What makes Laos special

Here we go, why did I love so much this country whereas I just went there because it was part of the South east Asia package?

Some things I've already mentioned, the country is really laid-back and it has gorgeous scenery.

But Laos is also:

Being awaken every morning by cockerels. Actually these lovely stupid animals do not start to sing when the sun rise but well before as some of them started as early as 2.30 am.

Starting to believe in Buddha as the drivers of buses do when they take over cars without any sight what is coming after the curve. Almost all my bus drives have a funny story attached to it: I got a flat tire when the bus was overtaking a truck with the flashlight of a car coming in opposite direction it is time to be back on your lane; one day our bus was cruising so slowing that I thought it would take me 10 hours to do 300 kms when two buses overtook it and it started to drive like crazy (80 kms even in curves) because he feared the other buses would steal its customers on the way, all locals were looking anxious and I was not so comfortable as well; another one the driver damages so much the cooling system of the engine that we had to change bus.

Asking for some food and getting something else (for instance once I ordered noodles with vegetables and I got them but I also had sticky rice (it must be my English pronunciation). By the way this is not so typical Laos since I've had similar experiences in Holland.

The smile of the people when you tell them sabai-dii. Some children are just so funny they keep saying sabai-dii and laughing when you reply to them. Playing the catapult with children in the Mekong. They never stop and that's when you realise you are not so fit anymore

Having a haircut with a hairdresser who does not speak a word of English (not even the word short!!!) and who decided to cut just the front so I looked like a 1980's rocker after the cut (and I just realised later on)

Paying everyday 5,000 chicken for a bottle of water (the Laos currency is the kip which means chicken in Dutch)

The lousy and loud music in the buses that they import from Thailand. And they never stop it, even at 4.am in the morning!!!! (by the way, this music is worse than Celine Dion!!)

All of this contributes to make Laos special and explain why it is my favourite country so far.