A ride through limestone caste mountains and heavily foliaged countryside got us to Na Hin, a tiny town in central Lao. For such a low-key point of our trip, it turned out to be a real highlight.
The town's nestled in a ring of mountains, jagged topped and tree laden. The main street is dirt & stone, and consists of little more than the central market, 2 restaurants and a guesthouse. Animals - pigs, cows, goats, dogs - wander around, and sometimes over to you for a curious look. The people were friendly, popping up to see if there's anything we want, or just for a chat to practice their English. We met one child, about 8 years old, who spoke very colloquial English despite never having left the village. In the evening we sat at a bar in the market, whilst Laos played pool, cows settled down to sleep, and a raging storm let loose its lightning over the mountains.
What I liked about the experience was the opportunity to just settle in and watch life in a different place, culture, and economic strata. It was so different to back home - mostly friends just talking.
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