Vientiane, Laos

We arrived last night in Vientiane, Laos with a few interesting travel incidents as we left Mukdahan, Thailand.    After a few setbacks we got to the airport in Savannahket, Laos and enjoyed a break in the lounge where Ron had a cup of green tea.

I remember last year when we arrived in Thailand, a man told us we could stay 90 days in Thailand since we are Americans and each time we left the country and returned, we had another 90 days.    When we arrived this year, Ron told them at immigration that we would stay 60 days on this trip.    We had a departure slip in our passport but we did not look at it again.   We took a bus from Mukdahan to Savannahket and when we got to Thailand immigration departure station, they sent us to an office where they said we had overstayed our VISA and owed 8,000 baht which is $268.45 U.S.    Ron argued with the lady that he asked for a 60 VISA when we came into Thailand.  She said, "No, you can only get a 30-day VISA so you have to pay the fine for 7 days over stay."    I guess immigration laws changed or they did not understand when we arrived to make it for 60 days.   The lady would not take U.S. dollars and we did not have enough baht to pay it so she said we had to go back to a shopping center to find n ATM and get baht.
That would have taken at least an hour so we walked into another office at immigration and asked where we could find an ATM and they pointed to an orange-colored roof down the street.   We walked and found it in a small strip mall of shops and restaurants.   We went back and paid the fee but Ron kidded with the lady that she made him walk in the hot sun at 82 years old to pay a fine that he should not have had to pay.   She laughed.   It was not her "monkey and not her zoo" so she did not care.   After the paperwork was processed, which took about half an hour, they wanted to take pictures with us.   Ron tried to put horns over the lady's head with his fingers which sent them into a roar of laughter, of course.   We are not allowed to take pictures in these places but they can take ours!!  I was thinking the headlines in the paper the next day with our picture beside the immigration lady would read "Old American couple tries to flee Thailand on an expired VISA".  

Our bus to go across the Friendship Bridge had left an hour before so we waited for two more buses before we could finally get a seat and cross over to Lao Immigration.     Ron realized when we got there that we did not have another small photo for me for my temporary VISA to come into Laos.   I leave absolutely everything to Ron to handle because it is usually easier that way than asking questions and having to figure things out.   He thought they would send us away to find a place to have a picture taken but there was actually no where to go.   We had left Thailand and were just arriving in Laos so we could not go back and we had to try to find a solution at this point.   I kidded Ron that he could just leave me there and get rid of an old wife.   We completed the paperwork and submitted it to a very nice young man at the window.  He just told me to look into the camera and he took a picture of me.    Then we had to figure out what money to pay them for the $70 VISA (both of us).  They did not want the U.S. money but only because it was not new.   No where in Asia will they take used bills or even a crisp bill if there is a tiny tear.   We scraped up enough baht to pay the fee since we had not had a place to exchange any money into kips (Laos).

Our plane was an hour late leaving Savvanahket but it was only an hour flight and we got in about dark.    We exchanged one $20 U.S. bill at the airport (the only one nice enough for them to take) so we'd have cab fare to the hotel.    We walked out to get a taxi and found a city bus so Ron showed him the name of our hotel.   He put it into his phone (GPS, I guess) and said "Yes", and motioned for us to get on the bus.   He helped with our luggage and when we were seated, he gave us a map.   It may be in Lao but at least we have a map.   The fee for each of us to ride the bus is 15,000...a lot of money?    No, not really.    Divide 8,865 into 15,000 and it comes up to $1.69 each.

Our minister in Bangkok is supposed to wire us $5,000 by Western Union today.   We transfer funds from the U.S. bank account to his bank account in Bangkok to distribute for the work in Laos.   We will use some of those funds for our travel expenses but also to help flood victims when we get to Luang Prabang.

The hotel is on a side street but the bus driver stopped at that street and pointed down the street where we were to go.   We walked for a few short blocks and found it without a problem and checked in.

The room is small but clean and neat.   We have a small fridge, good beds and air conditioner.  The bath has a wall to divide off the shower which many do not have in Asia.   It is all we need for a week's stay and it cost about $29 per night.    The breakfast had about six selections, not great but adequate:   eggs cooked anyway, toast, fried rice, fruit and coffee.   Years ago, it was difficult to find coffee in Asia.  In China, we had to ask for it and it usually cost extra.  I was always so happy to find it on the breakfast buffets in some hotels even though it was very strong.   Now they have instant coffee and creamer in the hotel rooms and many coffee shops are everywhere.   It is also an offered beverage in most hotels for any meal you order.

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We took a walk after breakfast.   We are in an area where there are many small hotels and restaurants.   Streets are dirty and smelly and sidewalks are used for parking motorbikes, cars and tuk tuk (the open simple taxis with a motorcycle and back area for passengers.

There are many Buddhist temples, elaborately constructed and sometimes they take up an entire block.   Monks walk the streets in their bright colored robes/wraps and flipflops.   It is very unusual to have one speak to you but as we were waiting for the bus at the immigration cross point in Mukdahan yesterday, a young monk was also waiting.   He asked us in perfect English where we were from and where we were going.   Then he asked what we were doing here.  I told him we help provide education for poor girls in Asian

countries.  The bus arrived and we did not talk more but this was a very unusual situation and my first time to talk with a Buddhist monk.

Al Capone's restaurant is right across the street from our hotel.   It has pasta, pizza and other stuff.   A billboard out front offers Buy 3 pizza and get 2 Liters of coke free.  Wonder what size pizza I have to buy?

We will have dinner at the home of our 10 girls here in Vientiane on Tuesday night.   I will be posting pictures and giving an update after our visit to see them.   This will be our very special Christmas eve.

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