Temple overdose in the Kingdom of Cambodia!

Again I'm writing this with a 3 week delay - sorting out good photos and typing all this stuff after an exciting day sure takes its time, believe me.

Anyway, with the 4000 Islands behind me I squeezed myself into a bus filled with backpackers who wanted to do the nearby border crossing to Cambodia as well. After 10 minutes of driving towards the Lao-Cambodian border the bus suddenly (but not surprisingly) came to a halt. What happened?

The bus driver immediately went to check out what was wrong with his trusty Korean rust bucket...

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A two-faced capital, another temple and dolphins in the Mekong...

After Vang Vieng the road conditions began definitely to improve - no wonder, we were approaching Vientiane, the shining capital of the «People's Democratic Republic of Laos». If there's a place in Laos where you can find communist kitsch, French-inspired street cafés, expensive cars, polished government buildings and AAA roads, then just pay Vientiane a visit.

The President's Palace of Vientiane - a pompous building in the style of Paris' Élysée Palace.

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More (Mis-)Adventures in Laos...

After the last bus ride I wasn't so sure if I'd enjoy the next one from Vieng Xai to Phonsavan (the location of the famous Plain of Jars), approximately 242km in southern direction. But to my biggest surprise the minivan driver was really careful this time, and we only got one single road-sick passenger this time. Unfortunately this luckless individual was sitting next to me, and she was pretty productive of filling plastic bags with her bodily fluids. Oh, and I forgot to mention that we got a flat tyre as well. Huh, that's what you get for driving your minivan for ages without checking your tyre treads from time to time...

When I heard the distinctive «PSSSHH», I already knew we were going to wait for some time...

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Dragon Boat Races and on the trail of the Pathet Lao...

After surviving tourist-beaten Luang Prabang we were eager for some authentic action, to see the untouched Laos! I, Sam & Max decided to take the local option of public transportation to the northern village of Nong Khiaw, in a rusty old Hyundai bus.

At the Bus station in Luang Prabang we first didn't know what awaited us...

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