Drive Your Own Tut-Tut

Trip Start Sep 13, 2006
1
11
108
Trip End Ongoing


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
Map Options
Show trip route
Hide lines
shadow

Flag of Lao Peoples Dem Rep  ,
Monday, October 2, 2006

We ended the boat trip in Luang Prabang, which apparently is a World Heritage Town. I'm not sure what for, but it does appear to have more Wats (Buddhist Temples) than people. I visited one on the side of a hill (great views of the river and surrounding area) and watched a number of the Monks build a boat. I noticed that a number of the Monks were young (e.g. teenagers) and I've subsequently found out this is because poor families can send their children into the Monastery for a free education.

Laos used to be a French colony, and as such they drive on the right, although those rules aren't always followed. The general real of thumb is that the bigger vehicle gets right of way. However, there are advantages to the French history, unlike Thailand, you can easily get a sandwich here and they generally come in a baguette. There are also numerous pancake sellers! :->

Those of us on the slow boat used Luang Prabang as a place to chill and relax A big Buddha statue
A big Buddha statue
 . A few of us booked into a very nice and cheap hostel (1 UKP each per night) and recovered from three days of traveling.

Now in most places, a taxi or tut-tuts (these vary, but in Laos they are called sawngthaews and are commonly a converted pick-up truck with two wooden benches on each side) as they have over here, pick you up and drive you home after a night out. Well in Luang Prabang, if you've got enough USD you can go out, get drunk and drive your own tut-tut home!!!

On the second night, around 30 of those on the slow boat went out. Anyway, there was about eight of us who needed a ride home from the bar we were in. As Ben had already driven a tut-tut to the bar, Frank (a mad Dutch guy), decided he wanted to drive back to his hostel. The tut-tut driver somehow agreed and off we went. His driving wasn't bad, although he did nearly hit three stationary cars. As we were staying at a different hostel, Ian decided it was his turn to drive once Frank and a few others had reached their hostel. Despite being totally drunk, Ian's driving was better than Frank's, apart from a couple of sharp turns that were taken slightly too quick. After getting us back, Ian paid the driver a whole 4 USD (same as Frank) for the pleasure of nearly wrecking his livelihood! As we found out further down the coast, there are a number of things you can do in Laos that you'd never be able to do anyway else (see subsequent email).

After two nights in Luang Prabang, six of us hired a mini-bus (it came with a driver - a lot better than Mr Miyagi) and traveled down to Vang Vieng, where the real fun started!
Slideshow Print this entry Luang Prabang hotels