BUS IT!

We left our heart in Luang Prabang and caught the VIP bus to Vientiane. The difference between the VIP and the regular aircon bus being the 1/2 sized restroom for Very Important P'ing. It's situated underneath in the luggage compartment and is just like the half floor in "Being John Malkovich" as the ceiling is maybe 3 and half feet high. The looks on other passenger's faces when they saw it for the first time were priceless.

The next day we had to do a visa run to thailand, so we hopped on a local bus and headed to the friendship bridge. The bus was packed, and as I was getting on, I felt fingers twiddle on my hip. I had taken out the bus fare (only about a dollar for the both of us) and stuck it in my pocket. Sure enough, when I went to pay it was gone. Good thing that's all the pickpocket got.

As we were returning from the Thai side of the bridge (which was really just a quick peak at the duty free shops) we were about to hop on the Bus back, but didn't have Thai Baht for the ticket. The ticket taking lady was adamant- baht only. Since we were already past the emigration point, we had no way of exchanging money or getting baht from an atm. She suggested with a wave of her hand that we go back past emigration and get some Baht. The emigration guy suggested with a wave of his hand that we go forward to Laos. We were stuck in no-man's land with no Baht for the bus. Luckily the driver of the bus took pity on us and for the price of only two extra tickets, acceppted dollars. Ahh the power of bribery...