Day 348 - Going back in time

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We didn’t do a lot today except wait for our afternoon flight to Laos, although Gemma did have a relaxing hour of Thai massage, a first for her and maybe a last. How is pain relaxing?

Once out of the airport in Luang Prabang we felt like we’d just emerged from a time machine. It really does feel completely different to most other Asian countries in the sense of being untouched by anything modern. This feeling remained with us the whole time in Laos. Of course, it has US-style coffee shops and internet cafes, but the general impression from wandering around is that it can’t have changed much in decades. Even the approach to driving could be something from a bygone era - none of the constant horn blowing that’s essential everywhere else. Luang Prabang itself is an ancient capital of Laos and is pretty small with plenty of colonial French influence, with very hilly scenery and very lush vegetation, and is surrounded by two rivers including the ubiquitous Mekong.

For dinner we went to the swanky L’Elephant which was great despite the town-wide power cut. And we strolled around the night market which is probably our favourite market and without doubt the prettiest.

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