Vang Viene: ideal for young adrenaline junkies.

Amazing journey over the mountains from Luang Prabang to Vang Viene but trying to capture photos through the grubby window of a bus winding its way up and down and round wasn't satisfactory, shame as the views were spectacular. I kept thinking how much David would like to be tackling them although the chances of him coming to this hot humid spicey far away location are nil, maybe even minus nil, but I knew he'd love the view, if nothing else.

But it was misty and smoggy, the burning being about at its height now:

I had somehow managed to get talked into a night with a local family, the idea being that you spread your funds around and don't just end up lining the pockets of the establishment. It is a great idealistic concept. The reality for me was very different.

I was housed, as the only guest, with a family who spoke not one word of English. Now I accept that my Lao isn't up to much but trying to spend an evening with a family with whom you cannot communicate at all and who need to be entertained by you is no easy task. Initial feelings of panic, along with thoughts along the lines of: what the .... am I doing here gave way to ideas of trying to pass the time successfully. So out came the iPad and I went through every single photo I had on there of Burma and Thailand. There were lots so that killed a bit of time By then word got around and I became the area's official photographer:

Shame I couldn't let them each have a copy but at least they saw them on the iPad.

Next it was, thankfully, time for dinner. Fortunately it was not the standard sit on the floor job, a requirement that I find incredibly uncomfortable as well as impossible to get up from. My attempts to sit cross legged on the floor invariably end up with me keeling over backwards then being completely unable to right myself, sounds hilarious but in reality it's humiliating and painful.

After dinner it was time for the dancing with the children from the village (and I think every other village within 10 miles as there were dozens of them!) Co-ordination is not one of my strong points but even I mastered the repetitive uncomplicated sets of in and out and twirl steps. Gave me huge sympathy for the Queen who has to sit through innumerable shows of local dancing, the poor woman must wish she could just walk out half way through and then decree: no more!

Fortunately the 'party' broke up by 21:00 so I was able to slink off to my room and hide until breakfast. I got there far too early but felt a great sense of release by then. Might be mean for me to say, but I would much rather have been able to make a suitable donation to the charity involved, and been left to do what I wanted.

Still, onwards and upwards.

On to the town itself with a room with a large balcony and a great view:

Again, shame about the smokey atmosphere but David would have enjoyed the view.

Not much to the town itself apart from lots of temples:

But apart from temples there is lots for youngsters to do: kayaking, zip wiring, quad biking, climbing:

And relaxing on the shore:

Until a herd of cows appear then it's all jump up on the huts, and that included me!

Not a town I feel any need to return to, nor to praise. And they might want to do something about their

marketing and PR:

I hope lots of people take note, and let the community manage without the hard currency that the obviously unwelcome visitors bring.