My most anticipated 30 effin hours bus ride from Hanoi to Luang Prabang

And now the saga continues...

haha.

This is what I've been NOT looking forward to.thirty effin hours bus ride to Luang Prabang. that this deserve a blog entry of its own.. so how do i start.

06:00pm - pick up at St.Joseph's Cathedral. Met a girl travelling alone who has been to the PH and agreed that Coron is way better than Halong Bay..

06:30 pm (day 01) - van arrives. Inside were a couple of backpackers whom the girl we just met knew. I sat in front, beside the locals, who were sooo quiet. A South american couple seated at the back were getting married to each country they've been to. Cool! 

07:00 pm - arrive at bus station. We got settled in. We were five foreigners. Two European girls and a European dude. And the rest were locals. To our surprise and dismay it wasn't the VIP bus we were promised to. Argh.

08:00 pm - Bus leaves. here goes...

11:00 pm - Bathroom break.

12 mn - 3 a.m. - Bus picks up and drops off passengers along the way. I would like to go back to Hanoi and strangled the lady who told us the bus wont be picking up any passengers. Argh.

6:00 am (day 02) - woke up at the border. hungry. and no food.

8:00 am - border crossing. left Vietnam. officially my passport has been stamped by a grumpy Laotian immigration officer, who pronounced my name as if I was convicted of something. 

10:00 am - Laos!

12pm - lunch at a roadside. bus stopover. We almost got left behind by the bus, who have no idea they left us! Good thing the guy from the nearby store helped us, called the bus driver. We were able to catch up with them. Boarded the bus, as if nothing happened. Is it me or I was half wishing, the bus DID left us behind, something to tell and BRAG back home. haha. 

4:00 pm - hungry..there were stopovers but we don't have kips! salivating over our seatmate's bananas and pringles. Butt cramps!! Are we effin there yet?? dreaming of a hot meal and a hot shower.

10:00 - finally! we arrived. can't believe it at first, but we actually are here. Hot shower never felt good.

12midnight (day 03) - super late lunch AND dinner at a roadside grill. amazingly, our meal was tasty. we could have eaten everything the guy sells. it's unfortunate we don't have enough kips

2:00 am - snooze. early to rise for that alms giving ceremony


won't be doing any long hour bus rides yet. nope. not soon. now, the 8 or 10 hour bus rides are looking as "short trips" to me.

SEA: Luang Prabang, Laos

After the 30 hours bus ride, I feel I never want to leave the bus! I found myself settling in.haha
But, we really are HERE. Luang Prabang, Laos..
We bid goodbye to the bus we called home for 30 hours..

And woke up the next morning to catch Luang Prabang's alms giving.

..according to Zen philosophy, the giver, the beggar, and the alms money itself all form part of an important chain of equilibrium. The person doing the begging does so because he’s needy, but the person doing the giving also does so out of need. The alms money serves as a link between those two needs..

~Aleph, Paulo Coelho

If not for the tourists taking pictures right in front of the monk's faces, the whole ceremony could have been something..But still, the whole thing is humbling..

 

Luang Prabang is quaint, idyllic. Little shops line the main street. From travel agencies, spas to guesthouses and pastry shops. Biking is the ideal way to get around.

Fruit shakes, anyone?

Main street

flower offerings right outside the temples

The 30 hour bus ride to this place was all worth it.. 

Best place I've seen so far on this trip..

Photoblog: In motion