Vientiene and Thailand

Vientiene in Laos was a great place, warm, sunny and we even managed to locate a fab restaurant serving a cheese board with wine. Bob enjoyed the kids playground and Steve and Sarah got back into running and exercise down by the river, Amber just enjoyed the food - and the Christmas shopping!

Kids enjoy the playground in Vientiene

A glass of French wine and some spring rolls in Vientiene

From Vientiene we arrived in Luang Prabang on the morning of Christmas eve and headed to our accommodation.

Just Outside Luang Prabang, The Zen Namkhan Boutique Resort, booked by us before we left the UK, was to be our ‘luxury Christmas retreat’. Our accommodation was a small bungalow set in the forest overlooking the Namkhan river. Unfortunately the first couple of days it was absolutely freezing at night and with an outdoor restaurant and no heating in our hut, it was no fun to say the least.

We were snuggled up in bed by 9 the first 2 nights!

We had a few service issues as well - like no hot water one day, no water at all one day, even worse no champagne on Christmas eve, Sarah was not happy!

Kids find the bath robes at Zen Namkhan

Bobby looking pensive as he tends the fire at Zen Namkhan

Amber and Sarah enjoy a toe dip in the freezing cold pool

The pool and garden at Zen Namkhan

Nice view from our bungalow

We did enjoy our Christmas morning opening presents, albeit very small ones that would fit in our luggage or that could be consumed.

Presents on Christmas day

Leaving the resort after 4 days we then headed into Luang Prabang town itself where we would stay until the new year. From here we booked a couple of tours, a combined elephant ride/boat trip and waterfall visit  and kayaking down the Namkhan and Mekong to visit some caves, both of which were fantastic fun for all of us. Steve, Sarah and Amber also did an Asian cooking course at the restaurant Tam Tam Cheng with their Masterchef which was very educational and we got to eat our efforts afterwards.

Temple and night market in LP

LP food market

Fried chicken head anyone?

Mahout Amber rides the elephant

Steve and Bob with Mahout driving - Steve keeping his Birkenstocks dry!

Feeding time after the ride

Amazing waterfall

Bobby braves the water

Chef extraordinaire

Kayak crew

Lunch by the Pak Ou river

Fantastic scenary on the Pak Ou river and hopefully no crocs!

Unbeleiveably Sarah and Amber manage to work together in the Kayak - Milly and Em, where are you?!

Drinks in the back of a pick up on the way back from Kayak tour

Nice way to travel, fully air conned (bit of a mix up with our return transportation meant a lift back in a  truck with a local bloke - much nicer than a mini van anyway! hurrah! and it was full of beers)

Luang Prabang was very relaxing place to be, small, easy to get around and very pretty with lots of temples and old French style houses. It was a little disappointing culturally as it was all too geared up for the tourists with every other building a travel agents, restaurant or guest house.



Outside our GH in LP

Phonsavan, our next destination , was a different place altogether with a few dusty streets and many Russian style flat top buildings. The reason for our visit here, as is most other tourists, is to see the Plain of Jars.

Phonsavan is in fact a new city built after the war the original capital of the province being completely destroyed by US bombing during the ‘Secret war’. The whole area was heavily bombed during the war and is full of unexploded bombs and mines although they are gradually beginning to clear these. Plus heavy use of ‘Agent Orange ‘and Napalm destroyed most of the trees and vegetation so not much will grow in the contaminated soil . Fortunately the3 tourist sites have been cleared although you must stay on the marked trails.

MAG stands for Mines Advisory Group - here's a marker to show a safe pathway with no mines below

Best not to go beyond the white markers!

The sites are also full of large bomb craters and  although many of the original jars must have been destroyed there were plenty remaining and intact and were quite a spectacular sight. Here are a few pics, any time any wants to see more pictures of jars , let me know!

Indeed it is a Plain of Jars!

some jars bigger than others - no one know what they were for - some way  over a tonne

The jars sites were remarkably empty of tourists - Mark and Lyn from Oz behind Sarah

Amber makes a spoon out of aluminium recycled from old bomb parts

Bob has a go too

What's in here?

and here

Bobby had a great day climbing on and in as many jars as he could

Kids climb in a wrecked Russian made Tank

Unexploded Ordnance but hopefully diffused!

From there we headed back to Vientiene again for a quick stay - then by overnight sleeper train across the border into Thailand and onto Bangkok.