We arrive in Luang Prabang knackered after the 7 hour ride on the Mekong today. Within minutes of stepping off the boat I can tell Im going to like it alot here. Another UNESCO site Luang Prabang is beautiful, there are french influenced villas on every street, hidden alleyways, colourful monks and temples dotted all over the city. There is a perfect mix of french chic and ancient Laos here.

We are so tired from the Gibbon experience and 2 day journey we head straight back to the hotel after dinner. The hotel we are staying in is a mould pit, there are damp patches in every corner and paint peeling from the walls. You have to hold the shower head to use it and the bed covers are tinged dusty brown. Im out. We move rooms and check out the next day.

We move to the hotel two doors down and it is like a palace for only 70p more. We check in for 3 nights here, Luang Prabang is definitley a place we want to spend time in to recharge our batteries.

Day 2:

We spend the morning exploring the city, we walk along the Mekong River and I ooh and aww at the fancy villas. We visit Phu Si; a temple 100m high which provides an amazing view of Luang Prabang. I feel I am due some pampering after a stressful few days being adventurous and pretending to be monkeys. That afternoon we head to a traditional Laos spa and both choose a 1 hour full body massage. I have had 2 Thai massages whilst being away both of which were very painful and rough, so Im intrigued by what a Lao massage will be like, plus Im making the most of massage availability whilst I can afford it. At £3.50 for an hour massage head to toe we don't take much persuading. We step into a room which smells like a mixture of flowers and biscuits and are shown to our private booth with matresses on the floor and comfy cushions. We are both handed some material, I try and use my international mime skills to ask the massuse whether or not we are supposed to get naked. She nods. Helll noo, I know what kind of positions I was put in last time so I keep my knickers on. Tom on the other hand doesn't give two hoots and is in his birthday suit in no time. Within minutes I turn my head and Tom has dozed off, I have no idea how he is putting up with this pain in his calf as im twitching and squinting trying to give her a hint that shes hurting me. The massage starts on the feet where she kneels on the balls of your feet and pads up and down with the bottom of her hand from your shoulders, right along your bum down to your toes. After that the majority of the hour was a bit of a blur as I was put in a state of relaxation with the only thing disturbing me was the worringly loud cracks coming from Toms fingers and toes. One part of the massage which was hard to relax through was the inner thigh massage, I have no idea what position I was put in but I remember feeling my toes on the middle on my back whilst lying on my front. It was during this part I was glad I was wearing undies, whilst lying on my back she placed my the sole of my right food on the side of my knee on my left leg and raised my back so my bum was in the air. The material dropped down and my pants were on show to everyone. Imagine my amusement when I look over and see Tom in the same position, he wishes he took my advice now as there he is with his nekkid butt right up in the air for all to see. The massuse nervously giggles but continues. After the massage we are in a trance and slowly stroll back to the hotel and spend the rest of the day hanging out in local bars. That night we eat at the night market and tuck into an all you can eat buffet for 70p. Everything was so oily, I had grease running from my wrist to my elbow.

Day 3:

Today was a busy day, in our guide book it mentions an initiative called Big brother mouse where tourists are asked to help and get involved in improving local literacy by reading to children and helping students with any issues they have with the English language. We turn up to Big Brother mouse at 9am and are greeted by novice monks and local school children equipt with homework and books they need help with. I begin helping an older student who is training to be a high school teacher he wanted some help with managing a classroom. We got to work helping to straighten out his understanding and use of the words, shall, may and could. Tom is helping a law student and was told by him afterwards that he had learnt more in this lesson than any other he has been to. I began chatting to 3 novice monks. They just wanted some help in general coversations in English so we talk about allsorts, mainly sports, films and surprisingly Westlife. They told me Westlife are huge in Laos and started singing Westlife songs to me. We talk about David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and even Andy Carroll. The monks told me they recognised me and Tom from yesterday and asked about his foot, I took this opportunity to find as much about their lives as monks as I could. It was so interesting talking to them I could of sat for hours and listened to them. One of the monks even asked for my facebook! I was talking to the Monks about my bracelets and where I got them from, I said I needed to get one from Laos yet and Lun pulled our a bracelet he had made from his bag and wrapped it around my wrist. As he tied the knot the 3 monks began chanting and afetrwards told me they were wishing me good luck and happiness. I feel so gap year!

That afternoon we get a tuk tuk and visit Kuang Si Falls. I have never seen water like it, clear turqouise and very eden-esque. The main waterfall was amazing with multitired cascades rolling into the pools which visitors are allowed to swim in. The water was so cold, but so refreshing annd we frolicked in the pools for a few hours before taking a small trek to the highest waterfall where the boys jumped in and chilled in a little cave behind the water.

Day 4:

This morning was taken at a leisurely pace, we took a stroll though the streets and got some breakfast. I think i'm almost at full recovery but to make sure we head to a local pool and spend the afternoon here sunbathing and cooling off in the water. The sign on the pool says free admission please pay 20,00kip entrance fee. Very confusing, but im happy paying £1.40 to sit by a pool and soak up some rays for the rest of the day. We're off to Vietnam tomorrow where the whether is 19 degrees and raining, Im making the most of the sun whilst I can feel it.