Pictures from Mae Sai

Laos Visa Run

The visa run to Laos from Thailand is so popular that a Google search on the subject turns up over 800,000 results. However, what the results don’t tell you is how exhausting and uncomfortable the whole ordeal is. This week I did my visa run to Laos to get my non-immigrant type B visa in order to work in Thailand. Luckily I had the help of my school and GVI complete all the paperwork for me. So armed with stack of papers half an inch thick, signed, copied, and sealed in an envelop I started to organize my journey across the border.


Since the Thai-Laos visa run is so popular multiple companies are now popping up that only provide services for this very trip. I used AYA to book my trip since most of the other TOEFL and GVI staff had used them. I overheard that the drive was pretty rough but there were no details attached to that comment, so I didn’t give it that much weight. I had contemplated flying, turned out to be outside my budget, and then searched online for VIP buses, they ended up being even longer due to a transfer in Bangkok, and finally booked the van through AYA. It was 1500 baht for round trip service from your hostel in Thailand to the Thai Embassy in Laos with “supposed” help crossing the boarder. After the research I thought AYA was the best idea given the price.


Now safely but achy back in Chiang Mai I think now that I should have spent the extra money to fly.


I started my journey on Tuesday night at 6:30pm. We, being Tanner, Emma, and Jose, were picked up at our hotel by two very nice Thai men in a 11 passenger van. Prior to leaving we were told that AYA had English speaking employees because they work with foreigners all the time. WRONG! The person that initially picks up the phone and schedules your van might speak English but that is the last person you will encounter on the whole journey who does. So be prepared for really long few days of playing charades with the people you encounter.


The guys that picked us up in the van told our coordinator Jum that we would be transferring vans so not to unpack yet. We got into the van and drove for all of 10 minutes before we unloaded into the AYA office. There another lady, who did not speak English, looked at our tickets, passports, and visas and gestured to us to wait. The office started to fill up and knowing that I get carsick I tried to ask one of the employees which van we would be taking. I interpreted that we would be using two vans that night and the one that drove us to the office was one of them. I hastily placed my belongings back in the van as close to the front as I could get. I was a vary happy camper at this stage. Thinking to myself, “Heck yea! I scored a good seat, downloaded a few movies to watch, already popped my motion sickness tablets, and am ready to go!”


Slowly but surely other people caught on and claimed their seats on the bus they would occupy for the next 11 hours. We ended up leaving a half hour late because we were waiting on a couple to get back from dinner...considerate people were not really part of this journey. I was also on the bus with a man who probably didn’t bath for a week beforehand.


So at 7:30pm we departed. The lights dimmed, the air conditioning was blasting, as was the music. Nonetheless, Emma and I popped in our headphones and started to pass the hours with the newest Spider-man movie. (I should note here that I think Emma and I may have had the best seats in the van. We were right behind the driver in a bench row with one other guy. We are both around 5’11 so it gave us some extra leg room and we placed the laptop in the console area in between the driver and front seat passenger. Another little perk I found was an outlet that came in quite handy after the first movie.)


Not even 30 minutes into the drive I realized why the previous passengers said the ride was rough. Even though Emma and I had on seat belts it did not really matter as we slide across the seat bumping one another, swaying and jostling with every curve and bump. The Thai roads up until now have not been terrible, but I now understand that it is because the drivers were going at a decent speed. Our friendly Thai driver was not. He was pressing on the gas pedal as we entered into turns, rarely braking, and he seemed to be aiming at potholes. The lines on the road also seemed to be suggestions not obligations as he would drive where ever he liked.


Minus the roller coaster like movements of the van my motion sickness medicine was doing its job and the movie was distracting me enough not to be too annoyed. However, in the way back Jose had mistakenly chosen a seat which was not fully secured to the floor. After the first stop he and Tanner informed me that Jose’s seat would tilt a good five degrees with every turn. It was not the best seat for the 11 hour journey. (I want to stress again here the value and importance of choosing a good seat if you decide to go the van route.)


We had our first bathroom and dinner break around 10 or 10:30pm. I bought some snacks and a toastie, which I would like to thank Alex for introducing me to. I popped another motion sickness tablet and stretched before entering the van for another few hours. After Spider-man was finished Emma and I watched Book of Eli. It was slow to start but had an interesting concept.


