This morning we left Luang Prabang for Vientiane. The bus trip passed through some of the most spectacular mountains.

This morning we took a boat up the Mekong river to Pak Ou, where there are two caves full of Buddhas, left by Lao peoples for hundreds of years. There are thousands of different Buddhas. On the way, we stopped at a small village where the locals grow silk from silkworms, then dye and weave the silk into material. After lunch we took a tuk-tuk to the Kouangxi waterfalls to swim and visit the 'Free the Bears' project. The project aims to save Asian Black Bears from...

Today we decided to go visit the elephants at the falls. The visit not only included riding elephants, but also swimming with them in the river. Afterward, we visited one of the Buddhist temples in the centre of Luang Prabang. Boys will become Buddhist monks as young as 7 or 8 years old, because it means they can get an education. We also went to the fish spa, where fish nibble the dead skin cells off your feet. Finally we went for dinner at the night markets. Ea...

Well half the way by boat. We went by boat down the Nam Ou river from Muang Khua to Nong Khiaw, then dad quickly organised a private van for eight of us (a retired Polish couple, a doctor and his girlfriend from Slovakia, a retired US fellow, dad, Zawadi and I) to Luang Prabang. It was 5 hours by boat then 3 hours by van. The river trip was amazing. Buffalo bathing, little villages along the way that can only be accessed by the river, gold dredges, small Rapids a...