2016 Our Awesome Year!
The year 2016 was a busy one! We managed 4500 sea miles, 603km by train, 14700km by plane and 3115km by automobiles (including 1065km on scooters!) Have a look at our journey in photos!
The year 2016 was a busy one! We managed 4500 sea miles, 603km by train, 14700km by plane and 3115km by automobiles (including 1065km on scooters!) Have a look at our journey in photos!
Whatever land-locked Laos lacks in beachside attractions, it more than makes up for with stunning landscapes and dramatic beauty. Whether it’s relaxing amid the coffee farms of the Bolaven Plateau or exploring dark caves in an adrenaline rush of excitement; marvelling at giant prehistoric stone jars or trying to catch a glimpse of the rare Irrawaddy Dolphin, Laos has something for everyone!
The countryside hurtled by to the soundtrack of excruciatingly loud music and a blaring bus horn. Landmarks, and local villages, merely a blur as we shot past without slowing, barely missing small children, dogs, pigs and chickens… we didn’t miss the cow. I knew we were about to hit something when the driver hit the brakes so hard I was thrown forward in my seat. Transport in Laos can be an adventure and, for us, that adventure started a few days before the incident with the cow, and continued on for a couple of weeks there after…
Kuang Si Waterfall is simply stunning. The turquoise water is at centerstage and when you first see it, it momentarily blinds you to anything else. It is blue! Really blue, not brown, not clear… but blue. I don’t know what it is, but swimming in blue water somehow makes the experience all the more special. It’s true! You don’t see the advertising companies showing you photos of the windy overcast days on the Great Barrier Reef… but believe me they happen!
We were really looking forward to our cruise down the Mekong River and it didn’t disappoint. We had heard mixed reviews from people on the slow-boats, the majority of which were positive but still mixed, so we had a decision to make. We did choose to pay a little extra to have some of the organising done for us. With Nagi of Mekong, getting to the border from our hotel in Chiang Khong, crossing the border and getting to the boat was all taken care of. For us that was a bonus. It probably saved us a day or two, which meant more time in Laos! The cruise included accommodation, village tours, rice whiskey tasting, hot buffet meals and drinks and tour of caves…
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