Vientiane, Laos!

I flew into Vientiane, Laos from Bangkok on a very full flight. I was seating at the front of the plane, in row 35, which I thought would be in the back of the plane, between two Americans! We landed at the airport and I walked out of the plane. Compared to Bangkok's huge and very modern international airport, Wattay Airport in Vientiane is small, and old. But the immigration line was much quicker than Bangkok's lines and the baggage claim was easy to negotiate. After leaving customs with both my bags I entered the terminal and looked for Xuyen and Pom, On's younger son. A few minutes after I arrived, there they were standing in the terminal with a bouquet of flowers and a beautiful sign!

Xuyen drove us to her house in her jeep wrangler. Only the second time I've seen a jeep wrangler with an automatic transmission! Her home is beautiful, there are lots of flowers out front. I went in and met Hoa, a Vietnamese social worker. She was also staying with Xuyen for two weeks and was very friendly and kind.

Pom was leaving at 3 pm so after a quick lunch we all headed out to the bus station to see Pom off! The Friendship Bridge, is the only way to get into Thailand from Vientiane unless you are flying out of the airport. We were all able to walk through immigration to see Pom get on his bus and then get back into Laos without ever showing our passport!

Sign and flowers that they made for me!

Me, Pom, Xuyen and Hoa at Xuyen's dinner room table

Pom, Xuyen and I walking to the bus station

Xuyen, Me and Pom at the bus station.

Sign for the Lao Friendship Bridge

Xuyen, Pom and I about to walk through immigration

Me and Hoa outside the bus station

Xuyen and me in her beautiful garden.

Xuyen and me in front of her house

Pom and Xuyen

Hoa and Xuyen's gardener

Xuyen, her husband Skip and me.

Xuyen, Me and Skip at dinner in her house

Hoa and me

Me and Xuyen with all the gifts that I brought from Paul Cohen.