Getting out of there

As I still have Laos in my mind, one last post of my trip to these remote places. Which actually are very remote. To get back to Vientiane (which isn't exactly a global hotspot either...) from the last village I stayed overnight in took two days, starting with a four hour bout trip and an hour car ride on a bumpy dirt track, to get back to the tiny district town of Pha Oudom. From there, I had to travel to the province town of Houeixay, to spend the night. Including considerable time spent on the road side in the complete darkness in the middle of nowhere while the driver tried to stop passing-by motorbikers who could give hime a ride to some village nearby where he could look for a mechanic. Or at least someone who would know stuff about cars. As half way there it got dark and he realized his headlights didnt work. To my surprise someone finally managed to fix the lights. We arrived at midnight, just to be picked up by someone else next morning at 4.30 for a five hours serpentine ride through the amazing - but oh so montaneous - Loung Nam Tha province, to not, not, NOT miss the flight (Chinese propeller plane leavning three times a week, weather permitting) from Oudomxay. In the tuk-tuk drive from the airport in Vientiane, I felt like in a limo in a giant metropoli. On these trips I definitely learn to appreciate little things! And cant wait to go again!

Beautiful, but hilly.

Central Pha Oudom.

Step one. If you stare at the problem area long enough, it might fix itself (it didn't).

Almost there. Just a bumpy flight, and I'd be back in the capital.