Goodbye Cambodia....Hello Laos!

I really liked Cambodia and would loved to have spent more time there - the people there are great, very friendly and always smiling despite the poverty. Here a picture of some houses along the river, just behind these houses is a 5 star hotel "Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor", 1 night in this hotel is equivalent to 3 months wages for the people who live in these houses...

Here's a picture I took on the way to the airport..George was right about the amount of people that can fit on  a honda 50! This is typical of Vietnam and Cambodia.

After my experience on the bus from Vietnam to Cambodia I decided to fly to Laos (its a bit long to travel by bus anyway). The flight was another experience! The plane took off 30mins early (luckily I was in the airport in time!) it stopped after 1 hour and we all got off, I assumed we had arrived but it was only to let some people off  in a place called Pakse and collect others, so we all had to wait in a tiny room and went back on the same plane, this time for 40mins then we had to get off again and wait. Eventually we arrived in Luang Prabang - a place I've wanted to come for years. Too soon to tell what its like but it seems to be what I expected - laid back. Nobody rushes here. Its all very relaxed. Here's a picture of  the hotel I am staying in...

Its right in the middle of all the action, here's the website for it  http://www.ancientluangprabang.com/,   because its low season at the moment I got a good deal to stay here, instead of room nmbers they use the chinese aninal zodiac signs, the first room they gave me was the 'rat' but the rat room was at the back so I asked for a room with a view and fair play to them they gave me a room at the front with a balcony - its the cow room...its a bit strange collecting the key in reception when the fella there looks at me and says ' ah yes, the cow'! The room is a bit quirky - the bath is in the same room as the bed! (apparantly this is common in  Laos)..you can see it in this picture just behind the bed - I'm not complaining - its luxury compared to some of the places I've stayed!

it  has a great view of  the night market...