thanks maderla.
Hay naku, its going to be for next year pa naman so puwede ka na mag NY resolution ulit!!!