Stamped up our taxi freedom fighters usher us to a mini van, taking a quick pee seriously irritates the french persons on board (they've been waiting an hour and a half for the bus, whoop de woo). Engaging in that much huffing and puffing over a 15 second hold back cannot be good for your arteries in this heat. On first appearances it is obvious that Laos is a poorer country than Thailand, but on the flip side one is also made instantly aware of its determinatio...

Leaving Chang Saen proved slightly more difficult than expected since the Ute driver wanted to charge over the odds and passengers including ourselves tried to revolt. 3 Laos gentlemen asked us where we were heading and once we told them Luang Namtha they laughed as they explained that was their hometown and they were on the return, brilliant! To make use of our time spent refusing to enter the vehicle Prue and I ordered coffee, the lady did not stay round long e...