Laos

As the Vietnamese and Chinese were about to celebrate Tet, the Lunar New Year, Team Rocket decided to escape the cold and empty Hanoi to the nice and warm Laos. We were foolish enough to take a 24 hour bus from Hanoi to Vientiane. On top of that we sat 5 hours going from Vientiane to Vang Vieng, then 7 hours going from Vang Vieng to Phonsavang and finally 7 hours going from Phonsavang to Luang Prabang. One cannot imagine how pleased we were to have booked a one hour flight back to Hanoi. Now, six days after the last mountainous and curvy bus ride Sonja has almost recovered from ill stomach.

If you wish to spare 7 minutes, below is a video of some of the activities we did over the 10 day holiday.

Patuxai, victory arch in Vientiane

View from top of Patuxai

Pha That Luang, Laos' National Monument in Vientiane

Munamiehen nemesis?

The guesthouse owner wanted to help us put up the mosquito net by putting in a random blue drainage pipe...

Budda Park near Vientiane

Wat Si Saket, Vientiane

Biking to the Blue Lagoon in Vang Vieng

The Blue Lagoon

Biking back to our guesthouse

Route down from the guesthouse reception to the huts on the otherside of the river.
How does this stand in the wet season?

Be careful with what you order in Vang Vieng.

Sandwich, pancake, sandwich, burgers, sandwich, pancake,....Vang Vieng in a nutshell

Sticky rice in a Laos style pot

Kong Keo guesthouse in Phonsavang.
See the bombshells used for decoration.

White sides were cleared of bombs.

Dickhead

That could've happened...

Tad Sae waterfall in Phonsavang

Instructions

the explorer at Plain of Jars

and the tourist

and the man

Scenery on a stop between Phonsavang and Luang Prabang

A temple in Luang Prabang....the only cultural sightseeing we did in  the old capital. Shame on us.

Negotiating a good price for a 50 Eurocent bag.

Market in Luang Prabang

Pigs legs

Fruit market

Brains...

....and hands.

Notice board said 'Do not cuddle the trunk' but the guide insisted in such a picture.

Bathing and diving with elephants but where did Sonja's elephant go?

Kuang Si waterfalls near Luang Prabang were AMAZING!

The swing was fun.

High-tech airport