Laos

Laos is a Communist country that has lost its way. The country is very poor and is like stepping back in time. The houses are built on stilts and the walls made of ratan. The place may be dirt poor but the people are lovely, very polite and full of smiles
The weather has been awful so far and has rained almost non stop for about six days.Our first stop was Luang Nam, a one horse town near the border in a lovely little guest house tucked away from the street. After a day of not doing much but eat and talk we decided to go on an expedition. 12 of us got into tuk tuks and set off into the jungle where we met some guides and walked through a small village inbto the jungle. The rain had now turned everything into mud so it was only a few minutes before people started to slide down and fall about. It was the funniest thing I have seen in years. Nick gave up and was taken back whikle the rest of us struggkled on deeper into the jungle with our guides cutting the way. After a few hours and much laughter we arrived at the top of a waterfall in flood and found we had to wade through it up to our waists. When we eventually all got over we carried in to a remote hut where our guides laid out banana leaves and fantastic food of sticky rice, meat, vegetables and spicy dips. We emptied out our boots, rung out our clothes and had lunch. We then carried on until we  met our transport and were taken to another river in flood where we were going to kayak. The approach was in knee deep soft mud which made the launch interesting!! It was great fun for another couple of hours even though we nearly sank! It was a great day but my boots will never be the same again.

China

Just a little proof that we are still alive having managed to escape from China!!  The Chinese in their wisdom try and block facebook and google blogs etc. It is possible to get around it if you have the right software. We are now on Laos and the heavens have opened but we are all pleased to be here. China was very interesting and huge, we have travelled 8500km from side to side and visited some of the worlds great sights.
Great Wall - is indeed great and is a wall! we climbed up the wall at its extreme left hand end so no tourists, just us.

Pandas - I was surprised by this, they are fantastic creatures who spend their whole day sitting about eating bamboo. Not too touristy.

Terracotta Warriors - The warriors are great. The day was very hot but seeing the massed warriors in their pits was worth the effort. You can watch as the warriors are being pieced back together again and still over 90% left to dig up. 

Buddhas - We have seen more than you can shake a stick at. The tallest in the world, the biggest reclining, the most in one place......They are fantastic and I'm sure you will eventually like the pictures!

Labrang Monastery - We have been in many walled towns and interesting places but this topped them all. We could not get in to Tibet as the Chinese had closed the border so we went here. This used to be in Tibet and is home to 3000 monks. The town is only small so is full of monks and pilgrims. We had a monk guide and he showed us around including a room containing 1000 chanting monks, something you cannot forget or imagine.  The monastery is 3km around and the whole of the walls are prayer wheels that you turn as you pass.

Earthquake - Yes, that was interesting. We were camped in the dessert when Julia woke me to ask why I was shaking. I wasn't but the ground certainly was. There was a massive earthquake about 100km away. Quite exciting and a bit weired.

We have stayed in so many places that they start to merge after a while.  We were objects of interest in places that never see Europeans so our truck and us are constantly surrounded by interested faces.

The worst thing about the place was the toilets. Without going in to graphic detail they are on the whole disgusting beyond belief.  The plumbing even in good places does not take paper!!!!! Anyway, enough about that.  It was worth the effort to see all the places but I do not think many of us would rush back.  We have got into Laos and it's lovely.