Vientiane was supposed to be a brief resting point for me; it nearly turned into a tarpit threatening to suck me down entirely, hard to get into and out of again...ugh.
So first of all, there are 3 bus stations, all of which are inconveniently located miles out of town. The bus I got in Vang Vieng insisted it was going to city center...I was unceremoniously dropped at the North Station, 9km outside of town.
Keep in mind, this is all new territory; I have no idea where the hell I am. There were tuk-tuk drivers on hand, but I saw no reason to pay one when I'd been promised I'd be in city center.
I just started walking. I wasn't really sure if I should rage and scream, or just cry. Finally, I was saved from either fate by a guy driving a pick up truck, who drove me into town for free. Good thing, too, I would never have found the way.
Leaving was a similar affair.
Now some of this is my fault for buying a ticket at the last minute during New Year's, but basically, I had to wait till evening to get a bus, which cost 3 times what it should have, and dropped me in the Tha Khek bus station at 1:30 am. By the time I got to my guest house (name: The Travel Lodge), reception was closed and I was forced to sleep on a bench outside, at the mercy of mosquitos and the elements.
Not the best part of my journey.
So first of all, there are 3 bus stations, all of which are inconveniently located miles out of town. The bus I got in Vang Vieng insisted it was going to city center...I was unceremoniously dropped at the North Station, 9km outside of town.
Keep in mind, this is all new territory; I have no idea where the hell I am. There were tuk-tuk drivers on hand, but I saw no reason to pay one when I'd been promised I'd be in city center.
I just started walking. I wasn't really sure if I should rage and scream, or just cry. Finally, I was saved from either fate by a guy driving a pick up truck, who drove me into town for free. Good thing, too, I would never have found the way.
Leaving was a similar affair.
Now some of this is my fault for buying a ticket at the last minute during New Year's, but basically, I had to wait till evening to get a bus, which cost 3 times what it should have, and dropped me in the Tha Khek bus station at 1:30 am. By the time I got to my guest house (name: The Travel Lodge), reception was closed and I was forced to sleep on a bench outside, at the mercy of mosquitos and the elements.
Not the best part of my journey.
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