Chiang Mai, Mekong River and Luang Prabang

We flew from Phuket Town to Chiang Mai which is situated in the north of Thailand. The old city of Chiang Mai is surrounded by a moat and a mediaeval style wall built seven hundred years ago. We spent five nights here exploring the city on bike, elephant trekking and learning to cook, Thai style!

Bhuddist figures inside a Chiang Mai temple.

A young girl from the Karen hilltribe.

Although you can't see it, that's Stephie and I on an elephant...honest!

Stephie making spring rolls.

The finished product...although these are the ones I made!

From Chiang Mai we were packed like sardines into a mini-van and transported the five hours to Chiang Kong on the Thai-Laos border. We stayed here overnight before being ferried across the mighty Mekong River to Huay Xai in Laos.

After completing the formalities of obtaining a Visa we boarded a ‘slow boat’ which would transport us over two days down the Mekong, via the small village of Pak Beng, to UNESCO protected Luang Prabang.

Slow boats on the Mekong.

Luang Prabang was very much our kind of place. We hired bikes and cycled along the Mekong, explored the numerous Buddhist temples, strolled through the colourful night market, and watched the amazing sight of monks taking almes at 6am.

Riding a bike in Luang Prabang.

Monks taking almes in Luang Prabang.

After the mini-bus fiasco, we opted to travel to Vang Vieng in central Laos by V.I.P bus. However despite the large yellow letters emblazoned on the upper deck’s front window stating the bus to be V.I.P, this was in no way reflected in the level of comfort or condition of the bus. We spent a torturous 6 hours twisting and turning around hairpin bends, looking down on sheer drops and holding on for dear life as we hurtled toward Vang Vieng.