@travellingwiththeateam

Back to early morning runs for Andy, 10k done and dusted and it’s only 7.45am!

Post breakfast we headed into Luang Prabang for a tour of the local food market.

We then headed to the former Palace of Luang Prabang, now a museum with relics from the former Kings of Laos prior to the war & introduction of communism in 1975.

After a busy morning, we continued in the same vein with a visit to a Buffalo ice cream store and enterprise, run by an American and Australia.

Andy went for the apple pie flavour, whilst Michelle was a caramel fan.

We had a chat with one of the ladies behind the buffalo ice cream store, who explained the many things that can be cultivated from buffalo milk and how it’s taken off with the locals over the last 10yrs. After a further 30min drive we arrived at the highlight of the day, a visit to Kuang Si waterfalls.

The waterfalls were stunning, with the clearest of blue water set against the unspoilt Laos jungle.

After the hot and sweaty walk up to the summit of the waterfalls, we were pleased to be able to take a much needed dip into the clear and cool water and enjoy the views.

After our swim, we stopped off at the moon-bear sanctuary next to the waterfall to see bears up close.

Our final stop on the way back to the hotel was a visit to a Textiles centre run by locals.

We were able to see the ladies weaving, which was incredibly impressive as the designs were so ornate and very intricate.

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Once back at the hotel, we had a free night, so a group of us decided to search out a cocktail bar and then a place for dinner.

Eight of us made it to a old French colonial bar serving cocktails, before half went off to a burger place, whilst the rest of us visited a very posh and fancy hotel restaurant for some upscale dinning.

We had a really fun packed day and have more to look forward tomorrow, with an early morning 6am visit to see the monks for alms giving, before we head out to the elephant sanctuary.

Until then.

Day 2 on the Mekong River boat.

Saying goodbye to Pakbeng Town, we returned to our cruise for a further 7hrs charting our way to Luang Prabang, some 170km up river.

As the boat meanders its way along the mighty Mekong there was an ever change of view, from gold prospectors on a small scale to a very large scale with diggers and trucks, to more rural and natural sights such as water buffalo& goats as well as children playing in the shallows.

After a morning sail, we stopped at caves adjacent to the river where the locals have placed Buddhas for worship. During the Vietnam war the caves were also used to hide and live in to try and escape the Viet Cong.

Back on the boat for the last couple of hours the sun returned and we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon topping up the tan and the occasional Laos beer…

By 4.30pm we arrived at our destination, the former capital of Laos, Luang Prabang. After a short tut tut ride, we arrived at our hotel and home for the next 3 nights.

After a quick shower and change, we headed out for a walk around the beautiful town centre with its colonial French buildings. We were so impressed by how welcoming the people are and how ordered the place is compared to Thailand. Not sure if it’s the communist influence, but there is no litter and everything looks clean and well kept.

We headed for dinner at a fantastic restaurant that acts as a catering school during the day, and did the most amazing tapas style Laos local food which we both loved. Probably the best meal we’ve had in Asia to date.

Our starter was a bamboo inspired soup with local vegetables which was so flavourful.

Our mains were a spread of local dishes that went down so fast and we both loved.

Dessert was a sweet purple rice with local fruits which capped off the evening and filled us both up.

On our way back to the hotel we saw some further French references, notably an old Citroen car with a funny reg. Think we are definitely going to enjoy our 3 days in this great city.

A day on the water.

After Andy managed his customary 10k run along the waterfront of Chiang Kong before 8am, we were then off to the border crossing into Laos.

The process of leaving Thailand and entering Laos was somewhat convoluted, with multiple forms to be filled in, photos to be provided, and then the all important 40 US dollars to seal the deal.

Once in Laos we had a short minivan drive before we arrived at the Mekong River and the boat that was going to transport us over 300k into the jungle.

Thankfully we were met by porters who quickly transported our bags from the minivan to the boat in next to no time.

These guys whilst petite in size are as strong as ox’s and lifted two bags at a time.

Within a few minutes we were off on the start of Day 1 of our Mekong adventure, with 7hrs gently motoring down river taking in the scenery.

