Inside the airport building we all went through the usual form-filling rigmarole at Immigration to get our Lao visas. We then got our Lao stamps in our passports and finally we were in!

Kirsty then proceeded to sit down and wait for our luggage (thinking it was still being taken off the plane). I, being a little taller, could see it already on the stationary conveyor belt around the corner. So we happily grabbed our bags and went to the ATM to get some Lao Kip to pay for transport into town. Here a couple of American girls suggested we all share a taxi into town, which we gladly agreed to.

Our taxi driver spoke no English and dropped us off at a place he struggled to pinpoint on our map. With the China experience in our minds it didn't take us long to get our bearings and find a hostel we had earmarked earlier. Offering a clean and airy room (with fan) at a very reasonable price, we accepted and moved in.

After a second or two to freshen up we went back out with a plan to head to the riverfront for a drink. The locals seem far more stoical and less willing to interact here than previously but I think it is just their nature to be a bit more withdrawn. A smile eventually gets a smile in return.

Luang Prabang is in a beautiful setting at the confluence of two rivers and with verdant hillside all around. We can also sense we have travelled northwards as the temperature has dropped a degree or two and more importantly the humidity has also reduced. Additionally it's quite navigable on foot so all in all a very pleasant place to be.

We sat in a bar overlooking the Mekong River watching the sun go down discussing how to spend our time here before approaching a few of the tour operators about the tours they offer and then wandering back home.

We awoke to rain the next morning. It was still humid but raining. With our waterproofs in our bag we stepped out to do a walking tour of the area. We started in the morning market where alongside the conventional fruit, vegetables, fish and meat, items such as live frogs were on sale. As they looked so good, I bought some Luang Prabang sausages on a stick to try for breakfast. They were an unusual taste (and consistency) as they were quite sweet, almost like a honey glaze. Our walk immediately took us past a fruit shake and baguette stall rolled into one. Kirsty had a pineapple shake and, giving up on the sausages, I opted for a chicken salad baguette.

We left the main road and headed upwards through some local houses on the hillside to reach the side of Phu Si. This is a 100 metre tall hill which dominates the old city. To climb to the top, which has a gold stupa called That Chomsi, we had to pay a small entrance fee but it was well worth it.

Along the step-lined route to the top there are a number of life-size Buddha representations, one for each day of the week. It was still raining, in fact it was raining harder which somewhat ruined the magnificent views afforded at the summit. Here you have almost panoramic views - on one side the Mekong River and on the other the Nam Khan River. Despite the rain we both agreed later that the views were the highlight of the day.

Once back down the steps we visited a shrine within a cave and a little shrine housing Buddha's footprint supposedly. We then came all the way down the hillside arriving at a little monastery before rejoining civilization at the main road in Luang Prabang. The town is certainly not a metropolis and the traffic here is not only a lot less dense but also much better behaved. No honking scooters here!

We took the opportunity to book our elephant tour tomorrow before carrying on with the walking tour and stopping at the Royal Palace which is now the National Museum. Although we weren't keen to see inside (the building itself being spectacular enough) we did notice that being Tuesday, it was shut anyway.

Squeezing through the narrow streets we found ourselves on the Mekong riverfront. Thirsty and in need of a rest it took us a little time to find a café. I think this was because many of the riverside cafes are only open in high season.

We then walked along the Nam Khan waterfront before crossing the river on a bamboo bridge. The bridge was a little rickety but on the whole seemed strong enough! Once over we ducked into a funky restaurant to have some lunch. The restaurant is made up of open-sided pavilions with cushions on the floor between low tables. Once shoes have been removed you're free to recline on the cushions as if you're at home.

Still full from the delicious baguette, I passed on food. Kirsty went native opting for an eggplant (aubergine) dip which came with sticky rice but no cutlery. The idea is to use fingers to make a ball with the sticky rice and dip the rice ball into the thick dip. The dish was good but the dip had a very woody taste, presumably from the barbecue or wood stove it was cooked on. We also borrowed one of the available board games before reluctantly settling our bill and moving on.

To keep things fresh I decided we should return to the other side via the motorbike/bicycle bridge with associated footbridge, as opposed to the rather flexible and scary looking bamboo bridge. I immediately regretted this idea as we were much higher up above the water on wet wooden slats (which in my panicked mind were rotting beneath my feet) with big gaps between the slats! Got my heart pumping anyway!

Safely back, we spent a little time looking in some local arts and crafts shops together with a day market. There are many boutique shops here selling artisan products from the local area which are quite interesting to have a look at. We also took the opportunity to purchase our bus ticket to Vang Vieng, a journey that's advertised as five hours but due to the state of the roads is apparently nearer six or seven.

We returned to the hostel to relax before going back out. We first went to another local market before heading to the night market where we bought an apron with elephants on for our forever home. I also toyed with the idea of eating at the night market stalls but in the end (because the food didn't look fresh) went for a riverside café where I had Pork noodle soup. Kirsty was not feeling great after her afternoon nap so stuck to the safety of French fries.

Although the food was good, the experience wasn't great due to the abundance of flying insects in the air. Hopefully we've not collected too many bites! On the way back to the hostel we passed a doughnut stall (of all things!) so, not wanting to be rude, we stopped and purchased two different varieties to enjoy for dessert.

