We wated to go to vietnam and were told it would mean going back the way we had come fromall the way back to vientiane. We would then have to get a bus, which ment a 35 hour bus journey from hell. We really didnt fancy 35 hours on a bus knowing that the journey always seems to take much longer We looked at a map and it showed a border crossing much closer but we were told tht it wasnt open to foreigners " how can a border crossing not be open to foreigners...

We got a coach to luang prabang in central laos, it took 8 hours up and down mountains. we found a really cheap guesthouse called nittaya which was only 40,000 kip a night ( about 2 pound)We went out for dinner by the mekong and watched the fantastic sunset We went on to the main steet which was full of bars and hippy shops, and found a bar which played funky house.we got a tuk tuk to a park which had a beautiful high waterfall and lots of small ones coming off i...

we got a bus from vientiane to vang vieng which took about 4 hours going about 20 mph through mountains and booked into tavistouk bungalows on the river which a mountain range in the background.There was a big thunder storm that afternoon which was really really loud rolling through the hills, so we stayed at the bar all day. We looked at the menu and on the very first page was the " special menu " bearing in mind families were staying here Simon said ...

We arrived in vientiane the lao capital, tired and miserable after 14 hours on a bus what an awful journey. We had got some sleeping tablets from a chemist in bangkok as Emma was unwell and we thought they would ease the journey....well they turned out to be tranquilisers so you mind raced but you could not move. The bus was freezing and the rain leaked on Emma's head but she could not move out of the wayso just had to suffer it. We spoke to a lady who had b...