Long Bus Ride to Luang Prabang

We actually planned to stay an extra day in Vang Vieng, but after yesterday, the town has lost some of its charm, so we're hopping on a bus to Luang Prabang instead. It's a 7-hour ride in a minivan for 105,000 kip (about 60 DKK). In the morning, there was no power in the town. But that also meant the gas stations were out of commission. So, the bus had a hard time finding a place to refuel. Eventually, we ended up at a little homemade station that motorcycles use. They pumped the gas into the vehicle using a tiny garden hose and a funnel. You often run into the same people over and over again who are traveling in the same direction as us. So by now, we know most of them when we continue our journey by bus... almost. The road to Luang Prabang was actually quite good, but we drove through the mountains the entire way. We turned more than we went straight. It was incredibly tough. One leg and one shoulder got sore from banging against the side of the van every time it turned! :o) Luang Prabang is at a higher elevation, so it's a bit cooler here. The town is really popular, so many guesthouses were fully booked when we arrived. We had to search for about an hour before we found a place. But it’s really nice, and the owners seem friendly. So hopefully, they can keep their hands off the guests' belongings... Staying in Laos is incredibly cheap. We're now paying $8 for a double room. Luang Prabang is also known for its night market, which is right outside our door. Of course, we had to check it out, and we ended up buying quite a bit. T-shirts cost 15,000 kip (about 9 DKK). An apron also costs around 9 DKK. Unfortunately, I can’t mention many more things since they’re gifts! :o)