Ask WhoIam anything about living in Vientiane, Laos - Page 6

There's a sleeper train to Nong Khai that's something like 600 baht for a 2nd class bed with air-con. You can get a VIP bus for about the same price and the seats are roughly equivalent to business class on an airplane. I actually prefered the bus because the ride was smoother and it was easier to sleep. From there it's something like $5 of tuk-tuks and busses to get to Vientane. Everyone else will be going there so just follow them. A step up from this would be flying domestic to Udan Thani and taking a shuttle to Vientiane.

I don't think the visa is less in bkk, it should be around $25 for you at the border.

i dont reccomned the bus unless it is a government bus, the other buses will rob you as you sleep, the bus i was on stole my credit card and all my friends money when we slept they are like cat burglars and they have people who can pick locks sleep with the luggage so they can pick the locks

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05-13-2008 , 12:16 AM

#127

bulgingballs

stranger

Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoIam

Much less polluted than bkk, but obviously this isn't true if you're walking next to a main rd or something. It can get smoggy when the humidity is really high.
Hot, maybe 32-42 C. About the same as Thailand.
You would have to google this.

There are moneychangers everywhere, both independent and connected to banks. You can find better exchange rates if you need to exchange large amounts of cash but I'm not sure why you would for a shorter trip. There are also plenty of ATMs to get cash at too. Kip are worthless outside Laos.

Once again, many, many thanks WhoIam.

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05-13-2008 , 03:27 AM

#128

bulgingballs

stranger

Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoIam

I've been writing a bunch of stuff for a blog/travel website I have planned. Unfortunately my first choice, lifeinlaos.com, is already a website. Anyone have any ideas for a name? I want an independent website, not xxxxxxxxx.wordpress.com.

Some suggestions. These are available domains. Not sure if they are suitable though WhoIam.

landofelephants.net
landofelephants.info

lanxane.com
lanxane.net
lanxane.info

mylanxane.com
mylanxane.net
mylanxane.info

lanchang.info

mylanchang.com
mylanchang.net
mylanchang.info

Last edited by bulgingballs; 05-13-2008 at 03:32 AM.

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05-13-2008 , 04:11 AM

#129

john voight

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 13,534

L.a.o.s.J.o.u.r.n.a.l.c.o.m

remove the dots obv

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06-23-2008 , 09:40 AM

#130

roamer590

journeyman

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 248

cat burglarz

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06-23-2008 , 03:52 PM

#131

SomethingClever

Gorilla Killa

Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 13,213

Quote:

Originally Posted by rutang

how hard will it be to find an actual opium den? that's been one of my goals for some time, and when burma went to hell, i thought i'd lost my last chance to easily find one

i'd say northern thailand would be a better bet, but they'll kill your ass for drugs over there.

in cambodia i was offered all manner of drugs and i don't think their laws are as harsh.

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06-24-2008 , 05:43 AM

#132

ofdabeat

adept

Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 738

Quote:

Originally Posted by SomethingClever

i'd say northern thailand would be a better bet, but they'll kill your ass for drugs over there.

in cambodia i was offered all manner of drugs and i don't think their laws are as harsh.

Laws in Cambodia? lol

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06-25-2008 , 02:02 AM

#133

banned

Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 3,073

Easy to obtain drugs?

From memory last time I was there, pot, shrooms, opium

Anything else? (coke, acid etc)

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06-25-2008 , 08:32 AM

#134

NewTeaBag

banned

Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 6,249

Quote:

Originally Posted by ofdabeat

Laws in Cambodia? lol

He with the biggest gun/army is DA LAW!

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06-25-2008 , 10:26 AM

#135

SomethingClever

Gorilla Killa

Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 13,213

There's a small island off the coast of sihanoukville that I thought would be baller to buy, but then I realized that I would need a private army to keep it from being overtaken by pirates and/or the cambodian "gov't"

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06-25-2008 , 11:01 PM

#136

WhoIam

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 5,050

Quote:

Originally Posted by HP

Easy to obtain drugs?

From memory last time I was there, pot, shrooms, opium

Anything else? (coke, acid etc)

Meth and H are also readily available. I've heard of coke and X being around. Unfortunately no acid from what I understand.

edit: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...nt_6795319.htm

Last edited by WhoIam; 06-25-2008 at 11:14 PM.

