Early morning start to the day……we left Warwick at 2.00am to make sure we arrived at Coolangatta Airport in plenty of time after dropping off our car to the storage facility for its 3 months holiday on the Gold Coast. It worked out cheaper to leave the car in storage including the cost of fuel to get there and back then it did to pay for a motel room for 2 nights and bus and train tickets to and from Warwick, even before the other half haggled down the price. He must have been getting back into practice for Asia. We didn’t end up arriving at the airport too early after all. Cunningham’s Gap was closed for an hour because someone was dragging a huge-arse Siemens transformer over the range. We didn’t even think to check ... read more

Today was another early start. Again our guide was also our driver. We headed off after a wander around the morning markets. First planned stop was a large bomb crater somewhere out in the countryside. Unfortunately they were doing road works and there was no way our little van was going to get through. Second item on the agenda were the Tham Xang Caves. After waiting around in the local village for a little while the head of the village confirmed to our guide that the gate was locked and the key was lost. We had a great time anyway walking around the village. The residents were very friendly and didn't seem to mind us having a look around...even encouraging us to take photos. We headed off again..this time heading for the Hmong Village our guide ... read more

Excitement today as we are to fly out to Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars. Breakfast was had in the hotel restaurant and as our flight didn't leave until the afternoon we took a wander through the back streets near our hotel. There are quite a few wats and many bakeries within walking distance of the hotel. We stopped off to have coffee and pastry at a little French bakery in one of the streets of the main road. The coffee was so horribly strong and sweet. I had forgotten they made it with condensed milk, reminded me why I only ever drink tea in SE Asia. We wandered the streets taking photos of every day life in Vientiane until it was time to head back to our hotel for the taxi ride to the airport. ... read more

It was an early start for us. Our flight was due to leave from KL to Vientiane at 7.30 in the morning but what woke us up was the brawl that was occuring in front of a night club a few doors up from our hotel. Guess some things are the same no matter where you go. It was surprising even with a 5.30 arrival LCCT was extremely busy and was only going to get busier over the next couple of hours. Check-in was not available when we arrived so we waited on seats outside the secured area. There were people all around busily weighing bags and having their bags packaged up for travel. Eventually check-in opened and we were able to hand over our checked in luggage. Breakfast was the next item on the agenda. ... read more

Early start today. The previous night we picked up a few snacks to eat for breakfast not knowing what time we would actually get back to the airport. AirAsia sent a bus to pick up all the guests that they had placed at various hotels all over the Gold Coast. Arriving at the airport we found we had been given the same sits as the previous day, a voucher for breakfast at the coffee shop in the international lounge and a wait to now see if we were going to leave for KL today. As the departure time came and went it seemed like we would be stuck on the ground in Australia for another day. About mid morning though a boarding call was made for our plane. Excitement, excitement. It should be said that the ... read more