Today the alarm went off at six thirty and Steven was straight up, I was slower on rising trying to mentally prepare myself for the day a head. We had planned to do a trip to the 'plain of jars' this morning, followed by the bus to Vang Vieng this afternoon. Originally we wanted to cycle there as its only about eight km and bikes are normally cheap, however on arriving last night we were told the guesthouse did bikes for forty thousand each and the jars were thirteen km away. This put us in two minds as a semi automatic scooter was eighty thousand kip, so I was in the mind set that if we are going to spend eighty thousand kip on two push bikes and would only do one site (there's three sites of jars but site two and three and nearing 30km away), then we may as well spend eighty thousand kip on a motor bike and spend the day sightseeing. Only problem with this is neither of us have driven a semi automatic and eighty thousand kip is a lot regardless.

While I was getting dressed and packing Steven popped out to try and find a solution... He came back a short time later grinning saying he had found one. There was a place close by called 'Happy Scooter' and they did push bikes for twenty five thousand each, but they also have a seat on the back over the back tyre so you could fit two on one bike. I thought this was a step too far in bugetitis and said we would hire two... It wouldn't be fair to lug me around on the back of his push bike. We packed up, left our bags at reception and headed to the bike shop where we hired two very bright and spiffing bikes and went on our way... Only a few yards to Simmalys where we purchased some pre bike ride breakfast of egg and bread. The owner and her daughter were very friendly chatting with us and giving us free tea while commenting on my eyelashes... We ate our breakfasts then said our farewells to them and received a second 'good luck' and a laugh as they said the jars were fifteen km away. Now I was getting nervous... We jumped on the bikes as the young girl jumped on the back of mine and we rode off giggling down the street... Was actually a lot easier than I thought riding tandem. She eventually jumped of in hysterics and waved us off.

The day was already hot and the ride relatively straightforward and on good roads... It was however almost a constant uphill incline and by the time we reached the jars half an hour later we were drenched, it was about nine km. We passed the couple from the bus and stopped for a chat as they rode by on their scooter and then we carried on to the entrance. The entrance is very understated with a restaurant and toilets and a sight saying 'plain of jars' but no clear indication where you go in. We locked the bikes then stumbled upon a women holding a baby and selling the tickets... Ten thousand kip each.

At the entrance is a big sign from MAG (Mines Advisory Group), which is a UXO clearance and education charity. They were explaining how they had cleared this site of UXO and so it was now safe to proceed although it was paramount that you remain within the white markers as this was the safety zone. We then headed through a small entry point that led through a beautiful area of bushes filled with flowers and pretty butterflies... I was trying desperately trying to get a picture of them but they flutter off so quickly. We reached the end of the walk way and there was a hill up to the first area of jars.

The Plain of Jars is a megalithic archaeological site on the Xieneg Khuang Plateau and there are three main sites around the town of Phonsavan. Apparently there are hundreds of sites within this Provence but only the main three are safe for tourism. This was due to the MAG undertaking a huge clearance of UXO a few years ago. The Lao government are hoping to eventually gain UNESCO world heritage site status for the Plain or Jars but can't do so until the area is cleared of UXO. If this is achieved then the local communities will benefit from this tourism through jobs and money... Plus the site will receive a lot more protection.

Site one where we visited is the main site of Jars and contains the largest number including the largest jar, which is over a meter tall. On walking up the hill we were treated to such a wonderful view... All around us were large stone jars and a view across the plain where hundreds more sat. Within the plain there was also several large bomb craters, which makes you appreciate how special this site truly is. They could have been destroyed so easily and without the jars archeologists would be further behind in their exploration of prehistoric Lao... There is lots of speculation over the origin of the jars, with some believing that they were used for burial as there have been several remains found close by. Another suggestion is that they are used for catching monsoon rain to provide water for travellers passing through. Also there's an assumption that a local king created them to hold Lao alcohol to celebrate his victory during battle. To be honest I think the area requires a lot more excavation before there true origins are known... Plus I suppose once the other sites are cleared of UXO then they will be able to compare the sites and the materials found.

The site was actually really pretty and much nicer then I thought, we enjoyed walking around for a good hour taking pictures and admiring the view. After the hill, you walk down to the plain where numerous other jars are located including one that is different from all the rest. Its a large jar with a man embossed on the side... Something not seen on all the other jars and randomly seen on a single jar in a field of hundreds. Surrounding the caves were a herd of cattle and they were happily munching the grass around the jars... They were very cute and one calf was even munching the litter in one of the bins, it looked up at us guiltily as we wandered past before carrying on.

Once we had wandered around the field for a while before we headed up another hill where there was a couple of jars sitting on top. It was quite a walk but the view as usual in northern Lao... Beautiful. We wandered back down and headed around to a cave located at the bottom of the hill. At the entrance there was a small spirit house and lots of cobwebs, there was also a huge wasp nest buzzing and moving above our heads. We wandered into the cave and it was stunning, there was two large holes within the roof and the sun shone through lightening the inside of the cave... It illuminated the rocks and it was very pretty. We climbed some of the rocks and checked out the views before heading back out to the blazing heat of the mid day sun.

We wandered back towards the entrance where there was very limited information on the jars, which looked like it had been here for as long as the jars themselves. Close by there were several guys playing a board game and others sleeping in hammocks. We walked back out and down through the pretty flower filled bushes towards the exit, en route I even managed to get a few photos of the illusive butterflies who were flittering all over the place.

