25 to 27 Dec: Messing about in Nong Khiaw (note: a number of photos appear towards the bottom of the page). Nong Khiaw is such a restful and relaxing destination you can help but slow down and take it easy. I’ll leave my photos to capture some of what I saw and did. Highlights of this time included: 1. I completed two full books during this time. Reading either on my bungalow’s balcony or at the local eating/drinking establishment. 2. I met a number of fascinating people and had a number of interesting conversations. One particularly memorable individual was a guy named John and his wife Maggie, who live in Korea (teaching English), but was originally from Newport, Oregon. John was a character and was well known by the locals as they had spent three months ... read more

23 Dec: Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw (note: given the number of photos a number appear towards the bottom of the page below the video). Nong Khiaw (also spelled Kiaow) is a small town on the banks of the Nam Ou River and boasts a gorgeous backdrop of imposing limestone mountains, picturesque river views and genuine local colour. The town is 3-4 hours via the road or 7+ hours by boat from Luang Prabang along the Mekong and Ou River. As I had heard that boat travel was by far the more spectacular option (though more costly) I set my mind to ensuring that I got a seat on the infrequent boat runs that make the trip. I started the day early in Luang Prabang and made my way to the boat launch around 8am. The ... read more

20 to 21 Dec: Auckland, Sydney, Taipei, Hanoi and finally Luang Prabang (26 hrs) All great extended holidays generally begin a few days before the actual date of departure with the ritualistic packing, repacking, regretting what hasn’t fit in the luggage, deciding to reshuffle and repack and finally resigning yourself to the fact that you have packed too much yet not enough. My trip to Laos and Cambodia began in a similar fashion. Knowing that a rolling suitcase was out of the question for two countries known for their dirt roads and rudimentary public transportation – I decided to go with a large trapping backpack and a small day bag. The day bag was simple: two different cameras (one for better quality photos and the other that would be used on excursions that would possibly end ... read more

For the longest time I've wanted to visit one of the last remaining countries that is yet to be overrun with tourists - Laos - and this Southern Hemisphere summer I get to. I've been planning the trip since July, and now I find I'm just over a week away from departing. I'm so excited about the prospect of venturing deep into the unknown for three weeks. There are so many elements of planning that are only now just coming together and still more to resolve. I initially started out with this grand vision of travelling through the country really rough, without prearranged accommodation or transport... this footloose and fancy approach was really attractive to me (and in many ways necessary given the remoteness of most of Laos), but "reason" has prevailed in the last 24 ... read more

Got to catch-up with Mom and Bill in Cairns late July/early August 2012. We had a great time exploring northern Queensland from the hills, to the rainforest and out to the reef. The most surprising thing for me was the number and variety of animal life... after living in NZ for so long I forgot what it's like to see wildlife other than birds roaming the wild. The reef was exciting and everything that it's hyped up to be. My highlight was Fitzroy Island and resort... I'll go back in a heartbeat.... read more