On our way to Laos we took a bus from Chiang Mai that went toward Chiang Rai and stopped at the famous White Temple just outside of Chiang Rai. The temple is something out of this world, it mixes pop culture imagery of beasts, ghouls and demons with Buddhist heaven and hell themes.
The journey was pretty tedious like much of the bus travel in South East Asia, starting with a mini-bus then after the boarder crossing in a long boat we were surprised to see that our bus was a sleeper - it was lined with bunk beds (big enough for an average sized Asian person). So the journey was weird, lying horizontal, yet being thrown around on the bumpy roads. Ann and I were lucky to grab one of the beds right at the back on the top with a couple from Spain/Italy and we took up the space of five with the four of us, but just when everything was beginning to be bearable a lone Laos man was picked up on the side of the road and the only bed left on the bus was the one I was half laying on so to be comfortable. With a little squeezing the little Laos man popped himself in beside me and spooned me all the way to Luang Prabang. I couldn't physically move until the bus made stops for pee breaks or food or I would have squashed the poor little guy or ignited a close relationship. What an experience!!! Backpacking means you get real close to the locals in more ways than one..
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