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chrischarly


700 Blog Entries
6 Trips
5148 Photos
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Trips: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia Chris and Charly Down Under Chris and Charly's African Adventure Chris and Charly's Pacific Island Pit-Stop Chris and Charly's mini trip to The States Chris and Charly's Indian Odyssey Shorthand link: http://blogabond.com/chrischarly

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A catch-up day...

Ban Dondet, Laos

Sunset from our balcony

Not much to say today... just tried for hours upon hours of catching up with this blog but only managed to waste time as the internet is so slow even in internet cafes here on Don Det.

written by

chrischarly on August 15, 2011 from Ban Dondet, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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To the 4000 islands

Ban Dondet, Laos

We left our guesthouse in the back of a tractor to the bus stop and then caught a bus to Pakse. It was really easy and not much waiting around and the bus moved surprisingly quick. When we got to Pakse we then caught a huge tuk tuk to Ban Nakasang.

Climbing on the tuk tuk

It was supposed to take about 3 hours but with the speed we travelled we made it in 2. We got dropped off right where the boats left and it was just a quick boat ride to Don Det.

Inside our big tuk tuk

Chris unfortunately banged his head on the top of the boat and took a small chunk out of his head but managed to be brave about it. :)

On the boat ride over

We found acomodation for so cheap it was ridiculous, quite possibly the cheapest we've had yet at £1.70 a night, but it was very basic, just a shack, with nothing but a bed, but with great views of sunset and the River. So we chilled in a hammock for a few hours before we went and found some food at 7:30pm as we hadn't eaten for the day and were starving!

written by

chrischarly on August 14, 2011 from Ban Dondet, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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Last day in Tad Lo

Tad Lo, Laos

Along the river

In the rice paddies

A local village

The steps to our place

Well it's our last day today in Tad Lo and the 4 of us decided we would do what we do best and do nothing. Just chill, play some games, have a few beers and watch the world go by before helping cook dinner at night.

written by

chrischarly on August 13, 2011 from Tad Lo, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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Waterfalls

Tad Lo, Laos

First sighting of the waterfall

To the waterfall....

Feeling bad about doing nothing for a few days the 4 of us planned to go on a 4km walk to a big Waterfall, the weather was hot so we took it slow. We walked 3km to the village nearby and stopped for refreshments. After this some local kids decided to guide us to the base of the falls.

We started off on a slippery mud track that soon got hilly and very slippy. Henry and Anya had flip-flops but soon discarded them for bare feet. We had our trainers on but to no avail as once they were clogged up with mud it was like skating.

Chris drenched with sweat

Sweaty and exhausted

We made it nearly all the way there and gave up, the barefoot Germans did the last stretch and then we all walked back in heavy rain and two rainbows.

At the base of the waterfall

After a shower we went for another yummy dinner and some beers.

written by

chrischarly on August 12, 2011 from Tad Lo, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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Chris going bald...

Tad Lo, Laos

We did nothing, so nothing to write about. We truly are becoming a true Laos citizen!.. Oh... Apart from Chris finally getting himself a haircut!

written by

chrischarly on August 11, 2011 from Tad Lo, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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A small walk around Tad Lo

Tad Lo, Laos

Enjoying a juice by waterfall

We awoke to heavy rain so decided to stay in bed, might have had something to do with the beer the night before too! We got up about lunchtime and headed out for a walk to the other side of the River.

Stood at the base of Tad Lo waterfall

We found a nice, if overpriced, restaurant right next to the falls. We then crossed back and walked up to a resort that has elephants and where you could see the upper Waterfall, the actual Tad Lo Waterfall.

After this we wandered back to the guesthouse and planned a tasty western dinner of pasta, fried Chicken, salads and garlic bread.

Another guest, Eleana from Scicily, and I prepared most of it and more people kept getting added to the party.

Tad Lo waterfall

In the end we had to cook for 16. Everyone seemed to enjoy it and it was nice to have some Western food. After dinner a group of us retired to the bamboo hut balcony for more beer, and Lao-Lao. We ended up telling stories, playing games and listening to tunes until about 3am.

written by

chrischarly on August 10, 2011 from Tad Lo, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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An amazing find...

