Day 64

Susan and Samantha had spent the previous day in town while we were out on the bikes and kayaks. They'd discussed what we should all do today so we headed off for one more waterfall and the Pak Ou caves that we'd passed by boat a few days before.

1 The caves entrance

Our waiter the previous night had smartly asked our intentions for the next days activity - he had then revealed himself to be a driver by day and gave us a good price to hire him and his tuk tuk all day. We got a fair price, not the cheapest but he was a nice guy and we wanted him to have our business.

The Pak Ou caves were a bit disappointing. It was nearly an hour to get there and the upper caves required you to rent a torch to look around. That's really low of them to do that - if you have something to see, light it up for people! I imagined what it would be like looking round the Valley of the Kings in Egypt if they gave you a crappy torch to use inside instead of the illuminating strip lights. Still I liked looking at the Buddhas on show in the lower caves and took a few pictures. At lunch we were joined by our driver and I asked him things about his life in Laos. Apparently his tuk tuk was actually his parents that he rents off them if he gets a days work from tourists. Had he not been with us today he would have been in the workshop carving wood figures - also to be sold to tourists.

2 Buddhas inside the cave

In the afternoon we visited another waterfall it was less impressive overall but had a good few places to jump in from. I enjoyed jumping in from the main waterfall and got Samantha to video it - we did a few takes but I liked the first one best so that's the one I'm posting.

Samantha and Patrick (or Peels as we call him now - his surname and what Samantha calls him) celebrated 10 years together today and invited us all out to the barbecue place again. The barbecue is a bit like the hot pots only this time you get a terracotta pot full of hot charcoal put in the middle of the table to cook on. Raw meats and veg get brought along as ordered. The veg is done by boiling in a soup that flows around the outside of the grill like a sort of moat. I love it and tonight I had some of the fish on over including squid and huge prawns. We all had a lot to drink and the happy couple paid for everything - thanks again Sam and Peels if you're reading.

3 One wooden decaying Buddha

4 Around the cave

5 The view from the caves and the restaurant

6 The waterfall

7 The video

8 Patrick and Samantha

9 The meal