We've been stuck in Vientiane for 4 nights, as the earliest flight we could get to Hanoi was on the 31st January. There's not a huge amount to do here so at first we were disappointed but we've not had a bad time for two main reasons: 1) the food here is delicious and 2) we have cable TV with HBO so there's been a good film on each night. In addition, the locals are lovely and there's a nice, relaxed vibe. It's certainly the calmest capital city we've visited! T...

On Tuesday 24th we went tubing in the Nam Song River with the couple we met on the way down from Luang Prabang. To tube the river, you have to each pay 55,000 kip (about £4.50) plus a 60,000 kip deposit. You are then driven 4km upstream and dumped by the roadside with a bright yellow rubber ring tucked under your arm. Most people buy a drink at the first bar before they even get their feet wet (guilty) then jump into their rings and head down the river. It is no...