Crossing into Vietnam – Na Meo

Arrived 2/7/2011

As usual it was a bit sad leaving Laos.  It has easily been my favourite country so far.  Scenery, people, food, massive hills to complain about but feel totally stoked about going over, the views, the landscapes, the smiles, the “sai bai dee!!’s” (hello’s) from all the little kids, the adventures, the attractions, Luang Prabang.  It has been fantastic.  And there are more places I want to see – far south and far north.  I’ll be back.

The ride to the border was a really nice way to leave though.  It had a little of most things including sunshine (been a while and burnt/darkened my arms pretty quick!) and few sites to see on the way.  Stopped at the Lao Cuba Friendship Hospital Cave (the most impressive of the cave systems in the region) but the caves themselves were gated shut.  Needed a guide dammit.  It was an impressive site and I could only imagine the caves underground.

The Hospital site

Couple of entrances I found.  There three others I found
 and I'm sure more  judging by the size of the area

Met a nice French guy on my out Arnold (I think). Stopped and yarned for a while.  Got some good info form him on places to go and see and prices, always very helpful for new countries!  He’s making his way to Luang Prabang – man he’s got some big hills waiting him!!! Enjoy and good luck!

The last metres of Laos

The border crossing was pretty random.  Two huge flash new buildings in the middle of remote nowhere villages and there was really only me about two or three other locals passing through.

The Vietnam immigration did a couple of helpful extras.  One they exchanged my left over kip at a rather unofficial rate that I know they made a bit of money off (1 kip = 2 dong it is more like 1 kip = 2.5 dong which adds up over a few hundred thousand kip) but wasn’t sure if I could change it anywhere else from what I had read so that was all good, and two they gave me free maps and information all about Vietnam, awesome! 

Difficulties so far:

1. Talked to a couple of the officials to find out about a guesthouse nearby.  50km away they say.  No surely not I had read you could stay in Na Meo.  Then they said “you can sleep in hotel down the road”.  Guesthouse, hotel – same, same but different isn’t it?  Just wanted somewhere to stay.  Sorted anyway.

2. Getting food.  Thought I’d do the have an early and late dinner.  Walk into a restaurant the lady gestures eating food and I say yes, grab a drink and sit down and wait.  Never been a problem before.  An hour later I’m sitting there getting hungry.  Hmmm, they are cooking but is it for me?  Food comes out and sits on a table opposite me, then is covered up…  So I ask and point food, me, eat?  (need to learn some words) Finally get someone to show me food and another 40 minutes or so later I got a feed.  Crikey!

I'm pretty excited about Vietnam though and these difficulties are always bound to happen until you get a grasp of how things work.  I have already been told of loads of places to go and see I’ll just have to wait and see where I decide to turn or not.