Good bye (for now) Asia!

Whelp....the time has come. Tonight I hop on a plane to head back home. After 23 hours of flying, I will touch down on American soil after being away from it for 16 months. I am a huge ball of mixed emotions.

While teaching in Thailand was amazing, the part of the last 16months that has my heart is my last few months of travel.

I have been to my first full moon party, got my open water diving certification, solo traveled through Laos, then through Vietnam, got robbed, got injured, got tattooed, and pierced, and saw so many sunrises and sunsets along the way.

Life of a SE Asia traveler is never lonely...I went all the way through Vietnam and in each town, I was greeted by my friends that I made along the way. From my first travel bud in Southern Laos, to my Vang Vieng boys from Canada and Germany....then my French Canadian boys that I met in VV and saw all over Vietnam, the many Belgians boys (TIN TIN DID NOT GO TO VIETNAM), the Ninja Turtle Group, the crazy English kids, to my final dinner club (piercing club). My last days in Vietnam could not have been more perfect - thanks to my dinner club. The best broads a girl can meet while traveling alone. We all shared crazy nights, crazier mornings, and got to experience the culture of the countries we were in.

But....it's time to move on. I'll have a month in the states, then I'm off again - to South Korea. for a year.

So SE Asia - I wish it wasn't time, but I have to go. I would love to stay and keep leaving my marks all over your countryside, but there's too many people looking forward to having some Apes back in their life.

Until we meet again.....Khob Khun Kha, Jesu Tin Ba Deh, Khob Jai, Come On.

Sawasdee Kha,
Apes

Open ticket bus through 'Nam.

First off...betcha don't know what Nam means in Vietnamese. In Thai it's water...but here? Five!! Or South. One or the other, I can't remember now. Oh well. To the bus...

While in Hue I got an "open ticket" to the rest of the country. I am going to Hoi An, Nha Trang, Dalat, then Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Well lucky me, because that's the route of the sleeper bus! As in, I paid 50usd and I have tickets to each place, whenever I want! Sleeper bus style! What's that like? AWESOME is what it is. If you've ever done a regular overnight bus, you know how much it sucks. But here, I've got my own little mini bed by the window for me and fifty. The regular train from Hanoi to Hue was like 35usd, so I totally lucked out with paying what I did. Now I don't have to budget (haha budget!) In travel costs. And I'm comfy!

New fav way to travel!

I had ended this post on my phone (to be uploaded when I got to internet) but then we had our first pit stop. I hop off the bus and collide with...Daniel! My Ninja Turtle friend from Vang Vieng! He is on his way to Hoi An as well, so we chatted up during our break. Then his bus headed out, and as I went to get on mine, another bus pulled up and out popped the Belgiums! We exchanged hotel info...and then it was my turn to head on out.

Oh what a small world it is traveling SE Asia!!

Chin Jiao!
Apes :)

Egg coffee

Ok. Just to warn, Vietnam social networking sucks. So I'm left to my phone to blog (again) so get ready for random, out of order posts.

1st up.....coffee! Specifically, egg coffee.

Who likes coffee? Everyone, right? Even if you don't like it, you prob put a ton of sweetner and stuff in it and then you DO like, right? Well, that's what I do.

Until Vietnam. THE BEST COFFEE IN THE WORLD!! Yes, it's true. And it's not a specific kind. It is everywhere! On every corner, grab a glass of coffee for about 15000dong (75cents usd). It's not a starbucks size (becuase who needs that much anyways) but it's delicious, refreshing, and a pick me up. And you can get it iced!

But then...in the midst of Hanoi lies a shop which features egg coffee. Yes, coffee with egg in it. OH MY BUDDHA that ish is BANGING!! Derrick took me, and he got a hot one, tasty, and I got a cold one...cake batter anyone? Yes, please said my taste buds. It's a secret family recipe, and the only place that makes it.

Lonely Planet needs to get on that!

Man, I could go for another right now...

Chin Jiao!!
Apes :)

Bier Hoi...Beer Soi?

