Lynne's travel news

As you all know, Lynne is currently travelling in Laos, before going on to China. Here's her latest news.....

Well have just arrived back in Vientiane (the capital) from an absolutely wonderful time in northern Laos.

Spent quite a few days in Luang Prabang which is the old capital and full of wonderfull French colonial architecture and great baguettees. My standard breakfast was to stroll down to the one of the small food vendors and get a small baguette with cream cheese with the freshest tomato and lettuce and this great spicy chutney all for about 75 cents.

Didn't often bother with lunch as it was so hot. The great fruit shakes were enough to keep me going to dinner. Mind you nothing as exotic as the fruit drinks in Brasil but still cold and yummy.

Spent a few days up river at a Hmong village which can only be reached by boat. Had a bungalow over looking the river which was very low because it is the dry season but still beautiful. Great place to relax, take a sauna, short walks and enjoy more fruit shakes.

Took the boat all the way back to Luang Prabang down the Nam Ou which eventually joined the Mekong. The deforestation is a real problem but there is no viable alternative yet for the farmers.

Dragged myself out of bed (twice) to watch the alms giving procession in the early morning. I really enjoyed it at Muang Ngoi where it was much more serene and the monks after receiving the alms stopped and gave a blessing.

One of the highlights was a overnight trip to visit the Asian Elephant Camp. They have a range of different activities and I chose to help out with the elephants. So we got to ride on their necks, return them to the jungle for feeding and fetch them in the morning and wash them in the river.

It was such a wonderful experience and a chance to contribute to saving them as they expect the Asian elephant will be extinct in the wild in 50 years.

The camp also has a 3 year old male who is just like a naughty child. Loves attention and is very wilfull.

So it is a day or so in Vientiane, more temples and then onto Bangkok and China.

Oh almost forgot. Whilst I was at the Elephant Camp the mahouts and guides had a little jam session. One guy (actually the mahout I was working with) could belt out a mean rhythm with a plastic buket and bamboo sticks. I was trying to recruit him for the samba group but I don't think he quite understood.