So a post from Laos. Vinetiane is lovely after Bangkok. It feels about the size of Hereford, small and relaxed and spread out and definitely relaxed.
The sleeper train was quite good fun in the end although not perhaps the best nights sleep in the world. We got here to dicover our hotel is wonderful and we headed out last night for a French meal of which there seems to be plenty. We thought we would have a light salad and then go for the fillet of beef. The salad was one of the biggest I have ever seen so were a bit afraid by the time our beef arrived. It was all very tasty but sadly we couldn’t get through it all and let the Gilmour capacity for eating down badly (I blame the heat).
Today we had a nice lie in and then had croissants and coffee for breakfast. We have hired some bikes now and are going to cycle around Vientiane. They are lovely confortable sit up and beg bikes and we are wanderign around in statesmanlike style (ie not very fast). Dad following on from your mammoth cycling trip I certainly hope we don’t suffer either the punctures or the crotch-ache.
We are heading Vang Vieng tomorrow and will hopefully get some trekking done at last. I am hoping we will stay in an eco-lodge out of town as Vang Vieng is famous as a backpackers destination where there is a plentiful supply of “happy” and “special” foods where the mystery ingredients are either hash or mushrooms. I have no desire send mum (or myself) tripping over the edge.
Hope you are all ok. XXX
Posted from Lao People’s Democratic Republic:
posted Saturday July xxxx