Looking for a beer in Vietnam? On a budget? No problem! Vietnam has "beir hoi" stands all over. What is it? It's a street of self brewed beer stands! (In Thai it would be considered a soi of beers!)

The beers are cheap, usually around 5000 or 10000 dong. That's around 25-50 cents! And each stand brews their own. Think of quarter microbrews. Nuts!

I've been to a few of them now, and it's the quickest service ever. We sit in babystools, and just keep getting our beers refilled. It's a great place to make friends too! Just street-sitting, drinking cheap beer.

The only problem is that they close around 11ish....

Chin Jiao!
Apes :)

Last thoughts on Laos...

Time to leave. Ive been in the country for about 2 weeks, and went from the southern part to the northern part. Here are my random thoughts before I leave...

- Your country is the most colorful I've been to as of yet. I've seen colors I never knew existed!
- You have the most serene, and the most wild areas I've ever been too.
- I hate your day buses! I lost a lot of time since there aren't night busses...but I understand since all the roads are on cliffs
- I love your baguettes.
- You've introduced me to some really fun fellow travelers!
- I've seen more child monks than adult monks
- You have so much history relating to you and the US, and I never knew any of it!
- One day I need a sweatshirt, and the next I'm melting my face off.
- Your clouds are simply the best I've seen
- I had more hot showers with you then when I traveled in Thailand...I didn't even have to have a cold shower one time!

Laos were the first country I truely back packed through...and you never forget your first :)

As JayZ says...on to the next one!

Sabadii,
Apes :)

Luang Prabang

A World Heritage Site. And with good reason!

When I stepped off the tuk tuk, I looked down the street. WOW! I found the cleanest place in Laos! It was the epitome of "quaint". Little boutiques of shops lined the streets, with bicycles and scooters lined out in front. In the middle of the street was the Palace Museum, and across from that, a Wat on the top of a hill with an phenomenal view of LP.

While I was there, I decided to stay in a "Lonely Planet" Guesthouse and splurge a little. $15usd a night!! AHH, ROBBING ME BLIND! But-it was completely worth it. I had a comfortable huge bed, a flat screen (not sure why this was even in the room), an actual closet, wifi IN THE ROOM, 2 bottles of water, fresh (and clean) towels, and the bathroom - a shower that didn't soak the toilet and actual shelves to put my toiletries. Yup - this was backpacker paradise.

That night I met up with 2 guys that I met in Phonsavan and we had dinner down at the river and they told me about their day (as they had arrived the night before). Then we headed to the night market and had a beer. But then I had to be off, I had to book a tour for the next day....

When I woke up, it was off to the tour office. I started my day with a 2 hour boat ride to the Whiskey Village and Buddha Caves. The whiskey village was exactly that...a village that made and sold whiskey. And not normal whiskey. Snake whiskey. Scorpion whiskey. BEAR whiskey. Yeah, pretty gross stuff there.

The Buddha caves were a different story though! The caves were right on the water, and full of THOUSANDS of Buddha statues. It was like a huge Easter Egg Hunt, but for Buddha Statues!

After the caves, we headed back to the mainland and I was on to the next part of my tour...waterfall time (yup, another one!). I think this may be my favorite waterfall so far. You get to the park and on the first stop is a Bear Rescue Camp. ADORABLE Sun Bears just playing and swinging and rolling around. I imagine they are rescuing them from being made into a whiskey.

After the bear rescue center, I continued on to the waterfall. I came upon it, and it was a wonderful green blue, with little falls dumping into it. People were swimming and I though, eh this is cool. Then I went up a level, and it got better! Bigger falls, more swimmers, and a bridge! Ok, getting better. THEN, I went up to the top....Big Falls that people were jumping off of, a rope swing being used, and tons of swimmers. It was like a big party! When I got in, I was getting nipped at my feet! Little minnows were cleaning my cuts :) In Thailand you have to pay for the minnow massage!!

