Laos-China railway was officially opened today

[Moses]

Three generations of the Lao people will be paying for the debt incurred as a result of the Chinese hegemony over poor neighbours.

As per my sources present "generations" from Luang Prabang are very happy with this railway - it will bring much more tourists to area. Means it will bring more money.

[a447]

As per my sources present "generations" from Luang Prabang are very happy with this railway - it will bring much more tourists to area. Means it will bring more money.

And like goji, I'd also like to go to Laos, perhaps as a side-trip from Thailand.

I've been twice and although I'd probably give Vientiane a miss I'd go back to Luang Prabang.

The first time, I flew on a shakey old ATR-72 turboprop - I was sitting right next to the propeller. Had I known it was not going to be a jet aircraft I would never have flown.

Now that there's a train, it means I can go back. I just wonder why the train is so slow, as bullet trains in Japan, China and South Korea travel at 300 kph. Did the Chinese use last generation technology?

[goji]

The first time, I flew on a shakey old ATR-72 turboprop - I was sitting right next to the propeller. Had I known it was not going to be a jet aircraft I would never have flown.

I once took a domestic flight from Paakse to Vientiane, having confirmed they run "western" aircraft and was expecting an ATR. My bag was weighed on a scale with a pointer and the baggage handling system carried it out of the door on his back.
As I walked out to the plane, I realised it was a Chinese Avic. Thankfully it got us there, unlike an ATR which ended up in the river a few months later.

On an earlier trip, my journey to Liang Prabang was overland. Six hours from Viang Vieng in a minibus, on twisty mountain roads. Spectacular views. The most spectacular of all was 3 lads taking a roadside shower, presumably fed by a mountain stream. Totally naked, so some of these mountain dwellers were far less shy than the lads from the city.