Clark's Crazy Adventures

Nong Khiaw

OK, so I don't think I'm a mountain bike type of girl. I'm more of a sitting in an air conditioned car looking out of the window type of girl. The guide voiced his concerns yesterday, stating that "it was very hard tour", "must be very fit". I've done Tough Mudder, climbed Adams Peak in Sri Lanka, walked across the top of Ayers Rock, surely this couldn't be too difficult. I was wrong, he was right. I now understand why they call the villages 'hill tribes' - Fuck me! We went up, we went down, then we went back up again...... The roads were all clay and very slippery. I pushed the bike up most of the hills and even down some. This was because I thought I might die as the bike kept skidding. These hills weren't normal hills, they were practically vertical and there was no end in sight. At one stage, after one particularly monstrous hill, Emily declared she was done and lay spread eagled in the middle of the road LOL. Dad also thought it incredibly humorous when a herd of cows decided to chase me - that was about the only time I peddled up a hill, I rode that bike like the friggin wind with dads laughter following...

Unfortunately while riding I couldn't articulate how amazing the hill tribes were, due to the fact I had little to no air left in my lungs.

View over the rice paddies...

The awesome foursome.....LOL

The kids chased Tom around and around, it was lovely to watch. He looked like a giant.

After riding for 4 hours we then hoped on a boat to undertake part 2 of the day.... A 3 hour hike to the waterfall.

Yep, not exactly an easy hike either.

After the biking and hiking you could also kayak for 2 hours back to Nong Khiaw, WTF. Mum and dad lasted 20 minutes as their kayak started to sink LOL

Middle of nowhere in Laos

We left the sanctuary of Luang Prabang and travelled to Nong Khiaw today. I've decided that Luang Prabang is not really an Asian City, it's too clean and tidy, however Asia has now slapped me in the forehead again.... It took 4 hours to arrive here on a very bumpy, windy, dusty, dirty road. It was so bumpy we had to hang onto the seats in front of us! Basically we left Luang Prabang, took a right turn and headed for whoop whoop ville.... and here we are in the middle of nowhere. This is a very small town, so small in fact that when I booked accommodation, 8 months ago, I had to book 2 separate places. Tonight we are at Nong Khiaw Riverside and tomorrow we move to Mandala Ou. Haven't seen any tuk tuk's yet so the locals will get a treat watching 6 very white people dragging their luggage from one side of town to the other.

The Town Centre

Our cute little bungalows.... Apparently there are heaters under the beds which you need to switch on 1 hour prior to going to bed?

Looking back across the river at our bungalows....

Giving of Alms Ceremony

Our last day in Luang Prabang was very relaxing. We had massages, hung out with Monks at the library, purchased some books for the local children and just chilled at a café overlooking the river. Oh! and this morning we got up at a ridiculous hour in the freezing cold to see the 'giving of alms' ceremony, which Emily and Tom decided to participate in. Tomorrow we move onto Nong Khiaw then Luang Namtha so I may have not have internet again until we hit Thailand......