The Laos trip: Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, Day 4

After some break, it is time to continue the Laos trip story!

So, leaving Vang Vieng we chose bus ( they also offer minibus as well), a so called VIP bus, what left 10AM from Vang Vieng and supposed to arrive to Luang Prabang 6 hours later, around 4PM. Did I use the word suppose? Yes. The correct one, as you will see.

All started fine, 9:30 AM a smaller bus collected us, and others, and send us to the bus station.

We were on the road in time.

Though they name the bus VIP, it is more like 2Nd class, with no toilet. But whatever, it is only 6 hours, right?!

As said, it is all started out good. After Vang Vieng, the road is mostly curves, cant remember much as 2 km straight road. But the scenery is amazing, breathtaking, fantastic.

More into the travel, the hills changed to mountains, the valleys ever deeper, and the road lead on the edge, giving a continuous panoramic view to them.

And around halfway, the problems started. We stopped, then soon stopped again, and then some more. They said it was something about the oil, but also we lost air-conditioning somewhere on the way. First it was hot, later the opposite. In the mountains air can cool down surprisingly fast, after sunset. Good, it didn't snow, but I was definitely feeling cold. Like long time not. Didn't like it, I can tell you!

We arrived finally around 9:30PM to Luang Prabang, after 11 and half hour on the bus ( and on the side, waiting to be patched up to go a bit again). So much about the 6 hours ride, or being there in the afternoon.

There we got the next problem. To find guesthouse was an a la minute task, but was planned for the afternoon, not for 10 PM, with a sleepy kid.

As it was, most rooms were already taken, but with some luck, after half hour we found a suitable one, which we could stay. A fast sandwich from the street for dinner, and in no time we were asleep after this memorable bus ride.

this was our bus. during one of the "unscheduled stop"

this I wished to be our bus! btw, we also broke down here too, where half of the road was missing!

the montains are beautiful. a real scenic ride.

Helping to teach English

Today I was invited ( once again) by my friend Sean to join him and his team to a special event, to teach English to kids.
The topic was basic journalism, and reading skills.
It was an early wake up, really unusual for me, at 5:45AM, but the school was around an hour drive from us. Sean was kind to pick me up, and so did with the other 2 helpers on the way to the school.
The Buranasuksa school were we arrived was a huge school, I didn't expect this big. I think it is my limited imagination, as from the number of the attending students I should guess better.
Later the principal answered me this, there is 2400 kids in Buranasuksa school!!

The event was divided into 2 sessions, the first before lunch, and the later obviously after.
The first session we had Grade 5 kids, 130 of them, and in the afternoon Grade 6 kids, 180 of them. Did I say this is a huge school?!

We used Sean's "Student News" as the main material, it is a bilingual monthly magazine for Thai kids. Sean is the owner and the editor of the magazine.

I am always a bit shy naturally, but it is fun to be part of the event, where kids could come up, and asked questions from a "real" foreigner, and where we could help them with reading and pronunciations of the words.
The school's director came also over, in both sessions making an opening speech to the kids about the importance of learning foreign language, and the chance to use this special event to better their skills.
We all also got a present from him (and a school). Really not something I expected, as I also helped Sean too purely out of friendship.
My surprise was even bigger when in the afternoon Sean and me got presented with another gift box.
As I learned it at home it contains a beautiful set of cups and saucers, both hand-painted, and decorated with gold. My treasure, and a memorable reminder of a special day.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

I can hardly imagine, there is anybody in there 30s and 40s who would not know Star Wars. For me, it is by far my favorite sci-fi, and even though the first ( Episode 4: A new hope) came out in 1977, there is so few which get near to the Star Wars success.

But, as time pass, there is a new generation now, and they would keep Star Wars alive with them too. A great idea indeed.

My son's first meet with Star Wars was basically Family Guy's Star Wars special, a parody of Episode 4: A new hope. And in that, a real funny one, in mind the younger ones as well probably, being only 40 or so minutes.

And after some planning, this summer Lucas came out an animated Star Wars movie, The Clone Wars, bringing Star Wars back to fans, and aiming to get the attention of a new generation.

I think they did.

The Clone Wars are placed in time between Episode 2 and Episode 3, where Anakin is still a Jedi ( and not Darth Vader), and the Clones are being the good guys, fighting against the droid army.

The movie was actually an Intro into the story. Lucasfilm signed a 44 episode contract with Cartoon Network to air the Star Wars: The Clone Wars cartoon series.

And I think it is a success for all, measuring on my son how he enjoys it, and keep asking for more episodes. We don't have CN, so, it is the magic of download, and I can only download as soon as they post it.

Even though it is not a "real" Star Wars movie, I still enjoy it as well, so, another thing we can do together with my son. And that is great!

Adding subscribe option to the blog

Today, after a long time planning to do, I added subscribe option to the blog, and signed up with FeedBurner to do this.
It might sound and is simple to some, but for me it took a half day and some friendly help to figure out finally how things are, and customize a bit to my liking.
Now, it has done, and if you like my blog, can subscribe to it. Hope you will!

