ENCHANTING LOUANG PHABANG LIES TEN HOURS BY BUS NORTH OF VIENTIANE. IT HAS THE ATMOSPHERE OF A LOST CITY: ROYAL PALACE AND STRIKING TEMPLES DOMINATE THE MAIN STREET. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRATEGIC REGION FOR TRADE, DUE IN PART, TO THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF CHINA, THAILAND, VIETNAM AND MYANMAR (FORMERLY BURMA). THE MIGHTY MEKONG RIVER RUNS THROUGH THIS TOWN HAVING MADE ITS WAY DOWN FROM CHINA WHILE ON ITS WAY SOUTH TO CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM. THIS HAS MADE THE FOR...

AWAKE AT 415AM, AFTER SHORT FITFUL SLEEP, TO CATCH EARLY MORNING FLIGHT TO LAOS. GLAD TO BE MOVING ON TO NEW COUNTRY - I HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT LAOS. ON THE PLANE SITTING NEXT TO LAOS STUDENT (ALSO OLYMPIC RUNNER; CONFESSED TO COMING LAST IN 800M IN 1996). HE, RIGHT AWAY, WITH HIS MEASURED FRIENDLYNESS AND AUTHENTICITY PUTS ME BACK INTO REAL TRAVEL MOOD AFTER A MONTH OF TOURIST HEAVY THAILAND. THAI PEOPLE WERE ABSOLUTELY DISSOLUTIONED WITH THE MASS OF TR...