I stayed for about 2 hours, then headed back to town. Time to book my flight to VIETNAM! I headed to the ticket booth, and who did I happen to pass? Jessie and Yezzi - my favorite VV'ers!! So after I booked my ticket, we went to the night market for dinner. It's an actual buffet! You grab a plate (10,000kip) and fill it high with random Laos food. Best dinner spot ever! It was great to spend my last night in Laos with them...and I hope our paths cross again (but not in VV!)

Then I got a GREAT night sleep again in my FAB guesthouse...and slept in. Ahh, no bus to catch, no early tour, just sleep! I took my time checking out, then wandered over to the temple on the hill. The view of LP was stunning!

Then it was off to catch my tuk tuk...VIETNAM GET READY, BECAUSE HERE I COME!!

Sabadii,
Apes :)

Guesthouse or Roachhouse?

So before I got to Phonsavan, I met a girl in Vientiane who gave me a gusthouse recommendation. Since most travelers share the best and worst guesthouse experiences, and I hadn't been let down before, I went with her suggestion for Phonsavan.

Night 1...when trying to charge electronics, I kept getting shocked. I figured all my stuff was wet from VV, and it was my fault.

The next day I checked out and went to get a bus to my next town. On my way out, I was given the info that there's only 1 bus a day, and it's early in the morning. Alright then....looks like I need the room again. Instead of going back to my original room, I chose the next price down. I understood it to mean I was sharing a bathoom. No biggie, it was one night. I could deal.

Night 2...I set my alarm and head to bed early. I'm finally asleep only to be woken by the sounds of roach legs scurrying around in the trashcan. So I freak out and put the trashcan in the hall. Then I wrap myself up FULLY in my cocoon travel blanket and slowly fall back asleep. Then it happens again...so of course there is NO CHANCE IN HELL that I am going to be able to get back to sleep. So I go into the lobby, lights are off and no one is there. I can't even go outside for fresh air as they have locked the main door.

...So here I am, midnight unable to sleep in my own room. But don't worry...I am NOT in that room. There was a key on the reception counter, beside the log book. I checked the log book, and the key is for the room of the 2 guys that I met in VV that shared my van to this town. I check the check out date, and they were already checked out, and no one new had checked in...of the whole guesthouse since the day before.

So yes, I took the key and now I'm sitting in the unoccupied room. I've checked for bugs, and didn't find any but don't really feel that comfortable trying to go back to sleep....

Let's hope these next 7 hours go by quickly and bugless.

I will definitely be springing for a $15usd room in the next town.

Sabadii,
Apes

UXO Museum

Before I left Phansavan, I stopped into the World Education Laos museum. It is to help support survivors from Unexploded Ordanances (UXO). These people make cloth products; t-shirts, wallets, keychains, and buying them helps to support their medical costs. The museum has a short film that features survivors, and you can even get a massage from a survivor.

I took a picture of a sign, and it was a cartoon showing examples of  where/how they were injured...

-a young girl saying "i was walking to school"
-a young boy saying "I was playing with a ball"

And others just as similar. How depressing! You couldn't even play outside without feeling unsafe.

I also looked at one of the books on display "Voices From The Plains" and I read a story about a Monk that was shot down, because he "wasn't yet in the holes". I didn't understand that until I learned that they lived in holes to protect them from the bombs. Another passage read that many of the person's family died because they "didn't yet have holes".

There is also a chalkboard that is set up, and every time a new person is injured, they name goes on the board. 20 names were added just last year.

 All this was done by America.

-Apes

Plain of Jars

After the crazy time in VV...it was time to get back to seeing the REAL sites of Laos....next stop, Phonsavan. Also known as being the home to the Plain of Jars.

The Plains are very interesting, and I learned some good history today. At one point there was a "secret war" and America bombed Laos more than it has bombed ANY other country. Already - I thought, "Well, I did NOT learn that in History Class!!"

Once at the Plains - I got to see these Giant Stone "Jars". They date back to a time where it's been thought of that they were used for Tombs, and would bury people in them.

Well, that has nothing to do with the war.

