“The bridge is broken”

By 2020, the Laos government has promised to bring electricity to all of its citizens. Based on the quality of the roads, it’s hard to believe they’ll pull it off.

It took me and Elizabeth 12 hours to go about 120km from Vang Vieng to Nong Kiaw.

1. A minivan from Vang Vieng to the Luang Prabang Northern Bus Station.

2. A “Local Bus” Tuk-Tuk from Luang Prabang to the “broken down bridge” we kept hearing about.

3. A 100-degree walk over the bridge.

4. A “private” minivan from the far side of the bridge to Nong Kiaw.

5. A short roadside stop for the driver to (using his belt) fix the dangling spare tire knocked out of place by a pothole.

6. Another roadside stop as we waited our turn to go around a washed-out riverside road.

There are mudslides everywhere which narrow the roads to one lane.

Potholes abound.

We passed a couple flipped big-rigs.

It’s remarkable that anything gets transported anywhere. They need Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Footnote: When we got to dinner, the power went out. Hammer and sickle.

Sums up our day.