Ok so I'm actually in Cambodia. But I've only been here a few hours so I thought I'd not have much to tell, and heading an entry "Cambodia" and then talking about Laos would make no sense. Shut up and get on with it, Dave? Ok. But only because you asked so nicely. So from hazardous Pakxe/Pakse/Paxse/Pickupapenguin I headed south to Champasak, famous for its old-school (that's gangster talk for those not-so-hip ones among you) Khmer temple (or ruins the...

While I have found, on the whole, the vast majority of the Lao people to be one of inescapable (and who should want to?) warmth, friendliness, helpfulness and generosity, I was somewhat surprised last night, as I hobbled down a dimly lit street with blood pouring from a gaping wound to my shin, by the efforts of one local to attract my custom to his hotel. This was not in keeping with the welcome I had come to expect - I was hoping for more of a shocked gasp and ...

So down in Vang Viang I am, after a very pleasant three nights in Luang Prabang. LP is situated pretty much in the middle of the main bulk of Laos, and has hung onto its French colonial feel in a big way - the architecture, cafes and boulangeries were very reminiscent of a village 'en Bretagne', but the vast numbers of locals playing petanque as the afternoons drew to a close was something I had not been expecting!Having decided I'd had my fill of hiking for the ...

Bonjourno amigos, how's y'all doing? I am now in Laos' capital, Vientiane, having returned from my trek and Chiang Mai and travelled the "12" hours it takes to get here. Just how leaving Chiang Mai at 7pm one evening, and arriving in Vientiane at 3pm the next day constitutes 12 hours, I'm still trying to work out, but arrive I did, and glad I was.The trekking in the Pai region in northern Thailand was absolutely fanterrific - good word - having ended up...