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Vientiane
For my previous posts on this adventure, click http://lynntowin.ca/thailand-and-laos, http://lynntowin.ca/bangkok, http://lynntowin.ca/chiang-mai, http://lynntowin.ca/laos, and http://lynntowin.ca/luang-prabang-laos and http://lynntowin.ca/vang-vieng Wat Sisaket We drove for a couple of hours on a new highway, built by the Chinese of course, to reach the capital, Vientiane. It sits along the Mekong River, and you can see Thailand on the other side. We visited Wat Sisaket, the oldest buddhist temple here. It’s the only temple still standing from a war with Siam, now Thailand, in the 1800’s. The temple and grounds are weathered and beaten, but beautiful. In the gardens are stupas containing the ashes of local devotees of the temple. We travelled by tuk-tuk within the…
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Vang Vieng
For my previous posts on this adventure, click http://lynntowin.ca/thailand-and-laos, http://lynntowin.ca/bangkok, http://lynntowin.ca/chiang-mai, http://lynntowin.ca/laos, and http://lynntowin.ca/luang-prabang-laos Chinese railway From our hotel in Luang Prabang, we went in vans to the new high-speed train to Vang Vieng. (It actually wasn’t that fast, the displayed speed got as high as 150 km/hr, but I’ve been on others in Spain and Japan that go twice as fast.) The railway was finished in 2021, and built by the Chinese. Before the train, the journey was 8 hours by winding roads, and now it’s only one hour. The packed train was not all that comfortable, but I slept the whole time, due to our 5 am alms…
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Luang Prabang, Laos
For my previous posts on this adventure, click http://lynntowin.ca/thailand-and-laos, http://lynntowin.ca/bangkok, http://lynntowin.ca/chiang-mai, and http://lynntowin.ca/laos Luang Prabang We got to our hotel after the Mekong river cruise after a twenty minute drive through the city. It’s famous for its french colonial architecture and many buddhist temples. We walked from our hotel through the night markets to a restaurant for dinner. I tried a local pork dish and disliked it. Thankfully my favorite, pad thai, is on almost every menu in Laos as well as in Thailand. There was a lovely street full of bars just past the night markets. Kuang Si waterfall and bear sanctuary In the morning we set off to…
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Laos
For my previous posts on this adventure, click http://lynntowin.ca/thailand-and-laos, http://lynntowin.ca/bangkok, and http://lynntowin.ca/chiang-mai What’s interesting about Laos? Laos is one of only five communist countries in world today. The others are China, Cuba, Vietnam, and North Korea. Although the US waged a secret war against Laos during its war with Vietnam, with the intent to stop the spread of communism, Laos has been a one-party communist state since 1975. During the war with Vietnam from 1964-1973, the US dropped over 2 million tons of bombs on Laos. 270 million bombs. A third of those bombs did not explode, and continue to take the lives or body parts of locals who come…
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Chiang Mai
For my previous posts on this trip, check http://lynntowin.ca/thailand-and-laos https://lynntowin.ca/bangkok Night train Bangkok to Chiang Mai We boarded the night train for the trip to Chiang Mai. I travelled in Thailand the first time almost 20 years ago, and the night train experience was one I’ll never forget! This time, not so much. On that trip so long ago, the night train had a bar car. My group went there, where we ordered buckets. Buckets are small pails filled with coke and some of the local rye or rum, then each person gets a straw to share the bucket. Our bartender was a flamboyant ladyboy, who led us in singing…
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Bangkok
To see my trip planning, check http://lynntowin.ca/thailand-and-laos The way to Bangkok I got here by the most direct route, Regina to Vancouver to Bangkok. The Vancouver to Bangkok flight is 16 hours 20 minutes. (The longest flight in the world is over 18 hours). I tried to upgrade my seat but there was nothing available. We were packed in like sardines. The flight arrived in Bangkok around 6 am. I knew that I would be shattered after that very long flight and a 13 hour time change, and would just want to have a rest when I got there. So, I booked an airport pickup from the hotel, at a…
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Thailand and Laos
What kind of trip am I going on? This trip is with Intrepid Travel https://www.intrepidtravel.com/ca/laos/thailand-laos-adventure-166921 It’s called an “adventure” so I think it will be fun! How will I get there? My flights take me from Regina to Vancouver, then straight to Bangkok. I paid $177 for my flights, using aeroplan points earned from a TD aeroplan visa infinite credit card welcome bonus. Two nights before the tour in a nice hotel were booked using TD points from a TD platinum travel credit card. Two nights after the tour in a very nice hotel were booked using Marriott Bonvoy points from a Marriott Bonvoy business credit card ($150 annual fee).…
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Belgium
To see the previous parts of this trip – https://lynntowin.ca/rwanda/ Brussels I made a stop in Brussels to break up the otherwise 30+ hour trip home from Africa. The flight was notably staffed with very tall handsome men. Belgians are among the tallest people in the world, with the average man clocking in at just under six feet tall. We made a stop in Nairobi, where unfortunately the staff changed while cleaners came in. I arrived in Brussels about 7:45, then stood in a customs line that did not move for around two hours. Once at the front, I could see that the automated entry machines were out of order.…
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Rwanda
What happened before this – https://lynntowin.ca/uganda-part-three-gorillas/ I repacked a bit, since the plastic bag I’ve been carting around in the truck with me will not be allowed into Rwanda. Well, if the border guards see it. One of the group told a story of plastic bags taken away when entering Kenya, because they became “flying toilets” in the slums, discarded on roadsides. Yes, probably just what you think that means. We had another very early morning drive to the border with Rwanda, with amazing views as we made our way down in elevation again. Kigali The border was one stop for both exit from Uganda and entry to Rwanda, so…
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Uganda part three – Gorillas
What’s happened on this adventure so far – https://lynntowin.ca/uganda-second-part-safaris/ On the road to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest At sunrise, we set off in our safari trucks on a highway alongside the park, up to the edge of a valley, or escarpment. We saw elephants, buffalo, birds, baboons all from the highway. Here, many elephants don’t have tusks. They have evolved that way as those are the ones who survived poachers looking for tusks. From the top we had a view down to crater lakes. We stopped at beautiful green tea fields. Still climbing, there were amazing landscapes, and in the distance, seven dormant volcanoes. The volcanoes all belong to Uganda, Congo…
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