The Dogcatcher does Laos again.

[the dogcatcher]

The last time I went to Laos I only stayed 5 days so didn't really get a feel for the place. My initial impressions were not good but I am happy to say that my view has now changed.
So here goes, 2 weeks in Laos, driving, golfing, drinking and a bit of mongering.

I'll start out with Christmas day in Udon Thani.
I was travelling with Bally, a good golfing pal, and on Christmas day what better else to do than play golf.
I selected the army 9 hole course about 2 miles NW of the town centre and off we set.
When we arrived we discovered a compact and cunningly designed little course, not particularly in good condition but at 220 baht for 18 holes including caddy and insurance for hitting cars on the adjacent roads what do you expect? We actually got a very enjoyable round on a course that prooved to be bloody difficult.
Bally beat me 3 and 2.
Later we ate at the hotel we had booked into the previous night.
The hotel was the Siri Grand Hotel, 12 Benjang Rd, Udon Thani. Tel 042 324514.
500 baht a night and highly recommended. The restaurant was also "not too bad".
Next on the cards was a night out and a chance to check out the Udon Punani.
After a quick call to my good friend "Pattaya John" to ask what the score was we boarded a "tuk tuk" for The Night Plaza which is situated on the other side of the car park that serves the Central Plaza shopping Mall. We had a couple of beers there but didn,t see much we liked. I was actually approached by a woman who told me that she had worked on Soi Yodsak for 12 years, I declined her offer of sex, immediately!
Eventually we bar fined a couple of cute young things from the bar across the road from "The Irish Clock" bar. Both were your "common or garden" Issan three hole variety and mine was certainly enthusiast about her work. No question of spit or swallow, she even let out a playfull little burp afterwards. Names by PM only guys.
Ok, let's get into Laos.
We arrive at the bridge at about 13.00 the next day to find it remarkable quiet.
Last time it was awash with with kaftaned tree huggers and whilst there were a few bemused looking hippy types and other detritous there the passage out of Thailand was quick and easy, and it goes like this.
We were travelling in 2 cars which is a right result because if you are exporting a car you are processed differently and in a different area to the other tourista.
Firstly you get yourself and your car stamped out of Thailand. The man that does this will then give you 2 sets of 3 forms to be filled out. The forms are very confusing because they are not specifically for cars. They are for everything from cars to ships. Anyhow we did our best at filling them in which was a complete waste of time as no one ever took a blind bit of notice of their contents anyway.
You then take your car passport, your own passport and the forms to the pretty Thai girl in the centre box that faces Laos. She entres you detailes onto her computer, retains all but one of the forms and issues you with a new form that is already filled out by her computer. You then make a 180 degree turn and go to the box directly behind you where "big boss" signs both bits of paper and bids you on your way. That's it, 20 minutes and no scams this time.
Arriving in Laos. Just as simple.
Go to office on far left of board post. Receive 2 forms, fill them out and hand them back with 1500 baht and your passport and 10 mins later you have been stamped in and have your visa.
Then take the whole lot including your log book, passport, car passport and the paperwork the Thais gave you to the box in the centre that is enscribed "private cars" . Tell them how long you want to stay in Laos, the max for your car is 14 days. Pay 420 odd baht and they will stamp your car passport and issue you with a yellow piece of paper. Then go to the insurance broker on the right hand side just inside Laos and get some cover. 370 baht for 14 days for a 2.5L Vigo.
THEN, go to see "big boss" at the counter in the middle of the checkpoint and he signs everything. Whole lot 30 mins, last time it was 2 hours though.
And on to Vientiane.
We booked into The Orchid House hotel on "Beach Road". It's in the Lonely Planet and hence should be avoided. It was just ok, but our rooms were noisy due to the road. 700 baht a night.
You can actually see it in the pics JJ posted on his visa run post, the one with the fairly lights.
That night we ate at "La Teressa" which is a French style restaurant on Norkeokoummane Rd about 100 metres from the main drag along the river.
In fact we ate at only 2 other places in town whilst we were there. One was Kaow Neow which is on the same road and is JJ's recommendation, I didn't rate it and we also ate at the first pizza restaurant on the left as you leave the Mekong, same road again. That one gave me food poisoning.
Time for some pics.

