As title states, this journey is one worth mentioning. 21 hours was the estimate (only slightly over $30), and shuttle to tuk tuk to sleeper bus to bus to boat was the journey. I read online a bit about this 'sleeper bus,' filled with proper beds and two levels. A couple that had blogged their travels noted it as a less than double bed, way too short for normal sized humans, wherein you share the bed with a travel companion, or if alone, a stranger. When booking, I queried about this, asking if I should buy two tickets so I don't have to share a bed. The response was a laugh, asking if I was trying to get some, and then assuring me I would have my own bed.
The first leg of the journey was a shuttle from hostel to ventiene, which took 4.5 hours, and was no struggle with good company and a spacious environment. The only stress was the obnoxious frequent beeping from the driver, and his irritating lao music choice.
Once dropped in ventiene I was left with 2 hours before catching the next leg. I went for a wander around the night market (nothing special) and then satdown to have dinner at some crowded western place. I got a overly oily salad and overly oily cheesy garlic bread. All good though. While waiting for the next bus to come (now 15 minutes late) I went to socialise and find travel buddies for the ride. I met 2 israeli guys, one of whom was going to pakse, and potentially continuing on the 4000 islands as well. The other was just keeping him company. Once the chariot, tuk tuk, arrive, paz (the one going to pakse) and I got on. It was a reasonably long journey where we met the joining crew and also decided to share a bed if the dude lied to me, and we would be sharing with strangers. As we got to the bus, I squinted to see into its top level and noticed my fear-- each bed had 2 numbers. I entered, heading to my assigned downstairs bed, told first to remove my shoes. As I crouched and crawled through the tiny aisle space, my heart went out to the british guy on the tuk tuk with shoulders way broader than this space. I arrived at my bed, already occupied by a lao lady who seemed to speak no english when I tried to describe to her my potential bed swap. I went upstairs to find paz, figuring out the same thing. The beds were barely bigger than singles, and must have been no more than 5'5" long. We managed to convince some french guys we were dating and then the dude who was supposed to stay with paz, further convinced the bus people to let him stay in this weird random single bed (coffin sized) that was right over the staircase to the toilet, with little fallproof barrier.
All in all it was funny to play couple, coming up with stories for how we met and what not, and after staying up for ages with the strength of one valium (we were both given on earlier bus rides by people who took advantage of the fact that one need not a perscription for some in this country) we took our second and passed out hard.
7am we were stopped for brekky and waiting for the next bus. After that 2.5 hours from pakse, (paz at this point decided to go through to the islands) there was a final boat-- a long boat. The ride wasn't too bad, even though the top of our boat being only inches above the waterline made me a bit wary.
Before we knew it (23 hours after I started), 4000 islands.
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