The town was so bombed during the war, that even years later the unexploded bombs would go off, and the locals would die or be injured. So, the MAG group (which was really just women recruited for this job) were brought in to search out the bombs and remove them. The Village would hear the bombs go over and get excited, because once MAG would be done - they could live a safe life and not worry about bombs exploding on their walk to the market. There was even one bomb large enough that an elephant had been brought in to remove it! Pretty interesting, huh???

Well, there are still some that haven't been uncovered, so you HAVE to stay on the paths (no worries for me, I wasn't risking it!. The safe area was marked with small MAG cement blocks....it represented a bomb that the group had found and removed, and it was safe to walk there. THERE WERE SOO MANY!!! Every few feet there would be one or two.

So, the Plains not only have unexploded bombs - they also have ruins from CENTURIES ago....what a mix of interesting stuff.

One of the MANY Jars

Trench Line from the Secret War

 

See the white stone? There's where a bomb was recovered...there's 3 of them just in this tiny strip of land itself

 

TONS of Jars!!!

 Sabadii,
Apes :)

...and then there was Vang Vieng.

Here's the best way to describe this tiny little town in the Northern part of Laos, completely surrounded in mountains:

"Each time a young Australian woman strolls down the street in a bikini, a bearded American smokes a joint on a guesthouse terrace, or a group of Koreans tumbles drunkenly out of a restaurant..."

That lovely description is what Poppa Dukes read about the town I would be visiting. 

Now, I will say I was completely aware of the reputation of the town, and the holding pattern it has on people. However, I was aware that there were actual other things to do then just tube. But, with tubing being the biggest attraction (and a favorite summer hobby of mine) I was of course going to participate.  


I was warned I would stay longer than I planned, that I might even see someone drown. 

I planned on 2 nights - arriving in the evening, tubing the night day, then leaving the day after. VV had a different plan...and it started in Vientiane (Laos' Capitol). 

While in Vientiane, I made friends (who, me??) and they were both heading to VV the following day - but on different buses. 

I took the afternoon bus, and ended up riding with the German, Fabian. Once there, we found a guesthouse, and went to grab some food. 

On the way back from dinner - we were stopped by fliers. "FREE BUCKETS AT SMILE BAR FROM 10-11pm" Hmm, ok. Let's go have a bucket, and see what the bar is like, and then I was going to call it a night, and Fabs would keep partying on. I wanted to save my party for the river the next day. 

So, we continued on to Smile Bar - and got stopped again by Fliers "FREE BUCKETS FROM 9-10 AT BUCKET BAR". Well, since it was a few minutes past 9, and the Smile Bar was still further away, we turned and headed to Buckets for our free bucket. Since it was early, there wasn't too much going on. Not too many people (except a few stragglers straight off the river). We got our buckets and grabbed a seat to watch the crowd come in. Then we were invited to a card game...and joined. The woman in charge of the game was Jessie - and she's Canadian, living in VV. During the game, she decided I was fun (because come on, we ALL know that is quite a true statement) and planned to take me under her wing. In reality - she was trying to recruit me to work in VV. Anyways, after our bucket (we only had the 1) she gave us a tour of the rest of the bar area so we could see the area. Guess where she took us? SMILE BAR! There she introduced us to the bartenders/owners and we proceeded to grab our free buckets there, and I was then being recruited for THIS bar by an English Broad named Lara.. Of course, we would only be staying at Smile Bar for 1 bucket - and while I was busy working on mine, we found Steve! Steve from Canada that took the morning bus from Vientiane! He already had gotten a free shirt from Smile and it was too small - so he gifted it over to me. Well, this was turning into a fun time!

But Jessie wasn't done with us yet...we had to see Jaidee's bar (it's also in Lonely Planet). There's a big drug history of Jaidee's bar - but that's not while we were going. We were going because her boyfriend was working the bar. Another bucket? Ok, ok. So we had some dancing fun, and Jessie kept trying to recuit me. But she doesn't even work in the bar! She said "Come to the river tomorrow and I'll show you where I work". Whelp, since the river was the plan anyways - I was in!