[the dogcatcher]

Solly, Teakdoor rubbish for pics.
Have to wait.

[jandajoy]

bugger

[the dogcatcher]

My pics are about 80 Kbts. Too big?

[harrybarracuda]

No worry on the pics old boy, but would love to hear more about the Golf.

We're always looking for somewhere new to play a few holes

[the dogcatcher]

OK a bit big but that will be better later as I have quite a few landscapes. Is that JJ with the baseball cap.

[the dogcatcher]

More golf later.

[ItsRobsLife]

Try Fastone image editing and batch resize the images to 640x480 in another folder, they will upload quicker, won't slow connections when the thread is openend and won't stretch the page.
Download FastStone Image Viewer 4.1 Beta - FileHippo.com

[the dogcatcher]

Ok

Orchid House room. As I said just ok.

[the dogcatcher]

[the dogcatcher]

[the dogcatcher]

[jandajoy]

What's going on Dog ?

[the dogcatcher]

My connection is shit today so I'm posting pics as quick as I can.
I'll explain them in the next long wordy bit.

[jandajoy]

No worries.

[the dogcatcher]

This is the Liquid bar, bit quiet. The Mix club was better and had alot better scenery, mostly Laodyboys though.

[the dogcatcher]

Laosy said she wanted a gun for Christmas. She was'nt joking.
Not a great pic of her cos she's not bad looking really, but I think the AK looks good. Chinese copy actually.

[Roger Ramjet]

Great pics and interesting thread......Looking forward to more details, for my next Loas visit! Do you play Russian roulette? An AK and a jealous woman???? Mine just threatens me, and picks up the meat clever Thai style!

[the dogcatcher]

Here's the same girl in a different mood. This is taken in the village of Samphanah about 30 click west of Vientaine along the dirty road in the earlier pic.

[the dogcatcher]

Day 2 in The Big V.

My first task this morning was to deliver a dress to Laosy in her village so she could attend a wedding.
This had to be done Laos style of course ie 7.00 am. I, being still pissed and hungover from a night out at The Liquid Bar was a hour late but that didn't matter cos in true Laos tradition she had fucked up and told me the wrong time ie 2 hours too early. Never mind, she looked great in the dress.
I didn't want to go to the wedding but I didn't really have a choice.
When I arrived the proceedings were in full swing. It was only 9am and it looked as if everyone had already eaten and the beer Laos and Lao Kao were flowing freely.
Immediately Laosy had every other girl in the village crowd round her to ask her questions about her farang. Later I asked her what they were asking and it ranged from how much money I had, through what I did for a living, all the way to how big my cock was. Probably not so different from western girls then.
Anyway, I actually really enjoyed myself. That's me laughing like a lunatic in the photo.
I didn't stay long though. All the attention and the ear splitting music was getting a bit much, also I was getting drunk again really quickly and I still had to get back to town.
I have written about the road to Samphanah in my first Laos post. The road is a car killer, it's all 4x4 stuff and when it rains it's impassable. Never the less it is marked on every map of Laos I've seen, and marked as a good road?
Note to all would be Laos travellers. STICK TO MAIN ROADS!
The pic of the Toyota thundering by was taken just after I left the wedding.
Bit more later today.

