Today was our first full day in the beautiful country of Laos. We had a great day exploring Laos and comparing it to Cambodia. We have noticed that the architecture is different, there are more cars on the road and the streets are less crowded. The temperature was really cool and it was less humid which made the day more enjoyable. We packed up and left the hotel to go visit the temple Wa Prakeo which was very unique. Shortly after, we climbed the Patuxai which was built in 1958 for those who fought for independence from France (it is a replica of l’Arc de Triumph). Then, we went to a mall which doesn’t compare to the night markets the previous night.
We had a four hour bus drive to our next destination, Vang Vieng. On the way we stopped at a local fish market which we hadn’t seen before. It was a rough ride but it was worth it once we got a glimpse of the magnificent mountains. 
Once we arrived we went for our first walk in the city and gained insight into local culture. The group then divided itself into two smaller groups; one that went swimming and relaxing at the hotel and the other one that went to the city to get a Lao massage. Finally we had a nice dinner along the river whilst listening to some interesting karaoke. Tomorrow is an action packed day of bike riding, kayaking and cave exploring – we can’t wait!!
By Chelsea Fairlie & Catherine Brochard-Lalande