We took a two day hike up through the hill tribes around Luang Prabang. It really was one of the most worthwhile things I reckon we’ve done in the last 3 months. Our guide (Kampha – which means no parents!!) was excellent. While he didn’t speak great English – he spoke enough, and was able to point out so many interesting things.

Mhairi has regressed slightly in her toughness… indeed she insisted on being carried across the rivers (of which there were many)

Ok, so that last paragraph may not have been strictly true. There’s just too much to talk about so I think I’ll gloss over most of them… Oh, I did choose this day to have my first really upset stomach of the last 3 months. Sticky rice and sweet potatoes seemed to do quite a lot of coagulation though!

There really were many weird insects, beetles and spiders.

The highlight was staying in the village that night. We played games with the kids, sang with them (watched them play a sort of volleyball game (but only using feet and head)). Then in the evening we were brought into the main meeting house. There a flowery contraption was set up, gifts (food and money) were presented, and quite a lot of lao-lao (think poitin – but from rice) was drunk. Seeing as it was in our honour, we had to drink quite a bit! Then they all took it in turns to tie a wristband on us (saying wishes of good luck (we’re led to believe!!)).

Course, the only reason the kids did it was for the sweets.. still… we were happy!!

Bamboo really is wonderful! I reckon these ppl would be lost without it! They build entire houses from it, ladders!, aqueducts, make paper and even eat it!! Really amazing stuff.

We also got to see their schools.

And even to hold their babies

Unfortunately I miss timed the taking of this picture.. 10 seconds later the baby decided to make himself.. a little… lighter ;)

Really, amazing trip!

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage town. And it sure is purty. Temples galore, and the heart of it is small enough to wander about with ease. The Mekong winds its way around the town, and all in all ’tis a nice place. The former capital of Laos.

So went for a wander around town. Some of the temples sport the 5 tiered roofs. The relief on this temple shows the second-to-last incarnation of Buddha on his way to enlightenment.

The palace is worth a walkabout I reckon. Not that they have kings any more. Inside is a copy of the Pha Bang. A 50kg gold image of the Buddha. Seeing as it was seen to confer divine legitimacy upon whatever ruler possessed it – the pha bang has been the source of many wars. The original is said to reside in a bank vault in Vientiane, though there’s a rumour it was given to the Russians in return for aid..

There was a painting on the inside showing some of the terrible things that happen to Bad People. One adulterous couple is being chased by rabid dogs (up a thorny tree with crows waiting at the top to peck their eyes out!). Murderers are being boiled in oil, and liars are being hung by their tongues.. cool eh!

Had a quick walk up Mt Phousi, before another massage.. back still is sore from a squash game before I left NZ!! Perhaps a trip to the chiro in Dublin is called for.. Nice views from the top though

One room was interesting – the diplomatic gifts that they received from different countries. America (Nixon) gave a piece of moon rock with an inscription along the lines of ‘This rock to promote peace and unity amongst all nations‘. This after they’d dropped one bomb every 8 minutes for 9 years.. slightly hypocritical you might say. I’m so never going to be let into the US to visit my sister in January ;)

Anyway, after that had a wander around Wat Xieng Thong (temple of the golden city) The mosaic is of the Buddhist tree of life. Luckily the original temple from 1560 (looks like a hen they say) still exists as the Chinese never razed it when they captured the city.

The drive from Vang Vieng through to Phonsavan is really worth doing (regardless of the plain of jars themselves).

We stayed that night in Kong Keo guesthouse, while it does have the disadvantage of being recommended in the Rough Guide ;)… (lets go is just so much better) it is a great place to stay.

There was a trip organised the next day to view the jar sites. The leading theory at the moment is that it was a funery site. Quite possibly the first site in S.E Asia where all the components of the funery rites were first practiced.

First the corpse was stripped of flesh? (I think) and left in the jars for a while, then the bones were taken and cremated before second burial (always across a waterway from human habitation). That’s what they think anyway…

The plain itself has lovely scenery, and we walked from Site 3 to Site 2 (For lunch). Mhairi being the only intelligent one who’d actually brought raingear.. gah.. the one time I forget it.. ;)

That night a good meal, watched a film on the secret war (When America dropped one bomb every 8 minutes every day for 9 years). Can you imagine? Crazy. It’s also that when the bombs stop the trouble continues – kids still pick them up / try to open them for the gunpowder.. Needless to say no guilt was admitted nor reparations paid… (but yes, the Russians were supporting the Pathet Lao (Communists))

After the film however it was down to good old karaoke (there was another Irish there..). We muddled our way through Laos songs (they show you the syllables). We were *amazing* .. Honestly.

Day 1 of the rafting started at 9:30am, when we got on the back of the truck and drove to the river. This took us until 3pm!!!. Nothing to relate except that we picked up an Australian (Pete) who was coming on the trip – but left from Vientiane that morning.. and on his bus he had a guy with an AK47 sitting beside him (banditry is still real over here!)

Once we were actually on the river it was lots of fun, the rapids were mostly 2/2+ and I think one 3 on the first day.

The campsite where we stopped for the night was great though. Very basic (just candles for light) but a beautiful spot. Every so often there’d be a loud crash in the jungle – bamboo falling.

The second day was more fun – up at 8 and on the river pretty quickly. The rapids were mostly 3’s. The only 4 on the river we portaged most of the way – as every time they try to run it they miss the line needed to get through safely, and the raft ends up getting sucked into a big hole and flipped!

On the way we picked up a catfish (I think) from a lady who lived on a tiny island on the river. She caught fish and left them tied under water – so that ppl could come along and buy the still-alive fish. We had some for lunch. Raw perhaps? It was utterly disgusting!

All too soon it was onto a boat (rafts stacked on top) for a 3 hour trip down the flat part of the river (and lake). It was really quite scenic though (water buffalo pic above). The trip was good, the scenery was stunning and the campsite was great, but neither I nor Mhairi reckon it should be advertised as a 2 day rafting trip!! If both days had been like the second then it would definitely have been worth the $90 each.

Back to Veng Vieng, met up with Chris, Emily, Martijn, drank a little too much, and now off on a bus journey to the mysterious plane of jars…

Was supposed to get a days climbing in today – but unfortunately there was a guided group gone out and they’d taken all the gear so we couldn’t hire. Quite the shame really, I was excited to get climbing in a new place.

So had a leisurely breakfast. In fact that really is one of the great things about Asia, great coffee and delicious fruit shakes (and pancakes) for next to nothing for breakfast. I’m getting fat(ter)

Instead hired bikes and cycled off to explore one of the caves. Quite a pleasant 4km cycle (hot though). The cave was *huge* really huge, no need to duck your head anywhere!!

Off on two days white-water rafting tomorrow.. grade 3&4 I think. I’ll get all the names of the rivers etc later! but it’s the same one that friends in NZ did (Greig & Clare) only they kayaked it – ‘cos their hardcore!