Khoun & Khone Bungalows Luang Prabang

... faces didn't show any<br>frustration. Finally, did we mention that the food was great!<br><br><br><br> One<br>of the first restaurants we ate at hooked us in immediately: Tamarind<br>&#8211; a small restaurant owned by an Australian woman and her Laos<br>husband. Incredible authentic Lao food and it is tied in with<br>helping the community (trains young workers) so it feels good to eat<br>here &#8211; and it's ...

... Buddhas glinting from within ornate shrines. The population potter around the town by slowly pedalled bicycles or stuttering tuktuks, and in the early mornings orange-robed monks go about their business around the town, sweeping pavements, tending to the gardens, and collecting alms from the townspeople. It's a world where time seems to stand still, transporting the visitor to a distant time and place. <br><br> It is ...

... a name-less layover town which I'm pretty sure existed for the sole purpose of pumping money out of the tourists on the slow boat. The tourist industry is the main, if not the only, source of income in many of these places, and this is a trend which has repeated itself over my time in Asia: the instant your foot hits the ground off a bus, boat, train, etc.. you are bombarded by touters--yelling at you, shoving signs and brochures in your face, grabbing your arm and literally ...

... on you. We somehow made it to the bus station and got some goodies from the bakery. We were glad we had paid for an a/c bus feeling the way we did and saw some nice looking buses at the station. Our bus however was the really old tatty put your luggage on the roof bus behind them, there must be some mistake surely? Nope that was our bus for the rough ride to Phonosavan I sat next to a bag of rice and Mei and the bag of rice was better conversation! Although I am backpacking ...

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... go by minibus. They explained the boat was slow, dangerous, and the stopover city would rip us off. This was NOT the case. But the bus did sound better because it would get you to Luang Prabang a day earlier. In the end though, I decided to go on the boat which I had already booked and which I have heard of very little problems from other travelers.<br> The slow boat was to last 2 days, 7-9 hours each day on the ...

... felt good on a hot day. Minnows ravaged the scabs on my knees from volleyball. Jeffery went behind me and Marta chose to just walk into the freezing pool of water. We went off the rope a couple more times before I wanted more. I wanted to jump off of the waterfall and I've seen pictures of people doing it here, I just wasn't sure where. I had just started my trip over the base of the falls to inspect for shallow rocks when a guy appeared at the top of the falls. It was about a 12 ...

... was great and everyone had their plan. As most of the others had booked the speed boat option, i decided i couldn't resist in letting them in on some advise that i had read. Basically that in the dry season, it is advised not to travel by this method, as the water is low and underwater rocks are a very real hazard and the boat travels at breakneck speed. Apparently a few people are killed every year. Immediately on hearing this advise, the 2 ...

... rows of wooden bench seats with thin cushions on them lining both sides of the boat. Glad I took the guidebook's advice to buy a cushion! I had two 8 hour days ahead of me so a little extra padding would be welcome. <br><br><br><br>We pushed off at about noon and were soon lazily motoring past bamboo hut ...

... a stretch of Route 13 that some say is noted for its bandit and rebel attacks. Although we didn't suffer any such attacks, the bus journey was a pretty depressing affair that we were not keen to repeat. For ease but not economy, we bought tickets to get on a bus that only caters for falangs and goes direct to Luang Prabang. On this bus we ended up sitting behind a German girl dressed in shocking pink with the kind of voice you associate with megaphones and prison yards. She ...