150 days on the road today ! Maybe we should stop counting 🙂

We were up late last night even though we needed to be up at 5:30. V was reading horror stories about Vietnam bus travel and border crossings in our guide. We always get apprehensive when we have a border crossing – the stories were not helping ! Seems corruption and theft (by drugging with drink) is an issue along with bus drivers stopping in the middle of nowhere and demanding higher fares especially on the less traveled routes like the one we had chosen. At 7 our guesthouse flagged down the correct bus (a half hour late) and we were on our way with a 12 hour journey ahead.

The bus was almost empty and once again we were the only westerners around. We really miss our friends from the Gibbon group. Such a great bunch. It will definitely take a bit of time to get used to eating ‘alone’ again. Arna, Jessica, Christian, Nick, Sarah and Jacob – you better all stay in touch ! V and I slept the morning away as the bus wound through and up some more spectacular valleys in the heavy rain. The bus and driver were from Laos which, for no valid reason, made me feel far more comfortable. Apart from the loud Lao pop music being played over a video of an American concert it was a comfortable trip to the border.

Laos has been fantastic and it’s a pity we had to rush it a little. Feels like we hardly explored the country at all. During our travels there have been many places that we would like to re-visit but Laos is now at the top of the list. A small population of respectful, polite and friendly people with amazing food, immaculate toilets, good (if windy) roads, totally relaxed attitudes and enough honky comforts at good prices (okay, a little more expensive than expected). We are concerned that the locals will become sick of tourists like much of South East Asia – I really hope not.

[Pictures: Was way to early for that !]

– Posted from my iPhone via Wifi