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Wake up at 8:30am ish to have a shower before we pack and go to have toast in the courtyard. Our taxi arrives at 10am.
We travel about 2 hours to our first stop at a random guest house at Wiang Pa Pao District for lunch. The veggie option didn't look as good here so I just had chips and a banana shake, the shakes everywhere are so good. They're all so fresh!
The 2 guys sat behind us on the bus are from Brazil and have been out in Asia for about 4 months to learn English/Thai. Get back on the bus for another 2 hours and stop just outside Chiang Rai to see the White temple. The White temple is huge and looks like something out of a Disney film. Unfortunately the heavens opened so get soaked through going to look at it. Once back at the van I get changed out of my trousers s they are wet through! On the journey here I commented at how good the roads were and that I was surprised, all Tikka did was laugh (I will soon eat my words...)
Just under an hour later we arrive at the border in Chiang Khong. A man meets us there and the 2 people from the front of the van decide stay in Chiang Khong the night. The 2 Brazilian guys and us follow the man who helps us complete our departure cards and gives us a sticker from his company so the officials know we've spoken to him. He also explains that we should not pay for anything but our passport photos (100baht) and our Laos visa (36$).
Once we filled out our departure cards and get through passport control we are taken in a bus to over the bridge of the Mekong River to the Laotian border. At the toilets there was someone having a poo with the door open - bearing in mind that they squat here, it was not the more pleasant site!
At the border we fill out our visa application and pay $36 and wait 10mins for our visa. rikka and I think we have lost our onwards bus ticket (I don't even remember getting a ticket). Once we get our visas we take a small taxi to Huay Xai to wait for our bus to Luang Prabang. Whilst waiting we get food from a small place where the 2 Brazilians are also eating. Go to the cash machine and withdraw 1,000,000kip - I'm a millionaire!
Get on the bus at 6pm, my seat only RECLINES which is really annoying. As it's getting dark we watch the sunset over the mountains, the road become really windy which makes me feel a bit travel sick.
These buses think "VIP" means play nonstop loud music! Stop every few hours for a wee break at the side of the road and start going over very bumpy roads - I now know why Rikka laughed at me earlier! Try to get to sleep for the VERY LONG JOURNEY!
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