Laos Laos Loas - Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam
One of the only times I will say thank God to America.....

280 kilomteres between Savannakhet in Laos and Hue in Vietnam. We waited for the bus which was due to depart at 9:00pm...only found our bus at the back of the lot at 8:50 (been there since seven) and therefore missed getting a seat and were perched on luggage piled almost all the way to the ceiling. Two young Vietnamese boys get on in the front and back stairwell. Bus leaves and our small boy in the back spits on our feet and then proceeds to relieve himself in the back stairwell and then sit in it....hmmmm....road deteriorates to the point where about 45 mins into the journey our two boys would get out with pick axes and shovels and rebuild sections of the road so the bus could pass....rinse and repeat for the next 10 hours, where we got to the landslide and two cars caught in it so we sat there for two hours...

then the border and customs where the whole bus was unloaded and searched.....we did however manage to steal a seat and then get abused by two Laotian men who had to sit amongst the smelly pissy luggage at the back!!

Arrived in Hue where we were dropped off at a random cafe on the edge of town in pissing rain and a couple who understood no English - but finally got the drift they should call a taxi. Taxi came and we loaded our packs in the boot....get to hostel area and then the boot would not open.....still pissing down with rain - total journey time - 29 hours......more I could tell but this was the best!

And why the Merkinn blessing? Well when they assisted in the American (Vietnam) war....they built loads of highways and roads everywhere to carry their tanks and trucks....so no more rebuilding required once in 'Nam!! Woo...
(essbeenz there done that, Thu 7 Sep 2006, 14:21, Reply)