Between Nong Khiaw and Vientiane we managed to rack up four 8-hour-plus bus trips in 6 days. Nasty. The northern Laos have apparently been influenced by the Chinese and hock constantly, everywhere, in front of you, next to you, over you to get to the window. And most of the little kids that were with their parents on the bus couldnt handle the windy roads and vomited. Poor Mon was next to one man and his little girl who was sick for hours on end. On that same trip I got on to find that my ticket did not guarantee me a seat so i spent the first third of the trip perched on top of a giant sack of shoes in the aisle. Mon got a photo of it (http://wherethehellismon.blogspot.com).

These two photos are from two of our bus stops. The first is from when our bus popped a tyre and smelt very unhealthy so we stoppped for a while and these local boys walked past us carrying their loads.

The second is from a lunch stop betwen Sam Neua and Phonsavanh. Mon and I were followed by these kids who yelled "SABADDEEEEEE!!" at us for about fifteen minutes as we walked around their town. Around the corner and group of kids was playing on some old American bombs. There were home made looms under every house and the young girls somehow walk around sewing as they do about five other things at once. There was one little boy here who cracked us up so much. He was wearing the local fashion - a really warm jumper but no pants - and one massive eighties sneaker, and walking around carrying two long sticks like some lost little hunter. He couldnt have been more than two.