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Published: October 22nd 2007
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Hi all,
Once again a bit behind with the blog but here goes........We catch a one hour flight with Lao Airlines to Louang Phabang on a small plane. Glad to land safely we set exploring the land of Laos. Louang Phabang our first destination is simply idyllic. It's the best kept secret of South East Asia. A tiny town set on the Mekong River filled with temples and monks and surrounded by lush mountains and amazing waterfalls. We find the sweetest guesthouse for the bargain price of 15 dollars per night, newly opened (seems to be the best tip of travelling... find the newest hotel in town and you are guaranteed to get a bargain and it's clean and everything is new). Within 5 minutes of arriving I insist we hit the night market which is on our door step. Unlike Vietnam there is no pressure to buy, it's quiet and peaceful, and easy to browse. The next day we stroll through the town admiring the many temples and the hundreds of monks as they go about their daily business. It is such a contrast to noisy Vietnam, no honking horns!! What a delight. Before climbing 300 steps to watch
sunset we decide to sample the local beer and are joined by an American girl Claire who passes by and recognises us from the flight the previous evening. She is travelling alone for 9 months through many continents and shares her travelling tales with us thus far. That evening we are joined by another fellow traveller Karl from Quebec to sample the local cuisine and beer. We have great fun sharing travelling tales and to add to them we decide to cycle 36km to one of the many waterfalls the following day. So with bikes hired we set off on our adventure. We pass through many local villages, life is extremely primitive but the local kids give us high fives at every village. It's so sweet. We hit a really steep climb and now realise why we got strange looks from the local hire shop when we told them where we planned to cycle to. We had no idea. Bearing in mind it's now 35 degrees hot we contemplate turning back. It is the hottest I have ever felt in my life. We decide to continue on allowing many pit stops along the way and finally reach there 3 hours
later. There is not a hope in hell we could cycle back so we arrange with a local tuk tuk driver to take us back to the town at 4.30pm. We cool down in the waterfall, and explore the tiger and bear sanctuaries. Then at 4.30 we head back to meet our driver!! He was no where to be found. We are all looking at each other wondering what to do next........ a local restaurant owner thankfully comes to the rescue and offers to take us back in his pick up truck for a small price. We even have the cheek to negotiate!!! The following day Humphrey, Claire and I take a 3 hour boat trip on the Mekong River to see some caves which holds many hundreds of buddha statutes. In order to get some money off the tourists the local kids present us with birds in small cages and for a dollar or 2 you can release them. Obviously those who know Humphrey will understand when I say he was completely distraught and so we set about releasing as many as we possibly could. One of the birds was in such a bad way that it couldn't fly
so we decide to take it back with us on the boat to try our best to save it. We place it in the garden of our hotel in a quiet corner with some water and hope that it can build some strength to fly to safety. Unfotunately the following morning before we depart Luang Prubang, Humphrey checks on the bird and it had died. We are all devastated. We are sad to leave this haven behind however needs must and we catch a bus south to Phonsovan. Claire joins us too. On a 7 hour bus journey, (not for those who get travel sick) as we are up and down mountains constantly, we reach Phonosavan which is the most important town to see the Plain of Jars. In the midst of a tropical storm we explore the clusters of urns which are scattered around the hills. They are thought to be 2000 years old, some jars stand 2m high however the mystery remains as to exactly what they were used for. Some believe they were funerary urns but research still continues to confirm this thought. It's amazing to see. The area was also extensively bombed during the second indochina
war and we are advised to keep to the clearly marked zones as the area is still being cleared of landmines!! Yikes. People are still being killed daily in these parts of the world from a war that ended some 34 years ago! After 2 nights we head further south to Vang Viang, the 'chill out' town of Laos. It's full of junky young tourists most of whom stop off here to 'tube' down the river or sit by and watch old episodes of 'Friends'. We find a fantastic hotel overlooking the river with a picture postcard view of the mountains for 12 dollars a night, bargain! Keeping in the spirit of things we decide to try out the 'tubing'. Basically you float down the river in a big rubber tube and stop off on route at the many bars conveniently set up for the passing 'floaters'. Let's just say we lived to tell the tale and won't do it again in a hurry! Feeling a bit out of the young, junky scene we move on to the capital of Laos, Vientiane. We find a gorgoeus retreat tucked up a side street, you wouldn't think you were in a capital
city here. It's perfect. Claire has joined us on our journey through Laos, however she plans to head on to Bangkok so as it's our last night together we buy some champagne and sit on our terrace as the sun goes down. Bliss. The following day we explore Vientiane. It's more like a collection of villages rather than a city, very easygoing and once again hugs the Mekong River. We shop and sightsee until the sun goes down and spend our last night in Laos savouring the Lao cuisine and Beer Lao.
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aunty catherine
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thankyou
thankyou both for letting me travel along with you on your wonderful adventure, it has been brilliant, enjoy the rest of your holiday, lots of love aunty catherine x x x x x