21st January - Friday

We travelled toThang Beng on a very long bus journey, it was entertaining the usual full bus plus some, but to see the staff climbing out the window, in the dark whilst the bus was going full pelt ! They sat on the roof madness! On route we got talking to some Greek lads on the same route. We got off at a T junction almost 10 pm all looking for a place to stay everywhere was closing we just managed to get some drinks to take to the rooms.

22nd January - Saturday

We got up and headed for breakfast and to meet with the Greek lads to share a bus, there were 3 others joined us one lad was able to talk to locals so we negotiated for us all to get taken to the cave- Tham Kong Lo, It was an hour to the guest house to leave our bags and a further hour to the cave. There were so many squeezed on that some of the boys were on the roof and some hanging off the back! The cave lagoon was picturesque, we boarded some small boats 2, of us on each one guy at the front with a headlamp and driver at the back with another headlamp then entered the cave it was pitch black! We did a short journey then got out of the boats and headed up a steep slope up to a large area which has been lit up to show the amazing stalagmites and stalactites without it would be impossible to see. After a walk around we had to walk through the water to the boat & headed on through the cave. It's 7km long and up to 100m wide in some places and takes about an hour to pass through. Awesome place to see! After we sat by the lagoon watching local lads diving into the water off high rocks, the boys joined in too, doing some spectacular back flip jumps! Unfortunately one of them was swimming in trousers, as he did not have trunks ripped them badly! My sarong came to the rescue to the amusement of all especially the locals! We headed back to sort out a room parting with others who were travelling on.