Post by nomadic on Mar 7, 2020 9:37:59 GMT 7
Anyone who has been to Laos knows it is a timeless land and it took me until yesterday, 25 years after my first visit to really understand the culture. While i always love the places the actual travel in another thing again.
The daysof trucks on the moon surface are now gone with OK buses on smooother roads. Alas over 10 hours to go 435 km's last Tuesday because of stopping for numerous cargo drops and every waving hand was replaced by 12 hours on the return. I stupidly assumed if would be faster with the cargo only going out of the capital. Never ever assume anything in Laos. Why do we stop for no apparent reason for 15 minutes, only 15 minutes after we leave the bus station. This happens all the time.
Once we leave the petrol station and after fifty metres he pulls over to the wrong side of the road and just stops for 10 minutes. I have always thought it was all just illogical madness but yesterday it hit me. They just do not value time like we do. Timeless Laos.
We rush around like headless chicken trying to find time to do more and they just take everything as it comes. I am the only non local on the bus and the only one stressed out at all the stops for no apparent reason. 12 hours for 435 km's. But then i thought maybe it's better to be like this. Laid back and happy in one of the poorest countries in the world. Friendly and extremely safe with only smiles to be seen.
But sadly i am time crazy so I think my long Laos travel days are now gone. A few times i did burst out laughing at the things like the ladies selling chicken on a stick often out numbering the passengers or even more bags of green mango with a chilly sugar mix to dip it into. But as usual I growled more than laughed but the Beerlao was cold when I finally got one. So all is well.
P.S. the numerous toilet stops are girls to the left and boys to the right but pretty much in full view of those who stay on the bus.
The daysof trucks on the moon surface are now gone with OK buses on smooother roads. Alas over 10 hours to go 435 km's last Tuesday because of stopping for numerous cargo drops and every waving hand was replaced by 12 hours on the return. I stupidly assumed if would be faster with the cargo only going out of the capital. Never ever assume anything in Laos. Why do we stop for no apparent reason for 15 minutes, only 15 minutes after we leave the bus station. This happens all the time.
Once we leave the petrol station and after fifty metres he pulls over to the wrong side of the road and just stops for 10 minutes. I have always thought it was all just illogical madness but yesterday it hit me. They just do not value time like we do. Timeless Laos.
We rush around like headless chicken trying to find time to do more and they just take everything as it comes. I am the only non local on the bus and the only one stressed out at all the stops for no apparent reason. 12 hours for 435 km's. But then i thought maybe it's better to be like this. Laid back and happy in one of the poorest countries in the world. Friendly and extremely safe with only smiles to be seen.
But sadly i am time crazy so I think my long Laos travel days are now gone. A few times i did burst out laughing at the things like the ladies selling chicken on a stick often out numbering the passengers or even more bags of green mango with a chilly sugar mix to dip it into. But as usual I growled more than laughed but the Beerlao was cold when I finally got one. So all is well.
P.S. the numerous toilet stops are girls to the left and boys to the right but pretty much in full view of those who stay on the bus.