Thailand and Laos pictures

We've just finished a whirlwind 8 day tour of Laos, would have liked to have seen more but we're heading back to Bangkok tonight! Going to meet up with friends Ross and Rea from Taiwan - so excited :)

Last time we were in Bangkok we stayed 2 weeks, waiting for visas and enjoying the warm weather. We did some of the sightseeing things too... spent a day visiting the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (which is actually jade!). We also did a one-day tour taking in the floating market, bridge over the river Kwai and a big pagoda/stupa thing. We loved Bangkok, everyday I ate piles of fresh fruit and veggies... such a wonderful change from all the heavy breads/rice in India. We spent some time shopping for things to have when we get home and even got tailor-made suits for when we head back to the working world!

In Laos we did the three very touristed places (it can't be helped when you're on a tight schedule!!) and packed in as much as we could. I feel like we've been on a bus for the last 8 days!! We headed to Vang Vieng first, and did some tubing down the river, which was tons of fun outside of the fact that the sun barely came out and we froze!! Then we went to Luang Prabang, saw a few wats (temples) and the Mekong river... all nice but we found it very expensive so stayed only one night (we sneakily shared one single bed in a dorm and snuck out early the next morning before we were found out!!! tee hee). Next was Phonsavanh, where I ate a worm ("snack food" we were told) and we took a day tour to see the Plain of Jars... beautiful. The Plain of Jars is a group of historical sights containing thousands of stone jars (a kind of sandstone I think) dotted about the countryside. Nobody really knows how old the jars are but they are believed to be about 2000 years old. It is thought that they were built by an ancient Mon-Khmer race and there are various theories as to what they were used for - one is that they were used to hold rice/wine for celebrations and another is that they are funeral urns. All very interesting.

Now we're in Vientiane (capital of Laos), which is a nice little city but again, too expensive for us. We're struggling to stick to our daily budget these days, which is a little stressful, but hopefully we'll have enough to last till we get home :o)

Here are the photos - they should be bigger this time so easier to see!

Big beard boy at the Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok


Me showing off the painted walls inside the Grand Palace


Us in front of some God-guard things at the Palace (note the recently trimmed beard and hair - much better!!)


A lady selling her wares on the floating market


Bridge over the River Kwai


On the bridge (jealous Dad??)


Food from Bangkok (cheap and yummy!)


Tubing down the river in Vang Vieng, Laos


The tubing was fun, the views were gorgeous, but the river was COLD! 4 hours of this and my feet felt as cold as they did at Everest Base Camp!!


Most beautiful picture taken of this gorgeous kid in Laos


Me don't like to eat the worm, but me eat it! Gross! (actually it tasted a bit like a Chinese tea egg, wierd)


Chilling next to the jars (outside Phonsavanh, Laos)


Oi, don't fall down the jar... come back fool!