Buses in Laos

Bus rides in Laos are fucking crazy.  I am not kidding.  There are no trains so the main way to get from town to town is on a bus.  First of all the roads are not that great - they are generally about one and a half lanes, with pot holes, and some gravel.  The roads are on steep mountain sides so they are curvy with one side being a giant cliff and the other a ditch.  I have taken four bus rides so far and we have had close calls of hitting a dog, baby pigs, chickens, ducks, cows and other vehicles.  If you have a nalgene without a sippy lid don't plan on having a drink of water.  Most drivers like to blast Lao radio so you can't hear your ipod over the foreign music.  On a bus ride I did with Caitlin, we took one of the local bus and in a van with 13 seats, we crammed in 17 people.  Caitlin got puked on by a baby.  On my bus ride yesterday there was a random Lao woman sleeping on my shoulder.  Which wasn't really annoying but I get super accommodating thoughts like 'I wish my shoulder was more comfortable' and I start to feel bad.  In Laos the horn is used to communicate when you are going around blind corners and are going to fast to stay in your own lane or to let people know you are passing them.  It has a completely different meaning than how it is used in the states.  There is usually no line in the middle of the street but if there is, it means nothing.  Anyways I had a pleasant five hour ride yesterday, nobody puked.  Currently in the party town of Vian Vieng and got my party on last night.  It was good fun and met some cool people.  I am trying not to get trapped here.  Today I am planning a bike ride out to an organic farm - they do mulberry tea and goat cheese!!