Perhaps the only notable difference, landscape wise, when you cross from China into Laos is, quite bizarrely, the soil, which changes from a rich and fertile red colour to a more insipid, but apparently no less fertile yellow. Otherwise, the tropical theme that starts around a day's drive before the border simply carries on. Not all that surprising, I guess, as your journey continues along the path of the Mekong into the heart of this country. The similarity in the landscape is a poor reflection of just about everything else, however, which changes beyond all recognition. Most notable is the shift in architecture from the stone structures of southern China to the impossibly picturesque wood-thatch 'houses on stilts' that rise defiantly out of the padi-fields across most of SE Asia.

Laos, in fact, conforms to SE Asia stereo-types more-or-less completely. The landscape, the people, the dress, the padi-fields, the transport, the houses, the plants and the climate are all just about as you would expect them to be. This is not a bad thing in the slightest, however, as you immediately feel comfortable and at home here amongst the unfailingly friendly, smiling people.

As much as I enjoyed China, after seven weeks a change was very welcome and injected a much needed air of enthusiasm back into the trip. I had a feeling I was going to like Laos.