Champasak & Wat Phou

Mighty difficult to tear ourselves away from our hammocks, but needs must! Bid a premature farewell to paradise, and Jeremy, and joined a local fisherman for his pre-dawn run ashore. Somehow managed to find a seat, among 37 locals - a record, on a tuk-tuk heading north to Champasak, an agricultural town (whoopee!) some 60km up river.

Sure Champasak has a relaxed village ambiance and the people are friendly. But in all honesty it sucks! Mind you, Wat Phou - Laos' most significant Khmer archaeological site - is just 8km away, so we hired "bikes" and made our way into the foothills of the Phou Pasak.

With its teetering, weathered masonry, it conforms exactly to the Western ideal of a "lost city". Construction of the original Hindu temple complex was started in the fifth and sixth centuries, though most of what remains today is believed to have been built in the 10th and 11th centuries. French explorer Francis Garnier discovered Wat Phou in 1866 but little is known about its history other than the complex is at least 200 years older than Cambodia's Angkor Wat.

Locals made sure of a good night - several empty bottles of Lao Lao whisky were proof of that! Mind you, slurred grins were put on hold when a plate of "meat" arrived in honour of the guests. Lets just say it looked like a cross between liver and heart. It was hard and chewy but when swamped in chilli sauce actually tasted pretty darn good!

The country and its hosts really are a breath of fresh air. "Farlang" (foreigner), yet again, but when it's said it feels so different in Laos. The children smile, grab your arm if they can. The older folk, well they just stare but not obtrusively, on the contrary. They seem interested, baffled perhaps. This is, for sure, one place where you'd hope tourism continues to grow, put the place on the map so to speak, without taking over like in Thailand or Vietnam.

Whether it's a black coffee after hours that you want, or a beer with which to watch sunset. Maybe your laundry in less than 24 hours, or just a cheeky spliff before bedtime. With a wee grunt and nonchalant smile these folk will see you right - your wish is their command. So, what with the great folk, top nosh, stunning scenery and, surely, one of the most chilled, laid back lifestyles going, we bid a sad farewell to lovely Laos "Jewel of the Mekong". But we're heading back toThailand and you know what that means......!