Two movies and about 6 hours in my eyes were dry, my legs were stiff, and all I wanted to do was lay down and sleep. Instead I settled for sitting upright, swaying if not falling over and resting my eyes in between hoping we would not run off the road and die. (Tanner later told me he sort of wanted us to crash and get injured so that the company would have to increase the quality of service for future travelers. He is always looking out for everyone else, love him.)


After being restless and in and out of sleep for the next few hours we stopped once more to use the facilities. Two more motion sickness tablets were ingested with the hopes of knocking me out until we arrived at the boarder.


The next few hours were a blur to me as the tablets did their job and I was out with the exception of a few really rough road patches that I either ran into Emma or felt the need to hold on for dear life.
　　
　　
I awoke groggy and confused as we entered Udon Thani, the Thai-Laos border town. The van parked and all the achy sleepy travelers exited the van and were ushered into the AYA office. Yet again no English. We were given forms, our passports were checked, our wrists were stamped, and we were ushered into a smaller, cheaper, and much dirtier van. This van had an adorably animated chubby cheeked Thai man who drove us to the border.


I assumed the process would be simple, similar to an airport customs and immigration office. NOPE! There were many stops, lots of little forms, many windows, money given for god knows what and we were herded like cattle in and out of lines, vans, and passed over to another man who didn’t speak English. Fun times! (In all actuality it was entertaining. Two of the people that were in our van overstayed their visas and one didn’t have enough pages in his. The chubby cheeked Thai man got really frustrated and watching him gesture and yell in Thai at these irresponsible and now confused travelers really brought the spirits of the group up after such a long journey.)


All four of us made it over the Thai border, boarded another van, crossed into Laos, and were escorted to the Thai Embassy in Vientiane. As soon as we exited the van people on the street were asking us all sorts of questions and we were guided over to a stall outside the Embassy. I felt like we were getting swindled but besides paying 20 baht for an application, which he did disclose was free inside but he would read over it out here, everything they did was necessary.


We filled out the visa application form, got new pictures taken (apparently you must be wearing a collared shirt in the photo, no one told us), the pictures were glued to the application, we got copies made of our newly acquired Laos visa and then allowed to leave the stall and go to the Embassy.


All four of us go a number and were told to wait until we were called. We arrived just shortly after they opened the gates and I was already number 55. After waiting and waiting my number was finally called, or more correctly numbers 50-60 were called. Everyone at the Embassy seemed to be in the same impatient, rushed, exhausted mood. I also forgot to mention that Thursday was a holiday so my group had to arrive on Wednesday, drop all the paperwork off and wait until Friday to pick it up.


The line filled up quickly and yet again I waited. This whole trip just seemed like a big game of hurry up and wait. But you do what you have to do in these situations. So I get up to the window and a gentlemen checks over my forms, reads something and then highlights....my heart jumps, “What is he highlighting? Did I already mess up? Does everyone’s stuff get highlighted?” I tried to ask him but yet again the English was not understood. I looked through Emma’s paperwork to see what page he was on and highlighting and luckily it was just my name. Crisis averted. Panicked calmed. Heart mellowing. (Tanner, Emma, and I all have been placed at the same school so some of our forms have three names on them. That highlighted form was one of them.)


After the application window I actually got to enter the Thai Embassy. I forgot to mention that earlier, the visa application process is all done outside, yup outside.


Inside the embassy I waited again for my number to be called. I fell into a light sleep. Woken by recognizing the calling of my number, I paid and was finally free from the chaos until Friday afternoon when I could hopefully pick up my non-immigrant type b visa.


After all four of us had applied and paid we got a tuk-tuk to Sihome Backpacker’s Hostel. Our room was not ready when we got there so we went to grab a bit to eat. We all napped after lunch and then Tanner and I went out to explore the night market near the river. After scoping out the scene we went back to the hostel to grab Emma and Jose and went to have Indian food. Yum!


We spent the rest of the night walking through the market and along the river. Jose even got in on a local futbol match. It was the perfect relaxing night after such a hectic one.


