Friday 25 August 2017

LTF MR2 (7-15 August 2017) , Day 2 : A Rail of Two Countries

The team arriving in Nong Khai
Alvin was thrilled with our 20 baht per passenger fare
Train staff gave us a trolley without asking for porter fee
KC driving us to Thanaleng!!!
The great train robbery...where is the bandit on horseback?
In Laos, even cows know the left hand driving system!!!!
There's no such thing as overloading!
On our way out for lunch in Vientiane
Crazy traffic!
Lunch at PVO
With Sister Nui
Dinner at Cuisine Lao
Joma Cafe
That Dam aka Black Stupa
French house
Palais Presidential
Chao Anouvong Statue
Palais Presidential, back view
Mekong River, overlooking Thailand



This morning, we met for breakfast at the train's cafeteria. Located 3 coaches away, the walk was surprisingly long.

Passing the second class coaches, they looked similar to the ones we had on our FSTR Tour last year. By dawn, most beds had been turned up, except for a few, still with detachable curtains and their occupants in Lala land!

The sleeping arrangements in both class categories offers similar comfort. However, there are no storage space in second class and for security sakes, it is best to share your space with your luggage. There are no guarantees luggage left on the narrow aisle will follow other passengers alighting during the night!!!



Coffee served at the cafeteria was good. Brewed from freshly ground coffee, it was a steal at 50 baht per cup of cappuccino, standards comparable to Starbucks', if not better! The downside to it was the long wait!!!!

Arriving in Nong Khai, we worked together to bring the bikes and baggage down from the train. Alvin and Wendy, having alighted with whatever they could carry, scuttled off to get our train tickets for our next journey. We were all in a hurry as we thought we only had a 30 minutes window to catch our train for Thanaleng. In actual fact, there was no cause for panic as the sleepy town observes "rubber" time to accommodate everyone.



A small immigration booth at the station opens up twice a day to accommodate rail passengers. Security was so lax, George and KC managed to push the trolley loaded with bike boxes along the yellow line buffer zone on the platform, to the other side before returning to get their passports stamped!



Once we passed immigration, we had to cross the railway tracks, to the next line where our train was waiting. It only had 2 coaches, all of it third class settings with most windows stuck shut. Rotating fans made up for the lack of air circulation but nobody can complain as the fare was only 20 baht per passenger; bikes and luggages ride for free!!!



It was fun riding on this old train. Even though the Diesel engine was nothing like the coal driven locomotives from the Wild Wild West movies, Claudine could not help but feel thrilled when it started moving and she was hanging precariously outside, in between the coaches!!!



The 10 minutes train ride ended too quickly. It was thrilling to cross the Mekong River via the much talked about Friendship Bridge which spanned only 1.2 km! Funded by the Australian government as a development aid for Laos, we wondered why Australian passports were slapped a USD30 visa on arrival fee!



At Thanaleng, the train reaches the end of the line and had no where else to go. It sits there, heating up under the sun before returning to Nong Khai in the late afternoon.

2 booths were opened for immigration at Thanaleng station. One was to process visa on arrival, costs may vary depending on countries; whilst the other one was for local and ASEAN passports which does not require a visa BUT a "processing fee" of 50 baht, no receipts issued!!!



As clearing immigration may take some time, Alvin wisely directed us to start assembling our bikes. We followed his instructions, keeping an eye on the queue and taking turns to get our passports stamped. KC and George were the lasts to see the officers before the windows were shut and the lights turned off for the morning !!!



Even though Alvin was one of the earliest to finish assembling his bikes....he love to brag that Bike Friday Tikit is the world's fastest folding bicycle....in the end, we had to wait for him to sort out Celia's bike. The Pocket Rocket will not fire up, gurgling with problems right outside the station!!! No engineers could overcome the crunch as the shifter cables were broken. Considering the bike had gone on a SGD120 service just a few weeks ago, nobody could have foreseen this mechanical error!

Leaving the station, Alvin was quick to remind us to be mindful of left hand driving system. Since Laos was once under French rule, they have adopted the sovereign country's traffic regulations, driving on the right side of the road! It was easy to follow a leader but the confusion starts all over again at every crossroads!

Finally rolling out, we had gone not more than 3 km when we realized the back group were no longer visible. Stopping by the side of the road just after a T junction, VT caught up to report that Wendy had a flat tire.



Blood curd and chili flakes

Not wanting to wait in the hot sun, we went in search for a drink stop but found a delicious noodle place, right opposite the junction to the Friendship Bridge immigration center! The first group became the food testers hence when the rescue team arrived, they duly avoided the blood and chili flakes that comes with the noodles!

The journey into Vientiane was a short 20 km ride through dusty "highways". Whenever the landscapes start to become dull, one or two spectacular buildings will stand out to pique our interest. These symbols of wealth were a huge contrast against a stark countryside.

