A short walk in Vientaine first thing after breakfast down to the Mekong and a look at the site of a big party being dismantled. Looking out over a giant sand bar and then the river we could again see Thailand. We walked past yet another beautiful temple towards the presidential palace and another stupa of a warrior king. After an hour and half in the morning sun we were glad of a ice cold mango smoothie before the short drive to the airport for our short flight to Hanoi. After a 40 minute journey we were on the edge of the old city known as the French quarter where we had to get off the bus and walk to our hotel as there is no room for cars just motorbikes and if you are lucky pedestrians. One slight inconvenience is that one of the cash cards was swallowed by an ATM in Vientaine. Luckily we still have a US$ card as all prices are quoted in them here and in Cambodia the ATMs pay out dollars. If we thought that 20 000 kip to the £ was bad here it is 30 000 dong to the £.
In the evening we walked through the maze of streets in the old quarter for dinner . The streets really come alive with road closures,bands playing,a huge street market selling all the usual tat but more interesting are the tiny stools and tables the restaurants put out on the pavement. I feels like you are walking through an infant school as everyone is sat so low on the ground. The only downside is that yet again we have beggars and hawkers constantly in your face as you sit having a cold beer.