A straw field with raised paths for touchlines provided the perfect pitch, the ball 80s style black and white patched and I'm not sure where they found the jumpers for the goalposts! Admittedly not the highest level of skill on display in this game of 6 a side but ear to ear smiles & infectious laughter. The goalkeeper at the nearest end to me performing the obligatory handstands as soon as any danger was cleared. Having witnessed children throughout Asia with no choice but to grow up ahead of time, it was refreshing to see children being children again!

The islands of Don Det & Don Khon are 2 of 4000 sand islands and spits formed within the Mekong river in the Si Phan Don area, at the southernmost point of Laos. Most travellers visit the major cities of Vientenne or Luang Prabang but those who do venture further south to this remote paradise will not leave disappointed. These 2 small Islands, accessible by boat and separated by on old French bridge are as close to beach life as a land locked country can ever get!

The northern island of Don Det is the livelier with it's footpath main street of bars amid the sprawling hippy scene. It's sister island of Don Khon is a short walk/cycle across the old bumpy French bridge and contains the more spectacular sights and quieter authentic rural village life! Both islands are a far cry from South East Asian city life. Instead of constant hassling by locals, you often have to, first find and then wake the shop owner before you can purchase anything!

If you wish to escape your hammock and take a step further from the tourist trail, you can escape the bars at the North of Don Det and explore the quiet sand track paths. A short cycle South, Lao village life is waiting to be discovered. Before you have time to change gear, you are in the heart of a village of stilted houses and thriving activity. If not football, marbles, swimming in the river, or generally chasing each other around the fields and tracks are popular pastimes. All are undertaken with gleeful smiles and shouts of 'hello' as you cycle by. Similar to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, the sheer numbers of children is suggestive of the lack of evening entertainment leading to very large families. 24 hour electricity has only been provided in the last year or so and this has clearly been embraced, given that all simple shed like dwellings come complete with satellite dishes large enough to detect life on Saturn!

Ageless traditions are still abundantly evident with little concept of modern machinery. Water buffalo or cows are all that is required to drag ploughs or carts through the fields. We stumbled upon a man holding an impressively shiny feathered but equally wet cockerel. I asked him why he was washing his chicken- his reply was- 'for chicken boxing tomorrow, for money'.

The sun was beginning to set, not a breath of wind in the air, the smell of dry straw freshly cut at the side of the road. If I ignored the water buffalo, pointy hats and stilted houses I was 10 years old again with farmers busy harvesting fields until late on the most perfect of English summer evenings!

The cleverly named sunset side of the island provides a magical view of the Mekong early evening as it slowly changes a shade of orange followed by an intense red. The calm sunset tainted waters are unaware of what lies in wait for them a mile further downstream when they will be churned and bashed down the Tat Somphamit waterfalls. This is another gem of the island well hidden alongside a narrow path through the shaded jungle canopy where the tranquil waters are kicked into action in dramatic fashion.

Everything about these islands are totally underrated. Perhaps this is exactly why the area has so much character and charm but is without doubt right up there as one of the highlights of our trip. With no moped horn to be heard, this brief glimpse of Lao island village life is unique and the memory of Laos that we shall take away as we follow the Mekong river further South into Cambodia.....