After crossing the border into Laos we ended up taking two very crowded songthaews (a pick-up with converted benches in the back) and a bus; we finally arrived in Vientiane 12 hours later. The roads weren't nearly as bad as we had anticipated, and we managed to travel the whole route sans chickens!! We've been told they're common travel companions in Laos. We were fortunate enough on the bus to be seated on oh-so-comfortable plastic stools in the aisle. Now w...

After crossing the border into Laos we ended up taking two very crowded songthaews (a pick-up with converted benches in the back) and a bus; we finally arrived in Vientiane 12 hours later. The roads weren't nearly as bad as we had anticipated, and we managed to travel the whole route sans chickens!! We've been told they're common travel companions in Laos. We were fortunate enough on the bus to be seated on oh-so-comfortable plastic stools in the aisle. Now w...