Clare man Ciaran O’Connell has left Ireland behind to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime trip backpacking around the world. Internet access permitting, Ciaran will be corresponding with us as he enjoys his travels.
This week Clare man Ciaran O’Connell overlands out of Thailand, goes tubing in Laos before climbing to the top of Kuala Lumpur’s legendary Twin Towers.
Dear Joe,
Another week done and what a week it was. When I signed off last week I was on the road to the Laos border with a company which had organised the 20-hour journey, consisting of a bus, boat, and another bus all the way, but I was not expecting what happened to us as we came to the border.
Originally there were 15 on the bus but only four were continuing on to Laos. So, stopping at a hotel two minutes out of town, we were told to fill in our forms and we would be taken across later. So, feeling a bit suspicious, we waited our turn and a guy brought us trough the back of the hotel and in to a pick-up jeep.
He brought us to the river’s edge , as you can imagine when we got there and saw we had to cross the river (twice the width of the river Shannon at Limerick) in a long boat (small, long boat about the width of our hips with propeller on the back), we all had to laugh.
The whole ordeal felt like a dash for the border to get the foreigners in to the country, but as it turns out it’s apparently quite a normal and everyday activity for the different traders crossing between both countries. But still, it was the most unique border crossing I’ve done so far.
From there we proceeded on to our so called VIP bus which was all ready full of both locals and tourists. It was waiting for us, so when we arrived with our big backpacks there where laughs and giggles from the locals (who don’t speak any English but where still really nice) as we tried to fit ourselves and the bags on the all ready overloaded bus.
We were greeted with a platform full of young travellers of all nationalities ready to party.
So, we ended up pilling them onto the countless other luggage items in the middle isle of the bus, which we had to jump like hurdles, before wedging ourselves into seats.
So after our marathon 14 hour journey, covering only 250km of mountains roads, we landed in Luang Phabang, a world heritage town in the north of Laos. The town was stunningly beautiful. It is set amongst the high mountains and had an undisturbed European architecture blended with a touch of Asian culture.
There were numerous little temples dotted all over the town and in the night time the main street was shut down and a night market was set up, selling everything paintings, coins, swords, knifes and even snakes and scorpions pickled in alcohol. I was also lucky that the international film festival just happened to be on the same night and we were treated to some open air cinema.
As hard as it was to leave the lovely town I didn’t have to push myself too hard to head for Vang Vieng (the so-called party spot of Laos). Now I had never heard of this place before I landed in Thailand but after weeks of everyone talking not stop about ‘tubing’, I had to go check it out.
So, I had arranged to meet Phillip there and had bumped into some more friends along our travels and collectively, we signed up for the biggest, weirdest travel party this side of the world.
Basically, it’s a massive party that takes place every day along the banks of the Nam Song river. You float on a rubber tube from one river side bar to another, making your way back to town.
So, starting out in the middle of town, you sign up and pay for the rent of a tube (in Irish terms an inflated inner tractor tire) and a tuk tuk takes you to the first bar which acts as a starting point.
We were greeted with a platform full of young travellers of all nationalities ready to party. Each bar aims to draw you in with various forms of activity or entertainment. They include mud wrestling, slides, massive swings, drinking games, body painting and board games. So as you float by the bartenders throw a rope out to you and try to pull you in while sound systems blare out kicking tunes and the sun beats down on top of you.
Absolutely crazy spot and you can understand how some of the younger partygoers get hurt, but at the same time it’s extremely good craic for all ages.
After three days of this madness and feeling a little worst for ware, I head to Malaysia and the capital Kuala Lumpur. It was strange to come back in to a westernised city of massive buildings and clean living.
I went to check out the crazy wild life in a exotic zoo. Their prize animal? A real life two headed turtle.
It was also interesting to see the first signs of Christmas celebrations in a Muslim country but after a couple of quick walking tours around the city taking in Little India, China Town and the massive night markets, I got to go up the communications tower – the world’s fourth highest building that boasts panoramic views of the city. An added bonus was that at its base I got to have a go in an F1 simulator before checking out the crazy wild life in a exotic zoo. Their prize animal? A real life two headed turtle.
My main goal was to get up to the sky bridge in the KL Twin Towers but what and ordeal it proved. Unfortunately, you can’t simply turn up any time to visit – the building only allows in 1,000 people a day on a first come first serve basis.
Because of its popularity, people start queuing at 6am – and it doesn’t open till 9am. Having heard this, I rocked up at 7.30am thinking I would have plenty of time. Sadly, I was greeted with a massive snaking queue in the waiting lobby that looped back on itself 10 or 12 times. I was hopeful that as soon as the building opened, the crowd will fly through. I was wrong.
Three-and-a-half hours later (after they had counted and re-counted the number of people in the queue and stopped letting more people into the line, I finally reached the ticked desk. They then informed me that I couldn’t go straight up and was allocated a time to come back at.
A little pi**ed off but delighted at the same time that I actually got a ticket, I passed the time before waiting again to get onto the bridge. When my time finally rolled around, we only got 15 minutes up there under extremely tight security, but it was always something I’ve wanted to do.
But what cheered me up was later that night, when after I’d made a few cheep purchases in the market the hostel owner directed me to a little area just outside the city centre which is home to a solely Malay community. I had the joy of acting out what I wanted to eat before getting to try some local food. Entertaining and delicious.
That’s about it for this time but next week I’ll fill you in on visiting the amazing city of Singapore – and finally reach the shores of Australia.
Until then,
Ciarán O’Connell.
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