Tad Lo, Laos

On the balcony at our 1st place

Our nice, but messy room

After a rough nights sleep in our £2 bungalow, we decided to move to another place we had seen and whilst away from the River was really nice and chilled overlooking rice paddys.

Later in the day Henry and Anya decided to move too, and took a really funky bamboo hut were each visitor leaves something behind. It was very cool and original with an eclectic mix of travellers' unwanted stuff. We checked into the most expensive room at about £4, but it was huge with our own bathroom and large Terrace.

Balcony of 2nd place

We chilled the rainy afternoon away and then helped make a nice Laos dinner of Pumpkin Soup, Laap, Laos salad and Sticky rice. We all sat down and enjoyed it with the family.

Eating all together

written by

chrischarly on August 9, 2011 from Tad Lo, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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Violent waterfall

Pakse, Laos

View from our place

After a not-so-early start, as neither our friends nor us could be bothered to get the first bus, we took the second at 11am to Tad Lo. The journey was 90km and should’ve taken a maximum of 2 hours, but due to our driver mistaking himself for a snail, stopping everywhere, and reversing often, it took considerably longer. However, the bus itself was ok, although packed with locals, rice and other junk; at least we had a seat that was relatively comfortable.

View of waterfall from balcony

Upon arriving in Tad Lo we had the usual tuk tuk negotiation and decided amongst ourselves that the correct fare should be no more than 5000kip; certain he would eventually agree to our price all 4 of us stood our ground until he surprised us all by driving away! Well, we never thought that would happen!

The violent river

Gutted, and as he was the only tuk tuk driver around we shamefacedly began to walk the 1.8km into town due to a 20p extra in fare we didn’t want to part with. After walking about ½ a km the tuk tuk driver reappeared and we finally got a ride for 5000kip. Then we meandered around town to find somewhere cheap to stay and found somewhere beyond basic but with great views of a very violent Waterfall.

written by

chrischarly on August 8, 2011 from Pakse, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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From one over-priced place to another...

Ban Tha Khek, Laos

We left our rip-off accommodation in Tha Khek and took a tuk tuk to the bus station preparing to head to Savannakhet. But when we got to the bus station, we changed our mind, as there really wasn’t much point in going there apart from breaking up another long bus journey, so we took the hit and instead went straight to Pakse about 7 hours away. The bus though was a complete laugh. It must’ve been older than me! Not to mention uber smelly and very fragile. About 30 minutes into our journey, the seat next to us collapsed off the rail and landed with a loud thud, so the passengers sitting on it were sitting lopsidedly the whole way. We then checked our own seats as well as the others on the bus and they all looked in the same state, and sure enough, ours collapsed before the journey was over. But the driver was a speed freak so at least our misery didn’t last forever. When we arrived in Pakse, we searched in vain for cheap accommodation for well over an hour and once again ended up with rubbish, over-priced find, as all the cheap ones were full already. So another bus journey it is again tomorrow until we find somewhere worth staying and cheaper than £7!...

written by

chrischarly on August 7, 2011 from Ban Tha Khek, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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Hung-over and travelling...

Ban Paksan, Laos

Today we awoke with hangovers after our unplanned drinkypoo’s the night before. Originally, we had planned to head to Kong Lo caves but when we emailed a guesthouse, they told us that due to flooding The Caves were closed. So instead, we left Vientiane to head to Tha Khek.

As usual with Laos, the journey was eventful with a bus as old as the arc and a crazy driver. We had fun just watching the world go by and got chatting to two Germans, Henri, and Anya. The bus surprisingly didn't break down, and we have no ide how, but our tuk tuk did instead...

Broken down tuk tuk

We arrived in Tha Khek and went to the Lonely Planet’s “Our Pick”. It was pretty poor for the price and once again the Lonely Planet let us down. In the evening, we played Yatzee with a French couple and had a boring meal. Think we will leave tomorrow…

written by

chrischarly on August 6, 2011 from Ban Paksan, Laos

from the travel blog: Chris and Charly's Passage through SE Asia

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