Planning: Vietiane to Hanoi

Planning this part of the trip had been the biggest difficulty. If we couldn't find a way to do this leg, then we would have to use a route through Cambodia and the whole of Vietnam which would be a long way round. I had already read that the 24 hour bus journey through Laos was also known as "the bus ride from hell" and didn't think I could really sell this to my family, not even in my most cup-half-full optimistic of moods. (Look it up on www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa and www.thaivisa.com/forum/) Also, other people had said it just wasn't practical in rainy season and that Laos roads weren't up to it, blah, blah, groan, mumble, snipe, etc, etc.

This is where I came across the rather helpful Europcar website (www.avr.laopdr.com/) and the wonderfully named Joe Rumble. Someone called Joe Rumble sounds just the sort of chap to help you with difficult journey logistics, doesn't he? Well, he did. We are picking up a driver of a Ford Everest who will be driving us from Vientiane to Hanoi, via a strange place I have always wanted to visit called 'The Plain of Jars'. According to Joe, we'll get into Hanoi the next day.