The alarm went off at 7.30 and we showered and got ready. I popped out to visit our doughnut lady for some breakfast (I don't know why I'm not losing any weight….) before returning and waiting for our pick up at 8.30. It was noticeable how much busier Luang Prabang is at that time. Still quiet but clearly rush hour!

The empty minivan turned up on time and after getting in we learned there was only one other couple to be picked up. They would be doing the whole day tour so we each had our own guide (we had chosen the cheaper half-day tour). Sheer luxury!

After half an hour driving mostly on smooth roads made of Tarmac we arrived at Elephant Village. We had a quick cup of tea and coffee (so quick we had no time to finish) and then it was time to mount our elephant or more strictly speaking get into our howdah, with our mahout on the neck steering for us.

We left the village and lumbered down to the Nam Khan River. The experience was a strange one, in some ways it doesn't feel as though you are sat as high up as it looks. Also elephant skin is so tough and surprisingly hairy!

We had a little wait while Kam, our elephant, had a little drink at the water's edge before finally deciding to carry on through the water to a small island. The current was quite strong and poor old Kam had a job keeping us on the right path. Once at the island Kirsty swapped positions with the mahout and rode on the neck until the act of balancing tired her out and they swapped back.

Continuing on, Kam waded back through the water again to the original side but further along the riverbank. This time however our mahout jumped off, took one of our cameras and spent the entire journey back to camp walking, while snapping away and directing Kam with vocal commands. All very cool!

At one point Kam gladly took a couple of bits of bamboo proffered to her by a local villager and was happily munching on these as she plodded. It is amazing how much they eat! Kirsty also bravely returned to the neck while I stayed safely in the howdah.

Back at camp, we clambered off and learned we had just missed feeding time. Never mind, we had an exceptional time! The Village owns 10 elephants, all females as they're slightly less energetic, calmer and not as big and strong as the males.

We returned to the river to take a small motorised canoe to Tad Sae, the waterfall. We had already learned that, being dry season, there would be little water but did not want to pass up the opportunity of the boat trip through the stunning scenery. Lush green vegetation in the foreground surrounded by non-stop mountains enveloped in low-lying cloud. Magical!

At points along the river the locals had cast their nets so we had to slow down so as not to ruin their nets or scare away the fish. We arrived at a small jetty and went ashore to view the waterfall which was unspectacular as expected. But we could imagine how good it would look in the rainy season.

Returning to Elephant Village we spent an hour relaxing by and in the swimming pool with added whirlpool. Once again the setting was spectacular with views out over the river to the other bank and the mountains beyond. Our first infinity pool!

At 12 it was time for lunch and, like the rest of the day, it was difficult to fault. A simple buffet of steamed rice with stir-fry vegetables, salad and chicken curry. Delicious! We said goodbye to Elephant Village after stuffing our faces and returned to Luang Prabang tired and full but with smiles etched on our faces.

The rest of the afternoon was very lazy as we went out only once to visit a local park before grabbing an ice chocolate and a café latte at a local coffee shop just as the heavens opened. As we spent the time discussing Prince Harry and Prince William and wondering what it would be like to be royalty for a day, the rains passed and we returned home.

We stepped out again later for some food and in a definite case of locking the stable door after the horse has bolted we covered up and avoided anywhere on the riverside. Finding a busy western café we sat and ordered some pizza before an older couple of travellers arrived and sparked up conversation from an opposite table.

We discovered they were from Vancouver, Canada and the lady had been travelling since beginning November (they had not been travelling together constantly). We swapped opinions and gave feedback on various places we had been or talked of places we wanted to go and had a thoroughly enjoyable time.

Wishing them all the best we left the café to visit a street stall for a crepe followed by a doughnut, again from the doughnut lady, for Neil for being such a good boy.

The following morning we packed our stuff and walked down the road to sit and wait in the offices of the tour company for the minivan to Vang Vieng. This duly arrived and picked up a couple of other backpackers before stopping in a residential street. Apparently we had to swap vans and would have a different driver. Alarm bells were ringing but we swapped ourselves and our bags to the new vehicle and sat and waited for the five other people we were told were also due.

Once the others had arrived 15 minutes later, we set off despite the fact it was a tight squeeze with all the luggage and people onboard. Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng is approximately 100 miles but the journey was to take around 5 hours. The roads are anything but straightforward and the journey was to take us up and over some stunningly beautiful mountains. We knew that motion sickness can be an issue and had decided to forego breakfast to avoid this.

The journey didn't start too well as less than an hour in we came upon our first traffic jam caused by an accident just ahead. Luckily for us we got there just as the traffic started moving again so after a very brief stop thankfully we were on the move again. As we passed the scene of the head-on accident the blood-stained wreckage left no doubt what could happen on these roads. Audible gasps and screams from our fellow passengers were followed with pleas to the driver to slow down and be careful.

An hour later we stopped for a toilet break, our first squat toilet for a while with a bowl on top of a vat of water so you could flush manually when the time came. Hungry and relatively unaffected by the motion of the constant twisting and turning we bought some water and food.

Having driven cautiously with the accident fresh in his mind, like all drivers worldwide, the long-term memory appeared not to be in good order and old habits returned to our driver. Overtaking on blind bends being the most worrying habit but also driving in the middle of the road while taking a bend. We had a few hairy moments before again having another break this time for 10 (Lao) minutes to take some photos. The scenery was breathtaking and the views were spectacular whichever direction you looked. It really is a beautiful country.