The next morning, I met with my Vientiane crew - Fab, Steve, and Steve's girl. We grabbed our tubes, and hopped on the truck. 

NOTE:  There are 2 tubing places open in town, and each is open on the opposite day of the other. With every tube you pay for ($6usd) a dollar goes towards the WHOLE town. So the whole town is helped out - with working on tube registration, tuk tuking, and the ferry to the other side of the river.


Ok - we were at the river! We handed out tubes over to the Laos men, and they ferried us on over to the other side of the river...aka, the first bar. Now, this is where I learned people can get so drunk they drown, or get some other injury, or lose a tube (me), or anything else. 


When you walk in, you are given a shot of the local Laos whiskey. Then you're on your way in to play in the bar and make friends. Then you can either walk to the next bar, or grab a tube and tube a few feet over. 


Of course, we tubed! I was getting my $6 worth!! So after making friends and experiencing Q-Bar, we grabbed our tubes, and tubed about 2 minutes to the next bar. Oh, NO! How do we get out!??!?! Oh, silly me...The Laos men on the dock of the bar throw ropes with water bottles tied to them, and we catch them and they reel them in (and it's hard work, they let me try to reel people in the 2nd round of tubing I did). So we settled into the next bar (Star Bar) with our welcome shot, and then we saw Jessie! Of course, she was playing cards. I still am not sure WHAT exactly she does on the river, besides occasional go behind the bar to hand out free shots. Oh, and head up the card games and drunk Jenga. 


Now - this bar I had been told most people don't make it past. "Most people don't get past the second bar!" Well, of course, I took that as a challenge. I was making it to Bar III. Yes, the name was BAR 3. Simple. So after some dancing, and meeting our friends from the 1st bar - we tubed it on over to Bar 3. YAY, I MADE IT!!!! So of course, we had our welcome shot...and grabbed some food, then danced around this bar. Fabs decided to participate in the jumping off their deck since this was where the river was the deepest. NO JUMPING FOR ME! Luckily, I didn't see any injuries :)


Then Fabs dipped out to the next bar, so I was tubing and dancing with my beer pong partner - Amine (also Canadian). We stopped at some other bars - but were pretty empty. At the last bar - my tube went missing!!! By this time it was pretty dark, and I had already lost 2 pairs of sunglasses in the river. So we headed to the mainland to grab our tuk tuk home....and that's where I lost my shoes. Ugh. I am surprised I still had my head screwed on by this point - I lose everything!!!

So I headed back to the room, and ran into Fabs so him and I grabbed some food and wandered over to Bucket Bar to meet with Jessie. And once again, we were stopped by "free bucket fliers" for Smile, and then again by Bucket Bar. Although this time we were stopped - they already knew us! "April, Fabian - you guys coming to our bar right??" Ok, guys and gals - we'll be there!!But before we could go in, I had some business to take care of...

...A fella named Murray had a necklace I had been eying. I had seen the necklace on a friend from Surat before I got to VV - so I was on the look-out. It's made with can tops. Ok, it sounds pretty stupid - but it's really cool. And only the workers have them. So, of course, I wanted one. And my dimples were ready to be put to effect! I had garnered Murray's necklace the night before - so when I met him outside of Bucket Bar I had to "complete the necklace" Each top had 4 tops attached to it, but his had one link that only had 3. So, I had to complete that so it could really be mine. Complete it you say? Yes, with a shotgun. All the tops are from shotgunning beers - since they lived there, they had plenty of time to complete a million of them! So, while he was dressed up like a tree, and another bar worker was dressed as a bumblebee - we shotgunned. My necklace is complete!


Ok - time to get into the bar, and meet up with our river friends. We hung out with that crew for a while, then we all moved back over to Smile Bar - best dancing area...and that's where it happened. I got proposed to.


