My god this country is poor. Kindly. Gentle. But mainly poor.

In one day I have walked the nation's capital ( as imposed by the French ). I have seen their 'arc de triomph', which mainly holds tourist tat stalls, I've seen the wonderful pagoda that is also their national icon, which is in dire need of a respray and surrounded by tat stalls, I've seen the national museum, which you would leave if it were your hotel room, seen the national stadium, which is smaller than Prenton Park was when Tranmere Rovers was at the bottom of the fourth division, and seen a handful of lovely, if unloved, temples.

This is their capital city. The richest city, if not the most beautiful or historically important, and it is a real Liz Taylor of a place. You can see where the beauty used to be, but only if you stand far back and squint.

I thought Cambodia had been the victim of being squidged between Vietnam and Thailand. But then Laos effectively sided North Vietnam in the war with the US. Or at least they let their eastern lands be a through route. So they became fair game, or so the US thought...

If you hear someone in the UK complaining about the recession or 'the cuts', tell them to get of their backside and get out here.

Here's a fact for you. The Laos stock exchange has two listed companies. Two. Not twenty, two hundred, or two thousand. Two.

One week will shut them up. We never had it so good.