Happy Laos National Day

We are 8 days into our Laos oddessy with Mezza and loving the pace of the place. Compared to China & Vietnam, Laos is both very chilled and very hot! At last we have caught up on the warmer weather and the relaxed vibe. And not a moment too soon- I've sent my fleece and thermals home.

At the moment we are in Luang Prabang in Northern Laos and it is the little slice of paradise that everyone says it is. Plenty of green & palm trees, colonial architecture, riverside bars, fab food, lovely smiling people (who don't do the hard sell like most of Sth East Asia) and plenty of things to do and see. I loved all the other places in Laos though too for similar reasons.
Savanaket was lovely and sleepy and I had mobile phone reception! (possibly picking up a Thai network).
Vientiane was a 'bustling metropolis' in comparison to the other places we've been to but with oodles of charm and again fab places to eat. I think it's really been spruced up for the South East Asian Games they're hosting there starting today.
Vang Vieng was a bit surreal. Every young and young at heart (or Young in name) backpacker was there- usually getting smashed at the tubing bars along the river. We did the tubing too (but had the good sense that comes with age not to get smashed) and just got back into town on time as the sun was setting behind the mountains, so we didn't have to get fished out of the water by local fishermen in the dark- just local kids. Every other backpacking cliche was there too- outside bars with happy hour prices on buckets of drink (the question being do you want Coke or Sprite, not which alcohol do you want), fire twirlers, hammocks, 'Happy' pizzaz, banana pancakes, Friends cafes, dreadlocks, limbo competitions... you get the idea. If anything has convinced me I'm a flashpacker these days that place has! We stayed in a great spot though; across the river from the main drag in wooden bungalows on stilts- very basic but very appealing. We had to cross a wooden foot bridge to get to the action on the other side. Potentially treacherous after a Beer Laos or two but we've lived to tell the tale and at least we weren't attempting it on mopeds??!!

Thinking now of heading north east a little before heading west into Northern Thailand. We've been on the go exactly 3 months from yesterday. Only 3 weeks left before we hit Melbourne.