Tad Sae WaterFall and Elephants

We spent last Sunday afternoon visiting the Tad Sae Waterfalls. The Waterfalls are 15 Km from town so we hired a min-van organised by Lovely Latda.

 The Tad Sae Waterfall is couple km down the Nan Knong river so we all piled into a small boat and off we go  .....

 The boat trip provides a income for the local community - costs 5000 kip each about 83 cents Aust for the return trip.

One thing I notice in comparison to Aust is the Occupation health and Safety regulations are interpreted differently. In Lao common sense and self preservation are highly regarded.

 Tad Sae is also famous for its elephants. For $10 Aust  the boys had a 30 min elephant ride around the waterfall and surrounding area. The boys and myself really enjoyed feeding the elephants - you have to be impressed with their trunks and how they can manipulate them mmm

 The water falls is targeted towards  local Lao people more then foreign tourists.  This part of the water fall is closed to swimming as the elephants walk through.

 The boys on top - both were surprised about the smaller size of the Asian elephants and that the elephant hair was like wire and hurt their legs

This amused me as the signs everywhere eles in world say 'don't feed the animals'

I just liked this photo

Kinyin riding his elephant

Tad Sae water falls  - at the end of the day so the crowds have gone home.

Watching a fisherman on the Nam Khan

Food everywhere...

At our little guest house we didn't realise straight away, but like every where in Laos, there is food every where!

Over you head...

...and under your feet...

Beautiful star fruit!

And loads of chilli drying!

Really loads!

The longer we stay, the more we realise every plant seems to be food or useful in some other way. Even plants I would have sworn were decorative are eaten. 

I haven't a picture but a few days ago they pruned the front hedge here at the guest house.

Once again - sure it was totally decorative - but into the kitchen it went!

So wonderful.

We came across this lady on the way home one day and the smell was amazing. With limited common words we think it is medicinal - for you stomach and heart. From a street tree.

The most lovely smell...

Such wonderful food knowledge and use in everyone's daily lives.

Water for thought...

Deep thoughts from the water container at school.

That whole play thing...

...we found it tricky at first...

...but we reckon...

...we pretty much...

...have...

...got the hang of it now.

Happy times!

School lunch

The kids and I have lunch at school every day. The lunches range from amazingly beautiful Laos food to fairly random ones occasionally like tuna sandwiches! 

Mostly they are a delight.

On our second day, one of the staff who work at the school helping with lunches and more came up and asked the kids sitting next to Wimitja and Kinyin what their names were.

The names were repeated over and over till she had it sorted.

Then she wrote their names on their cup!

What a lovely thing!

Bike rack Lao style

 I have been looking for a bike that I could take Kinyin on the back. The roads are a little chaotic for him to ride by himself even if I could locate a bike to fit. So I decided to put a rack on the back of the bike I use at the guest house. Locating a bike rack in Luang Prabang was not a easy task - unlike Adelaide where their is a cycle shop on every corner not one to be found here. So in desperation I started asking at motor bike repair shops and eventually found someone who was game to try

 I ended with a custom built rack which was intended for a motor bike - as you can see it needed some fine adjustment which only can be achieved with a angle grinder

 Little bit more fine tuning

And the final product - pleased to report that Kinyin has now spent couple of hours on the back as we go exploring the town and surround villagers.