The idea of visiting Laos came about from various discussions with people who had traveled all over Southeast Asia. While they loved Cambodia, treasured the southern coast of Thailand, and greatly enjoyed the vibrancy of Vietnam, many of them explained that if you were looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure then head to Laos.

So off on a night bus from Chiang Mai to the border and then another long bus ride through the twisty jungle until eventually we landed in a somewhat soggy Luang Prabang. From there it was just days of exploring temples, the Mekong and a fair number of French-inspired coffee shops.