💛 A story from Vieng Palace

Hello, my name is Gift. This is my first review of my first trip abroad. In this review, I won't be telling you how much money I spent or how economical or worthwhile it was, but rather sharing my experiences through the stories I encountered. I want to say that I was very impressed with this place. I have no regrets about choosing to go there. Let's read on!
D1 I started my journey with my boyfriend and two of his friends: Nut, Noom, and Boom. We started from Maha Sarakham Province and took a bus to Nong Khai Province, which borders Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Joe, a friend from the same university, picked us up to cross the border because he is Laotian and is studying in Thailand. Joe volunteered to take us around. Yay! After we crossed the border to Vientiane, which didn't take long because it's very close, we arrived at Joe's house in the capital. It was beautiful! The first time we entered Laos, we were all very excited because Laos drives on the right side of the road. The four of us weren't driving, but it felt very thrilling and exciting because we weren't used to it. 5555555 After arriving at Joe's house, Joe took us for a walk at Khemkhong, a public park along the Mekong River where you can see Thailand on the other side. In Khemkhong, there is a flea market, or to put it more stylishly, a walking street. This place is where people of all ages come to relax, unwind, shop, play sports, hang out, sing, and dance. Everything is included here. After that, we went back to Joe's house to sleep, eat free food, and sleep for free. Joe's house was very well taken care of. Joe's family is lovely.

We traveled to Vang Vieng by private car with Joe's family. The journey from Vientiane to Vang Vieng took 2-3 hours because we had to climb mountains. The distance was more difficult than our home, but it was not too bad. The mountain range along the way was so beautiful that we couldn't help but take pictures all the time. Before we knew it, we fell in love with the mountains here. We arrived in Vang Vieng, but we didn't look for accommodation yet. We stopped to eat. The food in Vang Vieng was about 80 Thai baht per dish. We were shocked at first, but we got used to it later. Snacks, soft drinks, almost everything was imported from Thailand, but it was more expensive than Thailand. 55555555 Ice cream from 10 baht a stick to 30 baht, so we couldn't eat it. Haha. After we finished eating, we checked into our accommodation. The accommodation was very good, quite decent, but the wifi didn't reach the room. The price was about 1,000 baht per night. After that, we rented bicycles to ride around Vang Vieng for 50 baht each. We continued to eat at a local restaurant nearby. The owner was a Vang Vieng native. We ordered sticky rice, papaya salad, and grilled chicken. It was normal, but Joe's brother said, "Why is the papaya salad so salty?" in Lao. At first, we saw them talking to the owner very friendly, so we thought they were relatives. That's why he dared to say that. Then the owner took it back to be pounded again. We were so surprised when we found out that they weren't relatives at all. If it were in our country, the owner would be angry. But here, the owner was very kind and lovely. She took it back to be pounded again. And the next day, she even let us pound it ourselves. Lao people are really lovely. Everyone talks to each other as if they have known each other since their last life, even though they have never met before. We think Thai people are hospitable, but Lao people are even better. We were very impressed by this.

Day 3: Exploring Vang Vieng's Natural Beauty

Today, we embarked on a full-fledged adventure in Vang Vieng. Our first stop was the bridge over the Song River, where we were greeted by the stunning scenery of the surrounding mountains and the crystal-clear water. We paid a 50 baht entrance fee to visit a cave, where we took photos and paid our respects.

Next, we relaxed by the Song River, sipping on local Beer Lao and soaking in the atmosphere. We had the opportunity to rent a paddle boat for 200 baht, but unfortunately, the rain prevented us from doing so. However, the rain offered a unique perspective of Vang Vieng, revealing a mesmerizing mist rising from the mountains. Despite never being a fan of rain, I found myself appreciating it in Vang Vieng.

During the downpour, we witnessed a natural rockfall on the mountainside, which was both awe-inspiring and slightly unnerving. After the rain subsided, we continued our journey to the Blue Lagoon, where the water was so clear that we could see fish swimming below. The lagoon is also quite deep, so life jackets are recommended for non-swimmers.

After a day filled with exploration and adventure, we returned to our accommodation, feeling both exhausted and exhilarated.

D4 Today, we planned to buy souvenirs and tour around Vientiane after dropping off our belongings at Joe's house. Our first stop was Patuxai, Vientiane. The monument was built to commemorate the Lao people who sacrificed their lives in the wars before the communist revolution. It has beautiful patterns and a blend of Lao and Western art. From the top, you can see a clear view of Vientiane city. Inside, there are vendors selling souvenirs, but they are very expensive. It is cheaper to buy them downstairs. Then we went to worship the That Luang and buy souvenirs. We drove around Vientiane city. Vientiane is a very peaceful capital city, not as chaotic as Bangkok. However, on the road, we may not be surprised to see a procession of cars running red lights in front of the police. They are not afraid of anything, haha. Overall, our life in Laos is not bad. It was a great experience abroad. The first step of our journey, a relationship between different ethnicities but caring for each other like a family. We will keep it in our memories forever. Sabai dee, Laos. What are you waiting for? Let's go!

Woman rowing a boat

Apatsara Koaram

 Monday, November 11, 2024 10:29 AM