It’s fair to say this is one of the most remote and breathtaking parts of our trip to date.

After a couple of hours, we made a short stop to had over papers to a Laos official and as we moored up we came across a couple of water buffalo’s relaxing on the shallow water.

Whilst the beauty of the area can’t be understated, there is another reason for people inhabiting the area, the existence of gold ore. We have seen a number of locations where prospectors were searching through the silt.

Sadly the extent of the mining for gold started to become apparent as we saw ever more sites with trucks, diggers and large scale machinery excavating land adjacent to the river, as well as parts of the river itself, searching for gold. The majority are Chinese owned operations who have been trawling the river for years searching for gold. The impact to the land and river is already clear to see, with gravel and dirt flowing back into the Mekong in huge quantities.

After a relaxing and peaceful few hours on the boat, we eventually arrived at our nights stay, the town of Pakbeng where we are staying in a modest hotel.

We said goodbye to the boat and the family on board are watched at the luggage was unloaded by local porters who had to navigate up the steep steps to the road above.

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We then picked a ride with the local taxi and experienced a bumpy ride up the makeshift road to the hotel stop.

Once at the hotel, we dropped off our gear and then went for a wander around the town to see the market and meet the very friendly locals.

The town comprised one main street with a number of small shops, restaurants and hostels along with a food market where the last of the produce from that day was being sold. Despite being in a rural backwater, the variety of vegetables, herbs and fruit was immense. Meat and poultry is much more limited with fried rat one of the ‘delicates’ on offer. We visited a temple up on the hill and took in the views of the Mekong River below. In the evening we took a short stroll to the adjacent restaurant and tucked into some Laos dishes along a couple of Beerlaos, the local brew.

It was one of our parties birthdays today, an Aussie lady called Michelle so we were all treated to some chocolate cake which was a nice treat and was quickly consumed!

Tomorrow we are back on the boat to travel the final half of our 300k sail, before we arrive at Luang Prabang, where we will be staying for the next couple of days and plan to do some exploring.

Today was a travel day with a 5hr minibus drive from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. On the way we stopped at the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun). The White temple was created by Chalermchai Kositpipat, a national artist who designed, constructed, and opened it to visitors in 1997.

Viewed from a distance, it appears to be crafted from sparkling porcelain, but up close it’s evident that the effect is achieved through a blend of whitewash and transparent mirrored chips. The outer surfaces are covered with white plaster and incorporated glass inserts.

Kositpipat considers the temple to be an offering to Lord Buddha and believes the project will give him immortal life. Works are ongoing, but are not expected to be completed until 2070!

The main building at the white temple is reached by crossing a bridge over a small lake. In front of the bridge are hundreds of outreaching hands that symbolize unrestrained desire…..

Inside there are murals depicting swirling orange flames and demon faces, interspersed with Western idols such as Michael Jackson, Neo from The Matrix, Freddy Krueger and images from the Terminator film. Quite the eclectic mix!

When completed, the temple compound will have nine buildings, including the existing ubosot (principal hall) a hall of relics, a meditation hall, an art gallery, and living quarters for the monks.

A building that stands out because of its colour is the toilets! They are ornately decorated, the golden represents the body, whereas the white represents the mind.

Lunch was spent at a cool cafe, adorned with quotes on the walls – the one below was our favourite.

By late afternoon we had arrived at our ‘home stay’, a modest B&B facing out across the Mekong River. The views were stunning, with the river representing the border with Laos.

This evening we went for a walk along the waterfront and took in the views of the area. It was pretty quirky with murals on the walls of the buildings and a wall of car registration plates from around the world. The weird and the wonderful.

We visited a local temple, which had an elephant theme for reasons unknown. Like every Thai temple it’s the colour and ornate look that catches your eye.

On our way to dinner, we came across a local dentist with an amusing sign on their wall.

Dinner was at a local restaurant on the waterfront with views over the night sky. We are getting used to the Thai food offer, just as we enter our last day in the country and had pleasant chicken dishes with varying levels of spice, which then dictated the amount of Chang beer we then drink!

Tomorrow we head to the border with Laos and start our 2 day boat trip down the Mekong River and into the centre of the Laos jungle.

