Six tones? and what's that about consonants?

Here in Vientiane we have a four-bed room for the girls. It looks like a school dormitory and strong was the compulsion to braid each other's hair and have pillow fights.

I am trying to learn Lao, but have not progressed past 'hello' and 'thank you' and those only because people say them so often. And even then I can't manage the tones.


Dinner was amazing - Harissa chicken. This is a lovely city, the food is great and the footpaths are wide and uncluttered.