Monday 3 March 2014

Day of rest.....Inevitably there is a pause today if only for me get my bearings. I manage to get a free coffee but something to call breakfast is harder to find. I settle down to update my blog which has been neglected in recent days. My initial impressions are unchanged but gradually things improve from midday. I locate a restaurant offering red curry which is both tasty and cheap then set about collecting information about this area which is critical for the success of this tour. As it turns out, the local bus station is just around the corner but interestingly houses a tourist office; an official one. As I browse through the list of local attractions it soon becomes clear that I am justified in my selection of Phonsavan as an area of special interest. I simply can't let this opportunity slip now but there is one more thing I need to resolve today and the answer is again right on my doorstep. It concerns my accommodation. I'm simply not happy with the service at Dok Khoun. To get a towel changed seems too much for the staff and as for cleaning, I don't think the dusty reception area has been touched for weeks. There must be a better option and there is, at the back of the bus station. A company has set up a resort on the site of the old airfield. I check it out; same price and 21st century! There is no fridge, but I can live with that. This sets me up for some days ahead during this important phase of my tour. I'll make a move tomorrow.
An apology.....As the day wares on it seems my initial impressions of Phonsavan and its people are a bit wrong. Unfortunately, I arrived here on a Sunday when, unlike in Thailand, many businesses shut down. As the afternoon wares on the town springs to life and by evening there are all kinds of interesting foods available at amazing prices. A number of restaurants bring their offerings in lidded pots to the front of their shops where they do brisk takeaway trade. I learn to adapt and engage in the lid rattling. It's well worth the effort. It's all to be expected; Phonsavan does provide a culture shock for even a regular traveler like me.
Happy endings.....The day ends with my determination to see some action tomorrow. I even manage to plan my route back to Thailand with transport to Vang Vieng, but that seems a good way off given the intrigue that now seems to have fired me up.
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