The next morning we all decided to rent bikes and roam the city. We navigated the early morning traffic and found our way past multiple temples and visited Patuxai and That Dam. Once the sun reached overhead and the heat became unbearable we all retired to an indoor coffee shop and rested until we no longer were sweating. The rest of the afternoon we all went our separate ways and met up for dinner at Moon The Night. Live music, a personal mini-keg of beer, and good food were all enjoyed. After dinner we rode our bicycles to a hole-in-the-wall karaoke bar to continue our drinking while we sang our hearts out to bad 90’s music for the rest of the night.


We awoke the next day ready to grab our visas and get back to Thailand. However, the Thai Embassy only does visa pickups from 1:30-3:30pm. So we all hung around the hostel, ate complimentary breakfast, and then ordered lunch to go from Ray’s Grille (an amazing little restaurant down the street that serves Philly cheese steak subs and a bangin’ falafel burger.) Mom, Tanner said you would like the sub so I guess that means you have to come visit Laos too!


After getting lunch to go we followed the advice of a Canadian girl we met the day before who told us to get there early because the Embassy gives you numbers similar to the visa application. We arrived and were about 20th in line. We ate our lunch and waited in the hot sun for an hour and a half, but it paid off. We were 22, 23, 24, and 25 respectively and each successfully picked up our visas! Congratulations Emma, Jose, and Tanner! We can now teach legally!


We all skipped out of there and boarded a van to the Laos border. I was asleep the first time so I didn’t realize how long the drive was. I mistakenly got in the far left corner of the backseat and didn’t take any motion sickness tablets. Big mistake on my behalf. Not even five minutes into the ride I got really sick. Nausea crept over my whole body, I turned pale, became sweaty, and started to cry. It was really embarrassing to be that girl who travels all over the world but can’t get into a moving vehicle without getting ill. So after getting a trash bag and managing not to get sick for the remainder of the journey we arrived at the Laos boarder where I drug myself out of the van and promptly collapsed onto the sidewalk with my head in my hands and my stomach in knots.


Tanner got me water and placed something cold on my neck. I rested there and composed myself before making my way to the border to fill out even more paperwork and stand in more lines and wait at more windows. Just an FYI crossing a border on foot is not for the impatient or faint of heart.


All four of us made it across the border once more and called AYA to come pick us up for another lengthy van journey. The ride back in my opinion was worse than the ride to Laos. I had a middle seat this time and couldn’t sleep or get comfortable. I am sure you can understand that the journey to any place is way more exciting, the anticipation is high. On the way home you are exhausted, tired, and probably a bit cranky. Plus you know what the drive will be like so there is not much to look forward to.


I am happy to say I am now back in Chiang Mai. I did have to sleep on the floor of the Eco Resort when I got back before my room was ready But since I have showered, napped, had breakfast, and am finally relaying my Thai visa run journey with you all!


I hope you enjoyed and below are some helpful links and the costs laid out so you can get a better idea of what to expect on your journey.
　　　
　　　
Now go out and enjoy the world!
- Molly

Thai Visa Run Costs:
AYA service: 1500 baht
Snacks along the way: 400 baht
Laos Visa: 36USD
Thai non-immigrant b Visa: 2000baht
Tuk-tuk to hostel: 160 baht
Hostel for two nights: 800 baht
Bicycle for the day: 600 baht
Beer Lao: 60 baht per beer
Food for two days: 2000 baht
Tuk-tuk to Thai Embassy: 160 baht
Van to Laos border: 200 baht

Total: ~9,600 baht or 300USD

Helpful links:

Thai Embassy: http://www.thaiembassy.org/main/

AYA: http://www.ayaservice.com/

Sihome Backpackers Hostel: http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Sihome-Backpackers-Hostel/Vientiane/69394

Night Market: http://www.visit-mekong.com/laos/vientiane/shopping/riverside-night-market.htm

Patuxai:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/laos/vientiane/sights/landmarks-monuments/patuxai

That Dam: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/laos/vientiane/sights/landmarks-monuments/that-dam

Moon The Night: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Moon-The-Night-Restaurant/114880221939861

Ray’s Grille: https://www.facebook.com/raysgrilleLaopdr

Eco Resort, Chiang Mai: http://www.ecoresortchiangmai.com/default-en.html

Sleeping Through Bangkok

The flight from Dulles to Abu Dhabi and then on to Bangkok was extremely long. As usual I did not sleep so instead of really exploring Bangkok when we got there Tanner and I slept for two of the three days we were in town. So instead of writing you a thrilling piece about my sleeping habits I thought I would just show you the pictures Tanner and I took of Bangkok. Enjoy the photojournalism...(yes, yes that is what I will call being a lazy writer!)

