In Laos, most Embassy officials are not allowed to fly with the national carrier. I’ve flown with them a few times from the capital Vientianne to Luang Prabang in the north. Inflight entertainment consisted of a boiled sweet and ‘disco smoke’ – kind of a spooky, cold fog produced by an air conditioner malfunction. Like being on top of a Munro in low cloud. Although, initially you think the plane is on fire which can be a little scary.

An hour or so later there’s a sudden, hearstopping lunge earthwards. A real divebomb. All the vacant seats crash forward. Quite unexpected and not a little unnerving. It’s a code brown moment.