Preparing for Laos

Exciting news on the old travel front, we are preparing for our next trip: our adventure in Laos.
So, where the hell is Laos? Well, its that country squidged in between Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
It is an interesting place, lots of little towns, statues and caves, plus you get to go tubing down the river in a type tube.

So, here's the plan. We start our trip on the night of the 7th of August, leaving Melbourne airport at some unGodly hour (12.05 at night). We arrive in Kuala Lumper, stay there for two hours and fly on to Bangkok. I always try to bring 'luxiuries' on long airolpane trips so I can feel like I am in first class without having to pay for it. The trip just goes so much better if you bring 1) toothbrush and mini toothpaste (a lot of airlines have these anyway), spare socks (so you can take off your shoes), a blow-up neck pillow to sleep, an extra blanket to sleep with, an eye mask to block out those horrible lights, an ipod with music and movies (in case the entertainment system breaks down).
These little things make such a difference!! Now, I've got to persuade Paddy to carry them ;)

Well, we arrive in Bangkok on Friday morning and head straight out to the good old Shanti lodge, a brilliant hostel/guesthouse with THE BEST VEGGIE FOOD in Thailand, wonderful cocktails and juices and this strange feeling of 'you're in a foreign land' because it is not as westernised as a lot of places. It has a spirit all of its own.
After spending Friday and Saturday in Bangkok, we're off by train to Vientianne: the capital, next we head to Vang Vieng: the adventure capital, off to Phonsovon to see the 'plain of jars' and then up to Sam Neau, this little town in the north east, then to another archeological site after that we'll spend a few nights in villages along the way and end up in Luang Prabang: the land of temples and tourists.
Then its back to Bangkok and off to Kuala Lumper for two days before returning to Melbourne.
So, watch this space... only 2 weeks, 1 day 12 hours to go...