Today was my first foray into the rain forest. The objective was to check out some of the Ranger stations & evaluate there needs in terms of where volunteers could help. It was also a good excuse to go trekking. I just wish I had a camera with a telephoto lense!... read more

Well...... I'm finally leaving Nong Khai to head out on my next & most important assignment. Here is the brief for anyone that is interested: I will be the first volunteer to go into the region in order to find out how best Volunteers can be utilised in cojunction with the WWF (Not the World Wrestling Federation!). • WWF/CWS o Look at number of staff that want to learn English? o Evaluate best approach. Learning by doing/classroom? o How best to work together • Visitor centre staff o Find out who speaks English. o How motivated are they? o Produce & improve English materials in the park visitor center. • Teachers (Police officers) o Work with teachers. o Evaluate teaching skills. o Find out how best volunteers can work with them? • Karen Children o Find ... read more

Arrived back in Vientiane last night with Ida & Maria. Ellen stayed back in Ban Na. We met with Nik from openmind first thing in the morning, to visit the immigration office & do some sight seeing. The girls went back to Ban Hatkhai for 2 more weeks. I am back to Nong Khai. It was sad to break up a great team. I will miss them.... read more

Hi everyone Sorry that I have been unable to update my blog, but I have had no internet or telephone access. Anyway, I am safe & well and have taken the weekend off to go rock climbing in Vang Vieng. The rock climbig has been awesome, it gives the same adrenaline buzz as hanging off a motorbike at 120mph when you climb up a rockface clinging in only by your fingertips. I will post photo's later, but will be back to Ba Na villiage on Monday for 1 week so will not be contactable again. Cheers Shaun... read more

I am truly lost for words. I should have written things down on a daily basis but have been to busy & unable to get to an internet connection. After arriving in Laos, the first port of call was Ba Na to the wild elephant viewing tower, were we all spent the night waiting........ but no Elephants, but a good 2 hour trek back to the villiage the next day. Then we left to go to our village. Ban Hatkhai is a village of about 50 families, mainly subsistence farmers, about 3 hours from Vientiene, and 15km from the main road. It is situated within the boundary of the Pho Kaou Khuay wildlife sanctuary. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, & fabulous trekking. They have had Guides here for 4 years, but only 1 can speak a little ... read more