[WhoIam]

I'm not sure I would consider myself an expert on Vientiane--I lived there for a month and just moved back to stay for a while. Other than a few places in Thailand, I haven't traveled extensively throughout SE Asia, so I can't compare it to other places in the region. I haven't been anywhere else in Laos, but hopefully that will change soon. To start off the discussion, here's a brief list of the pros and cons of Vientiane:

Pros
Hot falang-loving women
Cheap booze
Safe if you aren't a [censored]
Wide variety of cheap and tasty food
Friendly people
No "damn falang" attitude like Thailand
English is widely spoken

Cons
Limited freedoms and rights
90% of the city is shut down by 9:00
Except for 2 or 3 places, bars close at 11:30
Poor medical care
[censored] tuk-tuks
Sexing Laotians is illegal (though rarely enforced)
Internet is expensive and/or unreliable and/or slow

To give you an idea of the cost of living, here's what random things cost in US dollars:

Small bottle of water--$.20
Large beer in a bar or restaurant--$1
Fifth of Jameson in a store--$16
Meal in a local place--$1
Meal in a western-oriented place--$3-4
Meal at nicest place in town--$10 an entre
Personal Trainer--$5/hr

So ask away and I'll answer as best I can or talk to someone who knows what's up. I don't have internet at the place I'm staying at right now, so it may take a little while to respond to questions.