For the visa to Luang Prabang (Day 76 + 77 of the world trip)

19th + 20th November 2019

Yesterday, the day after the jungle tour, we didn't do anything except writing the blog. The room was only left for eating or refilling the water bottles :D :D

In the morning, Jonas wanted to get rolls, but the bakery next to our guesthouse is somehow not always occupied.^^ The saleswoman also delivers the rolls by scooter to surrounding houses, and if you're unlucky, she's not there (but her goods are still open, so completely unguarded). Maybe there's someone in the back room who usually watches out, but otherwise, it's probably all based on trust ;-)

When Jonas came back without rolls, we had to "unfortunately" go out for breakfast <3 Jonas treated himself to a baguette with jam and an omelette, and I ordered the "Special Breakfast" with baguette, croissant, jam, butter (Oh man!! I miss butter sooo much! It's annoying to always eat everything so dry with jam only :D), fruit salad, two boiled eggs, and a tea :) It cost me less than €4. Can't complain^^

After that, as I said, we only wrote the blog and mainly reviewed and selected all the photos. During the day, we naturally munched on chocolate cookies, and in the evening, we went to the Luang Namtha night market for the last time :)

When we left the hostel for dinner, we met a girl from Hamburg who, strangely enough, came from Boten!! (for those who remember: that's the city where our bus driver didn't want to drive to^^) Interesting ;-)

Oh yeah - and we bought two bus tickets to Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang is one of the largest (or the largest?) city in Laos and a backpacker's paradise. It is partly infamous as a party hotspot and not as "exclusive" as the north. But we have to go there anyway because there is a Vietnamese embassy where we have to apply for our visa for Vietnam. If you travel by plane to Vietnam, you get a "Visa on Arrival," but we want to enter by land, so we have to personally go to a Vietnamese embassy.

And so it happened that the alarm clock rang at 6:30 am again today :O Jonas was so kind to get rolls again, and this time, the saleswoman was present. Yay! I devoured two of the baguette rolls, and we spread some for the journey. Together with three bananas and 15 packages of cookies, we were well prepared for our 8-hour journey to Luang Prabang :p

Yesterday, we could choose whether we wanted to travel by local bus or minivan. The minivan was €1 more expensive than the bus, but we took it anyway because it sounded more comfortable for the long journey^^ Departure was then 8:00 am at the travel agent or 9:00 am from the main bus station, so everything very humane :)

So, at 7:55 am, we checked out of our guesthouse and had almost left the property when the receptionist ran after us. "You forgot to pay the room," he claimed. Huh! We had definitely paid both the room and the laundry. We explained it to him politely, but he didn't quite want to believe it yet.

So we went back to the reception together, where he opened his handwritten book. In various colors, you can find numbers and names in what looks like a pure chaos to outsiders and yea... :D :D No wonder he had lost track there ;-) After a few minutes of explanation, he finally believed us. In between, he jokingly asked who we had paid to, and well. It was himself! :D So, somewhat puzzled, we went on our way ;-)

When we arrived at the travel agent, we were packed into a tuk-tuk with other people and driven to the bus station. As always in the morning, it was bitterly cold again today, and with the wind and the open walls, it was really fresh. I tightened my jacket and put on the hood while Jonas once again (unreformable :p) traveled in shorts, T-shirt, and flip-flops, and had stowed his jacket at the very bottom of the backpack, so unreachable :p

When we arrived at the bus station, we boarded our minivan, which can transport 15 people including the driver, and actually all seats were taken except one - which made it a very cozy affair ;-) Jonas and I sat in the back row, and a young girl from London joined us. She was estimated to be at least 1.80m tall, and even though she was very slim, it looked very uncomfortable for her :(

In addition, she often gets sick while driving, but she fought bravely with a pill and looking forward :) She is also on a longer journey, but unlike us, she has already booked everything in advance. Wow! Besides Laos, Thailand, Australia, and India are on her itinerary. Not bad ;-)

After we had talked for the first half-hour or so, they dedicated themselves to their headphones, and I simply looked out the window :) The view was actually quite cool! We already knew it from the jungle, but you can already enjoy the many many hills with just as much green - although it's almost boring to watch it from the road instead of walking it yourself ;-) :D

Otherwise, the journey itself was quite exciting in terms of driving. At first, our driver seemed rather hesitant about overtaking, but after the first hour, he became a daredevil driver :p

Overtaking in front of or in the curve? No problem! With almost 70 km/h and screeching tires in the sharp curves? No problem! :D :D

The other passengers startled several times. Maybe I was hardened by India, but actually, I took the whole shaking very calmly. It reminded me a little of a somewhat rough roller coaster ride that lasts unusually long^^

Only the potholes and "bumps" were uncomfortable because then you bit on your teeth or hit your head on the van's ceiling :p But yeah.

After about 5 hours, we had a food break and almost killed all our supplies. From there, it was still almost a 2-hour drive, during which the view slowly changed from jungle to a river landscape when looking out of the window. The houses had roofs made of tiles or corrugated iron instead of natural materials, and some were even built of concrete instead of wooden huts. So, you could tell that you're leaving the countryside ;-)

We arrived in Luang Prabang faster than expected (from the feeling), and the city is clearly larger than Luang Namtha and also quite nice at first glance. For Jonas and me, it was okay to be here because we had an idea of what to expect. After the silence in Luang Namtha, it was already a small adjustment to suddenly see so many people and crowded streets again :D :D

We booked beds in a 6-bed dormitory for 4 nights. The hostel is pretty cool with a safe, a curtain for each individual bed, and reasonably good sanitary facilities (even a shower with hot water! :O). Besides, breakfast is included, and all this for about €3.50/night!!! Wow^^

Of course, the price attracts many tourists here. From young backpackers who have just turned 18 to middle-aged people and even senior citizens, you can find a lot of Western people here. Even families with children are here, and on the streets, you hear English, German, and very little to no Asian languages... Whether Malle or Luang Prabang, the atmosphere is similar (Europeans with a cigarette and beer in hand) only less expensive :p

After checking in, Jonas and I went to the night market, which is significantly larger here than in Luang Namtha. Besides the food alleys, there are also many souvenir stands. I have to admit, the souvenirs all look really great again <3 But we won't be shopping here anyway^^

Instead, we were interested in the food. Apparently, the buffet is very popular here. You buy a plate for €1.50 (only vegetarian) or €2 and then you can eat as much as you want at the all-you-can-eat buffet!! Crazy! While we stuffed ourselves, we wondered how the sellers could even survive at these prices :O

For dessert (although we were both full), I treated myself to some ice cream. The preparation is widespread in tourist areas in Southeast Asia, but it looks really cool! On a metal surface, whose temperature is kept at freezing point, a scoop of sauce of choice (I naturally chose chocolate <3) is spread out, and as soon as the mass slowly freezes, small rolls are formed with a scraper :) It tastes like normal ice cream, but it just looks so special that I wanted to have it :D :D

To end the day, we took a shower and locked ourselves out of our room in the process because, as it turned out, the receptionist had given us the wrong keys :D :D :D But we could quickly clarify that, and now we are sitting here in the common room :)

Tomorrow, we will visit the Vietnamese embassy and think about something else right now.

So, even if it may seem a bit negative, Luang Prabang makes a good impression. We are just a little spoiled by the "peacefulness" and I have to adjust again to suddenly having so many people around us (there aren't that many, but more than 0 ;-) )^^

Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to the next few days here because the city is already a nice starting point for various explorations :)