Luang Prabang - Vang Vieng - Vinetiene

Sabaidee everyone! (that means hello in Laos)

Well, i know i have not updated for my entire time in laso, and this is because its been a really relaxed and chilled out week and there has not been too much to report...so i thought i would condense it into one blog entry.

Luang Prabang (LP) is an absolutely stunning french colonial town set upon the Mekong River. On our first night there a big group of us went out for dinner adn then had an early night as we were exhausted from our previous bad night's sleep in Pak Beng.

On my first full day in LP i just chilled out...sat by the river bank and read my book, had a tradittional lao massage and people watched from the quaint cafe's. At night a group of us went to the food amrket for noodle soup and then had a wander round the textile night market. Textiles is amajor industry in laos so it only seemed right to give back to the community and treat myself to a handwoven silk scarf!

Day 2 in Lp and we all hopped into a tuk tuk to take us to Tat Kuang Si. This is a multi tiered beautiful waterfall about 1 hour outside LP. We spent the best part of the day swimming there and en route back to LP we stopped at a laos village which was really interesting. AT night we all just went out for dinner again and wen to a bar. Everything closes in Laos at 11.30 due to government legislation so there s not too much to do at night (which is fine).

Day 3 in LP and i decided to be active and see the city. I visited the Royal Palace Museam, Wat Xieng Thong (probably the most beautiful temple i have ever seen) and i climed Phu Si (2000 steps..not so easy!). This gives great views over teh city and has some unique temples at the top.

I left LP the follwing morning for Vang Vieng. This was a 5 hour bus journey and was surprising fine (apart from the mountain road that left me almost throwing up!) On arrival into VV i was dissapointed. We had left this beautiful quaint town and arrived in a touristy building site, where every restaurant shows friends on widescreen tvs. I spent the afternoon trying to find a half decent place to stay and then met up with the dutch couple and olga for dinner.
Then me and Olga went to a bar which was full of backpackers and i felt like i was in Australia again..very strange.

I only had one full day in VV and i spent it tubing on the river. The tuk tuk drives u 3 kilometres upstreamand u float all teh way back to teh start. This started really fun and you can go along loads of ziplines over the river, and there are bars and restaurants all the way along so you can stop and just relax for a while. Then the weather changed and it got cloudy and the wind picked up and started to blow us the wrong way!! It was not amusing..there we were..the 4 of us frantically paddling to stopus from going in the wrong direction! Eventually we gave up and got out of the river, grabbed a tuk tuk and headed back home.

That night we sat and watched friends in a restaurant for about 2 hours (you think thats bad..the guy sitting next to me had been there for 11!) and had an early night.

The next morning i caught the bus to Vientiene. This bus journey was not as good as the previous one as it was hot, cramped and took twice as long as it should have...oh well..the joy of public transport in Laos. I arrived late afternoon, checked into my guesthouse and me Olga for dinner. WE had a great meal (the food here is awesome!) and then we wernt to a bar called the Chicago Bar where we put on a movie on the wide screen, sat on compfy sofas watching it and sipped on cocktails..all for less than 1pound!

Today I got up early and checked into a cheaper guesthouse and then set off on a supposadly 6 hour walk arounda ll the cites of the city. It took me 2 and a half hours (i have no idea where tehy got 6 hours from - the city is small). I visited Patuxai (which looks like teh Arc de Triuph in Paris) and climbed up it to get great views of the city. Then i walked throuhg some markets and onto That Dam which is one of VIetiene's oldest Buddist stupas. I then visited a couple more temples and some big foutain in the centre, before going to JoMa's cafe (such a good palce..its a chain here) for lunch and a read of the Laos times (which is in english). Thats about it for Laos so far...I leave for Vietnam on the 29th.

Till next time
Danielle xxx