We've been bereft of a decent internet connection for a few weeks since we left Luang prabang so please forgive the delay in update! We've added another photo album of the last 3 or so weeks in Laos, we've loved it so much that we've applied for a Visa extension for an extra week!

Luang Prabang was lovely, pure luxury (great for a weeks holiday). Its full of picturesque French Villas, leafy side streets, beautiful temples, orange robed monks, luxurious spa's, tasty food and a great night market. We spent 6 days there in total, very easy to while away the days in the gorgeous art cafes, with amazing cakes (huge portions) and the Laos coffee is v tasty, especially blended with ice, banana and Oreo's...We took a couple of day trips to see the Pak Ou caves or 'Buddha graveyard' - a cave with hundreds of old buddha statues, an incredibly turquoise waterfall with a rope swing and an Asiatic Black Bear rescue sanctuary. (see videos as we forgot the camera that day). We also spent a fair amount of time chilling out in the various garden bars that are more than happy to feed you free shots of Lao Lao (local spirit brewed from fermented sticky rice, bottles often infused with dead cobras, lizards and scorpions)!

We then made our way North to the village of Nong Khiaw in a sardine style local minibus where Simon had his arm hair stroked and admired by a local old timer and a kind of large hissing chinchilla with a rats tail tied to a stick was placed under our feet. We stayed in a bamboo bungaloo by the river for 2 days, swinging in a hammock and admiring the scenery, eventually figuring out with our broken Lao how to get a boat up the river to the village of Muang Ngoi. We spent 3 days here not doing alot, partly because the rains came and partly because it was easy to do nothing (its unreachable by road so has no traffic or electricity). We also enjoyed our first leech experiece whilst trying to clamber up a steep hill to a cave.

After a winding but beautiful 10 hour journey on a local bus we arrived in Xam Neua, a town set in a pine ridged valley close to the border of Vietnam, with a distinct industrial 70's vibe to it, due to it being rebuilt after a flattening in the 'secret war' with America. It was another short bus journey from here to the incredibly beautiful but sombering town of Vieng Xai. This was where the Pathet Laos leaders hid with 3000 other villagers in a series of caves during the 9 years of bombing from the Americans. A whole society had been built in the caves from a hospital cave to a cinema cave, incredible to see. The resiliance and peacefullness of the people here is really humbling, with the many bomb craters turned into fish ponds or flower beds and the endless bomb casings used as benches, fences and hanging decorations. While we were here we were also kindly invited to the local end of school celebrations which involved a big meal, countless shots of Lao lao, kareoke and lots of giggling teenagers!

Another long bus journey brought us to Phonsavan, home to the mysterious and ancient 'Plain of Jars'. Its a series of hundreds of huge stone jars thought to be up to 2000 years old but nobody really knows where they came from or how old they are. But i personally like the local theory that a historical hero had them built to store Lao Lao whisky for a huge party to celebrate defeating an enemy. The site has only recently been cleared for tourists as there are still an unthinkable amount of unexploded cluster bombs that litter the province.

Heading down away from the North we reached Vang Vieng, Laos answer to Faliraki, a firm favourite with drunken Brits looking for a 'a proper fry up' and a 'Happy shake'. Saying that, tubing was actually alot of fun. Who knew you could have so much fun with the inner tube of a tractor wheel? Floating down the river, stopping at bars with big slides, swings and cheap drinks. Just a shame that some people over do it, an English guy that had set up one of the more laid back bars told us that 4 or 5 travellers died last month alone! Also shocking are the menus - Opium tea anyone? After a few trips to yet another beautiful waterfall, and some spooky caves with crazy stalactite and stalagmite formations we left VV and the countless bars showing constant reruns of Friends for the capital of Vientiane.

We've been here for 4 days now waiting for a visa extension, a few people have told us on the way its not a great place to stay but we love it, the French left a great legacy of tree lined boulevards, fountains, superb cafes and loads of great high end food, for a fraction of the price it would usually cost. It even has its very own 'Arc De Triomphe.'

Generally, we've been pretty busy! The best thing here has to be the extraordinarily friendly people, its smiles, waves and hellos at every turn. Taking in the dramatic scenery of jungle, limestone karsts and glimmering rice paddies with a BeerLao has been pretty incredible too. The plan is to head South now, will update again when we can, miss you all, Love Simon and Rachel xx