If I am ever given the choice of how to
travel between cities while on holiday I will always chose to travel
by train first, road second and air last. I haven't done much by sea
or water so can't really comment on that mode of transport.
Flying can be a real time waster. Our
flight today between Hanoi and Labang Prabang in Laos was only
scheduled to take about an hour, but to that time you have to add the
two-hour early arrival time for an international flight, and the 45-60
minutes to get to the airport each way, so the one hour flight takes
about 5 to complete. Over half a day.
I would have preferred to drive between
the two cities but as the roads along that route are either very
poor or non-existent the journey would have taken about a day, maybe more. So we
were left with little choice in the matter.
I quite understood the idea that we
needed to check-in at the international terminal in Hanoi; we were
travelling to another country after all. But why we needed then to
take a 15-minute bus ride from the international departure lounge
over to the domestic terminal to get onto a plane that was just
sitting out on the tarmac left me more than a little bemused.
Other than that nothing untoward or even interesting
happened on the flight so we made it to Laos on time, to be
confronted with the joys of applying for a visa on arrival. We had
done a bit of research beforehand so we were aware we needed a
passport-sized photo and $US30, but didn't know there was a $US1
service fee for each visa. The logic behind that escapes me. Still,
they gave change.
We have a fully escorted tour lined up
for Laos so our Labang Prabang guide was there to meet us at the
airport. First impressions were that it was hotter, more humid and
with lot less traffic on the roads. After the frenetic bustle of Hanoi
this came as a welcome relief. I liked the action of Hanoi but was
also happy to be away from it.
After checking in at the hotel
(situated in the middle of town by our request rather than the one
way out of town recommended by the tour company) we want for a wander
around town accompanied by the guide.
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| Hotel facade |
Temples were visited and then
the part of the day that I had been rather dreading – the 355 steps
up to the temple on top of Mount Phousi that overlooks the city. I'd
read about it and seriously thought I wouldn't make it if the left
knee bursitis started to act up, and Robyn was worried about her hip.
Fifteen or even ten years ago this wouldn't have been an issue, now
the years and the mileage were starting to catch up with us.
 |
| Wat Visoun stupa |
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| View of temple on top of Mount Phousi from street level |
The first stop on the way up is after
138 very steep steps. At that point you really do think the climb
will kill you. A drink of water and five minutes break and the guide
is trying to convince us that the worst of the climb is over, as the
rest is much less steep. I didn't believe him.
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| First flight of steps leading up |
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| Template at the top |
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| View of the Mekong |
I should have. He was right and the
views from the top were great. The main aim of going to the top at
the end of the day is to watch the sunset over the nearby mountains.
We'd picked an overcast day so the viewing was unfortunately not going to be good.
The area around the temple was starting to get very crowded so we
headed back down to watch the famous Night Market start to set up.
A few purchases later we went back to
the hotel for a bit of a rest. Then dinner, then bed.
Exhausted.
Again.
Which is starting to become a bit of a
habit on this trip.
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