I started my lone journey to Laos, I won't go through each detail of the journey but it was a long one. Started with a minibus, then a coach then a coach change then a boarder crossing then a minibus then a sleeper bus then a tuk tuk. 29 hours later I arrived in Vientiane. It didn't feel overly long but it was eventful. None of the buses have toilets so I had to wait until we stopped, one time when I had to change buses I needed a wee so bad, I threw my luggage onto the next bus and ran to the loo, turns out the toilet cubicles were just floors with a slight slope leading out to a gutter. Put it this way, I had no choice. As I got on my new bus, turns out they had issued the same ticket twice and someone was already in my seat, the driver didn't speak English and just waved me to the back. I pinched the first empty seat I could find. The same thing happened to a nice Canadian guy and he sat next to me, he'd been in Thailand for a month on a Muay Thai course, turns out I didn't mind my seat being double booked in the end. When I got to the boarder, our bus man was asking for our passports and visa forms saying he will organise the visas for us but telling us it was more expensive then it should be. I wasn't having that so I said I would get off the bus and walk the boarder myself. Once I had crossed no mans land from Cambodia to Laos, I was at the visa desk (a wooden shack on a dirt road), the boarder police obviously don't deal with Falangs (foreigners) much because they turned on their 'charm' pretty quickly. Saying "beautiful lady, where you go, you stay here with us tonight", I sincerely apologised and explained how I couldn't stay due to my tight schedule... I didn't have much choice but to be polite, they did have my passport after all! As I got on the new minibus, the sun was going down and the night time was approaching, the dirt roads obviously didn't have any street lights so we was just racing towards the darkness (with me hoping drivers they had their headlights on). All of a sudden the guy hit the brakes to the floor, throwing everyone forward. Luckily I was in the back sandwiched in because there was a cow in the middle of the road, just staring at us chewing on something. No idea how we stopped in time but it wouldn't be pleasant if we didn't. As we arrived in Pakse, I had to change onto my sleeper bus for the last 12 hour leg of the journey, I knew it would be a rush because we was late arriving. I was the only person connecting to the bus. I quickly went to the ticket office to change over my ticket. The guy just said "quick quick, bus go now", no point trying to explain I had to get my bag because he had already turned his back on me. I ran back to the minibus and the guy wasn't even on the roof yet to untie the bags, I shouted at him to hurry, once he had undone the million and one knots. Ran to my bus, out my luggage on then tried to explain to needed the toilet before I got on, he waved me inside the ticket office. Never pee'd so quickly in my life, the continuing beeping of the bus horn didn't give me much option. I found my seat, turns out the seats aren't individual, they are Asian sized supposedly double beds. I was soon followed by a broad shouldered Malaysian guy, my bed buddy for the night, it was so awkward trying not to touch him and to make it more awkward, we didn't say a word to each other the whole time. As I said a few eventful moments. It didn't matter though, I was here to meet Sooz and that's all that mattered.

After I checked into the hostel, showered and slept for an hour, I went in search for yesterday's breakfast, I hadn't eaten since the night before I left. Didn't fancy any of the food on the journey, crisps and chocolate wasn't appealing either. Anyway, I headed for Jomas bakery, we went to one when we was in Hanoi, Vietnam, so I knew it was good. Treated myself to the biggest bagel, Greek salad and iced coffee. Finally felt back to normal. I sat there for a while planning the coming week to Vang Vieng but I'd heard such great things about Luang Prabang too; unfortunately we'd already ruled it out because of the time shortage. I started to really regret that decision and quickly got myself to a travel shop to see if its possible for Sooz and I to dart up there for a few days. It meant a few more buses but it was possible. I skyped Kate and Liv in Phnom Penh and we arranged to meet in VV a couple of days later then planned. I couldn't make the decision until I'd picked Sooz up though because I needed to discuss it with her first. I told the travel agent I'd be back and went on a walk around town, went to see the famous Mekong River in a new country; the river also runs through Cambodia and Vietnam where we've already seen it. Then squeezed in a quick visit to the Mixay temple, before I had to go to the airport.

I was sitting in the arrivals lounge, Soozies flight had arrived from Hanoi. Poor girl had a mammoth journey from London-Singapore-Hanoi-Vientiane. There was a small gap between the floor and the frosted glass on the glass doors, I knew she was wearing leggings and converse on the flight so I was on look out for them. Time passed and no sign of the converse. I started to panic that her Vietnam visa didn't work when she reached Hanoi because she had an issue applying for it so close to her leaving. I went over to the airline desk and asked if she had boarded the flight, he couldn't tell me and told me to go to another desk. Just as I turned around there the little scarab was. We ran towards each other for a hug but Sooz dropped flat on her back before I got to her, the arrivals lounge quickly made an "OOooo" sound as I crouched over her laughing. Classic Sooz, every moment is eventful. I did make her a sign but with all the panic, I forgot to get the dam thing out. I welcomed Sooz to her new home for the night, a 12 bed dorm room. I could've booked a 20 bed dorm but I thought best be nice. Sooz agreed that she wanted to go to Luang Prabang before Vang Vieng, sadly that did mean a 7am bus the next morning, that bit wasn't music to her ears. Both hungry, we went for a walk to find somewhere nice to eat, found a place with live music and pretty coloured lanterns and a good variety of food. It was so bizarre being here with her, we got a traditional Laos beer each called 'BeerLaos', original naming right? The dinner was spent eating Asian food and chin wagging until the beers ran out. We went back to the hostel for a beer in the communal area and spoke to a few people about tips and places to go in LP and VV. Followed by a shower and a well needed sleep in a bed.

The 6am alarm clock came to soon, we were up, out and on the bus by sunrise. Another 10 hour bus journey. I'm sorry Sox, such a bad friend dragging you on this bus soon after your flight. Hopefully it will be so so worth it!