Pu Luong Swing Walk by Matt

We hadn't bothered to shut the curtains so we were woken up by the sun rising over the distant hills to reveal to the breath taking views of rice fields, the stunning panorama visible through the wall to wall windows from our beds! A low cloud hung over peaks but it was otherwise a clear blue sky.

There was no sign of the giant cockroach in the bathroom, which I'd found last night clinging to the side of my toothbrush. We got ready, roused the children from next door and went out to seek the egg chef. Eashan had discovered a new breakfast favourite consisting of purple sticky rice, rolled up in a palm leaf like a cigar, dipped in chopped peanuts.

Sunny filled us in on our day's activities, consisting of walking, waterfalls, waterwheels and rafting! We set off directly from the homestay and shortly came to a beautiful swing, decorated with colourful ribbons and perched on a ledge above the rice terraces. We took turns to have a go and, with the rice fields below and jungle in the distance, it felt, as the kids remarked, that you were on top of the world.

After traversing the mud walls to a rock for a photo, Sunny paid a nearby shop the swing fee and we borrowed her tap to wash our feet, we set off down the winding road, lush green rice terraces either side.

The road descended into the valley, becoming steeper and steeper, until we reached a shallow river that we needed to cross. It was cooling and a welcome relief from the muggy heat, the boys completely immersing themselves and sliding over the rocks with the current.

From there we trekked through some villages, passing ladies using basic looms to make scarves, smiling children and old men sleeping in hammocks all underneath their wooden houses on stilts. One little boy was even keen to exchange fist pumps with Arushi and Simi.

We finished up at a small nondescript village and ate at a very basic place, little more than an open kitchen and a few tables, with either fried noodles or noodle soup on the menu. Opting for chicken and veg fried noodles, we admired and smelled the various containers of rice wine flavoured with fruit, goat legs and even snake!Read more