Finally the day arrived to leave Laos and venture to Vietnam. Sad to leave the lovely, lazy land of Laos, we watched the landscape pass by us as we drifted by taxi to the bus station. Feeling sentimental and content, we approached the ticket window to buy our bus ticket to Vietnam.
We found ourselves being jolted awake by ticket seller, noting that tickets to Hanoi were significantly more expensive than our hotel owner told us. Being that we were leaving the country, we budgeted to have exactly the amount of Kip needed to buy the bus tickets, and no more. Now realizing that this calculated sum wouldn’t get us to our preferred destination, we bought tickets for as far as we could go with the cash we had.
The bus to Than Hoa looked like a practical joke. An old dilapidated carnival ride, complete with a carnie who appeared to have far too many drugs in his system and not nearly enough sanity behind his eyes.
The seats were falling apart, cushioning busting out the seams in various places. The seat pads weren’t secure, so they slid forward, ramming your knees into the seat in front of you at every touch of the break pedal. The window next to my head didn’t sit tight in its track; instead it wobbled intensely and loudly to every micro vibration we encountered.
The passengers, all locals, smoked tobacco from a bamboo bong pipe throughout the 13 hour journey.
Just before exiting Laos, the bus stopped along a truly stunning stretch of road. The mountains stretched out before us, green farmland beside us, and steep tree packed hills directly beside us. The bus emptied. The driver climbed up the hillside, machete in mouth, and hacked off a huge branch of a tree we parked beside.
Working as a team, the Loatians hoisted the prize branch, dotted with hundreds of gorgeous cream-white flowers, to the roof of our modest vehicle, and strapped it down securely. With that, we continued our way to the border. Why? Well, I asked – no one could explain in English. Your best guesses are welcome.
We arrived at the border after 5 hours of back-breaking pothole hockey. Smooth sailing at this notoriously strict crossing, and we were so grateful. The crew loaded our bus up with about 8 huge 2x4s, stacked up in the aisle, as well as other goods. As we made our way through Vietnam, we made many rolling stops at locals businesses, and dropped off wood slabs, motorbike helmets, random groceries, and bags of dry cement among other unknown things.
The next 8 hours were a complete travel Tabata workout. Jolted up, down, front back, swerved at high speeds, and brakes slammed minute after minute, we clenched our muscles and decided at least we’re getting a workout in.
Never daring to get some shut eye, not that we could if we tried. Despite not getting sleep, food, or any bodily rest whatsoever, we enjoyed the ultra green rice paddies, and vibrant scenes of local life from our windows. Which included hundreds of stares, followed by smiles, as the Vietnamese took note of our roof bouquet. The harrowing bus from Laos to Vietnam brought some joy to people – just not those of us riding inside of it.
Finally arriving in Than Hoa, it was raining, we were dropped in a parking lot with no idea where we were. Except that we were in Vietnam. We loved it already.