A Laos bus ride (by Joe)

After six weeks traveling India, we reckoned we had experienced pretty much all the weird and wonderful that public transport could throw at you. It took our first bus journey in Laos to prove we were wrong ...

We took a 195 km bus ride from the border at Houaxyai to Luang Namtha across the north of Laos.

First incident was the tuk tuk taking us to the bus station running out of gas - no problem as the driver hops into a local shop to borrow some more gas (from a beer bottle), and we are on our way again.

We make it to the bus stop in good time and grab a couple of seats. However the bus gradually fills up till all but a couple of seats are full. Yet more tourists turn up however, and then more, and more, so that there are some 10 - 15 more passengers than seats.

Being tourists they, perfectly reasonably, demand somewhere to sit for the 6 hour journey. An ingenious solution under pressure: the conductor and driver pop into the bus station cafe and return with a stack of borrowed plastic chairs an stools - they lay these down the aisle of the bus (see left). Problem sorted (Laos-style), everyone happy(ish) and we are on our way again!

However we soon discover the road is a complete dustbowl - it is a massive engineering project (begun in 1992, apparently) and entirely unsurfaced and incomplete. We bump along nonetheless chewing large volumes of clay dust as we go.

A few hours in, after a brief stop for lunch, we reach a steep hill. Halfway up the bus stalls. It cannot get moving again up the hill. We are all asked to get out and without our collective weight, the bus, engine smoking, gets moving again - and goes straight past us. We walk 250 metres up the dusty road to meet it at the top and climb back aboard. Problem sorted (Laos -style) and we are on our way.

Next incident is the road being blocked by what appears to be a landslide. One of the bulldozers working on the road clears the debris (see right) and we move on - but as we pass we realise its not an accidental landslide at all - they are still completing the cutting for the road, and the rock and earth has been dumped from above by another bulldozer working on a higher level of the cutting.

The same thing happens two more times on the journey: amazingly, whilst nobody (let alone public transport) would be allowed near a road under construction in the UK, this is not an exceptional incident on our route - it happens all the time, every day!

Finally, nearing our destination, the champion of all incidents: a bus going in the other direction is caught unable to climb a hill and blocks the single-lane dirt road. Passengers are off, but still it will not budge.

The solution: driver and conductor ask the help of passengers (of both buses and the drivers of the cars stuck behind it) to help pull it up the road (see top). Amazingly, we pull together and (with the help of bursts from the bus engine) make it to the top with cheers from all. Problem solved (Laos-style!)

An incredible journey - we arrive in Luang Namtha tired, utterly filthy, but in a state of wonder and awe.

We have not been here long, but I can suggest strongly that if you ever come to Laos, treble check you have packed you most robust sense of humour before you leave home.

You are almost certainly going to need it!

Joe