Use the links above to see more photos.

We took the 9 hour ride from Vientiane to Luang Prabang in this bus. It has a Magical Mystery Tour air about it - or is it more Ken Kesey? The last passenger to board before our 8AM departure was a young man, without uniform, carrying an AK-47. I think it was meant to reassure us.

There haven't been any bus attacks along Route 13 since 2004. M'nong rebels annoyed with the communist government? - or mere banditry? No one is saying.

Our "King of Bus" progressed without incident - except for a slight altercation between a Frenchman and a German over seat assignments. Some things never change.