Passing a McMansion, with high gates and garish roman columns it turned out to be a school! This bilingual school is a branch campus of the main Oscar school in Vientiane. Not far away was the Lao Country Club.

Midway into the city, we came upon Lao Brewery. A huge factory with bustling activities, it was obviously providing job opportunities to the locals and moving the economy!

We knew we were in the city as soon as we hit the roundabout. International brand names started popping up.


While they took photos....
....we bought bananas

 Coming to the embassy row, the US embassy was first sighted, 5 km before their close ally, the Australian. Close by, was Singapore's diplomatic mission!!! Feeling patriotic, the Republic's citizens and permanent residences posed for a photo at its doorsteps! After all, the next day is Singapore's Independence Day!



Arriving at Golden Sun Hotel, we were given some time to get our acts together. The prudent few showered and finished the day's laundry. However, Charlie's Angels went for a dip in the hotel's pool with Bosley instead!!!

Meeting at the lobby one and a half hour later, Alvin took us to PVO Vietnamese restaurant for lunch. It was unnerving to weave through a city filled with motorcycles and yet had to be mindful of left hand driving system. When we were near the vicinity of the restaurant, we had lost half our crew!!!


The wrong PVO...
The PVO we wanted!!!

Laotians are amazingly good people! Asking a restaurant for free wifi to contact the lost lambs, the owner stepped out to give Alvin the directions to the place we wanted to eat!!! It was an obvious conflict of interest but to be morally correct was more important!



Regrouped again, we proceeded to VOA which served the most peculiar "subway" sandwiches. The delightfully healthy sandwich, packed with a medley of vegetables was served with Lao's version of spam and luncheon meats. The bread is of course, home grown baguette, another legacy passed down by the once, French perfecture. Staying true to its name, they also serves the well known Vietnamese pho and spring rolls as well!



After lunch, Professor Celia donned her helmet, saddled up and rode to the University of Health Sciences, escorted by 10 of her wards! It was time for her to attend a pre-scheduled meeting while her escorts sipped coffee in a most conducive cafe called Joma. It was nice to be able to escape the heat and to catch up on social media while waiting for her return.

Wrapping up her meeting later, most ladies were itching to contribute to Laos' economy. With George acting as a bodyguard, it gave the rest peace of mind to explore the city. Ending up by the Mekong River which overlooks Thailand, the scouts then went in search of a good dinner place.


Alvin having a chat with Nui
Cuisine Lao
The side lane that connected Sister Nui and Cuisine Lao

Stopping at Sister Nui's for juice, she pointed out Cuisine Lao, a posh dinner place, tucked away from the main streets. Located only 50 m away from her juice bar, we went through a narrow side street only to realize its main access was near That Dam, an old Stupa dating back to the 19th century, now made the centerpiece of a roundabout.





Satisfied with our dinner plans, we returned to the hotel to pick up the Roscoes who had gone back on their own for an afternoon siesta. We were to take them back to the river for a sunset view but a storm was brewing instead! In our hurry, Alvin missed a turn which took us through some dirt roads before coming back to the river a little further away. This gave us a glimpse of local life by the river and the many eateries alongside it.



Satisfied with our exploration, it was time to get back. Looking across to Thailand, it was already experiencing wet weather. In the end, we got a few drops of rain but escaped a thunderstorm altogether!

Back at the hotel, we had a big debate whether to eat at the nearby stall which served barbecued meats or call for a tuk tuk to enjoy Laotian cuisines at our intended resto. The weather took a good turn as we dallied and ate the mangosteens bought by the "shopping committee". We went on foot instead!





Cuisine Lao was everything Nui promised, if not better! Set up as a fine dining restaurant, it serves authentic local cuisines. It was a failsafe dinner as Nui had given us tips on what to order.

Dinner does not end the night as in most LTF tours! Stepping out in rain, we continued on to a cafe for more drinks and merriment.....wet weather but never a wet blanket!!!!


Photo Credits :
1. Sue
2. KC
3. Alvin 

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Golden Sun Hotel





 

Sunday 20 August 2017

LTF MR2 (7-15 August 2017), Day 1 : Train whistle blowing...


Mimicking refugees, at Hua Lamphong station
Leaving our bikes with the porter
Extra large garbage bags from Tesco double up as a bike bag
Boarding our train
Narrow walkway
Without our bulky bikes, it can be quite spacious
Cramped conditions as our luggage could not go under the seats!
Ensuite sink
Toilet with wash basin
Toilet equipped with bidet
Hot shower or Hot man???
Non slip flooring
Personalised touch screen TV
Tickets!


