I'm a foreigner - get me out of here! A bus journey from Dien Bien Phu to Hanoi in 10 points

1. We were told that the bus we were going to take would be one of those big, flashy ones that stood outside of the bus station (well, we weren't actually told. I asked, the lady behind the counter nodded and waved us off). Instead the bus was a local one that was loud, stinky and dirty. There were less seats than passengers.

Things to do in Dien Bien Phu

Dien Bien Phu might be a small town and not very well known, but it has a few attractions that are worth seeing, which might help you to get to know the culture and the history of Vietnam.

Weird and wonderful Dien Bien Phu

Dien Bien Phu, located in the north of Vietnam, near Lao border, is a very important town for the Vietnamese. Here the French lost their final battle and Vietnam became the free country. Today, you can visit a very interesting museum and a cemetery, commemorating the battle. 
My goal was to stay in most of the places I went through at least for a day. Dien Bien Phu didn't take much space in the Lonely Planet guide, so I didn't think it was going to be amazing. As a town itself it wasn't interesting, however almost no tourists stop there and Dien Bien Phu was great to get to know the Vietnamese culture. 

4 ways to get rid of your stuff before setting off on your travels

I have 6 weeks left. 6 weeks people!!! (read my itinerary here). It’s scary and exciting and overwhelming. 

Last week I got up and looked around my tiny flat. I still have so many things: clothes, accessories, books, photos, documents. I panicked a little. I really need to think of what I’m going to do with all this stuff. I keep putting the idea of sorting it out off. It might be that I’m too scared of the perspective of leaving. I have been enjoying myself a lot lately and I start to think that I don’t really want to go anywhere (that’s bull**, to be honest. I want to go. I’m just scared, that’s all). After thinking about it, I drew a little plan for myself and a list of what I could potentially do with my things. So, if anyone is preparing for a trip, like me, maybe you will also find it helpful. 

A blond moment: there is something wrong with my visa. Getting overland from Laos to Vietnam

We left Muang Kua at dawn. I tried to sleep for a bit, but constant beeping of our car and uneven road kept waking me up. 

We were driving through mountains, passing trucks and lorries on a road that barely could fit two cars. From time to time one of those trucks got stuck in huge holes. Our driver didn't care and he kept beeping, trying to warn the approaching cars, people and children, who were playing on the road, not minding the passing vehicles. 

Muang Kua, Lao wedding and a bus that never came

My boat got to Muang Kua in the late evening. The views changed a little in the last 2 hours of the boat ride from Nong Kiaw. There were less and less trees, the mountains were ripped apart by diggers, and trucks passed through the narrow roads all the time. 
Muang Kua wasn't as inviting as Nong Kiaw. People there seemed not to be too happy about the new visitors.

Nong Kiaw - a chilled out town in the northern Laos

Nong Kiaw is a tiny, sleepy town in the North of Laos. I spend there a couple of days, trying to get some rest and chill out. After taking a small boat from Luang Prabang and sailing for 10 hours I thought I needed some peace and quiet, at least for a day or two. 

Mount Phu Si - another 'sunset disaster'

There are places in almost every city, which are must sees for any tourist, like Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Taj Mahal. You have great expectations before you see it, imagining how great it would be to visit the place, how special the experience will be, only to arrive there with thousands of other people, squeezed in a lift or standing in a queue for hours, pushed and shoved. After you finally reach your dream point, you don't actually think of it as special anymore.
This was my exact experience with Mount Phu Si in Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang - a real Asian gem

Luang Prabang is one of the most beautiful places in South East Asia. Surrounded by mountains and two rivers, Mekong and Tam Khan, it has spectacular views and lots of trekking routes to explore.
The whole town is the UNESCO Heritage site, which itself is an extraordinary fact.
To me the houses of Luang Prabang were the biggest attraction and I just couldn't stop and admire them every few steps.

Vientiane and first impressions of Laos

When I got to the capital of Laos it seemed like the Asia suddenly stood still. There were almost no people on the streets, the car drivers didn't horn at each other...it was quiet. After Myanmar I found this new peace a little unnerving, but started appreciating it as soon as I checked into my hostel. 

Getting to Laos overland from Thailand

The easiest way to get to Laos is to hop on a plane to Vientaine. I honestly don't remember why I chose a longer, more complicated route. Maybe it was because I lacked a challenge. Who knows! Anyway, I decided to take a flight from Bangkok to Udon Thani (Northern Thailand) and a bus to Laos from there. The journey was exhausting and gave me a slight idea of what I can expect from Laotians.

Some photos from Myanmar

This post will close the Myanmar series. I hope you enjoyed it. I'm moving to tell you more about Laos.
Here you will see some of my favorite photos from the country, along with some stories, anecdotes and more information.

I have been to Myanmar and this is what I know!

Remember this post? It made quite a stir and lots of people got back to me, saying that a few things were not correct. I spent 17 days in the country and lots of things surprised me in a positive way. Because there are not much information on the net about the situation in Myanmar and how it is to travel around there, I decided to publish yet another post with some tips. This time everything is checked and tried by me and you can fully rely on the information you are going to read.

Monkeys, 777 steps and a taxi driver called Jelly Fish - a day on Mount Popa

Mount Popa is one of the holiest places in the whole of Myanmar. It is a volcano, which peak reaches 1518 meters above the sea level. Located 50 km from Bagan it can be reached by road in around 1 hour. The monastery, located on the top of the mountain hides one of the most fascinating places in Burma. 

How I met Thiri and found a perfect spot for a sunset in Bagan

I arrived in Bagan thinking that there won't be many tourists around and I will be able to enjoy the culture and surroundings without worries. It was a surprise when I found out that not only I decided to visit the place, but there are crowds of people who had the same idea. 

Useful advice for the first time visitors to the temples of Bagan

Bagan is a must-visit place in the whole of Burma. If you visit the country, no matter how long you stay for, I guarantee that you will come here. The area still doesn't have that touristy vibe about it and you can feel like the new Christopher Columbus, discovering new lands. 

Two best places to see a sunset and a sunrise around Mandalay

There's something magical about sunsets and sunrises in Asia. Myanmar has a few good places to observe them. Of course, I could mention the temples of Bagan, but I will write a separate post just about that. This time, I would like to share with you two places, which made a great impression on me and they are both in, or around Mandalay. 

Two months of travel without my partner - how does it feel like?

It's been 2 months since I set off on a journey around South East Asia. The trip brought so much joy into my life. It made me realise how lucky I am to be able to fulfill my dream, and to have such an understanding partner, who helped me to make it come true. 

Morning alms in Nyaungshwe, Inle Lake

I decided not to watch the morning alms in Luang Prabang. Many people I met on my way said it is not as genuine as it used to be. So, instead I decided to go and see it somewhere else. I didn't plan it to see it in Inle Lake, but one morning I got up very early for one of my trips and saw this amazing procession of monks.

Visiting Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung monastery in Nyaungshwe (Inle Lake, Myanmar)

Myanmar is full of temples, stupas and monasteries. Sometimes it can be a bit too much, and you might feel as you are tired and fed up with seeing yet another one. However, there are a couple of holy places that are worth visiting. One of them is Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung monastery in Nyaungshwe (Inle Lake).