Airport Security, Laos style

I spent the mornings lazily hanging around in Luang Prabang. Relaxed cities always give you the sense that's there's no urgency. I wanted up and down the main street, took in some of the landmarks for the last time, had a breakfast and a snack used up some of my Lao Kip (money), saving enough for a snack at the airport, did a little shopping and it was time to head to the airport.

Following the rules, I again get to their port a full two hours early. Now this is a small, international airport. Two gates. In other words tiny. I check in and you can see the two gates. I wander around the airport. There is no restaurant . There are no shops. It is an airport. Nothing else. So I sit outside in the chairs waiting until I am ready to be locked in behind security.

There is however, a restaurant across the street. The distance? He can something be across the street from an airport? It was closer than from my house to main street in Suffield. Much closer. I wander over there and buy some snacks for the afternoon and a coke and use up all of my leftover kip. And head to immigration and security to wait for my flight.

Immigration is no hassle, after a bunch of stamps here and there in my passport i move to security. Sadly, I am not able to take liquids through. So now I am stuck in no mans land. I can't go back out into the airport without buying another visa. I can't go into the gate with liquids. What to do. I am locked in a tiny little square. I have about a liter of water, and a coke. No worries, though, I am the only person. Not even a security person to help. I back up, intent on drinking my soda and water and taking my time when they tell me, only water is not allowed. The soda is! And I thought soda was a liquid!!!

I guzzled the water and went through the metal detectors. It beeps, but no one is worried and I grab my stuff and head to the gate. Maybe there arent alot of terrorism threats here in Luang Prabang, but this seemed like a very civilized checkpoint! Kept my shoes, my belt, and my watch, and of course my soda. And patiently wait for my flight back to Siem Reap.

This time, the flight has fourteen people on it. I bet we will be all clustered together in the back again, to balance the weight.




Addendum: while flying out of Luang Prabang, there was a new airport terminal nearing completion. That said, there were still only two gates!