“We have a problem…” the last horrifying word trailed off into an almost whisper. After a nine-and-a-half hour bone-rattling bus ride this was the very last thing I wanted to hear. Exhausted, I took stock and prepared for battle positions; when really all I wanted to do was curl up in the bed I had been dreaming of throughout the whole journey to Vang Vieng.
“Well it’s not one problem, it’s two…” he continued, bracing himself in preparation for an imminent attack.
Nothing.
We waited. Patiently, silently, no one wishing to be the one to encourage the delivery of the bad news.
“Well, firstly you’re a day early…”
Instantly I came too. Our group quickly defended our booking, even pointing at the booking date and exclaiming it was today.
The guy was overcome by laughter and instantly relaxed. A traveller himself, working his way through SE Asia, he began to explain to us that we had the wrong date set in our minds. The age old dilemma of all travellers – the loss of any concept of time.
Knowing he had won us over in accepting Problem One, he continued with more confidence.
“The second problem … and I was just working on this. Even if you did show up on the right date, the rooms you booked have been given away to others.”
With this, my ease and euphoria from Problem One turned to sheer frustration. The image of that oh-so-dreamy bed slipped right out of my mind and shattered on the concrete floor. I felt the tension rise behind me and heard a pack and body collapse heavily on a couch.
“You’re in Laos…” the guy said with a cheeky smile and a shrug of his shoulders.
This infuriated me further. But instead of heading to battle stations, desperation consumed us and we begged for beds. Any beds. We didn’t mind sharing.
He waited gleefully, prolonging our begging and keeping us in suspense. Really this agonizing suspense most likely only lasted 10 seconds but felt like a lifetime. The whole interaction no more than a minute or two.
To our relief he provided us with a solution. One we could not possibly even consider rejecting. Our rooms may be taken but he could provide us with nicer rooms with a real bathroom and shower for cheaper!
Willingly, we submitted and permitted him to lead us to our rooms. The rooms were good-sized, clean and fit three comfortably. I didn’t notice any of this until the sun was streaming in the next morning. It seemed I immediately passed out cold on the comfortable bed after our introduction to the room.
In a daze I began to crawl out of bed, absorbing my surroundings. I stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the shower and let the hot water bring me to life. And yes – hot water! A true luxury after slumming it on the backpacking trails of SE Asia.
I dragged myself from the shower, my mind now with just one thought. Food! I walked out to the common area and found a couple of my friends raving about the meals they were devouring. I immediately ordered “what they’re having” and soaked in the stunning karst landscape of Vang Vieng for the first time.
Located on the main road of Vang Vieng Pan’s Place is the ideal place to call home. It’s close to everything yet far enough away to create a peaceful sanctuary from the madness.
All opinions are subjective to the writers personal travel experience. The writer travelled at her own expense.
Photo Credits: Jeremy Cloutier.