Like the table coverings you find in a greasy spoon cafe, the plastic coated, non-reclining seats were the most discreet feature of our bus for the long trip over to Sam Neua. The driver allowed people to pile in until four ladies were seated in the aisle on small plastic stools, between sacks of rice. Laos music played for the whole trip, and it was basically a sit back and endure event, as the bus crawled up and around the mountainous ridges. After a couple of ...

Phonsavanh & the victorious Pathet LaoComplete with motorcycles tied to the roof, we relaxed into our stained reclining bus seats for another snaking traverse of the typically Laos terrain. We read, listened to tunes, and for the most part were subjected to a whole six hours of some terrible comedy stage show recording blaring from the TV up front in the native tongue. It was atrocious to think that somebody had assumed it to be a good idea to record this eve...

It's worth mentioning that the landscapes in Laos are sheer beauty in it's simplest form. Laos is a really special country, with the simple, basic necessities of life in plain in view of any conscious observer; which is emotionally moving and refreshing. It almost makes you dread the return to the inevitable materialist world to which we helplessly appear to belong. The inaccessibility (unless you fly) also adds to it's charm and laid back feel. Any bus or boat...

Vang Vieng & the Mighty Mekong 'Early to bed, early to rise' as they say. We packed our bags in usual speedy and semi-conscious fashion, and trudged into the centre of town to the bus station next to the market. The 8:30am bus was already full so we decided to get breakfast and hop on the 09.30 departure, bound for Vang Vieng. Revisiting the same restaurant we ate at upon arrival, we opted for another hearty portion of En soup minus the Beer Lao. Adam disa...

North to Vientianne - Laos 　 Happily aboard a train which was bang on time was unfortunately only a brief comfort for us both as we rattled on into the night. This had to be one of the most frightening train rides we've ever been on. The noise of the clanking and clanging would challenge the strongest sleeping pills in the world, and it was so bumpy our bodies got air-time. The rocking was so hard we are unsure how we got away without bruising. We wer...