Here in Vang Vieng, Laos. Probably one of the most beautiful places in the world. It has a huge river that cuts the town off and a backdrop off gorgeous mountains. It's one of my most favorite places of my trip so far. It's crazy but at the bars, on their menus, they have mushroom shakes, weed(bags or single joints) and opium(in tea or a pipe). It's highly illegal, but it's still on the menu. If you are caught with even half a joint in Laos, it's a on the spot $500 fine. If you don't have it, they throw you [View Full Entry]

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Im still alive. Been in Laos for over a week and there isn't any proper internet shops to download photos. It will be at least 3-5 more days til i get somewhere where i can post some photos and return some emails. Doing great in Laos. The best place i have been yet. [View Full Entry]

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We took a bus for 25 minutes then a long boat for another 15 to get to this stunning waterfall. Ive never seen anything like it before. The waterfall is just pouring out into the middle of the forest building little pools of freezing water which are deep enough to dive into and swim. One of the best sights i have seen so far. [View Full Entry]

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So i leave Chiang Mai, Thailand after a week staying there. I decide to take the 2 day slow boat to Luang Prabang. We travel for 6 hours on a bus to the Thai-Laos border and spend the night waiting for the boat the next morning. We stay in probably the smallest, quietest town i have seen on my travels. We somehow find a place to get a few drinks and we are the only Farang/Westerners in the place. They had a live rock band that was dressed all punk with spiked hair, makeup, the works. But they played really cheesey [View Full Entry]

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Got up early this morning and jumped on the motorbikes with my English friend,Claire, driving behind me and drove to see Soi Sethup National Park. We stopped at the Messa Elephant Park on the way and drove thru some impressive forests. We made our way around to the Botanical Gardens and hiked all over. Got some great pics and even got to see Burma/Myanmar off in the distance while we were driving atop the mountains. Got to finally see elephants today!!! Oh i loved it. [View Full Entry]

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I rode a motor bike up to the Wat on top of the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai. Again, like everything here, it was pretty amazing. The view was breathtaking. The Temple was quiet and very special. Many monks were walking the grounds and we had a great time. [View Full Entry]

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I rented a bicycle today and road at least 20 miles down to the Flower Festival: Royal Flora 2006. It was pretty impressive. Definetly damn hot, but very beautiful. I got lost on the way back and it took me 2 hours and about 6 stops to ask where the hell i was. No one outside the city speaks English so it was a little difficult. The bike ride was nice but the people here cannot drive. My life was almost ended several times by speeding scotters, vans, trucks, and sangthew's. Worth the trip though. Before the festival I went to [View Full Entry]

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Visited US States Map [View Full Entry]

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For dinner last night we went to the night market in downtown Chiang Mai. It has so many amazing things. Local artcrafts, food, clothing, jewelery, etc. All hand made and authentic. There were booths set up as far as the eye could all the way down the major road in the center of town. Pretty impressive. We ate Pad Thai for 20Baht=.55cents($US) It was really amazing seeing the collection of people all gathered in the center of town for this event which is held every Saturday and Sunday. [View Full Entry]

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Chiang Mai is the mountain city about 700km north west of Bangkok. This weekend starts the Flower Festival which should be exciting. It sits at the base of a mountain range and offers many tours: Mountain biking, elephant riding, white water rafting, rock climbing, riding ATV's, trekking, and visiting some of the tribe people to the North in the mountains. I just arrived this morning, from the over night train from Bangkok, at about 7:30am. It's a beautiful city full of very interesting and wonderful Thai people. It is surrounded by a moat and the only way into the old/downtown part [View Full Entry]

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