Hello all. Well we have had some WiFi issues but it's early as I write this and it seems to be working OK at present. The cool and rainy weather has continued for pretty much our whole short stay in Vang Vieng. This town really pitches itself at the younger traveller with the main tourist activities being hot air balooning, caving in the nearby hills and mountains, 'tubing' down the local Nam Song river (i.e. floating down the river on truck inner tubes), dri...

Hello all. Well we have had some WiFi issues but it's early as I write this and it seems to be working OK at present. The cool and rainy weather has continued for pretty much our whole short stay in Vang Vieng. This town really pitches itself at the younger traveller with the main tourist activities being hot air balooning, caving in the nearby hills and mountains, 'tubing' down the local Nam Song river (i.e. floating down the river on truck inner tubes), dri...

Well, yesterday the 9th of January was spent travelling by bus from LP to Vang Vieng which is 7 hours south by road. A large bus for a change and a very careful driver also - for a change. Much of the trip involves climbing and descending mountain roads and as it was rainy weather all the way the apparently beautiful views were obscured by clouds - or mist, not sure which. The occasional glimpse through the mist, banana and coconut palms did show some...

Wednesday was a rest day (yes, I know) and so nothing significant to mention. Today (Thursday 8/1/2015) we spent at the Manifa Elephant Camp, riding and helping wash the Elephants. This place is about 25 to 30 kilometres out of LP and is near the Pak Ou Caves, albeit on the opposite bank of the Mekong. We had four separate rides in total - one involving Des and I in a Howdah on the one Elephant and the other three being individual 'bare-back' rides. This inclu...

A terrific day with a 30 klm trip from LP by mini van to the Kuang Si waterfalls. As a double bonus the Bear Rescue Centre is on the same site. Bear Rescue first................. This is a part of the larger, world wide 'Free The Bears' organisation. Have a look at www.freethebears.org for details. At Kuang Si they seem to deal with Sun Bears, although in this part of the world Asiatic Black Bears are also in need of rescue from humans. The bears here certain...