To get to Vientiane we decided a VIP Sleeper Bus may be the best option leaving at 8.30pm and taking about 9 hours (depending how cloudy it is in the mountains apparently). After a few false starts of being sent to the wrong bus at the bus station and then getting into the wrong seats (no one told us we had been assigned seat numbers) we settled in.
I was relieved to discover that the plastic bag we were each handed upon entry wasn’t a sick bag but to put your shoes in – no shoes allowed. Each reclined seat came with a blanket (mine was a Hello Kitty one) bottle of water, a small cake and a tub of fried rice (not sure how long it had been there so didn’t touch that). “Most” seats also had a seat belt to stop you rolling out (unlucky pete). All the seats on the bus were full (3 rows of double bunks) plus we seemed to have a whole load of extra locals who were going to sleep on the floor – not the easiest to get to the loo then (which was only allowed for number 1s)? We strapped in and off we set. The bus climbed up and up, ears popped, the bag of crisps looked ready to pop and the hairpin corners made it difficult to not roll out of your seat / cot. Some passengers seemed to nod off easily but I read for several hours and pete listened to music (already feeling slightly travel sick). The bus regularly braked sharply to let other traffic by and I think I was glad not to be able to see how close to the edge of the mountain we were at times. The road surface was poor and progress was slow in the rain. The good thing about the reclined seats was that you could actually lie on your side and this made me feel less like I was going to roll out, especially on left hand corners were I rolled towards the window. Right handers were a little more sketchy and then were times I thought I was going to end up on top of the lady beneath me in the aisle. Pete was in the middle row of the bus so both corners caused equally scary moments for him! After several hours the bus stopped and people started getting off. We thought it must be a loo break at a cafe so we got off in the rain to find ourselves at the edge of the jungle and fellow passengers peeing into the bushes. The Chinese girls were nearly hysterical as a van went past while they were squatting at the roadside. Back on the bus and off we set again. More climbing but less tight corners meant a little bit of sleep but then the road surface got worse again and more sharp braking. We stopped a few times for some Laos passengers to get off – trampling on everyone as they went and then as daylight was breaking we pulled into what could possibly be described as a bus station and the disco red and blue lights went back on. Everyone seemed to be getting off but with no announcement no one was really sure. The Chinese girl behind us had to shake her friend vigorously to wake up – oh so jealous of a deep sleep.
We got off to find our bags dumped at the side of the bus and a crowd of tuk tuk drivers offering you their services, asking where you are going etc etc. After a few fractious moments we agreed a price and followed our driver. Unfortunately his vehicle turned out to be incapable of reaching more than second gear, he cramped 6 of us in and we all had to hang onto luggage that was precariously balanced. On the plus side, the slow progress made it possible to take in the lovely sunrise and watch the locals giving alms to rows of monks passing by. We shouted to stop and we got out when we were close to our guesthouse (Vientiene SP) and walked the remainder. Jaded and a bit bewildered we checked in to leave our bags until our room was ready and kindly the lady owner of the hotel said we could have some breakfast. It was a great spread – just what we needed. Feeling a bit more human we headed out sightseeing but did sleep for 4 hours later that afternoon.
So was the Sleeper Bus journey a good idea? I’m still not sure. People told us it was probably best not to be able to see how close to the mountains edge we would have been but in some ways I feel it was a shame to have missed the scenery. I think on a more straight journey I would be tempted to try another sleeper bus – just maybe not in Laos.
