Getting Around By Bus, on Lao Time

 About our 17.5 hour 155-mile bus ride: It *typically* takes about seven hours to travel the 155 mountainous miles from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. Except when it takes 17.5 hours (after mapping out the hours, we realized our earlier estimate of 16.5 hours was optimistic).   

Here’s what a 17.5-hour 155-mile bus ride looks like:

• Our bus was scheduled to depart at 11:00 AM. It arrived at 1:30 PM.

• The bus first broke down 45 minutes into the trip – a blown hose, which led to a 2-hour delay while a replacement part was sourced – from Vang Vieng

• 30 minutes later, the overheated bus pulled over for 20 minutes while the driver and a few passengers cooled the engine by spraying water on the radiator

• The above scenario repeated itself roughly every 20-40 minutes, 9 more times over the course of the journey

• After dark, Mark and I assisted the 3-person fix-it crew with our Petzl headlamps, as their flashlights ran low on batteries

• At 2:30 AM, 20 minutes from Luang Prabang, the crew decided to perform a complete overhaul of the broken water pump, with 50 passengers still crowded onto the bus

• At 4:00 AM, with more parts laying on the ground than inside the engine compartment – we punted. We hitchhiked a passing bus that took us the last 20 minutes into Luang Prabang, and arrived at our guesthouse around 4:30 AM, 17.5 hours after the original departure time, and 10.5 hours after our planned arrival time.

What was interesting for us to experience and observe was how the passengers handled the delays. There were about 50 people on the bus, including eight foreigners. Everyone stayed completely calm. Nobody yelled at the driver or mechanics, demanded another bus, threatened to sue, or expected a refund or free meal.

Mark and I tried to imagine what would happen if a bus or plane was this delayed in the U.S., and realized there are (at least) two big differences in Lao culture: 

#1 The concept of service is very different in Laos. The focus on the customer doesn’t exist. We were 20 minutes away from Luang Prabang when the bus driver decided to attempt a major fix with a busload of tired people, instead of using the baling wire and packing tape that he’d used for all the other fixes. Nobody got angry, or even acted annoyed.  

#2 The concept of time is very different in Laos. Our guidebook even had a special call-out highlighting this difference, saying the “PDR” in the official name of Laos, Laos PDR, could also stand for “Please Don’t Rush”. Slow down, smile, things will happen – on Lao time.

Most of the journey was actually enjoyable. I prefer traveling by bus over planes where possible, because it enables a more intimate experience. Front yards, crops, people, temples, cows, chickens, funny road signs – the view of these from 30,000 feet is muted or nonexistent.  

During one of the early stops, we sat in the shadow of the bus with several Lao women. They knew no English, and we knew only four words of Lao (hello, thank you, foreigner, hot), but we found ourselves communicating well using the Lao dictionary in our guidebook, drawing pictures, and gesticulating. I expect my charades game is much improved. They shared their food with us too, and got a laugh watching us eat spicy homemade dips with sticky rice. Lao food is delicious, our favorite cuisine so far.

Another time we stopped near a small village of a dozen families. As I walked along the road to stretch my legs, a group of little kids started yelling to each other “Falang! Falang!” and ran over. Falang precisely translated means “French”, but is also the word for “foreigner”.

About 10 little kids, probably all five and under, stood in front of me and began copying my movements. Hands on hips – 10 little sets of hands on hips. So I decided to have some fun. I started doing yoga poses. 

We started with tree pose, then did Warrior 1, Warrior 2,  Half-Moon, and finished with Baby Dancer pose. Kids are so flexible, they had no trouble at all!  The last thing I showed them was how to do a cartwheel. Here modesty stepped in – the girls wouldn’t try it (wearing dresses), but the boys were game. After doing several cartwheels in the dusty yard, I waved goodbye and headed back to the bus.