A great tour company. You get what it says in the brochure. I wanted an adventure holiday where I could travel through as many countries as I could for as long as possible and see as much as I possibly could. To see the real culture of a place, perhaps visit a country off the beaten track and all for as little money as possible! I wanted a good value holiday but didn't really want to have to 'rough it' like the young ones. In the end I was very happy with my choice, 'Burma and Laos Explored'. We had hotel rooms all with air con and en suite shower rooms. Some may have been in a less than salubrious part of town, but it was often the down town area where all the exciting sights were and it was all happening! The hotel staff were warm, courteous and welcoming. In Burma we were especially thrilled to have the services of a local tour guide who was excellent. Even on his days off, so long as we paid for transport, he would take us on an action packed all day tour lasting up to the evening! Nothing was too much for him. Burma is relatively unspoiled by the tourist industry and as far as my friends and family are concerned, I was the first to travel there since my uncle fought there in the second world war. Some of our hotels seemed to be an upgrade on what we were expecting and they were really lovely. The people in Burma were so lovely and were happy to help us any way they could. The guided tours we went on were so special to me, bathing retired elephants, treks through the jungle, visiting hill tribes, watching local crafts being made, watching the most glorious sunrises and sunsets in Bagan, Myanmar or on the bridge at Mandalay. Cycling around Inley lake and seeing life on the water, being transported on a shalllow bottomed canoe through the houses on stilts. Even experiences of being told to get off the overnight coach at three in the morning so you could have Mohinga soup for breakfast! The Slow Boat through Laos was an interesting experience for us and so different from my normal life that I loved every minute of it! It set off two hours late (Laos Time) and the people on board were all so open to new encounters and meeting new friends, regardless of age. I thought that our tour would be made up of young people but these may go on the budget tours or travel independently. The White Temple at Chiang Rai was amazing, and again, I knew no-one of my aquaintances who had been there before. This holiday was a truly wonderful trip for me, one which gave me many precious memories and friends to value for ever. I am still in touch with both tour guides since this once in a lifetime experience was made so special by their efforts. I would recommend Tucan Travel for guided tours in SE Asia and South America.