Laos - Up the Nam Ou

From Luang Prabang I headed in a slow boat up the Nam Ou with Erin and John. The faulty motor on the boat ended up being a blessing as we stopped along the way. John pulled out a hacky sack like toy. Without much of a word in Laos there was a lot of communication to be had through a simple game.

Laos - Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is definately an easy place to chill out in. I easily slipped into a comfortable daily routine of coffee, noodles, banana pancakes, massages and explorations on push bike and foot.

Early morning alms

Colourful veges

Protein

Waterfalls I thought could only be in heaven

Quaint accommodation with a view

My favourites - new friends I just clicked with, Erin and John, and banana pancakes with pandan custard

Seeing how some of the beautiful scarves we bought were made

Cycling to a temple on a hilltop

I was faithful every morning to this one noodle lady in the market. Mmm you couldn't go past fresh noodles wrapped in banana leaves and Laos coffee with sweetened condensed milk to start the day

Laos

After having our 'must do' while in India of going to see a Bollywood film on our way to the Delhi airport, Richard and I headed for Thailand. Unfortunate for Richard, the responsible one, he continued to Sydney to go back to work. Lucky me had planned to disembark in Bangkok and head for Laos. I had heard it was a lovely country so why not? Indeed, it was charming. The friendly people, the picturesque scenery, the relaxed way of life drew me in. I'd go back there in a flash!

I made a border crossing into Vientiane and after a few nights headed up to Vang Vieng. Avoiding the crowds of young tourists that had taken over part of the river front - travelling to Laos to get pissed and high and watch reruns of Friends wasn't really my thing - I hired a bike and headed down a bumpy dirt road to explore various limestone caves and waterholes.

Agra

Richard's expression at first sight of the Taj Mahal says it all...

Approaching the Red Fort

Amritsar

Fancy train ride from Delhi to Amristar with welcoming roses and everything!

The Golden Temple, Amristar

The holy book waking up for the day and making it's way to the temple

A dining room with free food for everyone - Sikh's from all background volunteer in the kitchen, washing up, cleaning the floors etc.

Enough plates?

Memorial at Jallianwala

Pomp and cermony - the border closing between Pakistan and India.

Rich with some guys who are arguing over who has to take the photo and who gets to be in the photo - for some reason we were famous that afternoon

Rich and everyone else trying to get a photo with the tall guard

Shillong

A wedding! The bride & groom.

Cousin Melvin & his wife (his sister-in-law the bride)

Jayden smiling 110% for the camera

Family

Roshan with his standard smile used all day

Uncle Joit & Aunty Argent

Miricle mid-tea

Shillong peak, overlooking the city. Bec, Sunan, Roshan, Golda, Bahnah, Rich & Bahlung

The gang moving on to Elephant Falls

Before we enter our Lyngdoh family's sacred grove a few things you should know (Khasi/English)

Parlei & Bec trying to keep warm

Yum - all the kind of food I grew up on

Tambor Lyngdoh - the local community representative, MA in Khasi and our guide for the day. We had never had a guide before and even my aunts learned a lot more about our family!

Walking in the sacred Lyngdoh grove

Great mother's grave - each of us leaving beetlenut and pann leaf out of respect

All the direct Lyngdoh family who visited our great (x many) mother's grave on the day

Palei reminding me that according to traditonal beliefs we can't take a photo with only three - popping myself right in there - four is a good number (Rich, Palei, Abhi & Bec)

Monolith in memory of an uncle

Unusual plant outside great aunt's house

Bec's great aunt (grandma's older sister) & Richard

Richard, Na Duh (Bec's grandma's younger sister) & Bec

Aunty Argent's flowers

Aunty Lucky at her store

Abhi and his girlfriend

Lit checks out Bahnah's wounds after a fall that injured face and both arms

Roshan, his older cousin and Eva