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06-25-2008 , 11:03 PM

#137

WhoIam

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 5,050

Quote:

Originally Posted by SomethingClever

Having a private army would be a bad thing? Also, you could play Col. Kurtz with the locals.

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06-26-2008 , 04:09 AM

#138

banned

Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 3,073

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoIam

Meth and H are also readily available. I've heard of coke and X being around. Unfortunately no acid from what I understand.

edit: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...nt_6795319.htm

thanks

btw did you ever set up that bar/theatre you were thinking about? If so, let us know where it is, I'll drop by

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06-26-2008 , 06:23 AM

#139

WhoIam

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 5,050

I have a couple ideas for bars I think would work here that I might look into once I get more financially stable. The problem is you need a Lao business "partner" who legally owns the business even if he hasn't put any money into it. If I were serious, I'd talk to some high-priced lawyers and see if I could find a workaround. There's also bribes, etc to take into account, so I would try to look at the risk/benefit as objectively as possible before doing anything. Obviously I would be willing to accept more risk with a $10k business than an $80k business.

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06-27-2008 , 08:03 AM

#140

LoHi

centurion

Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 150

I'm heading to Vientiane in a couple of months and if I decide to stay a while could use a large TFT monitor to hook up to my laptop. Have you any idea how much it would cost / how easy it would be to either buy a decent monitor in Vientiane or get my samsung 204b shipped out there from the UK?

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06-27-2008 , 09:08 AM

#141

WhoIam

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 5,050

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoHi

Just bring one with you. Premium electronics cost far more in SE Asia than they do in the west. I was able to bring a 24" in my checked bag with no problem.

Last edited by WhoIam; 06-27-2008 at 09:15 AM.

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06-27-2008 , 10:25 AM

#142

LoHi

centurion

Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 150

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoIam

Just bring one with you.

No can do! I'm going to be exploring the region a bit first and will need to be travelling light.

I think buying locally or getting mine shipped are the only viable options. It looks like shipping from the UK will cost me somewhere in the region of $230 via DHL, who I understand operate there, but I have no idea whether there are cheaper options or whether deliveries are even reliable in Laos....

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06-28-2008 , 02:39 AM

#143

WhoIam

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 5,050

Shipping is probably your best option unless you're willing to settle for a 17" or something. You could maybe find someone from 2+2 to rent it for a few months while you travel. DHL is pretty reliable, just make sure you pad the hell out of the box.

I just found out the Australian embassy has a clinic open from Monday-Friday with medical staff who are actually qualified. I'm going to call them on Monday to see if non-commonwealth citizens can go, what the fees are, and what services are available.

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06-28-2008 , 05:16 AM

#144

schreech26

veteran

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 3,310

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoIam

whoiam is nice and will show you a good time in laos, but vientienne sucks. granted i never went outside a 100m radius and I'm sure the river tubing is fun, but vientenne could be the most boring city I've ever visited.

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06-28-2008 , 05:49 AM

#145

WhoIam

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 5,050

You came too early. There's a new bar with free wifi and hungry hungry hippos.

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06-28-2008 , 06:17 AM

#146

LoHi

centurion

Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 150

Quote:

Originally Posted by schreech26

vientenne could be the most boring city I've ever visited.

I have heard quite a few people say similar things about Vientiane, but funnily enough this is the very thing that is attracting me. I plan to do plenty of mad stuff whilst in SE Asia, but can only handle large hectic cities in small doses. I am looking for somewhere more chilled to use as a base, where I can kick back, relax, grind out MTTs....

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06-28-2008 , 06:44 AM

#147

WhoIam

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 5,050

People seem to love the relaxed atmosphere or feel bored and hate it. It's certainly not Bangkok. People also seem to have no clue where to go for fun and my upcoming website will have a bunch of bar/restaurant/nightclub reviews and plenty of other basic info you won't find in Lonely Planet. Plus anti-backpacker rants and whatever else I feel like writing. If anyone is visiting soon I can send you some stuff if the site isn't up yet.

Schreech, would the most boring city in the world have...a water park?