Andy was back to his routine this morning and discovered a running route around the city walls of the old city.

At 8.30am we met our guide Ning to go on a morning walking tour of the city. We were joined by Mark and Ryan our fellow travel companions from Oz and Canada respectively.

In order to set us on the right path our first port of call was a trendy coffee shop around the corner from our hotel.

We then crossed one of the many river bridges in the city and started our tour of this pretty and very inviting friendly city.

With the popularity of Thai boxing on the rise, we weren’t surprised to walk past a gym where one of the locals was taking a break between bouts.

We then ventured to a temple ground to view some of the famous signs which provide guidance on how we should be living our lives. Very thought provoking and inspiring.

Ning, our tour guide arranged for us to have a meet and greet with a young monk called Nop, a 20yr man who is studying at the local university. It was so interesting and inspiring to hear his views on life and how hard he is working to maintain his monk and uni studies as well as maintain a life with family and friends.

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Nop kindly gave us 30mins to chat and ask him about his life, Buddhism and his hope for the future before finishing with a blessing. In return we gave a gift of food for lunch.

From there we visited Wat Chai Phra Kiat temple, Tha Phae Gate, Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan and marvelled at the beauty of each.

After a busy morning working up a hunger we stopped at Naree De Klangwiang a Thai restaurant and massage which provides female prisoners the opportunity to gain work experience before returning into the community.

After an enjoyable lunch, Andy and Mark decided to experience a Thai massage with the masseurs being female prisoners on day release. Both survived to tell the story and seemed to enjoy being stretched and bent back into shape.

In the evening we returned to the street food market we visited last night. After hearing comments about the vegetarian food on offer, Andy tried it out for himself and is now a convert.

As a treat, ice cream was on the menu for dessert including a combo of white chocolate, m&m’s, caramel and oriel cookies. Delicious!

To cap the night, we visited a Chiang Mail ‘lady-boys’ cabaret show. Wow what a funny evening.

And here they come, the most amazing array of dancers & performers who helped to ‘camp’ up the evening.

As we were on the front row, we knew we might be targeted, so before the performance started Andy retreated a row. It proved to be an inspired idea, as all other guys were kissed, cuddled and brought up on stage for the ultimate humiliation. Hilarious to watch from a distance!

Truly an evening to remember, and one of our later ones as we eventually returned to our hotel post midnight.

Tomorrow we move on again with a 5hr minivan journey up to the Mekong River, on the border with Laos.

A very early start, with the train morning announcement coming at 5.30am.

From there we were required to vacate our ‘beds’ and within 15mins the whole train was converted back to normal seating.

By 7.15am we arrived at Chiangmai station and within seconds we were hit by the mountain heat. Thankfully there were minibuses waiting for us and we were at the hotel for check-in by 8am.

The 320 steps up to the entrance of Doi Suthep temple whilst steep, were made that bit more challenging as a result of just 3hrs sleep and the intense 36c sun. Fortunately talking to other members of the group helped to distract us and we made it to the entrance without stopping/collapsing…

The temple building are revered in this part of Northern Thailand and sit at one of the highest peaks in the area. Despite the steep climb up we were impressed to see a few walkers and cyclists battling up to the summit.

At the entrance to the temple was one of the ‘guards’ decorated in finery with offerings sitting at its feet. As ever the colours are so vivid and you can’t help but marvel at their vibrancy.

Adjacent to the entrance was a jackfruit tree, with the ooh so massive fruit that sits precariously on the main trunk. The size and weight of these fruits are such that if you were in the wrong place at the wrong time they would surely severely injure, if not kill you if they landed on your head!

It’s hard not to get a little complacent when visiting Thai temples day after day. Each are so magnificent, but you do become accustomed to seeing them and going on your way. We are trying to fight this response.

The temple was blessed with an array of Buddhas and gold painted temples. We were also greeted by one of the monks who said a blessing to us both along with the local Thai people, a truly fantastic experience.

Post the temple walk it was time to relax and refuel. Andy decided to get a strawberry smoothie which he proceeded to slurp all the way back to the hotel!

