We stopped for lunch in a little cafe at the edge of a cliff and the views were fantastic! They had the best views from the toilets too!
We then drove forever and made it to the village where we were staying. We had a home stay in a village where we stayed with the villagers in their homes. It was a bit daunting to begin with as our home host Ann had as much English as we did Laos but were made it work. The three girls stayed with Ann and we walked with her to her house as she insisted she carried our handbags. She showed us to our room which was nice and simple and to the bath room.
Ann then brought us all in a Laos skirt to wear and a flower for our hair. As Elise was so tall Ann made her try on there skirts before she was happy it was long enough!
After a walk around the village we headed back for dinner. The kids in the village we so cute and loved seeing themselves on screen after having their photo taken!
After dinner the dancing began! We sat outside and the local school children came and did a Laos dance for us and then they taught it to us and we then had to do it for them. The children all came up and picked one of us to teach. It was so cute! The girls were fighting after getting to teach the blondes! The dance was fun but went on for ages! When it stopped they did another dance for us and some singing. The Laos pop music then started and we danced all evening! It was relentless and they wouldn't let you escape! I had a little group of girls dancing with me all night. They were so cute!! Then started hugging my legs as they were so tiny! They played gangnam style and it was so bizarre to be dancing to this with five year olds!
At the end of the night we gave all the kids a pencil and were very happy to go to bed as we were so hot from dancing! The home stay was great and a really unique experience.
We left in the morning to drive the 5km in to Vang Vieng. As there is not much to do in the town itself we booked ourselves onto a cave tubing and kayaking trip. For 100,000 kip (£7) we spent the morning tubing trough a cave and then having a great lunch which included an amazing coconut flavoured baguette and then kayaking down the river. It was a great way to spend the morning! I also met up with a girl a met in NZ which was cool!
In the afternoon we took a songtheaw to the blue lagoon which was a deep water swimming hole with turquoise waters. I took the opportunity to do some sunbathing as we were finally allowed to wear a bikini! I didn't go in the water as the fish were so big!
There was another epic thunder and lightening storm as we got back to our hotel after dinner. It was very dramatic and looked amazing as it lit up the mountains opposite. Our room leaked a fair bit as we stayed up watching it.
We went to bed early as we were going to go in a hot air balloon the next day!! It cost £47 and so it was too good an opportunity to miss, bit scared about the general lack of health and safety in this country but I thought why not! We got picked up at 6 and drove to the site. Our group managed to get a basket to ourselves but it was tilting scarily! Too many large westerners! It was pretty scary taking off as we took so long to get any hight and we came very close to some houses! I though we were never going to get high as we were too heavy, but we got there eventually and the views were amazing! The limestone cliffs were spectacular for the ground but they were even more so in the sky with the clouds around! 
We must have woken everyone up who were still sleeping as we went over their houses so close! All the little kids waving were so cute. I don't think I've waves at some many kids as I have done here in Laos! Landing was less scary than I expected. We clipped a tree as we came in, but all the ground crew ran around the basket as we came in and landed in a paddy field. I was expected to fall on the side but we stayed up right. Just a few slides along the ground and up over a paddy field separator. An amazing experience!!
They packed it up so quickly too. They used fans outside to blow against the balloon and then gathered up the fabric. Very speedy!
Back in time for breakfast and some photos of our amazing view from out balcony over the cliffs and river. Georgeous!
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