I’ve Arrived in Vientiane Capital, Lao PRD

After travelling for 15 hours from Bangkok: Scooter – Meter Taxi – VIP Bus – TukTuk – Public Bus – Taxi Bike, I’ve arrived unscathed in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. Whenever I arrive here in Vientiane, one of my first acts is to change £200 GBP into Lao Kip. Despite crypto fortunes being made in swift time by so many, in my world, visiting Lao PDR or Vietnam is still the quickest way to become a multi-millionaire. I know it’s childish, but after all of these years travelling, it still feels immensely satisfying to have ’a few million stashed in your back pocket for shits and giggles’. Two Million Lao Kip… let’s party.

My usual guest house was fully booked, and for Vientiane, that’s unusual. But as I found an alternative room, I realised that tomorrow - Wednesday 28th February - is Makha Bucha Day, a public holiday in Thailand and Lao PDR. Well, they call it Makha Bucha Day in Thailand, but here I believe it’s called Boun Khao Chi. It probably has the same meaning in English, which is Disciple. Anyway, it marks the day when Buddha ordained 1,250 disciples as the first Buddhist Monks, but I’ll report more on Makha Bucha Day, after it’s happened.

After experiencing Bangkok, or any other major city in Thailand, most tourists would probably find Vientiane a little too quiet and small for their tastes. But, I actually like that about this place. Despite major development in recent years, not all of which has been pleasing to the eye, it still has the feel of a village. Well, it feels that way for a tourist, but living here would probably feel quite different.

I first came here almost thirty years ago, and since then much of Vientiane’s French Colonial architecture has been demolished and replaced. Unfortunately to my eye, the newer buildings appear to have been crafted not by the artistry of the architect’s pen, but by the cold calculation of the accountant’s spreadsheet. To me, Vientiane now looks a little soulless, but if you’re prepared to linger and scratch beneath the superficial glass and stainless steel structures, then you'll certainly discover the heart of a community that still beats strongly.

The essence of Poor Circulation dictates travelling at a reasonable price, and for that, Vientiane is a perfect city in which to relax and explore. Any city that can afford to bury its cables is generally a little too expensive for me, and with Vientiane’s main attractions all located within walking or cycling distance from it's heart, staying here ultimately costs just as much, or as little, as if I’d stayed at home.

More of Lao PDR’s attractions will follow in the coming days, but given the refreshing taste and reasonable price of Beer Lao, blurred pictures and wonky text might well be the order of the day.

Riding and smiling as always …. Geoff