Thailand and Laos (Middle-Aged Travel Adventures)

Laos had long been on our radar, and from what we had heard, the country was changing fast. The Chinese were building high-speed railways, and lengthy tunnels were being carved through the previously unspoiled mountainous countryside. We wanted to see Laos now, before it became overdeveloped and morphed into another Asian country that had sold its soul to its dominant neighbour. Other than passing through Bangkok, we hadn't explored that much of Thailand, certainly not inland. Away from the neon lights of the coastal resorts are traditional towns and cities, more famous for their glittering temples, wooden houses, and where horses and carts still ply their trade than for late-night entertainment.Thailand, unsurprisingly, is much more advanced and tourist-friendly; after all, it has been welcoming overseas visitors to its shores for nearly seventy years. Everything, or almost everything, runs like clockwork. Arranging onward travel, ordering a taxi, booking accommodation, and reliable ATMs are all taken for granted here - they work as well as at home, if not better. What we have enjoyed is seeing a different side of Thailand, the relaxed side, away from the (in)famous coastal resorts and bright lights. Laos, on the other hand, can be chaotic and awkward to navigate. You must remember that Laos was a closed communist country until 1999. Tourism, or at least foreign tourists, didn't exist. Finding timetables, let alone booking transport online, remains difficult. Even when you have booked a seat through a local agent, take the departure time with a pinch of salt. Withdrawing cash is fraught with danger - will it return your bank card, give you money, neither, or both? ATMs in the more remote areas don't yet exist.We kept our internal flights to a minimum, preferring to watch the changing landscape through a window rather than spending hours waiting in airport lounges. In the end, we took two, one from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and later on that first trip, we flew to the southern coastal resort of Krabi. The second time around, each mile was covered by train, coach, minibus, tuk-tuk, and boat. Hostels and family-run guesthouses offered us some lovely places to stay along the way. Of course, when you book budget accommodation, there is always likely to be the odd disappointment. A room, or to be more precise, a bathroom, or two, in our case, left a little to be desired. With nightly street markets and an abundance of delicious regional cuisine, we never went hungry. And anyway, if all else fails, there is always the 7-Eleven for traditional backpackers' fare, the trusty toasted sandwich.Comparing Thailand and Laos is complex; they are different, yet similar at the same time. We have loved visiting both and have returned home with memories made that will last for a lifetime. What the two neighbouring countries do have in common is delicious food, historic sights, colourful temples, stunning scenery, and friendly, warm, welcoming people. Read more