Mekong Ride 2 was a repeat for some; BUT most of us were fresh to this route. As veteran LTF members, we learnt to trust Alvin and did no research on our sides. However, as George puts it, Murphy's law will apply....all that can go wrong, will go wrong!!! Such that as the trip progresses, while some of us had it easier, others did not! But through all the adversities, no one was left behind, as in the spirit of OHANA!

At Changi airport, missing out Carolen!

On the morning of the trip, all of us, short of Carolen met at Changi airport at 10 am. While the Roscoes were the firsts to arrive, having taken the midnight flight from Perth; VT, Sue and Claudine started their day earlier than the Singaporeans, having to cross borders! It was a good homecoming of sorts as we all met for LTF's annual August tour!!!

Changi Airport's staff canteen has become the unquestionable rendezvous for LTF members. It was good to know that while we have travelled far and wide, our roots still remain humbly Asian.

We arrived at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport slightly later than scheduled. With air travel becoming more and more affordable, thanks to sprouting budget airlines, the high volume of air traffic was undeniable. Our Scoot flight was 6th in queue for take off, hence the delay!

As usual, Suvarnabhumi (fondly referred to as Swarmbunny by our LTF Chief), was swarmed with travellers. Clearing immigration, Celia tried taking us on the APEC lane but without Frankie as on the previous 321 trip, our big crowd of 10 caught the officer on duty's attention. We were not permitted to abuse the lane except for family members!

Returning to the regular lane, it took the rest of us quite some time to get our passports stamped. By the time we got to the odd sized luggage bay, Celia was already loading her boxes up her trolley. Security was tight that day and we were only allowed to retrieve our own boxes based on our baggage tags.

Lunch on the go...arrival hall
Lunch on the go...arrival pick up point

Lunch on the go...in the van!!!
Leaving customs, Alvin instructed the ladies to pack lunch from the airport diners. We had to leave almost immediately as our pick up service was already "waiting" though it was a good 20 minutes before they finally appeared. Meanwhile, VT and Claudine had to unpack their bikes as their full sized bike boxes may not fit into the 2 rented vans.


Our rented van
Hua Lamphong train station was an hour's drive away. When we arrived, Carolen was already waiting for us, as arranged. She had travelled to Bangkok a day earlier, met a friend, attended a cooking class and even walked through the "slums", as she puts it!!!







The main train station itself was set in the midst WW1 architecture, complete with a half dome facade that lets in a lot of light. Inside, a twin set of sweeping staircase leads to the upper floor where the administrative offices are located. It was fun to marvel at the old brass door knobs and furniture from yesteryears.

Downstairs, in the main hall, a peculiar Thai culture stood out. A large, spotlessly clean, floor area was cordoned off for tired travelers who preferred a place to stretch out. Everyone dutifully removed their footwear and kept the place clean!!!


The professor at work

Needless to say, we removed our shoes, eager to dive into the Thai way of life! While some of us lingered longer than others, Celia put her patient on a stretching session, right on the floor! VT was sent out to recce a good dinner place and George accompanied by Wendy scoured the streets for Thai SIM cards.



That evening, VT led us through the side and back streets of Hua Lamphong to arrive at Laappaak dining room. It was his way of getting us orientated to Thai cultures when in actual fact, the restaurant is visible from the main doors of the station! Dinner was exquisite but the portions were small. This led some of us to visit the nearby 7 Eleven as soon as dinner was done while some others proceeded to the station's canteen.


 7 Eleven and Laappaak, viewed from the main door of the station
Train station canteen

Boarding our night train which left promptly at 8 pm, we almost had a heart attack. George's bike was missing!!! Scurrying after the porter, he found none at the pick up bay! Returning with the porter later, we discovered with relief that his bike was tucked underneath Claudine and VT's seats all the time!



It was not easy to settle down. Everyone were excited going up and down the narrow aisle checking out the train's amenities. Wendy was the first to take a shower in the first class compartment. Uncle KC found out he was not bunking alone but had to share room with a huge Caucasian man that kept to himself most of the time. Our room with our bikes inside was cramped, with little space for movement! While we were all trying to manage the space available, our butler was going from room to room, setting up our beddings for the night.

As the train progresses further up north, one by one, we soon managed to settle down. George and Wendy, upon saying goodnight to VT and Claudine, closed the partition DOOR that separated their rooms. VT opened the shower DOOR to a "still dressed" Carolen!!! She did not lock the shower door properly and from the room's touch screen TV, an unlocked door shows availability!



Ours was the last coach on the train. The back door gave a good view of the tracks we were rolling past! As we moved further away from the city, everything fell into darkness. The last thing Claudine remembered doing was hitting her head on the mirror cabinet as she tried to aim her spit into the tiny sink.... No she did not faint but the rest of the journey was surreal as the rocking motion puts everyone to sleep!


Photo Credits :
1. KC Au Yeong
2. Ped Al
3. Sue