Laos, Elephants, Peace and Love

As always, more pictures here.
It's been awhile since I've posted.  I blame not having any WiFi.

At the beginning of July we met up with the BYU group from Cambodia before we headed up to Laos.  Before we left we spent a day in Thailand having great adventures.  We went to a waterfall, "rafting" on bamboo rafts, and of course, riding an elephant.  Everything was amazing.  It was the typical thing to do in Thailand and I'm glad I got to do it.  The whole time we were riding an Elephant I just kept thinking of how unreal the whole thing was.

Laos was wonderful.  It was also much hotter than Thailand, something we thought was impossible.  But, we got to stay in a very nice hotel air conditioned and everything.  It even had a shower with a door.  Those just don't exist in Thailand.  We went to a beautiful waterfall the first day there.  It had crystal clear blue water with a rope swing and falls you could jump off of.  We spent the next day riding around on bicycles and touring the city sweating buckets and buckets before finally cooling down at a nice pool where we had fries.  Real American fries.  This was on July 4th so it was very fitting.  We spent the night of the 4th at an american bar eating american food watching drunk people light off little fireworks.  We also played a great game of volleyball against the Cambodes (group from Cambodia).  I think it can be assumed here that of course Thailandia won.  More like crushed them.

I don't have time to write much more, but the pictures say it all.

This is at a Wat in the mountains where we meditated the morning we rode elephants.

It was absolutely beautiful and very peaceful.

Riding Elephants!

This is where we stayed after riding on a slow boat on the Mekong.  We rode the boat for two days before finally getting to Laos.  It was a Very small town right on the river side.

Our first morning in Laos we hiked to the top of a temple on a hill.  I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my life.

This is where we swam at our first waterfall.  We swam down lower on the river and than hiked up to see this fall.

View of Luan Prabang.