Orient-Express now going to Laos

I once experienced (too briefly) the charmed ambiance of the Eastern Orient-Express and I still remember it as a truly special night. My husband and I went on the dinner ride from Singapore to Johor and back again. The journey lasted only a few hours and was unfortunately mostly is in the dark, so I didn’t get a chance to really feel like I was on a train, which is a shame because there is a nice open observation car at the back. But the luxurious old-fashioned interior, replete with brass lamps and rosewood and elm panelling, makes you feel like you’re time travelling as it successfully recaptures the glory days of rail travel. I’ve just read that E & O is now offering a fout-day, three-night trip crossing over the Friendship Bridge connecting Thailand and Laos. You can board the train in Bangkok, go through north-east Thailand, stopping at the UNESCO World Heritage temple of Phimai, and a vineyard (!) in the picturesque Khao Yai valley for some wine tasting, then cross the Mekong River into Laos and spend a day in the capital, Vientiane. Luxury doesn’t come cheap, but one can always dream…