Laos: 4000 islands and Pakse

From Cambodia, we took the only option we found for land transportation to Laos: a bus that left Phnom Phen at 6.45, and was supposed to arrive to the 4000 islands area, the magical place at the south of Loas we only heard good things about, around 4 in the afternoon. We arranged the Lao visas last mintue (very, last minute) at the Lao consulate in Phnom Phen; for which I paid 35 USD while Dave did 55, these including the 10 USD extra pronto fee. The 20 USD bus ride was okay, apart from the fact that the aircon was blowing full-power when it was cool in the morning, and stopped working around midday when it was 35C outside. Oh well, thats just the way things work around here. One scene will never be forgotten from that busride: at the Cambo-Lao border, a lady selling her goods shouting: "something somethiiiiiiiiing", the craziest English phrase I have ever heard in my entire life. We still have massive giggles out of it, months later..... :)

From where the bus dropped us off, a minivan took us to the shores of the Mekong - it was right there when I realized that I left a bag on the big bus, with all my t-shirts and tops inside..... Bummer! Nothing left to be done about it, Dave calmed me down saying: time to make new favorites!

A shaky motor boat, similar to the longtails in Thailand, took us to the biggest of the islands, Don Dhet. I have to say the scenery was absolutely breathtaking; hundreds of these little tiny and slightly bigger islands scattered all over in the Mekong, some with a few people on them but most of them inhabited... Very nice!
The only problem was, we had so high expectations about what was awaiting, that we were probably doomed to be dissapointed by default. There are bars after restaurants after travel agents on Don Dhet, waste everywhere, and fucked up, middle aged Europeans coming down from their various toxicated trips, dirty and smelling like pigs - like a small, run-down version of Phi-Phi where everyone is on drugs. I mean, when asking for some salad at a restaurant, the answer is: "sorry we have absolutely no fresh vegetables today, but I can make you a mushroom shake or an opium tea or a nice joint if you'd like" - thats when I ask for a JD&Coke and find the shortest way out.

So after only one day in "paradise", on Monday we decided to leave and head for Pakse, the closest city with an airport, so that I can at least make my flight in Luang Prabang over the weekend.

The bus ride was again eventful: 2 hours later than the planned departure, there were approx. 20 more people on the bus than seats, which meant that a French-Canadian girl was for instance, was sitting on the deck, back against the front window, right next to the steering wheel......... Yep, good times!
Arriving to Pakse at 4, we checked into the Saigon-Champasak hotel, 100000 kip (10 eur) per night, clean room with hot shower - after the place at Phnom Phen and Don Dhet, I was close to tears when I saw it..
Thats it, I have to admit, I hate shitholes, I do need the hot shower, and I am not doing well among dirty backpackers on drugs all the time. Its so much more to life and travelling that that!

First dinner we had at the closeby Jasmin Indian restaurant (seriously, LP recomendations can be flushed down the toilet in so many occasions, that now I only look at the book when everything else falls to pieces). Right when we sat down walked in Nick and Trent, the two Americans we met on the bus from Phnom Phen....
Shortly the question came up if they saw my bag after we got off by any chance, and so they said they gave it to the bus driver, not having either of our contact detials.

To cut this story short, the BIGGEST surprise of all happened: after going back to the bus stop and asking around for 10 minutes, we found a Cambodian guy who called the busdriver and arranged for that bag to be brought back to Laos the following day, with ALL MY TOPS AND T-SHIRTS INSIDE! I was lost for words. The more so, when I wanted to give 50000 kip (5 EUR) to this guy and he would not take the money...... Unbelieveable, there are some really good people in the world! :)

On Tuesday we booked flights from Pakse to Luang Prabang for Thursday, went shopping to the weirdest shoppingmall ever (with so over-priced shitty clothes, that noone buys anthing there), and reserved a bike for the day after, yes, a proper motorbike for Wednesday, when we would go and search for hidden waterfalls and elephants - ended up having the perfect day in the end. Started with an awesome breakfast at the Kafe Katuad, we left on the bike, drove 220 km, found 2 amazing waterfalls, oxen, little local hidden villages and schools, an adventure meal, smiling faces, a monkey farm, and elephants (whose farts are the loudest and longest of all creatures!); and figured that the elephant ride, though not as bad as camels, requires full scuba-gear with mask and snorkel, or at least a set of clothes you dont mind ditching after the ride........... yuck, it was a snotty experience!