Catching Up Laos: D.W.I. Trip

Flip a coin for a decision??? It may not be a good idea to do, but one always has a choice. It doesn’t matter which side it lands, the point is one has learned to exert a will to choose. Sad to say, it’s not always true to traveling scenarios. Sometimes or oftentimes, you’d find yourself stuck in a situation of no options.

What would you do then?

I’d say D.W.I.!

Since I was in a budget trip, there’s no way that I could fly. That’s one. I had to travel to Laos by land – a trip seemed like for eternity; 24 hours on board. So I prepared my self mentally, physically, and above all culturally. And no matter how prepared I thought was, I still suck - struggling. But I’ve learned to D.W.I. It helped.

Traveling from Phnom Penh to Pakse was no hassle. The fare was expensive though for such a ride. That’s two. Since there’s only one Bus Company (I’m familiar with) that organizes such trip, an alternative wasn’t a good idea. Of course, flying would cost a lot more. After all, it was me desperate going to see what this country tastes like. This gonna be the start of it (the D.W.I. trip) or else I will not be able to see Laos.

We arrived at the border like 3ish something, but then we weren’t informed by the conductor that we had to pay $2 USD for each border. That’s three. I wished I figured out myself. I wished one friend at least told me. Wow!

I’ve been traveling a lot crossing borders, but only in these borders where I have to buy my rights (SEATO, come on).  

“I think I’d be skipping meals here.” I cracked a joke to Singaporean students in the same bus with me. 

No one was happy about this entrance fee in fact. But a little tolerance is needed this time. Or I just had to remind my self of the new standard operating procedure – D.W.I. thing.  Or just wait how someone would address this issue in the future.

 

Whether a good idea or not (no idea anyway), I continued the journey to Vientiane via sleep-over bus. I booked my ticket at the same Bus Company. In case the bus delays, they’d wait for me and the others for sure. Well, we arrived one and half hours before the departure. So I had time to fill my hungry tummy. But it took me a long time to decide what to eat. That’s four. For few reasons – I don’t speak the language at all, and so the vendors don't speak English; I wasn’t sure how safe these street foods were, but had to try to know; also the conductor wasn’t accommodating enough to a stranger, had to do it my own. It was another D.W.I. scenario.

I had my ticket in my hand with hopes I could rest well while traveling at night. It was just a sleep a way I thought. After all, it’s a VIP Bus. Well, it’s another story. That’s five. I was not in the right perspective to contest their definition of a VIP. That’s when I learned aboard that I’d be sharing a tiny bed with the person I don’t know at all. Thank God, he was not the guy one wouldn’t want to know. Plus the beddings really stink, unwashed. As if I had a choice except for this D.W.I. motto that popped out along the way.

I was sleeping near this University student speechless, and all but gestures. “This wont last long” I said, but it was like sleeping there for ages. The funniest thing was I ended up embracing my backpack asleep till the break of dawn. It was kind of embarrassing indeed, but I didn’t want to cry regretting. Better safe than sorry. 

I could have taken a real VIP one if have known how. But the Cambodian guy I met in the same trip wasn’t kind to help. That’s six. He has been traveling this route for countless times, so he knows this stuff. He speaks English well; He knew I am serving his country; he was obviously aware this first-timer needed a little assistance (simply telling which company), but he was so selfishly arrogant. Even a pen, he could not lend a stranger. He is not the typical Khmer I know. A choice is a choice and I respect his heart. That’s when I had to remind my self again of this .D.W.I. thing of mine.

For the first time in a long day got accurate information arriving at exact time. We did, but another crazy scenario filled in to annoy my day. That’s seven. What a city welcome! The bus doesn’t actually stop in the city itself. There were three possible ways though – take the Southern Bus to the central market along Lane Xang Avenue (for 5000 kip or 50 cents) or take a tuktuk alone (which will cost you a lot) or a take a tuktuk with other people heading the same direction (costs 15000 kip or $2). Be friendly enough and pray hard that God would send you an angel to find your way.

Wasn’t it annoying? You already have paid a lot of money with a not worth it VIP ride, then you have to pay again and travel more a bit. These are small things companies don’t tell their visitors. As if every stranger has a clue of what’s going on. Duh, D.W.I.!

Staying longer in Vientiane wasn’t a good idea (for me). I got so bored – there was nothing much to do or nowhere else to go. I didn’t want to stick more so I decided to go back to Pakse (Southern Laos, biggest city). Since I’ve learned my lesson coming, I was careful this time to book a real VIP sleep-over bus that would take me back closer to Cambodian border. I thought I did, but it turned out hell. That’s eight. OK, I had to D.W.I. again.

Pick up time was 7pm, but I was there an hour before that together with a Swiss journalist. Then the small pick-up car arrived and picked all the passengers in the list. It took a city tour to pick all of us. And when I got there, I almost freaked out. I had the worst bus of my life – the bed was smaller for two persons; the air condition didn’t work well that even locals wasn’t pleased with the standard; the slowest bus in the entire world that I missed the bus to Phnom Penh. 

Then I had to stay in Pakse for another day. So I checked in at one guesthouse. It wasn’t worth paying the price – expensive but unpleasantly dirty. That’s nine. And when I took a shower, the water ran out that I could not even finish my thing. Good I didn’t use bath soap yet. It took hours to come back. I just accepted the fact that it was another D.W.I. situation to anticipate.  

Again, it was another boring stop over. The worst was I could not even find a place to eat. That’s ten. So I ended up having a city walk hungry and really tired. When I could not stand the hunger anymore, I went back to the guesthouse. Thank goodness, I found a small store nearby. But I ended up eating lunch really late, and was eating the same food I had the first night I arrived.  

This is what I said a point of no options. All I had to do was remind my self to deal with it (D.W.I.) every now and then. But don’t want to deny the fact that I could not wait to have this trip over. I wasn’t that jumping for the trip. Who would have anyway?