This afternoon we had the opportunity to catch up with some missed sleep from the train journey last night, but Andy decided to get his miles in with a run along the streets of Chiangmai.

After doing some washing and a little more chillaxing, we headed out later afternoon and found a great coffee shop. So good to have a decent flat white and macchiato with some juicy biscuits, just the right treat before our evening out at the night market.

At 6.30pm we headed out with the tour group for dinner at one of the street markets and indulged in some Thai and Indian snack food. Wow was it good and so reasonable priced – we love Thailand!

Michelle and Claire, one of the girls on our tour decided to try roasted crickets as a ‘desert’ and fair do’s they are a decent number. It’s the future of healthy and sustainable food we’re told!!

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Tomorrow we are off on a walking tour around this beautiful over city and will be meeting a monk to hear all about his life. Hopefully we will sneak in a Thai massage too.

A day of two halves, with the morning spent exploring the backwater canals of Bangkok followed by visits to Wat Pho temples and the huge flower market.

By 9am, we had had brekkie and picked up our ‘taxi’ ride for a tour of Bangkoks canals. The driver was on a mission and steered us around right turns and narrow passages like he was in a race – great fun for Andy, less so for Michelle who suffers from sea sickness!

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It was great to be able to see the underbelly of Bangkok, which whilst suffering with plastic pollution and some dead fish, was in the main a positive scene with people working and getting on with their lives in very basic dwellings.

This is one of the latest additions to the Bangkok skyline and was completed in 2021 to the tune of 600m baht (£14m) standing at almost 250ft in height.

After our tour of the canal, we exited at one of the ferry stops to be greeted by a Chinese couple in old traditional Thai dress all ready for their day of photos!

Wat Pho is the home of the Reclining Buddha which sits inside one of the main temples. Before entering Andy found this gong and performed as required before making a donation to the monks.

The reclining Buddha is a sight to behold and stretches 150ft and is 45ft in height. It’s an incredible work of art and design that creates some great views as you walk around the structure.

Buddhists practice their religion at Wat Pho, so as you walk around you seem them praying and helping tourists as they move around the various temples.

Within the complex is a museum to the art of Thai massage where it details the parts of the body that respond to massage and how this helps the body and your mind. Really interesting and demonstrating the Easts approach to alternative methods of therapy and meditation.

There are so many buildings and structures that catch the eye, it truly is an assault on the senses and as a result we ended up taking more and more photos. Here are the edited ones….

Returning back towards our hotel, we visited the flower market, close to Chinatown which was on a scale we weren’t expecting.

There are hundreds of stalls all with staff preparing, designing/decorating and selling a mix of flowers most as donations to the gods at the various temples. The yellow Chrysanthemums are the most popular and seen as complimentary to the gold colouring on many of the buildings.

After returning to our hotel, a quick shower and change we headed to the train station for an overnight journey to the north of Thailand and the city of Chiangmai.

It’s been a while since we last spent an evening on a sleeper train and we were duly impressed by the standard of the service and the speed in which the staff converted the seating to small beds. Whilst it was never going to be the most comfortable, it was still pretty good despite the wake up call in the morning at 5.30am!!!

Tomorrow morning we arrive at our Chiangmai hotel to drop off our gear, before stopping off for brekkie and then a visit to Doi Suthep temple The most secret temple in the North of Thailand. Until then.

Another day of culture in the city of temples.

We started the day by moving hotels and placing ourselves in the heart of Chinatown, the starting point of our next Intrepid tour around Thailand and Laos.

As the meet up wasn’t until 6pm, we decided to do a hop on hop off river trip and combine this with a visit to Wat Arun.

Our walk to the ferry station through Chinatown took us past what we assume is the wholesale area for sandals and shoes, such was the number of stores selling the same products.

From there we entered the spice market, then the hot food, followed by the kids toys, quite the combination!

After enjoying the various markets on our way, we eventually arrived at the ferry pick up point at Ratchawong Pier. From there we motored our way up Chaophraya River to Wat Arun.

For the first time since we arrived in Bangkok, the sun was in hiding and the rain arrived clearing most of the usual tourist spots. This worked in our favour as within a hour the rains had passed and we were able to walk around Wat Arun with little or no queues.

