Week Nineteen

05/03/07 to 11/03/07

Looping around the top of Laos

  • 05/03/07 - Around Phonsavan (Plain of Jars)
  • 06/03/07 - En Route
  • 07/03/07 - Vieng Xai
  • 08/03/07 - En Route
  • 09/03/07 - Down the Mekong
  • 10/03/07 - Luang Prabang
  • 11/03/07 - En Route & Vang Vieng
Travelling through Laos by boat


05/03/07 - Around Phonsavan
The Plain of Jars, full of strange carved stone ... well, jars
They're just lying around
... and there's nothing inside them
Actually, just getting to them is half the fun

06/03/07 - En Route
Our Russian-built bumpwagon for the trip across northern Laos

07/03/07 - Vieng Xai
The even smaller and less comfortable vehicle to take us to Vieng Xai from Sam Neua
Milla exploring one of the command caves of the Pathet Lao
But, frankly, the limestone scenery is much more impressive ...

08/03/07 - En Route
Picturesque views around Sam Neua before we leave

09/03/07 - Down the Mekong
... and the view from our hotel, when we arrive
The river Ou (or Nam Ou), which we'll be going down today
Pretty good, huh?
We don't have the river all to ourselves, though
Another mountain to wend past
When we reach Luang Prabang, some lunatic almost kills us by driving a tuk-tuk off the end of the jetty

10/03/07 - Luang Prabang
One of the small collection of tourist attractions in Luang Prabang
Which are generally less attractive that the old French colonial streets
Monks, watching the skies

11/03/07 - En Route & Vang Vieng
We reach Vang Vieng in time for beers at sunset

Week Twenty