Goodbye Bangkok, hello Mekhong!

Hi everyone
I am writing from the beautiful French colonial of Luang Prabang, in the northern part of Laos. The architecture is gorgeous, and the town is sleepy with lots of provincial charm. We've decided to chill here for another couple of nights, before heading to Vietnam. But just to catch up on where we've been...

Our last day in Bangkok was a real event - we did an all day bicycling tour of the city. I think I probably over-shot the mark, when I realised that it had been probably 20 years since I had last been on a bike! this was especially apparent to me when cycling in crazy Bangkok traffic, in a downpour of torrential rain, with a bus hooting at me! The day was also especially memorable because we got to see parts of the city that the usual tourist trail just doesn't get you to. If anyone is interested, google 'ABC biking tours'.

The next day we caught a flight to Chang Rai (far north of Thailand) and on arrival, caught a 2 hour 'airconditioned' (read fans and open doors) bus to the border town of Chiang Khong. We spent a night on the border, and suprisingly had some really good Mexican (of all things!) for dinner. Early next morning we crossed the Thai-Laos border and boarded our cruise vessel for a 3day/2 night along the Mekhong. Was really nice to be part of a small tour group, and we met and chatted with some lovely people.

Its hard to put into words what its like to be on the river. Scenes out of Rambo came to Andrea's mind, but I just felt a really serene sense of peace. The expanse of water is phenomenal and the jungle greenery is beautiful. We chatted, sipped wine and read our books as the days slipped away. The trip had several stops, including some local villages. It was amazing to really see how some of the tribal people in Laos live, and the children were beautiful. Entranced by my shiny watch and sparkling ring :) Our first night was spent at the Luang Say lodge and the second at Kamu lodge. Both were great, and we spent both evenings sipping sundowners watching the sun set over the river, great meals and early to bed nights!

So yesterday, we arrived in Luang Prabang. We're staying at Villa Nagara - a gorgeous boutique hotel in the old town. We strolled through the night market last night, where I purchased the mandatory loose-fitting cotton trousers - stock standard for any traveller worth their salt! :) Today we saw some of the sights, including watching sunset on Phousi hill, which is the spiritual hub of the town. I have also just enjoyed a sundowner foot massage! Its amazing to see so many young Buddhist monks in the town, so vibrant in their bright saffron robes. Tomorrow we will get up before dawn to see the alms-giving ceremony.

So, all in all, Laos has been amazing. Slower and more peaceful than Thailand, with its own special charms. I'll update again from Vietnam, our flight is scheduled to land in Hanoi on Saturday night and we'll be there for 3 days. Thanks for reading! xxxx