Friday the third day in Laos with an eight thirty start to Luang Prubang. The pickups ran us out to the airstrip as was, now it's used for anything including accommodating a Flexwing Microlight. We were to undertake a long and twisting journey through some spectacular mountainous scenery, although we didn't know that yet. Our journey would be some two hundred and twenty eight kilometres. On the way we would witness precarious dwelling's and poverty levels I have not seen in Thailand

We headed due north following the valley and the river. It wasn't long before we noticed large scale earthworks running parallel and sometimes crossing to the other side. There were big gaps of terrain between these workings and at first we thought the Chinese were buiding a better and bigger road as the one we were on was pretty ropey. But then we saw some large concrete and steel columns under construction which were to elevate whatever it was they were to carry. We realised this much expense and directness of route would not be for a road.

As the signage was in Chinese information about the construction was absent for us, however as the obvious route kept disappearing where there were mountains, we realised there could only be tunnels going through them. The penny dropped, Bullet Train! We were traversing part of the Laos section of the China to Singapore high speed train route. After some time we started to climb and as Cy explained, the people living precariously in houses built right beside the road were in the main from the Hmong people (rollover).

We continued to climb and pass through small villages that were perched perilously between the road and cliff edge. Gas station's and therefore toilet's, were few and far between even on level ground, so I was wondering how the call to nature would be heeded? About half way to the Phou Koun observation site and restaurant, we had our answer. In a village balanced between the roadside and cliff, was a row of 'Dunnies' as the Aussies like to call them. The boy charging five bahts a go made a small fortune out of us and the coach following.

The stopover had a few things going for it. The restaurant, which has magnificent views. The observation point, which has magnificent views and the toilets, which have magnificent views! Jim Curtis tested the seat (see rollover) and lived to tell the tale. Information obtained from a third party is that the 'ladies' was also a Loo with a view. We ate lunch at the same time as the passengers on the coach that had shadowed us up the mountains. Judging by their language they were Germans and their behaviour was impeccable.

The remainder of the journey was pretty much as before. Although the height varied, overall we stayed for an hour or so at roughly the same level. We then started the descent into Luang Prubang. We then followed the same procedure as we did in Vang Vieng. The coach stayed on the outskirts of town whilst we climbed aboard smaller vehicles to ride to the Manoluck hotel. This journey was short as the Manoluck itself is on the outer edge of town. We checked into our room's with a little time to ourselves before leaving in the hotel pickup's to the town centre for dinner.