Vang vieng 

The best thing about Vang Veing is the fabulous countryside in which it is set. The River Song runs along the side of town and beyond that enormous limestone karsts rise directly skywards. The balcony of our hotel had a great view of the scene and we spent a morning there recuperating from the home stay and catching up with the blog.

In the afternoon we rode our bikes 14km over incredibly bumpy roads and in 38 deg to blue lagoon. The lagoon was a rather nice water hole, heavily populated by hippy types. One of our party, Drubba, a lovely Indian/English lad, decided to jump into the lagoon from a very high tree. We pulled him out with an injured back and he got Tuk tuked off to hospital. Luckily, he has been passed fit to travel although he is still very sore.

Other than the countryside the town has a feeling of the wild west about it and we weren't sorry to move on to the capital, Vientiane.

Vientiane

Vientiane was busy and very hot. We managed to find a French cafe in which to have a nice lunch and get out of the heat for a while. There were some very nice, very old temples to have a look at. There was also the world's worst national monument. Apparently, Australia had donated money to Laos to build an airport in the 60's. Instead they decided to build their very own 'Arc deTriumph' and it is seriously horrible. It's known locally as the vertical runway.

In the evening we went to a club after dinner. It was a bit of an eye opener. The place was packed with "lady boys" who we're pairing off with older white men after a suitable transaction had taken place. Susan enjoyed the people watching - I took a walk round the bar to see if any heads would turn. No takers I'm afraid.

Best things about Laos
Mekong, scenery, people, Luang Prabang.

Worst things.
Food, Vang Vieng.