LUANG PRABANG     The travel agent in the capital welcomed me to peak tourist season (Spring Break).  She couldn't promise me any flights at all.  Why hadn't I booked ahead?  Well, it never occurred to me that it would be necessary in Laos!    But, I got my flight after a day of waiting.  

Luang Prabang had nice hotels, electricity, temples, and waterfalls.  It was considered safer to fly to destinations in Laos rather than go by land.  But,  it felt like going with "Take a Chance Airline".  It was hot when we entered the plane.  Soon after we took off, I hoped what was the air-conditioning began.  Smoke came out of the ventilators and filled the entire cabin.   Visibility was poor and I was scared -- but everyone else was calm.  I tried to do the same.

I thought Vientiene was quiet until I saw Luang Prabang.  However, plans were in the works to convert this sleepy little French town on the Mekong River into a major tourist destination.  Get there while it is still quaint.

I teamed up with a few other tourists to visit the Pac Ou Caves.  The river trip to the caves was beautiful.  This place was sort of lost in time.  It could have been a boat trip hundreds of years ago because there was almost no development along the river.  The actual caves with a zillion Buddhas wasn't as grand as the trip.