Laos - "the most remote country in Asia"

This country, or at least Luang Prabang, is overrun with wealthy Europeans looking for a little adventure. This wouldn't be so bad but the cheap backpacker scene has been replaced with over-priced restaurants serving French wine. Argh! How am I going to get my $1 meals!!?!

I know this post sounds negative but in reality I really do like Laos and wish we could spend more time here - especially off the tourist track! The Laos people are very friendly and a ex-pat restaurant owner we met described the Laos people as having "big hearts" and I really can see that. But I think they really got to our hearts the first time we were served Laos coffee. It's so strong and black that adding cream doesn't change the color. But true Laos people only add sweetened and condensed milk to their coffee so it's really tasting like the coffee version of India's chai and Kat and I absolutely love it!

I'd write more, but unfortunately Kat and I got a little excited in the market and forgot how much money we had left (easy to do when a beer costs 10,000 kip) and we have almost run out of cash. It's a problem here because there are no ATMs, so until the money changers open up tomorrow morning we have about $7.50 to live on!!