FROM BIG CITY TO BOHEMIA

Day 15, April 5^th

The sleeper bus rolled into Pakse at 7 in the morning.  Oddly enough, the sleeping wasn’t too bad.  Maybe it was the humming of the bus engine or being so exhausted, either way I did get some decent sleep.

Mini-bus to the ferry.

At the bus station we catch a tuk-tuk along with the Frenchman and a few other backpackers and head to a new bus station.  As soon as we get to the new station, we are attacked by hawkers.  All selling the same ticket, on the same bus, for the same price.  My guess is they each get a commission on the tickets they sell. 

Our new mini-bus seems to be a bit spacious, conspicuously spacious.  We drive only a few blocks before we stop at an intersection.  This is our ‘rest stop’ and food break.  We’ve been in the mini-bus for less than five minutes.  Wait a minute, this isn’t just a rest stop.  This is another pick up as well.  We all grab a bit of food and the mini-bus is now full.  Beyond capacity.  Now that’s more like it.

Hoofing it down to the ferry.

We start the slow rolling journey down to Si Phan Don, the most southern point of Laos, also known as the 4000 Islands.  The road is dusty, hot, suffocating.  But still, one of those sweet moments of traveling with the countryside passing by and a little music.  I have a look see around the packed mini-bus and notice it is full of backpackers.  I love the sounds of all of the different accents…Australian, German, French, British, Mom.  That’s right, mom is in her element, working the room like a seasoned politician.  Well, working the mini-bus.  It’s the usual, “where are you from”, “we’re from Texas”, “that’s my son”, etc.  The cool thing is that this bus is loaded down with 20 & 30 somethings all feeling the bohemian vibe and hitching a tough ride to a lazy place for easy days.  And there is mom and dad, holding tight and hanging tough.  Backpacking with the rest of us.

The ferry, or longboat.

A new development as we travel south through Laos is dad’s attire.  He has finally started to don shorts and sandals.  Very bohemian of him I thought.  Not so fast.  You see, he has the same kind of convertible pants that mom and I have, where you zip off the bottoms and they turn into shorts.  Practical and efficient I think.  He has finally started to drive with the top down.  I think he is growing, giving into the vibe and feel of the backpacking world, relaxing a bit.  Nope.  You see, when you buy convertible pant, they cost more.  That extra zipper and labor is what gets you.  And if you spend the extra money and don’t ever convert the pants into shorts, then it is just a waste of money.  He won’t do that.  Doesn’t matter if he is uncomfortable, if he hates it, or if he thinks he looks ridiculous.  He’s not gonna waste money.  Shorts and sandals it is.

After the mini-bus to the ferry dock, everyone jostles and positions for a longboat to carry us to the top of the two most southern main islands, Don Det.  A little boat ride to the other side and it was time for the routine.  We posted up at a restaurant on Don Det, had some fried noodles and off I went to find our new home for the next few days.

The reason.  Sunset over the Mekong.

I rented a bicycle to explore the options and in doing so greatly underestimated the size of the two islands.  Quite a ways into the ride down Don Det to Don Kon (the southern most of the main islands) the chain on the bicycle pops off.  No big deal, right?  Riiight.  If it were a relatively new bicycle that wasn’t rusted that is.  The chain is jammed.  Tight.  I flip it upside down and start working on it.  I’m in the middle of a wide-open space, no houses in site, dusty road…and construction trucks heading my way.  Nowhere to go.  Stuck.  They don’t slow down.  They just kick up as much dust in my face as they can and keep on keepin on. I’m covered in dust and sweat, turning into a thin layer of mud.  This sucks.

I finally get to Don Kon and check out a few places and pick one.  Now, I have to ride all of the way back to northern point of Don Det and retrieve the kids.  We hire a longboat to take us and our packs down to our new place.

All in all, not the worst of our travel days, but long and not easy.  We are finally checked in and it is time to get the kids showered and in bed.  It’s kind of funny to see mom and dad go to sleep.  They are very sensitive to light and need complete darkness.  So they each wear sleeping masks. 

Right now, my two little Lone Rangers are sound asleep.

Convertibly yours,

Tanto

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