The Laos trip: Vang Vieng, Day 3

Having a little research about what else to see, we settled to go and explore the famous Phu Kham Cave, and the Blue Lagoon.

This is around 7 km trip out of Vang Vieng, so, we chose to rend bicycles, as it was offering a more relaxing and fun trip then the faster motorbike.

Passing through the bridge to the other side of the Song River a dirt road lead to the cave.

On the way we passed numerous other caves, what they have signs advertising, and few small villages, and countless rice fields.

The day were pretty, it was really a good choice to go with bicycle.

We arrived to the cave and lagoon maybe in an hour and half, as we were not in a hurry at all.

The lagoon was a small river, probably with a dam somewhere a bit further down, but first we went to see the cave.

On the bottom of the way up you could rent some headlight gears for a small fee.

The way up is a hard climb, near vertical up on some place slippery rocks. Was real pleased that my son made it without complain, with some help, but that is normal, he is 6.

Once up, had a minute relaxing, and then descended to the cave.

Found a big cave, in the middle some reclining Buddha image, as locals also use it maybe as a kind of shrine the cave.

There were stalactites and stalagmites, and some dropping water here and there. Pretty, but not the built out type of cave, so, it was little difficult to move around.

After seeing what we could, found out that descending from the cave is worse than climbing up, but again, passed this obstacle as well.

And down was the Blue Lagoon, inviting us to a swim.

The water was beautiful turquoise blue, and crystal clear, with the fishes clearly visible around.

It was refreshingly cool, but for my surprise also very deep, so, my son could not really swim, just a few laps holding to my neck and back. Fun, for him, but not much of air for me when he does use my neck to get a hold. It felt great to swim, as by afternoon the day really turned hot.

On the way back we stopped a bit at another small river by a village, watched the kids jumping from the bridge to the water and playing.

Back to Vang Vieng, before dinner we bought the ticket to Luang Prabang, as our time finished here.

The Laos trip: Vang Vieng, Day 2

As mentioned prior, we arranged some program with a travel agency.

Wanted something family friendly, but also something different, so it was caves + kayaking back on the river. They use the sea kayaks, so, they are ok, easy to navigate. As now the dry season set in and the water level is lower, the river isnt that dangerous, though if is still pretty fast in some sections.

In the morning it started with a ride to the starting point, to a footbridge about 15km from Vang Vieng. The scenary in the usual picturesque, and peaceful, though many tourists see the same places daily, it isnt feel too crowded. Remember, I said family friendly,so, cant be rock climbing with a 6 years old, and I dont mind that.

This was the starting point.

Just across the bridge was the first cave, Called Elephant Cave. This is a small cave with some Buddha statues, and a "rock" which shape resemble an elephant, thus the name. Honestly, it isnt much to watch there, not particularly pretty, guess it was more a selling point in the program. Bellow some photo from it:

From here we walked threw a village and some ricefields to our second cave.

This was more interesting, and a real special one. It was called Tham Naam, or Water Cave. As the name suggest, water was involved. This cave has a river flowing through it. When the water level not too high anymore, there is a chance for tubing into the cave. This is something we never did, and was fun. After you saddle up with some low-voltage headlight, you grab a big truck tire ( the inside), and kind a sit/lay on the top, using it as a boat. There was a rope to follow, like Ariadne's in the Labirinth. There was no Minotaurus, but it was semi-dark. The water is a bit cold, but not unpleasently, and crystal clear. We so plenty of fishes. And in the cave though it was mostly some kind of hard stone, vulcanic probably,but also had some stalactites.

In the middle of the photo is the entrance to the to the cave. Better watch your head!!

After some lunch in the the tour company provided, we headed back to the car, what took us a but downriver. This way we had a safer and shorter section in the kayak, and actually it was enough. My family never tried such, so I had a little fear, but all went well. The current helped a lot, it was not too much paddling needed, was more a fun ride, enjoying a lazy way to getting back to Vang Vieng. That we were tired was more because the sunshine and hear, I think.

Overall, a nice day, for a total cost of 25$ for 3 person, including lunch, a good value for money.

This photo is at the end of the trip. Wish i could have more on the water photos, but was afraid to risk my camera, as I lost prior one this way.

Taken: a great action movie

We like action movies,and although my favorites are comedies, my wife's first choice is action, so we often watch action movies.

Our recent favorite is Taken.

I didn't have too high expectations, this year so far there wasn't many great action movies, but never the less, gave it a try.

And we were Taken too.

A perfect, fast moving, action movie, with a good percentage of reality feel ( unlike Max Payne for example, a disappointment for us).

Though the film is not overly bloody, nevertheless, it is PG-13, however on some day i think news channel is much worse when it comes to shocking images to kids.

Liam Neeson isn't that well known, but does a great job here.

This film is a great choice if you like good action movie, don't let the less known casting mislead you! Enjoy!