The Laotian capital, Vientiane was the first place we had seen in Laos which resembled a Western city (ignoring the tuk tuks and mopeds that made every traffic light look like a Moto GP starting grid). We planned only a short stay to see the highlights before travelling onwards to Vietnam, but unfortunately for the first time on our trip, things didn’t quite go according to plan, as we faced Coronavirus challenges on our way out.