The country population is only 4.8 million for the 200,000 sq km (compared with Thailands' 58 million living in an area only 2.5 times the size). The population is well dispersed around the country so rush hour in the captial (480,00 people only!) is a doddle to jay-walk through the sandy main boulevards. To top it off Laos is also extremely cheap to travel and has numerous french restaurants and bakeries with tremendous food. Lack of comfortable transport is the only annoyance.

$1 US = 12,5000 Lao Kip

$1 US = 58 Thai Bhats in a bank in Laos!

Saturday 17th Janauary 1998
Hotel; Santisouk Hotel, Vientiane
Room Type: 3 bedded room at 12 US$
Verdict: Superb, clean crisp whie sheets, ensuie bathroom with shower, bath and Hot Water,chairs, bedside lights, wardrobe and table.Fantastic and the cheapest around this ity.
Laos is a tremendous country. It is a beautifully scenic landscape and homeland to smiling friendly faces. Best of all this quaint and peaceful land has not yet being too tarnished by tourism, high rise buildings, extensive infrastructure and pollution. Let's hope it will remain innocent for another few years at least though there is a tourism campaign by the Government at the moment similiar to Visit Nepal 98 and Amazing Thailand, campaigns. Similiar to Ireland the country population is only 4.8 million for the 200,000 sq km (compared with Thailands' 58 million which is 2.5 times the size). The population is well dispersed around the country so rush hour in the captial (480,00 people only!) is a doddle to jay-walk through. We crossed over the Friendship Bridge from Nong Khai in North-east Thailand and took a tuk tuk - now called a jumbo if they are the larger version of the samlor (a 3 wheeled motorbicycle) to Vietienne without much bother. Arriving in the capital city one immediately notices the French influence with houses romanitcally nestled behind bursts of flowers, serene shuttered windows, and of course french translations on signposts. Laos was a colony of France from 1893 (or rather was uder the protection of France) until the Franco-Laotian Treaty of 1953 granted full Independance to Laos and thereafter internal tensions between royalist, neutralist and communist factions ensued.

During our walking tour of Viantienne we sat by Buddha in many Wats, strolled along sandy main roads, greeted locals and received warm smiles in return. Chldren ran up to us asking 'What is youor name?", Buddhist students bade us "Good Morning ' and conversed in english with us. Spie was a 15 year old chap dressed in is bright orange robe and holding a London black umbrella above his shaved smiling head to shade out the sun. After snapping his image with his permission, at the Sacred Stuppa he waited for us to chat as we walked down the 3 km stretch towards the Victory Memorial - Arc de Triomphe. He would finish studying in his monastery next year and would go to New York where he lived when he was younger and where his father still resides. His aim was to study drama in New York, although it was quite difficult imagine how this placid looking buddhist student would fit in waiving his arms to Shakespeare unashamedly on the big stage. We all love Laos and plan to stay longer than our original few days depending on which areas are accessible and not in too much danger from rebel geurillas which tend to cause disurbances on the aptly chosen Route 13.

For some reason my little computer has wiped the entry for Laos. Sorry - things get hairy and lax from here on!

> on to Vietnam