Lao-d and Proud

Visiting 4000 islands down in Southern Laos involved hammocks, Bungalows on the Mekong, waterfalls, hammocks, cheap food, cocktails and more hammocks. It was the perfect place to rest our sore muscles after the hike. Being the middle of the wet season, the river is FULL to the brim and the waterfalls absolutely raging.

After a prolonged case of 'Cambodia Belly' I was finally able to once again enjoy the wonders of south east Asian cuisine, delicious!!

Our next adventure involved catching the mother of all VIP sleeper buses. We rocked up to the bus station to find a greased lightning type scene. There were lines of suped up double-decker buses complete with strobe lights, enough LEDs to light an entire neighbourhood, shag pile rugs and gum-chewing drivers with slicked back hair and backwards facing caps. I half expected them to get in and drag race each other down a storm water drain, Danny Zuko style.

The anticipation to get on the bus was immense and the drivers kept us waiting on tender hooks for the big interior reveal. We weren't disappointed. Inside we were presented with a double bed (be it a little short) with proper pillows and doonas, bottles of water, wifi and a hot bowl of fried rice each!! Absolute luxury.

We spent the next night at Konglor Cave, a 7km long cave which we paddled through in a little boat. The owner of our guesthouse ended up driving us to the actual cave himself, so we crammed into his tiny car with the whole family and all of the groceries. It was very random and a little off the tourist trail so we really enjoyed it. The scenery was amazing in the area, Laos is stunning!

From there we travelled to the capital, Vientiane, on a local bus. Just when you think the bus is completely full, some tiny plastic stools appear out of nowhere in the aisle and hey presto - 10 more seats are created! It was a definite step down from the luxuries of two evenings before.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that young children in south east Asia can't stomach bus rides. Literally. You're sitting there thinking the baby in front of you couldn't possibly get any cuter and start plotting to steal it, when suddenly things turn into a scene from the exorcist and you pray you're not in the splash zone. Its not uncommon for the faint smell of vomit to accompany you on most of your bus trips (something to remind me of work and how much I miss it....).

On our last night in Vientiane we set up shop at a little place called 'nice too meet you restaurant' (yes, "too") for a few beers. There we met a young Lao man who spoke perfect English. We sat with him and his friends for hours and finally went out with him to a bar until the early hours. We were lucky enough to experience real Laos hospitality that night, they were endlessly shouting us beers.

Now we're hungover in beautiful Vang Vieng. Next we go on a hiking/kayaking/home stay adventure out of Luang Prabang (we have to justify bringing our heavy hiking boots all this way) before we sadly have to leave South East Asia.