Just in case - as we've done two blogs in one day you may miss the link to the last Vietnam one.

On our way to Hanoi airport we met Kim, a Canadian student who was on her way to New Zealand to study, who we befriended for the evening

While at the airport I got a tap on the shoulder. A man in a suit says, "Excuse me, we need you to unlock your bag so it can go through security." I follow him back through immigration, where they keep my passport, to the security room. On the screen is a scan of our bag with what looks like a perfect outline of a rifle highlighted in orange!!!!

Fortunately once I'd opened the bag they agreed that there was nothing wrong. Still scary none the less!!

We were flying with Loas airlines and walked down onto the runway from the bus to see a small propellor plane!! Hilarious - EasyJet eat your heart out!!

Fortunately the journey passed without further incident and we arrived in Luang Prabang at about 8pm. This was when the fun began! We walked for the best part of two hours trying to find a guest house with availability while also fighting off the unwanted attentions of a dodgy Korean man!

Eventually we found somewhere for the princely sum of $25

Luang Prabang is lovely. Everyone is very friendly, the streets and accomodation are surprisingly clean and well kept - it seems very new. We spent our first day doing a few chores first before having a look around a buddist temple. While there, the english teacher asked us to visit his class that evening. As the conversation continued Amanda revealed that she was a teacher. Before she knew it she was teaching the class!! So, last night was spent teaching english to a group of Laos children!!

We then tucked into fantastic Pad Thai from a street stall before looking round the night market

Today we had a look around the temples in town before I got a hair cut for three pounds. While I sit here Amanda is chatting to two young girls who are trying to sell her jewellery!

In the Lonely Planet it says that Laos is a "tonic for the soul", it certainly seems that way!