Amazing Waterfall to Swim in!

Headed of to the Pak Ou cave today... this is a cave-temple that is only accessible by water and it took about 2 hours to reach from Luang Prabang port in a mini-boat. Met a German/Chilean couple, Robert and Olga, who were very friendly and I ended up spending much of the day with them.

On the return journey from Pak Ou, the boat driver spotted a lizard (a "monitor" its apparently called) swimming in the river and spent the next half hour trying to whack it with a big stick (we werent sure if he wanted it for food for himself or to sell as a delicacy... judging by his determination Id guess the latter). Finally the lizard came on land and got smushed by our man. I got a photo taken of me holding the lizard by the tail... Lucky I didnt do it for long cuz the damn thing was still alive, just a little dazed. Eventually it was whacked to death... end.

Soon after arriving back in LP I headed off on my own to the famous Luang Prabang waterfalls. These were truly magnificent and the waterfalls stretch up for hundreds of feet perched on different levels and spewing forth cool tourquoise water! Wonderful in the heat of the day! I made my way up to the top (reached by wading through steps of gushing mini-waterfalls) where there was a rope suspended 20 ft above a deep pool at the bottom of a waterfall. I swang on that thing for the next 3 hours and I could have stayed there for 3 years it was so beautiful.

That waterfall and the Na Hin caves are truly the most beautiful things I have seen in Laos.

In the evening I met up with Olga and Robert again and attended a show of traditional dance and dinner. Good way to end an exhausting (and stimulating) long day!!