Wat Arun is an incredible place, which like the Grand Palace is made up of a number of smaller temples each with their own distinct architectural style.

The gold Buddhas denote memorials for those who have passed away with plaques showing the family members remembered.

After a couple of hours of walking around, latterly in the returning sunshine, we picked up another river cruiser and headed back up to the Grand Palace to view the Queen Mothers display of dress wear over here 60yrs in the public eye.

Getting back on the ferry was fun and a great way to view the city as you motor along taking in the various temples and skyscrapers in the distance.

Tonight we met up with our new tour group, who we will be spending the next 2 weeks with as we travel through Thailand and Laos. As on previous trips we are a League of Commonwealth Nations from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Uk. In all there are 14 of us, plus our guide a lovely Thai lady called Ning who originates from Chang Mai.

After our meet and greet we headed out for dinner together into Chinatown and witnessed the hustle and bustle of the city in the evening.

After an enjoyable meal at a local Thai restaurant where we tried a number of traditional dishes, we had a wander around the street market checking out the foods on offer and taking in the atmosphere.

With a full day of tourist activities tomorrow morning, plus a 13hr overnight train journey to Chiangmai, we decided to hit the sack around 10.30pm knowing that we might not sleep as well on the sleeper train!

A cultural day all round.

We booked a walking tour at 11am this morning around the Grand Palace and the Wat Phra Kaew museum. Whilst we visited the Grand Palace a few years back when last in Bangkok, we didn’t have a guide then, so are hoping to pick up a lot more info and insight this time around.

Having left the hotel early, we decided to go for a wander near the river beforehand, but the heat of the day was already very punishing so after a brief walk, we decided to retire to our coffee shop meeting point and enjoy the benefits of air conditioning!

At 11am we met up with our guide, Tonk a very friendly Thai guide who we discovered was 67yrs old but looked a lot younger and who was very sprightly. Also on the tour was a family of three from Leeds, mum and dad along with their son, Charlie who’d only arrived from England the day before. It was good to have a chat with them, as they’d visited Thailand and Cambodia in the past and were able to suggest to us a few extra places to visit that they thought we’d enjoy.

The Grand Palace is on a huge scale covering 62 acres and is an ongoing project with new buildings and temples being added over time.

To give you a feel for the scale of the place, when we first entered the guide pointed to a wall of murals which stretched for 50ft and then explained it was one of 128 that depicted a fantasy story about prior kings….

Everywhere you looked was a feast for the eyes with gold painted monuments to Hindu and Buddhist gods.

What Tonk didn’t know about the Royal Palace wasn’t worth knowing, this despite the fact this was his first week doing this tour!

Our guide advised that there are over 200,000 temples in the whole of Thailand, but only a few have the royal seal of approval which is depicted by two towers in the miniature temple structure below.

After over 2hrs touring round the Royal Palace and the various associated temples we came across the Victorian inspired royal household built in the late 1880’s, following the then Kings visit to England.

Some of the temples are more scared than others and as a result we were required to remove our footwear and once inside sit silently on the floor in front of gold Buddhas, whilst the local Thai people paid their respects through prayer and meditation.

As the tour came to an end we were able to take the last few photos of intricate entrance gates before we came across the changing of the Royal Guard.

We were well placed for the changing of the guard, which pretty much happened right in front of us. We were so close and the guards so focused, all the while the heat was beating down. Definitely would not want to be wearing their thick uniform on a day like today.

As you walk around the city you see monks of all ages. Our guide explained that every male must become a monk before they are 21 and that they are required to serve for a minimum of 3mths.

After the tour we headed to a theatre in the Chinatown area to watch a Thai performance depicting various dances through the ages. Whilst it was very interesting, it was almost too much for Andy who closed his eyes a few times and was close to falling asleep!

By 4pm we started to flag, but pushed on managed a final tour of a local temple complex off the tourist route, where we had the place pretty much to ourselves.

After leaving the last temple it became clear that the locals like to have miniature Buddhas in their homes and hence there are shops that sell every gold sprayed object you can think of!

