Travel in Laos

Transportation in Laos between cities is more expensive than most places we've travelled, and I think it's probably because they are trying to raise money to build infrastructure- goodness knows that the roads could use some, though it's supposedly much better now than a couple years ago.

Those of you that suffer motion sickness be prepared- these roads wind every which way and they get bumpy. Our trip from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang was okay- 13 hours in a bus is never that fun- but the worst part is how many people got sick. The first thing they hand out when you load on to the bus is little plastic bags- which at first glance you think is for trash, but about 20 minutes in to the ride you see what they are for. I suffer from motion sickness- and I held up fine- but I've never seen one person get sick over and over again that many times. I have renamed this leg of our journey "The Vomit Express." I'm so glad I had my MP3 with me to put in headphones and try to tune it all out. Ugh...

The next portion of the trip- Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is noted in the book as being a problem for people with motion sickness- and I can see why- these roads were so windy it'll make you dizzy. I recommend booking on a minibus because I think the lower center of gravity helps with all the movement- and it's the cheapest and fastest option anyways. But the thing I think should be mentioned most about this drive is how amazing the scenery is! I almost always fall asleep in cars and I stayed awake for most of this. When I did doze off for a bit it was towards the top of the winding road over the pass, and when I woke up we were on the downhill side and in another world- scenes straight from the Lost World. Gigantic limestone karsts coming out of the ground everywhere, everything covered in different shades of green jungle plants, coconut trees, and peaks surrounding you everywhere. One of the most beautiful places I've seen....