Our bus journey to Luang Namtha ended up being a total of 7 hours even though the distance was a mere 200 kilometers. The locals on the bus were awfully car sick and spent most of the journey getting sick in plastic bags then flinging them out the window. This country still hasn't realised the destructive impact of literring. When we finally arrived there we headed for dinner in Zuela Restaurant joined my Megan & her dad Ian who were the only other tourists on our bus.

The following day we rented bikes and explored some of the surrounding areas, starting with the hilltop Stupa - a shiny new golden Buddhist monument guarded by pristine giant Buddha statues, then onto a local H'mong village famous for its embroidery and lastly Nam See Waterfall on the outskirts of the town. The waterfall was a bit of a disappointment but it probably didn't help that we were starving & overheated from cycling in the midday sun. As the sky started to threaten with dark clouds we turned our bikes for home & just as we sat down in the Bamboo Restaurant the heaven's opened.

The following day we relaxed with our greatest adventure being a trip to a massage parlour for a traditional Lao Massage. During our time there we also had a kayaking trip down the river Nam Tha, a wide river with gentle rapids that meanders through the national park on our last day (see video). This was mighty craic, and we also got a real insight into local communities living in the riverside. Our guide came from a village nearby and gave us excellent information about the culture, religion, lifestyle and education of these people.