So, after travelling on the slow boat down the Mekong River for two cramped and uncomfortable days I'm now in Luang Prabang. It's a place I'd never even heard of a few months ago but it's a place I'll definitely be coming back to.

The journey from Thailand was long and uncomfortable as the slow boat is decked out with hard wooden seats really close together and is typically packed with all kinds of people - backpackers, tourists and locals. Despite the cramped conditions and long days the views along the Mekong River are stunning - heavily forrested hills and limestone peaks with lots of small, remote villages along the way. We arrived at Luang Prabang in the late afternoon, just in time to catch the sunset over the boat landing.

15/12/06 

Luang Prabang is a beautiful little town on the banks of the Mekong. It's a strange mix of Lao culture and French colonial influence (everywhere you go Lao people are playing boules). It's a small place which gives it a certain character and it's full of nice restaurants, cafes and bakeries.

In the middle of the town there's a large hill upon which a number of temples and stupas are located - Phu Si. It's a great place to watch the sunset and it seems every tourist in town congregates there in the afternoon.

On one of my days there I took a trip to a local waterfall where you could swim in the many pools. We very nearly didn't get there as the mini-van got a puncture and the only jack the driver had with him was far too small to work. After flagging down a passing van and borrowing the necessary tools, we were eventually on our way again. Once there the water, although cold, was really refreshing.

After three nights in Luang Prabang I continued south to Vang Vieng - the tubing capital of Laos. It's a really bizarre craze - you float down the river on a giant innertube and visit as many riverside bars as possible for much needed refreshment in the form of Beer Lao. I tried a mix of tubing and kayaking and the whole day was so much fun. I also had a go on one of the rope-swings which catapults you 10m above the water before you finally let go. It was such a good day.