The travels and musings of Matt and Heidi
Here is a collection of waterfall images taken from various parts of Champasak province in southern Laos. The featured image is Tad Fane twin waterfall from the Bolaven Plateau. It is the highest waterfall in Laos with a drop of over one hundred metres and is located only a few kilomteres from Paksong town. The... Continue Reading →
The mountainous landscape surrounding Vang Vieng is not only home to some wondrous rock formations, but also some spectacular caves as well. Trekking to the caves is easier with a guide, which you can organise in town very cheaply. The first cave we visited was called Tham Xang - the Elephant Cave. It is approximately... Continue Reading →
Vang Vieng (Lao: ວັງວຽງ) was first settled around 1353 as a staging post between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Originally named Mouang Song after the body of the deceased King Phra Nha Phao of Phai Naam was seen floating down the river, the town was renamed Vang Vieng during French colonial rule in the 1890s.[1] Built... Continue Reading →
Looks like we found tiny toad's big brother 🙂 Benny, my cousin's elderly terrier, loves to gobble these guys with his toothless gums. The result is usually a frothy mouth, upset tummy and a trip to the vet if he doesn't get better. The toad ends up bemused, befuddled but mostly unscathed. We're not sure... Continue Reading →
Vientiane night market panorama with the Mekong in the background and Thailand off to the distance.
Followers of my Facebook page will have seen this image before. This is the Laos Black Forest Scorpion, which has a cool trick whereby it turns blue under UV light. Although this nasty looking varmint has a mildly toxic sting, I elected not to pat him, play with him or bring him home to Heidi.... Continue Reading →
Unlike the ginormous snails that continuously munch on the local greenery, these toads are kinda tiny. I have no idea what species this is, but I do know that toad poisoning is a somewhat prevalent problem in Laos regardless of the fact that the villagers are aware of the toads toxicity. Although the frogs are... Continue Reading →
This is my cousin's dog. His name is Benny and he stands about six inches off the ground. He's also very old, well for a dog anyway, and he only has about four teeth left. Benny also has a lung condition that requires medication. He coughs a lot, the poor little fellow, and sometimes he... Continue Reading →
For Charlotte, Maddison, and Alannah. Lots of Love from Uncle Mack. Trying out some of the cuisine at Makphet, in Vientiane Laos. https://youtu.be/QC0zpuN7qms
I believe these magnificent mollusks are a type of Giant African Land Snail. They were introduced into Asia via China c1931 as a source of food and can grow as large as 20 centimetres long. These ones were a lot smaller at approximately 10 - 12 centimetres long at full stretch. I'm on the hunt... Continue Reading →
Wish You Were Here 