Another Canadian (yes, ANOTHER) that I had met on the river decided to tell me how I was the coolest person he's ever met. While, I believe this was totally true, I was still skeptical about this local. I ended up chatting with him for a while, then he casually threw in the proposal. Ok, sure we can get married. IF YOU HAVE A RING! Well, way to be MacGyver! The bartenders "performed the ceremony" and Lara was my maid of honor. So, when it was ring time (the "ceremony" last all of "do you have a ring?" "Ok - you're married!!") they pulled out a phone charger that had been tied off to a ring. And then we were labeled newlyweds. Whew - good thing I didn't have to sing any certificates!!!! So the rest of the night the Canadian - Ladic - told everyone how I was his wife. Well, good thing I had already made enough friends on the river that not too many of them believed it! But it was still was a fun way to "get married".


The next day, Fabian had decided to rent a scooter so we could see the caves and lagoons around the outskirts of town. And I am sooo happy we did. They were BEAUTIFUL! We made it a whole day, and even caught the sunset on the way home. Then we got to meet up with Steve for dinner - and I told him I'd go have ONE beer with him at Bucket so I could say goodbye to Jessie as this was to be my last night...but again, VV had other ideas.


Once there - we ran back into the same crew - and I told them all it was last night. But, it was for all my river friends too! So we mingled at Buckets, then went to go dance for a little at Smile. Of course, I ran into "the wedding party" and told them how I was leaving.....


....and then the next morning when I met Steve and Fabian for breakfast, Fabian was going scootering again, and Steve was going tubing again. So I figured since I lost my tube the first time - I would try it again and NOT lose it. So we headed to the tubes, and hopped on the tuk tuk, and did it all over again. But this time, we knew what we were doing! I spent less time at each bar - still made new friends, but when it started to rain, I went straight to the docks of the bars, and danced in the rain! I can't decide which was more fun - tubing in the sun or dancing in the rain! Of course, whenever I got to a new bar I was greeted with "April!!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE LEAVING TODAY!!!" Yeah, well....VV!! They of course were all happy I was still there.


But - I finally DID get my bus - the NEXT DAY! 


Oh Vang Vieng....you are one of the craziest places I never knew existed. You are full of fun, but I am happy to put you behind me! 


Good thing I had saved my "party time" of these countries to that place...now I can relax and mellow out for the rest of my trip. 


Long Live VV,
Apes :)

Sidenote about the town:Every bar/restaurant ONLY played Friends or Family Guy. And, since it was low season, not all of the bars were open, so everyone from the river became like a little family when we were around the town (as in, the town is TINY - and everyone you meet, you meet on the river).

Wat Phu

It’s times like right now that I simply cannot stop wondering how I ended up where I am. I’m sitting in a tiny town called Champasak, in Southern Laos. The sun is setting, and a thunderstorm is rolling over the Mekong River which is right in front of me. And I’m elbows deep in a delicious bowl of Tom Yum. This moment almost didn’t even happen!

I left the 4 Thousand Islands (Si Phan Don) and almost skipped over Champasak. I had originally put this town on my list due to the ruins that it holds. Then, I had decided to skip it to save on time. But at the last minute I thought “I came to see Southern Laos, and that’s what I’m going to do!” So I got my ticket – and jumped on the bus. 

BOY AM I HAPPY I DECIDED TO STOP IN! I got into the town in the afternoon (after 2 boat rides, and a minivan ride) and as I stepped onto the land, I found a man who owned a guesthouse with cheap rooms (think $4.00USD) and a free Tuk Tuk ride to get there! Whelp, I can’t say no to that. So I hopped on his Tuk Tuk with a “Khob Jai” and he laughed and told me my “Laos Speak – very good!”

Once at the guesthouse, I had a quick lunch of a chicken sandwich (everything comes in a baguette!!!) then I grabbed a motorbike tuk tuk from across the street and headed to the reason for my stop: Wat Phu Champasak (a national world heritage site).

I rode through town, passing mini Wats, and it looked like we were headed straight towards the biggest mountain in town. Oh, well guess what – WE WERE!!! We stopped at the foot of the mountain and my driver said “I wait here”. So I got my ticket, and went in. 

