Vientiane - Laos - Part 25

Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos, although still a small city compared to many. The capital attracts a major influx of tourists with many temples etc. However before my own sight-seeing I had jobs to do. I was up early to escape the heat and for a free breakfast, always a bonus when managing a budget. I made my way to the embassy for my visa to Vietnam, only to find it closed. So my exploration began earlier than I had anticipated. I began by chilling in a sad looking park; think it had had too much sun! Then I stumbled across the free exhibit, COPE Centre – Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise. I hadn’t realised that Laos is the most bombed country in history and it was interesting although very sad to see the effects that this is still having on this country. The centre has pictures and exhibits displaying the devastating effect of the unexploded bombs left over from wars. It was touching reading the stories of the survivors and learning about the work being done for people with disabilities; also the continuing work to rid Laos of the thousands (some say millions) of unexploded bombs that remain today. I spent the rest of the day camping out at a shopping centre taking advantage of the air-conditioning; I was struggling as the temperature soared. I had noticed that there was a showing of the new Star Wars movie so decided to wait the 5 hours to view it in English. I found the storyline a bit confusing but loved the views over Derwent Water – a favourite place so close to where I call home. It was really strange coming out of the cinema though and realising I was not at the capitol Centre in Preston. The night continued with an English theme as I managed to catch the England v Italy Six Nations Rugby game in a local pub. A few hours of nostalgia as remembering so many family holidays in the Lake District and sharing my love of rugby with my Dad!
Eventually managed to get my visa with no problems and treated myself to some seaweed and spice crisps, I am getting addicted to these but yes Mum I am eating healthily as well – plenty of fruit here, actually the apples are the best I’ve ever tasted!
The following day was filled with indecisions as I realised my time in Laos was coming to an end and I had to prioritise what I really wanted to do. I decided on hiring a scooter first, to get off the beaten track- I felt like a real local. I chose to skip a visit to Savannahket another large city, and head for Pakse known for its scooter loops and amazing waterfalls.