Luang Prabang is the former capital of Laos and is steeped with French history which has an exciting effect of the way of life here. Cafes adorn the streets and the architecture of the buildings is colonial French, with quaint shutters on the windows. It is a very peaceful and quiet town despite its status as one of the main places to visit in Laos, if not THE place to visit. It's not hard to see why, beyond the fascinating architecture of every building possible, from nothing more than a wooden hut on stilts, to brick monstrosities, to more humbling concrete building finished with paint and blue shutters. There is also the stunning mountainous jungle backdrop that we were privileged to peek at coming in on the short flight. As such a short flight we were ... read more

The flight from Dubai to Singapore was brilliant,only 7 and 1/2 hours but could happily have had more! Literally 80 choices of films, Lauren watched The Vow and This Means War and Ben watched science programmes and Act Of Valour, we really should have slept but the flight was just really good... We really recommend flying with Singapore airways to everyone. Check in was awesome as before and I commented to Ben wouldn't get as good seats as the virgin flight and she upgraded us to the exit seats where only two seats! The other were 3 seats either side and 5 in middle, there was a slight kerfufle as we got on and someone was in them! The flight was transitting from Cairo and some gents thought they'd have them- they hadn't met Lauren who ... read more

...dary!!! We really think it will be as we sat at Heathrow airport having spent a day and night in a luxury gated community in Oxshott near London with the lovely Pamela and Lauren's mum! What can we say! Champagne in the hot tub (albeit it was technically a cold tub!) and several bottles of pink, white, red, beer- you name it- Ben drank it! And my did he feel rough the next day, with stern words from Lauren, "now you know what you can't drink!" The Sunday we had our second family meal with ben's family and it was lovely if a little sad but many a laugh was had especially from Ben's grandma what a fun afternoon! A trip to Oldham is what followed to say goodby to Ben's fathers side of the family ... read more