More massage, blogging, sunsets and a baileys and creme de menthe chaser.

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The next day I get the 9am minibus (finally one with legroom and a/c!) to Vientiane the capital of Laos. I have changed my travel plans slightly and instead of going down to Southern Laos and into Cambodia i'm getting the overnight bus from Vientiane and into Hanoi. I hole up in Vientiane to get the blog up to date. There isn't much to see here for a capital - well if there is i don't see it!!!

I find the first guesthouse i can - it is even hotter in the middle of the day than the North - and hole up in it. Its 80.000kip a night (about six quid.)

I have a misbalanced massage (where the masseur spends 40 mins on one leg, 10mins on the other and a 10 minutes on my back) and watch a sunset whilst a bad Laos version of Diversity attempt to street dance. I don't dislike it here – there is a strong French influence – lots of baguettes and pancakes on sale again in the street food stalls, French cafes, book shops and art galleries. I always seem to be happiest when i find this particular combination. But if that's what i'm looking for travelling I suppose I could just fly to Paris...!!!

I meet up with the Essex who have cut short their Asian travel plans because of Ben's operation and are heading to Bangkok tomorrow. We meet up with another Irish guy who was in Vang Vieng - Barry - who at 28 has the blood shot bleary eyedn look of someone who has been necking neat whiskey since he was 12. He's picked up a Thai girlfriend and we accidentally interrupt them having sex which is very amusing.

"Poor thing she's tiny!" squeals Polly.

We have a walk down the main road that sits on the river front. At night lots of stalls come out - and all of them are doing the same thing!

Its a game where you throw darts at balloons and can win cuddly toys. How strange....

We go to a bar full of ugly, fat Western men chatting up young beautiful Thai girls (Vientiane is on the border) and i order a glass of wine. Ben orders a shot glass of baileys and creme de menthe. Only an Essex boy...

Then about 9.30pm they start shutting down. Laos has a very early curfew which means the nightlife is limited here. I won't get to enjoy my glass of wine after all...never mind, it tasted like sherry!

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