On the flight from Abu Dhabi to Bangkok

Taxi ride with Tanner from the airport to our Airbnb condo.

Waiting outside our condo because we arrived before check-in.

The amazing view of the river from our balcony.

Handsome Tanner waiting on the ferry to take us to breakfast.

The view from the ferry dock.

Our amazing condo for the three days we were in Bangkok.

Date night at a Muay Thai fight!

The ring.

The fight!

10 days in Thailand, A Comparison

After spending the last ten days in Thailand I have been constantly comparing it to India. I know it is not the best way to travel with an open mind. But hey I have only been to one other Asian country and as all of you know when something is similar to another experience you have had then you automatically try to gain a understanding through reference points in your brain. In my brain they just happen all to be tied to India. So to sort through all the jumbled compare and contrast points in my head I decided to write it all down and see where I end up after the last sentence.

My India vs. Thailand list is quite lengthy but I don't want you to think that I prefer one country over the other. As of right now I can not make that judgment call. Spending a year and three months in India gave me so many positive experiences and just a few negative ones. However, the ten days in Thailand can not in any way match the depth and variety of experiences that were had in India. So after my time in Thailand maybe I can make that judgment call but as of today here are the thoughts and observations running through my mind.

India: Extremely hot and muggy
Thailand: mildly humid
- When I stepped off the plane in India I remember my breath being suppressed, it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. The humidity in India was palpable, heavy, and overbearing at times. Thailand so far is nothing more than a summer day at the beach. Limited amounts of sweat, if any, dipping down my back. My hair isn't matted to my head and neck when I wake. A nice relief.

India: pure vegetarian food options
Thailand: vegetarian = pescetarian
- While in India I practiced being a vegetarian and realized my body really enjoys that lifestyle. So once I came back to the US for the summer I tried to continue on that path...low and behold my mind was set on eating BBQ before I left. Right now I can not call myself a vegetarian but I do prefer eating as one. Thailand's, or more specifically Bangkok's, Koh Lanta's, and Chiang Mai's version of vegetarian, includes shrimp, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and as far as I can tell all seafood. So needless to say I have tried and disliked the taste or texture of a lot of Thai food. I miss my Indian curries, breads, and breakfasts!

India: tuk-tuks are the most common form of transportation
Thailand: cars, trucks, buses
- I don't know why but I was surprised to see full sized vehicles in Thailand. There are not many tuk-tuks. Instead there are flatbed trucks that have a cap on them with seating in the back. Some of them do routes like buses, others just are group taxis. It is a very unique concept and Tanner and I were debating today if they came about as a city necessity or they were there before buses and the like, making future modes of transportation unnecessary? Either way, today I took one and I do not mind it but I much prefer tuk-tuks.

India: Everyone knew some English
Thailand: Everyone knows Thai and how to smile
- One of the major benefits about traveling to India is everyone speaks some English. India's independence from England only happened in 1947, so English is still widely used and understood by locals and tourists. In Thailand everyone speaks Thai. They are kind enough to smile and nod but the do not really understand English or the request that is being asked. So a smile is nice and sometimes better than a grumpy, cheating, old Indian man who speaks English. But being able to read all the road signs and understand the people while traveling may trump smiles.

India: Women are second class citizens
Thailand: Women are equal
- I know those are very large opinions on my behalf but from what I have observed it is true. In India not only were women confined to the home, but out and about men wouldn't listen to them or their opinions. By the end of Tanner's and my trip in India he just stopped introducing me to Indian men he met because they were offended at his acknowledgment of me. However, in Thailand everyone seems to be equal or at least respected. Men listen to me and I can speak with them. I do not have to dim my personality or hide behind a man. Here I am heard, respected, and thought of to have value...it feels nice.

