Sarah's Journey: June 2005

View .. half way up that mountain!

Sunday 26th June 2005

One week in Laos and love it! So, so quiet after vietnam, beautiful scenery and lovely people! Flew from Hoh Chi Minh in vietnam to Vientaine in Laos to meet up with Anna and Rona.

Vientaine was great .. managed to do half the walking tour (am going back so will finish then!) before retreating for an afternoon nap .. it was raining!!!!!!!! a bit of shopping for birthday presents (Claire and Barney .. parcels in the post!) a trip around the budda Park and the best sauna and massage ever all for $4. and bowling of course!

Another flight as Anna and Rona were short of time and we arrived in Phonsavan to visit the plain of Jars. Plushest minibus yet .. electric curtains! bright purple and reminisent of the mystery machine.. and just the three of us and Meelan our guide. We headed out for 2 days visiting the jar sites, mong villages, weaving villages, and hot springs.

When not crossing indiana jones style foot bridges, we waded through rivers and squelched our way up wet and muddy roads .. sometimes it is really easier to go bare foot! I have done more laundry since arriving in Laos than on the rest of the trip .. back to wearing items just once before washing! Too much mud!

It is really nice to meet people who arent used to "tourists" and the visit to the Mong village was a totally different experience to trekking in Sapa. So after 4 shots of rice wine, Anna, Rona and I are stood up through the sunroof of the mystery machine greeting locals with "saba-dee!" as we drive through numerous villages! ... until the rain started!

Since Anna and Rona I have been out visiting more villages, seeing UXO, trekking up mountains to see more jars and am now having a "day off" to download the photos and have a rest before heading off up North tomorrow.

Probably wont see internet for a week or so.

S x

Bringing home the cows

Painting in Buddist Cave

Wading to the weaving village .. there are six scarves on thier way back to England!

Rowing with Flip Flops!

This is unexploded and awaiting disposal .. as we travelled around, there were frequent explosions in the distance as the likes of MAG slowly remove the bombs .. unfortunately it will be decades before this is completed. What is more distrubing is that 3 weeks ago rebels surrendered to the authorities, and with them were two CIA agents.

Supports for the stilt houses

There was so many bombs dropped on Laos that you see them recycled everywhere .. a fence!

Unexploded bomb .. this has been under this house for a year .. they plan to dearm it and make it into a compressor

On a more serious note .. the devastation done to the Laos people and countryside by the americans in their secret war with Laos is quite horrifying .. this is a bomb crater if you hadnt noticed

Note the hair grip .. I should have bought more presents!

About to sample the local rice wine (more like a shot!)

Visiting the house of the head of the weaving village for lunch

And more .. note this was about one and half hours up the mountain

Some of the local wildlife

This is what I trekked through! Yep I know.. hard to believe!

Decided I hadnt had enough Jars! so went for a trek to see more .. meant to be an hour .. 3 hours later and 1400 metres! here are some more (with Meelan and body guard from local village)

Jars at site 2

More jars from Site 1

Site 1 Plain of Jars .. numerous sites around Laos, but still a mystery to the purpose.

Sunset in Phonsavan

Leaving Vientaine .. thankfully only to the airport to fly to phonsavan

View from Heaven of the Buddha Park

Me in the mouth of a large pumpkin shaped concrete monument at the Budda Park (Xieng Khuan) .. the three levels are said to represent hell, earth and heaven

Thankfully made from Concrete!

Budda Park near Vientiane

Left Vietnam to join Anna, Rona, Matt and friends in Vientiane, Laos for a spot of bowling .. I even won one game!

Not a good picture .. but this is me getting to know a python

This is for Fiona! Petrol Station on the river

We took a boat trip as it began to rain.. luckily they provided hats and plastic sheets .. I was still soaked!

The Mekong River near Hoh Chi Minh .. Apparently the Monsoon Season is starting!

And on the last dive trip .. we had a little engine trouble!

View from my Beach Hut .. managed 3 days of diving, sunbathing and eating :-) !!! Sorry no photos of fish this time!

My beach hut is the 2nd from left!

My first view of Whale Island

Basket weaving on the door step

Visited a Silk Worm Farm and then Factory in Dalat (quite barbaric as they boil them alive)

Giraffe spotting in Dalat .. you will have to wait until I come home for the Kangaroo, Bear and Crocodile!

More views

You could stay tin the house for as little at 10 dollars per night .. the only drawbacking was having to be up early so the tourists could look around..so I declined!