We went to the Golden Triangle for the day and had the option of a boat trip across to Laos where we could go round a market and not have to go through customs. Biggest difference here was the things they sell, from Thailand where things are all pretty normal there were suddenly bottles of moonshine whisky with snakes and scorpions inside as well as a variety of other oddities. We also saw a strange bear like animal and a lively monkey. Then it poured down and we had to wait out the rain before going back.