Laos and Cambodia

Visiting Laos and Cambodia was an unforgettable experience. Laos is a country that has not yet fallen into the gears of mass tourism, where time really seems to have stopped. You go from the tranquillity of Vientiane to the poetry of Luang Prabang, to the splendid colours of the northern mountains, to the mystery of the plain of jars, and finally to the enchanting scenery along the Mekong The people, despite the living conditions unfortunately not always being the best, are always smiling, very friendly. Almost everyone speaks English and they are always happy to help the tourist should he need it. Cambodia... well, there are no words to describe it. Simply magical, proud. An incredible country that despite a thousand difficulties is finding the strength to rise again after years of a regime that reduced it to nothing.

The temples of Angkor are splendid, a marvel not to be missed, Phnom Penh is sometimes disturbing and sometimes fascinating, constantly on the move, a city where everyone breaks their back, sometimes humiliating themselves, to earn their daily bread. Much quieter and cheaper than the neighbouring Thai ones, the beaches of Sihanoukville are a good place to relax and drink a few beers Itinerary I left Rome on 14 September 2003 with a Thai flight to Bangkok and returned to Italy after about 40 days. Arrived in Bangkok I looked for a flight to Vientiane, I found one again with Thai. The prefecture of Vientiane requires, when you enter Laos by landing in Vientiane, also the ticket for the return flight.

It was not my intention to return with a flight from Vientiane to Bangkok, so I solved the problem by also buying the return, but without a fixed date, in practice an open ticket which, if unused, is refunded, and so it was. Total price 8700 Baht (1 Euro=45 baht). There is a bus that leaves from Bangkok at 5 pm and arrives in Vientiane at 7 the following morning, price 650 baht. The visa costs 30 USD and you must present a photo. On leaving the airport I took a taxi to the centre, 5 USD, and had myself dropped off in front of a guesthouse. 12 USD, hot water, air conditioning and television. Vientiane is really nice, along the Mekong the atmosphere at sunset is truly unique. You eat in the little restaurants on the riverbank for a little more than 2 USD. Between 11 pm and 11.30 pm almost all the venues close, only the discos inside the big hotels stay open.

In Vientiane I visited Talat Sao (Day market), the country's symbolic monument Pha That Luang, and Wat Si Saket. Some prices: 1 Euro = 11,000 Kip, rooms from 7 USD upwards, a Tuk Tuk ride from 1 Usd upwards, bike rental from 1 USD upwards, a lunch from 10,000 kip upwards, a beer 4000 kip, a coffee 3000 kip. From Vientiane I moved by bus to Luang Prabang, price 160 bath. Departure at 7.30 am and arrival at 6.30 pm. The road was really bad, full of curves, a continual up and down and as if that weren't enough the driver drove at a crazy speed. On the bus we were escorted by two armed soldiers, since along the road there was the danger of ambushes by Hmong bandits. On arrival in Luang Prabang I took a tuc tuc and, having agreed with the driver, had myself dropped off in front of a guesthouse right in the centre, price 8 USD, hot water and air conditioning included.

Luang Prabang is very beautiful, time seems to have stopped. I visited the market, some of the magnificent wats that Luang Prabang is full of, the Tat Kuang Si waterfalls and the Pak Ou caves. It is worth climbing Phu Si, the hill that is in the centre of the city, from whose top you enjoy an incredible panorama. Back in Vientiane, I organised myself to move south, by bus towards Tha Khaek. 3 USD, about 7 hours. The road is all on the plain....continues

.......I settled into a room with hot water and air conditioning for 7 USD. I visited the town, which didn't thrill me, and the next day I set off again for Paksè, 10 hours of travel for about 6 USD. From Vientiane you can fly directly to Paksè and the flight costs 70 USD. Here too I settled into a guesthouse for 3 USD with air conditioning but with a shared bathroom. I visited the city and got myself the plane ticket for Siem Reap. The flight leaves every Wednesday and Sunday and costs 60 USD. To leave Laos I paid 20 USD. At Siem Reap airport you pay 20 USD for the visa and you must present a passport photo. At the airport I was approached by a Cambodian policeman who offered me a visa refund in case I opted for the guesthouse he proposed, I pretended not to understand and for 1 USD I had a motorbike taxi take me to a guesthouse near the centre.

The room was decent, hot water and air conditioning for 8 USD a day. I arranged with the motorbike taxi driver and had him come to pick me up the next day to take me to Angkor Wat. The entrance is expensive, 20 USD for a day's visit, but despite the price and the impressive number of tourists, visiting the temples is something not to be missed. I moved from one temple to another by motorbike taxi, the distances are considerable and doing them on foot is a real suicide. The next day I visited the city. You can get around on foot without problems, and a visit to the market is worth doing. At the guesthouse I bought the ticket for the boat that the next day would take me to Phnom Pehn, 7 hours 25 USD. Departure from the guesthouse at 5.30 am with a pick up crammed with people, 13 passengers plus luggage, a hallucinatory journey on a dirt road to the pier and departure for Phnom Penh.

On arrival in Phnom Pehn you are set upon by touts; I arranged for accommodation in the centre for 10 USD, hot water, television and air conditioning. The next day I rented a motorbike taxi and had myself taken to the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda. On the way out I found my driver again who took me on a ride around the city by motorbike. By now it had got dark; seeing Phnom Penh at night was truly incredible, it is really worth it. The next day a visit to the Tuol Sleng museum, security prison S-21. To understand what it is about, just think that between 1975 and 1978 in this prison about 17,000 people were slaughtered after being tortured. The place is not recommended for particularly sensitive people: the impact is truly strong. Next stop the extermination camps of Choeung Ek, 15 km outside the capital.

The journey by motorbike taxi was tiring, the road wasn't paved and was full of potholes. What a pain. It was the heaviest day of my journey, there was much food for thought about what happened in Cambodia. The following day I spent it around Phnom Penh, and I ended it sitting in a bar along the river, an incredibly beautiful place. The next morning departure for Kampot. After the frenzy of Phnom Penh a bit of relaxation was needed. The guesthouse where I was staying had got me the transfer for about 6000 R in 3 hours. I found accommodation for 3 USD and after two days I reached, by taxi, together with three other Cambodians, Sihanoukville. I stayed in a room for 10 USD. The beach is beautiful and the place is frequented by many Cambodians without money problems. In the evening, for those who love it, there is the possibility of going to a disco.

From Sihanoukville I took the ferry that took me to Krong Koh Kong, on the border with Thailand (700 Bath, 6 hours), from where the next day I took a minibus to Trat. From Trat a regular bus service leaves for Bangkok, and here, unfortunately, I ended my journey.

Curiosities Some prices in Cambodia: * Motorbike taxi from 0.5 USD for a single ride to 10 USD for a whole day's rental; * A tea 0.4 USD; * Eggs with jam and bread 2 USD; * Rice with chicken 2 USD; * A room from 3 USD upwards; * To bring a camera or video camera inside museums you almost always pay 2 USD;

• Flight Phnom Pehn - Bangkok 95 USD (one way); * Bus from Phnom Penh to Saigon (Viet Nam) 8 USD.

Useful links Discovering Laos The extraordinary world of the Mekong Live news from Vientiane Virtual guide to Phnom Penh The Angkor Wat portal A tragic page: the Cambodian genocide

I hope I have provided some useful indications to anyone intending to make a journey in this part of Indochina. If there is anyone who needs some further information, I will very gladly be happy to provide it, hello everyone from Angelo