I had no expectations what so ever of Wat Phu. It wasn’t like Angkor Wat in Cambodia where EVERYONE has visited and I kinda know what to expect. This was simply breathtakingly beautiful and perfectly serene.

I started up the green pathway towards the base of the mountain, with old stone markers on each side of me. Then in front of me were two huge stone ruins. One on each side. One was boarded up so I couldn’t go in – but the only one was OPEN SEASON! Of course, I scrambled right in, snapping pix and climbing over rocks (stones). 

Then I headed up the mountain – which was the best part! The “stairs” were stone ruins from the Wat that they used to make the steps. On one landing was a great view – but there was still more to climb! So up I went. The top part was even more gorgeous. There was a hidden temple, and I got to go all around and through it. I saw the hidden spring, and even the Elephant Stone! I couldn’t find the Crocodile Stone though (but apparently it’s hard to find anyways). 

Everything here was so lusciously green. There were bugs I had never seen before – I stayed away, because with my luck I would get some crazy infection from a bite! There was almost no one there and it was simply peaceful. The views were breathtaking – some of the best views I have EVER seen and the whole experience was simply breathtaking. 

I am BEYOND satisfied that I stopped in Champasak…as I am sure many people pass it by.

Here is lonely planet’s description of the Wat:

“…Wat Phu Champasak is one of the most important archeological sites in Laos. It was built in the 6^th  century as a tribute to the Hindu god Shiva; it may have been the blueprint for Angkor Wat and other Khmer Temples in Cambodia.

The complex is divided into lower and upper parts…The lower part consists of two ruined palace uildings at the edge of a large square pond used for ritual ablutions. The upper section is the temple sanctuary itself, which once enclosed a large Shiva. It was later converted to a Buddhist Temple, but the original Hindu sculpture remains in the lintels.”

Ok - time for pix, right??

Entrance way to the Ruins

Steps to the upper level...they were stones, and VERY steep!

Temple in the upper area

The spring

View from the top!

Elephant Rock

 

What detail!!

Sabaidee,
Apes :)

Been There, Don Det!

Yesterday, while on Don Det, Kristy and I woke up and took a tour out to the see Khon Phapheng Falls…the LARGEST waterfall in SE Asia, by volume (not height). We took out boat (ferry) to the mainland, then a tuk tuk over to the falls. 

We knew we were at the falls first by the sound. Nothing but crashing water. What a refreshing sound! We got out of the tuk tuk and followed the sounds of the falls. The site was unbelievable. The water was coming in from 3 different areas, all crashing together at the bottom, then becoming calm as it moved down river. I stayed about an hour just climbing the rocks, seeing how close I could get, and then just letting the sites and sounds wash over me. I took a video for the pure sake of capturing the sound.

After the water fall, we headed back to the mainland for lunch and a break. I spent the break laying on the hammock reading from my Kindle. It was quite a peaceful afternoon at the bungalow.

Then it was time for the next part…a charted boat! You ever charter a boat? It’s pretty awesome! Kristy and I laid around in our boat for the 3 hour ride, taking in being in Cambodia and Laos water. To the left of us was the mountains of Cambodia, and the right, was the flat-ness of Laos. We stopped halfway through and got out on one of the islands and spent some time relaxing and exploring before we finished the tour of all the islands. 

It was still rainy season, so the water was high – some of the islands only had the tips of the tall grass reach the surface! I am sure we floated right on top of some of the islands! In the low season, I am sure it is hard to maneuver through all the islands! 

Afterwards, we ended out day with some AH-MAZE-ING BBQ! Pork Chops, mashed potatoes, and a delicious salad – with a Beer Laos. Our tour guide, Dang, met us for dinner – and bought Kristy and I a few drinks until the electricity shut off. It goes off about 10pm every day. Then we headed back to the bungalow – relaxed, fat, happy, and exhausted!

Sabaidii!!
Apes :)