After a beer stop just outside of Chinatown, we headed back to our hotel for some much needed nourishment of the Thai persuasion. We are both getting into the street food offer and whilst the spice element is still a work in progress, it’s fantastically tasty and very filling.

Thankfully the Thai’s have a sweet tooth and we didn’t need much encouragement to try the chocolate and ice cream coffee with ice. It’s a meal in itself!

After a busy day, we retired early this evening and we are not embarrassed to admit that we just made it to 9.30pm before we hit the sack.

Tomorrow we plan to do a boat trip along the river and visit Wat Arun as well as the flower markets.

Later in the evening we will start our latest tour which will take us north of Bangkok to Chiangmai and on to Laos over the next week.

Busy day exploring today, so we started early.

Andy was up and out at 6.30am, completing his daily 10k run around the streets of Sathon.

After we’d both ‘run the gauntlet’ and had a quick shower looking down to the 29 floors below, we tucked into a decent breakfast, before we departing in a Grab taxi before 9am. Our first stop was Sanam Luang (city park) the municipal heartland, where the Supreme Court is located along with the amusingly named Old Big Gun Museum. From there we headed north to the National Gallery and the Soi Ram Buttri area.

Having walked through the genteel Soi Ram Buttri, we moved on to the more ‘interesting’ Khao San Road, a place Andy visited some 30yrs ago back in 1994.

It’s fair to say the place has changed a little in the interim, but it still attracts the weird and the wonderful in equal measures.

After Andy’s reminiscing of days gone by, we returned to Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd and the Democracy Monument, before briefing pick up a tuk tuk with the intention of seeing the sights for a hour or two.

Despite having agreed a fee with the driver, he was keen for us to spend more and do some tours he would drive us to. We agreed this wasn’t on the cards, so he kindly told us he wasn’t going to charge us, but he wanted us to get out! Best laid plans foiled, but at least we had 10mins in a tuk tuk at no cost!

With a hour or so to spare, we had a walk around the Royal Pavilion before moving on to Rommaninat Park, where we stopped for a drink and a rest.

Early afternoon we headed to the cycle tour meeting point and met with the friendly guide Tommy, a Chinese Thai who has been running the ‘back streets of Bangkok’ for the last couple of years since Covid restrictions were lifted.

The cycle tour took us through some of the less well trodden streets, but it was so interesting to see the locals going about their business and realising how little they have financially, but how happy they appeared to be.

Michelle was a little unsure about the cycle tour at the start, but quite quickly got the hang of it and really enjoyed herself.

We both loved visiting the temples, which Tommy seemed able to access at no cost and enabled us to see so much more than we imagined. The temples are a feast for the eye, with bright colours, notably gold, drawing you in. It truly takes your breath away, given their scale and elaborate design.

Big Buddhas are here there everywhere and draw in the crowds. It’s a spectacle that you just don’t see in European places of worship.

We visited the latest and largest Buddha to land in the city, which was only finished in 2021 standing at 225ft in height and 130ft wide. You really can’t miss it!!

With temple overload starting to set in, Tommy took us to see his local food market, where fruits, vegetables and cooked fish and chicken were being sold to the locals. The food looked so fresh and delicious, although some were a little alien to us and needed explanation or a pre- purchase taste.

After 3hrs of fun cycling across 15k of paths, some more even than others, we finished up back at the start. Tommy was a great guide, very knowledgeable and was able to take a few photos and videos whilst we meandered around Bangkok.

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After saying goodbye to our Dutch cycling buddies, we caught the SkyTrail back to our hotel and changed ready to visit one of the night markets, at the fashionable Asiatique on the Waterfront.

This modern take on a night market, was part shopping mall, part theme park, but most importantly a great location to pick up some local Thai cuisine at reasonable prices.

After seeing chicken pad Thai and corn on the cob, we were both in like a shot and we quickly devoured the plates. As we let the food settle we took a wander along the riverside and watched the numerous riverboats pass by, set against lit up skyscrapers.

After a beer and some sweet treats, we made a move back to the hotel to recharge our batteries before we go again tomorrow for another walking tour around the Grand Palace.