Chiang Mai
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Hop skip & jump to get here. Flew to Sydney the night before -- perhaps presciently as many domestic flights were cancelled the next day due to strong winds. Flew to Singas for another overnight. ThenEn savoir plus
Hop skip & jump to get here. Flew to Sydney the night before -- perhaps presciently as many domestic flights were cancelled the next day due to strong winds. Flew to Singas for another overnight. ThenEn savoir plus
Morning excursion was to an elephant park. It was billed as a sanctuary/training ground but was more like elephants doing tricks for humans and for tips. Not quite my cuppa.
Afternoon excursion wasEn savoir plus
We bused for about 3 hrs up to Chang Rai to stay the night close to the Mekong River so that we can get there early enough to catch a boat in the morning. We stopped on the way for lunch at a greatEn savoir plus
An early start -- 4:45am -- to prepare for the bus ride to the Lao border and the Mekong. One thing. The coffee has got a lot worse. At the hotel it was like diluted tar and on the boat it is instantEn savoir plus
Another early-ish start to get to our destination -- Luang Prabang -- before dark. We did about 380 km in 2 days by boat. Stopped at another village -- a little more prosperous with aEn savoir plus
Luang Prabang used to be the capital of Laos before it was shifted (to Vientiane) due to vulnerability to attack from neighbours. One of its main features is French colonial architecture after theEn savoir plus
The stories of the day were picturesque countryside and the state of infrastructure. We moved 300 km inland and into the mountains to Phonsavan. The scenery and the villages along the way wereEn savoir plus
Seeing the Plain of Jars was the main point in coming to these parts. They are hollow cylinders made out of sandstone. They date back to the 5th century or so but are shrouded in mystery. Nobody knowsEn savoir plus
A trip to the markets started the day. Just about every living thing -- or part of a formerly living thing -- was up for sale. Too many wriggly things. And you would need to get in early because thereEn savoir plus
They say Vientiane doesn't offer a lot as a city. They're probably right. It has some monumental government buildings, some wide streets and some parks. We visited the victory arch, the golden stupaEn savoir plus
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Sue celebrates arrival in Sydney
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Good pix