Aside from a new language and currency, the transition from Thailand to Laos did not seem to bring about many changes. I’m sure there are many differences to the locals, but just as Seattle and Vancouver have a fair bit in common, Vientiane was, to us, not too different from Phuket.
We checked out a couple of Buddhist temples there, and they were ornate and beautiful, just as those we’d seen in Thailand… but the real highlight of Vientiane was the food. As delicious as Thai food is, three weeks of it will make you yearn for something different. In Vientiane, we found the Scandinavian Bakery, where we filled up on bagels and croissants, and even better, the Taj Mahal Restaurant. Proudly decorated with large photos of the Taj Mahal and maps of India, this little gem of a restaurant has been established on a quiet side street in Laos. It had easily some of the best Indian food I’ve ever eaten, and we feasted for under eight dollars each, including drinks. I felt a twinge of guilt for not eating any Laotian food in the capital city, but I have no regrets.
Vang Vieng is much more rural and remote than Vientiane. The main town has been overpopulated with tourists, which is rather unfortunate, but if you explore the outskirts, you’ll find plentiful rice fields and cow herds
amongst the towering limestone karsts and the crystal-clear tribunaries of the Nam Song river.
The river itself is what originally drew so many tourists to the area. Its lazy flow as it winds through the beautiful surrounding jungle makes it perfect for floating down in an inner tube. Ellsa and I liked this idea just as much as the next tourist, and we were happy to spend an afternoon afloat. The sun was shining in a bright blue sky, and the water was cool and refreshing. Occasionally a group of kayakers would overtake us, and they would make sure we were extra refreshed by splashing us with their paddles. The local guides seem to encourage it. They thoroughly surprised me the first time, but it was all in good fun. Aside from the kayakers, it was a quiet and peaceful ride; at times, we seemed to be the only people for miles around. Tubing down the Nam Song was certainly one of the most relaxing experiences of the trip, and of my year.