India: Staring is status quo
Thailand: Smiling is status quo
- I know that I am tall, broad, and blonde. I know that Tanner is taller, broader, and blonder. However, never in my life did I expect a country or region that has access to news, television, and international media in general to stare so much. India was a hard pill to swallow in that fact. Being noticed is one thing, but constantly being stared at, followed, and even touched is just not appropriate or welcomed in my mind. It took a long time to get used to and even then I found myself appalled. That maybe to harsh of a word, but at the least very emotional when Indians would not accept that people that looked different from them existed. I know that Indian culture is very tied to the color and tone of one's skin but just because I am white and have blonde hair does not make me a different person than you. Blood runs through my veins, protons, neutrons, and electrons make up my body, and I need air, food, and water to live just like any other human being. It was rough to say the least and I tried to take it as an opportunity to teach them about me and my culture. A person is just a person in Thailand. Yes, Thai's see two very tall people walking together they look, but the smile instead of leer. The nod with acknowledgment and say hello, they do not gawk with their mouths open. Thai's smiles, whether genuine or not, are so much more comforting.

India: no road rules
Thailand: some road rules
- India is a free for all when it comes to driving on the road. Well actually when it comes to driving anywhere that can be driven upon, road or no road and Indian driver will find a way to get you there fast and directly. It is a bit frightening but highly enjoyable. Here in Thailand there are fast driver and slow drivers, but so far everyone follows some kind of road law and horns are not blaring at every turn or intersection.

India: hagglers everywhere
Thailand: hagglers some places
-In India haggling was a way of life. If a shopkeeper quoted you a price you automatically said less than that eventually finding a middle ground or one of you would walk away. Here in Thailand the prices seem to be marked and fixed. The one thing that both countries share is the varying prices of transportation. Sometimes they use the meter and other times they just quote you a price and you take it or leave it. Traveling in a country that is not your own expect to be ripped off a little. It is how those people support themselves and their families. I have now turned all haggling into a game to see who can win!

India: whitening products everywhere
Thailand: whitening products everywhere
- In my experience with both Indian and Thai people the lighter your skin color the better. All the products we have in the US are sold here with "whitening" power! Basically bleach, SPF, or some other compound that keeps the skin light or lightens it.

India: pollution and liter everywhere
Thailand: some pollution and very little litter
- Thailand is clean, smells nice, and there is rarely litter. I have yet to see a Thai person throw trash onto the ground. They seem to really respect their land and country's cleanliness. India on the other hand is really dirty. People litter out the bus, put trash outside their house, and pee right on the street. So needless to say Thailand is vastly different than India in this regard.

India: feeling of safety was not high
Thailand: feeling of safety is high
-I arrived in India right after the highly publicized rapes and that along with terror stories from people around me who were worried made me on edge when I arrived in India. I personally never had any safety issues, once I was followed home by a man on a motorbike but as soon as I acknowledged and scolded him he left. I think that because everyone (news, individuals, and Indian Aunties) told me to be careful and not go out at night, I was a little more scared and apprehensive about where I went, what I did, and what I wore in India. However, in Thailand I have an overwhelming sense of safety. It may be a false sense of security but it feels safe here. India ended up being safe. However, I am still debating if I feel safe here because I learned the proper behavior in India and now just apply it to my life here without a second thought or if it really is more safe. Needless to say, in both cases I think women should feel safe traveling to both India and Thailand - just be smart. Wear culturally appropriate clothing (covering shoulders, knees, and cleavage), do not go out at night a drink heavily and not be aware of your surroundings, and lastly act like a responsible human being and most likely nothing bad will happen.

My compare and contrast list is now complete after these initial days and I am loving every minute of being in Thailand. I do miss India greatly and hope to go back in April for the girls' surf camp, but until then I will keep exploring Thailand looking for my next great adventure!

Love,
Molly

Summer days drifting away...

I know I haven't written in a long time so let me update you. So I left India in May to come home for my friends' weddings, ended up staying the whole summer, went to WV, CO, NC, and many places in between, finalized my contract with GVI for October, said goodbye to family and friends in the States, and am now in Bangkok, Thailand.

Over the next few months I will not only be writing for myself on this blog but I now am officially a paid blogger. So stay tuned for another amazing blog written by yours truly on her adventures in Northern Thailand!

Until then check out my favorite pictures from my adventures in the states this summer!



So thank you all for an amazing summer! I love you and can't wait to see what comes next!

<3 Molly