[the dogcatcher]

The following day was ear marked as a golf day.
There are three courses in Vientiane all with interesting names.
There is the 6km club, the 14km club and the 16 km club. Imagination eh?
We never found the 16km club as the directions on the internet were rubbish. The 14km club is on the road from the bridge into town, on the right hand side as you head away from the bridge although you only see the sign whilst heading out of town.
We selected the 6km club which is north of Vientiane on route 13 south.
Directions.
Head north on route 13 south which is the road at the north end of the "Ach de Triumph" styley monument in the centre of town. When you get to the Kaysone Museum on your left you know you have gone too far.
Turn round and turn east at the set of lights you have just passed through. That would have been a right turn had you known where you were going.
A mile or so down there is the club. There is a big sign at the entrance.
The 6km club is a 9 holer, and very nice it is too.
It's a parkland course with buckets of water that suits big hitters. The 8th hole requires a carry of 190 yards to clear the water. Too much for Barry. LOL.
It's not cheap either at 800 baht for 18 holes with caddy but definately worth a look. The final round of the day can be commenced at 6 pm as the course is fully floodlit. I beat Barry 2 and 1 and won 25 grand. Kip unfortunately.
Also take some smaller notes as the kids selling bags of balls on the course never have change. I bought a dozen bog washed Titeliest for 100 baht, most were brand new. So good value.
That night we ate at Kao Neow JJ's fave rave rstaurant. Barry said his food which was an omlette and salad was ok but he also prefered La Teressa. My pizza was not bad but that's all.

Have a pic of the Mekong just west of town.
BTW the camera is a Lumix FX 12 on 7 Mpix.

[the dogcatcher]

Day 3 in V ville.
I had to go out the Samphanah, Laosy's village to collect her for an appointment she had in town the following morning.
Her appointment was a driving test which she passed. I can only assume that the test has an element of oral sex to it as she can't drive to save her life, but she certainly knows how to suck a cock.
Anyhow.
The road to Samphanah I have commented on before, it's bloody awefull.
To the Laotians credit they have rolled the first 5 click which is good for 50 mph but the rest is a combination of dirt and broken up concrete with sections of re bar sticking out of it. Impossible in the rain and fucking suicidal at night.
Trucks hammer down it all day and night, and under no circumstance will give way or slow down. That morning I did come across a party of Kraut tourist that had just escaped an overturned 4x4 in the ditch. I stopped to make sure there were no serious injuries, DC have paramedic training don't you know.
Their story was that they had already lost control of their wagon on a steep down hill section just as they met a truck coming the other way. "Unt vee go in zer ditch". Upside down! Lucky Farang!!!
I spent the rest of the day at Laosy's surveying her new land, 70 rai, and the building work on the house there. I couldn't for the life of me see where the last 1000 pounds had gone...until I looked around the back of the house.
Rather than finish off the bits she had started she has elected to slap another 40 sq M on the ground floor giving the house a total of 200 sq M. That's 50 more than the villa in Thailand. I think it's a face thing.
Unfortunately for her is there will not be any more money this year or next, or until the global super yacht industry improves.
I did like the land though. Flat, no rock, no chance of flooding and cheap!
I think we are going to plant tobacco on it.
That night it was back to La Terresa. I had a steak that I ordered medium, just as well I didn't order rare as when it arrived it was still mooing, but is was very tender and very tasty. Laosy had Thai food that she said was very good also.
Laosy was in her element that night.
Laosy is a country girl who has come from nothing. Through her association with Farang and hard work she now has a house, 77 rai of land and some money, not much.
Now she finds herself with a couple of "rich" farang in a "hi so" restaurant in V town in full view of other Laotians. Well done Ketsana.

[the dogcatcher]

We left the restaurant and went back to our new hotel.
The Orchid house was too noisy and the rooms don't have fridges which is a big annoyance for me as I drink spirits which are not available in small quantities at a hotel reception. And I hate ice cubes.
We stayed at the place pictured.
All information is already there and my "best buy" in V town. Laosy and I had a double room at the front of the hotel at 800 baht and Barry had a single at the back at 600 baht.
The building behind the sign is not the hotel! Rooms are not big but are clean and tidy. French owned and run I believe. Prices include breakfast.

[the dogcatcher]

Time for a picture frenzy. This is the road to Vang Viene and Vang Viene itself.

[the dogcatcher]