Once outside we grabbed our bikes and headed back towards town, which thankfully involved a lot more time cycling downhill... In fact most of that time was spent with our feet out flying down the hills before sweating like crazy as we headed back up the next one. As we cycled back towards the town we were waved at by the locals with shouts of hello.... as well as most adults looking at us like we were crazy. To be fair we hadn't seen anyone on a pushbike all day... Mad dogs and englishmen as they say! Soon enough we were close to town and could breathe a sigh of relief, we had made it. The distance was fine but the heat just makes it seem three times as far... Ensuring we were sweltering by the time we pulled in to Simmalys for a refreshing drink, which ended up being a beer.

We enjoyed a celebratory beer before taking the bikes back and then heading to the MAG centre opposite, which provided further insight into the problems of UXOs in northern Lao... Again it was very humbling and sad to witness. They even had examples of the cluster bombs known as 'bombies' and they were a shock. Some were bright yellow and literally looked like a tennis ball, this enlightened me further how easy it is for children to get killed by these horrible things by thinking that they are play things. We gave a donation before heading back to the guesthouse to collect our bags, we then headed back to Simmalys where we sat down for some lunch. Steven ordered chicken and veg on rice and I ordered pork noodles and they were delicious. After lunch we headed outside where we saw the two French girls from Nong Khiaw and the trio from the Indian in Vieng Xai, we stopped for a chat and catch up before finding the tuk tuk guy and heading out to the bus station. We had met the guy at the plain of jars where he gave us some info on the jars and offered to take us to the bus station for ten thousand kip each.

We jumped in and headed off to the bus station, we were debating walking but after getting in the tuk tuk we could fully appreciate how far it actually was to the station... Seemed longer then four km. Once we arrived the guy asked where we were going and when we said Vang Vieng he jumped out the tuk tuk and headed to the counter. We knew what he was up to and told him not to worry, we would get our tickets but he was gone... Next thing him and a local guy who works at the station came over saying the next bus is at eight pm. It was a VIP sleeper and would cost one hundred and fifty thousand kip each... We laughed and said 'no we want the four thirty'. They were then adamant there was no four thirty or six thirty pm bus as it was 'low' season... We knew they were speaking rubbish and considering the times and fares were printed on the windows also a bit stupid. They were trying to sell us a one hundred and thirty thousand ticket for one hundred a fifty for a start... And also blatantly lying to us saying there was no bus before eight pm. I was so mad... But hid it well. We told them that we were aware of the times and knew there was a bus passing through on route to Vientiane and our guesthouse had already told us there were buses to which they replied that they were misunderstood... I think by this point by face was purple and I actually had to take a deep breath or two. Thankfully Steven is a lot more patient and just persevered... In the end the girl behind the counter said 'there is a bus at four thirty... It passes through to Vientiane, costing ninety five thousand kip'. As we thought... The guy then totally back tracked and said 'oh yeh but we don't know for certain what time it comes'.

In the end we just glared at the guys till they backed off and bought the tickets... We then sat down and tried to relax while watching them trying it with every other westerner that came to the station. Steven then decided to find the toilet and came back saying that it was eight thousand kip... It wasn't it was two thousand but just looked like an eight but since the guy at the station overheard him say it, from then onwards we could hear him telling everyone who asked that it was in fact eight thousand... Honestly.

A while later the guy we were chatting to in town appeared as he decided to come to Vang Vieng today... He had the same hassle for tickets but we assisted and they just gave him the correct ticket in the end. He joined us and we chatted while waiting for the bus, which eventually turned up at about five thirty. We piled on and found it was a large bus and very spacious with very few people on board... We sat back and hoped the journey would be a good one.

The journey was relatively comfortable and the first few hours passed quickly until we stopped randomly on a hill... Wondering what was happening we stuck our heads out the window to investigate. It turned out that the bus behind had a flat tyre and our bus had stopped to help them, giving them our spare. I just hoped that we didn't get a flat as we would be stuck. The process took a little while but we were soon on our way down the mountain... As usual we passed through numerous rural villages and I sat back and relaxed enjoying the view, it really is one of my favourite countries for long bus journeys (good thing considering the amount of buses we have taken).

After another hour or so we stopped again. This time there was a problem with our bus, yes you have guessed it... We now had a flat tyre. We all got off the bus with the guys taking photos and me enjoying the chance to stretch my legs while watching them work, thankfully we must have had another tyre hidden somewhere. After about thirty minutes we were back on the road and we were off, by now we were realising that we would not be arriving in Vang Vieng till the early hours of the morning... Just hope that there would be a guesthouse or two open.

We continued on and soon enough I fell asleep, this bus had lovely chairs that you could recline fully and I took full advantage of this waking as we pulled into a truck stop where we stopped for food. Steven ordered a noodle soup and I ordered a bowl of rice and we tucked in... By now it was nearly midnight and we were shattered. We ate our food and watched the driver and his friend hosing down the bus... Cooling the engine maybe?

After the stop we headed back on the bus and were told it was one and a half hours till Vang Vieng... I quickly fell asleep waking as we pulled into the town and past the infamous moon bar where we had previously spent a fateful night. As we climbed off the bus there was already a tuk tuk reversing up towards us, we told him no thank you as we knew we were in the town and headed off towards the air strip. On the way we met a northern guy from Bradford who was absolutely hammered... He was trying to get across the airstrip, which was covered in large puddles of water from the recent rains. He was hilarious saying he had been trying to cross for ages but lost his way, apparently he thought it was 'the fooking Mekong'. I could not stop laughing and aided him across the strip.

Soon enough we were in dry land and he followed us back towards town where we escorted him to his hostel (that he walked straight past), we then continued on our way and found ourselves back at our original guesthouse 'Soun Aleng'. It was all closed up so we rang the door bell, where after several attempts a lady came to our aid. She showed us to our room and we were happy to be somewhere familiar and clean, we dropped our stuff, put our pyjamas on and climbed into bed and feel straight asleep... It was two thirty am and we were past tired.