The country of Laos is sandwiched between Thailand to the west Vietnam to the east. We have spent a week here, really just passing through on our way to Hanoi. We had heard great things about the country and were not disappointed. The place has only in the last few years opened its doors to visitors, although poor infrastructure keeps the masses away. We found a place we would imagine Thailand was like 20 years ago before it raced towards the 21st century. Just like a number of countries in this part of the world, Laos is incredibly poor, perhaps more so than its neighbours. The people though were incredibly friendly, helpful and polite. People on the street would say 'hello' as you passed and it was wonderful to see kids playing in the streets or in the rivers rather than having to walk around the bars at night selling souvenirs to tourists as we found in Thailand. Our first destination was Luang Prabang, a former royal capital in the north of the country and on UNESCO's world heritage list, described as the best preserved city in south east asia. It has a population of just 16,000 and is situated on a spit of land alongside the mighty Mekong River. The place was wonderful. So relaxed, laid back and moves at a pace unlike anywhere we have been before. Whereas people hurtle around in cars and on scooters elsewhere in Asia, here they cruise. Sometimes three or four abreast, each with a parasol in one hand to shield them from the sun, chatting as they tootle by on their Honda Dreams. On arrival we found a guest house overlooking the Mekong, and sitting on the terrace, Beer Lao (the local brew) in hand, we felt we could have stayed for months! Whilst we quickly downshifted to the Laos pace of life, the money took a little longer to get used to. The local currency is Kip. There are about 19,000 kip to the pound, or 10,000 to the dollar. Although illegal, places accept, and in many cases would actually prefer, Thai Baht (265 to one kip) or US dollars as payment. Places usually quote either a dollar or kip price, and once you pay, will receive change in whatever they say they can give you. As none of the places you spend money are licensed money changers, you have constantly to be careful on the exchange rates - sometimes favourable, at other times, significantly less so. If you found my explanation difficult to follow, try being there! Still, good to keep the brain active I suppose. Anyway, whilst we only had a few days in Laos, we wanted to explore a little. We headed north from Luang Prabang, taking a bus (really a truck with a bench down each side) into the mountains. 5 hours later and unable to walk properly, we arrived at our destination, a small village on the bank of the Nam Ou River. Here we found our cheapest accommodation yet - One pound per night! It wasnt exactly the Hilton, but it did the job (just). After explring the area, we hooked up with a few people we had met in the village and chartered a small boat (believe me, nowhere near as glam as it sounds) to take us back to Luang Prabang. The trip was an experience. The mountainous landscape was spectacular and it was great to see the inhabitants of the villages that lay along the banks of the Nam Ou and Mekong rivers going about their daily lives - fishing, bathing, washing clothes and playing - in the river. The journey took 6 hours, the boat broke down repeatedly and it was not exactly watertight, but we made it to our destination. After Luang Prabang we went to Laos' capital, Vientienne. We only had a day here before catching a flight to Hanoi. After Luang Prabang, it was disappointing. A few interesting sights, but nothing special. The highlight was the national museum with exhibits relating to the country's turbulent recent past. It was done in the way that seems to be the communist propoganda way of portraying things - one sided. Nothing about the positive impact other country's have had. Just the (exaggerated) negative. Explanantions of exhibits contain words like 'French barbarous slave drivers' and 'US weapons they had brought to kill peaceful Laos people'! When help is offered - like the US providing all materials for the country to build an airport runway - they use it to build a huge arc de triomphe style monument in the centre of town (nicknamed by expats the vertical runway). Next stop, Hanoi, Vietnam. S