Before beginning my two-week adventure in Burma, I spent nearly a week in Laos. Although only an hour and a
half flight from Bangkok, and still primarily Buddhist, Laos is less developed and modern than Thailand. It is a
poorer country, mostly agrarian, and just beginning to modernize. The group tour I was on started our journey in
Vientiane, the capital city of Laos (for the sights, click here). This was to be the beginning of three weeks of
100+ days at 90 percent humidity. Thankfully, our tour included modern hotels with air conditioning!
After a few days, we headed to the “highlands” of Luang Prabang, the ancient capital of Laos. While this was the
hill country, so to speak, it was less than a mile up. Consequently, highs were still in the mid-90s with the ever-
present humidity. But at least in the evening it actually got close to 70, and the local scenery was gorgeous, the
people incredibly hospitable, and their communities warm, nurturing, and supportive. To get an idea of this
idyllic scenery, click here.
Although we remained in Luang Prabang for several days, the whole experience passed like the blink of an eye.
We finished our tour of Laos with a lazy cruise on the Mekong River and an entertaining dinner, complete with
costumed locals who danced for us. Click here to witness the graciousness of the departure celebration they
performed for us!
