MY TRAVELS IN LAOS

2017 & 2019

(with some photos from Bangkok Thailand)

 

typical bridge- north of Vilabouly Laos

 

This page memorializes my travels in Laos during 2017 and 2019. I enjoy sharing my experiences with anyone who is interested.  The culture of Laos with it’s vast differences to ours here in the U.S. fascinates me.  My  journeys have had some emotional moments with thoughts of a man I never knew. A man who became MIA while serving as a U.S.A.F. pilot during the Vietnam War.

 

 

 

This photo was taken during my first trip to Laos in 2017.  Entering Laos this is a similar if not part of an actual flight path flown by many U.S. pilots on a daily basis from bases in Thailand.  It was a retrospective moment for me as I thought about the final flight of Colonel Luna on 10 MAR 69.

 

 

 

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Here is a short slideshow illustrating part of my travel into Laos for the first time.
NOTE: Pakse Airport is also used by the Laotian military.
The U.S. military C-130 Hercules sometimes fly into Savannakhet during  POW/MIA recovery missions. 

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There are so many things that I find interesting in Laos.  For example, the modes of transportation, and the way people use them are so different from the U.S. It’s not unusual in Laos, and Thailand to see as many as FOUR people riding a motorbike.
Traffic in Bangkok was a little unnerving at first especially as a pedestrian.

 

Here is a short slideshow of transportation in Bangkok Thailand.

 

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Laos transportation is similar to Thailand (except they drive on the opposite side of the road from the U.S.).  But there are some different “vehicles” that I saw in very remote areas of Laos. 

This slideshow of Savannakhet also includes some photos of water transportation.

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This slideshow illustrates travel from Savannakhet to close to the Vietnam border (@ Lam Son 719 Museum) on paved Rt. 9. Then travel becomes quite rugged on Rt. 28A north into a very remote region in Vilabouly.  You’ll notice that some of the transportation is quite improvised.

 

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Be prepared though as I have found in rural areas of Laos the bathroom experience is vastly different from the U.S.
Introducing squat toilets which are definitely “no frills” like they are in some other countries in Southeast Asia.

BYOTP!