So i changed my mind and decided to go to Tadlo to go and play with the elephants in the Bolaven plateau - they have great Arabica coffee and French baguettes and I'm hungry.
It's a tuk-tuk and then a bus journey to Tadlo, the bus is crammed and of course contains the obligatory chicken. Upon arrival i meet a couple of other westerners - 2 friends (Liz and Manfred) travelling together who also don't know where the guest house we want to stay at is. After spending nearly as much time picking which bungalow we want to stay in, as travelling to this town we get a triple hut together. As Manfred allegedly snores, i possibly smell, as I eat garlic bread that night it's possible Liz regrets that decision.
Liz (Dutch) is the only person I've met who has a worse sense of direction than me - she too can enter a shop and then not remember from what direction she entered it (she also when picking the wrong way, then pretends she meant to, just in case any body is noticing.) Luckily Manfred (Swiss) isn't so daft so she hasn't got lost yet It's a nice couple of days: playing cards, going on a jungle walk, riding elephants, eating, drinking and having lots of fun:
My pink boudoir of a mosquito net brings tears to our eyes as Manfred takes a photo of me (see the picture), with only my sandals being clearly visible.
I go for a swim, carefully walking on stones on the riverbed, towel around my neck and carrier bag in one hand. Did you imagine that the next stone had disappeared and all of a sudden the only thing you can see is my hand still holding the carrier bag. On my way back to the shore area i decide to throw the carrier bag to avoid it happening again - it sticks to my hand (that's my excuse) and lands in the middle of the river.
My favourite is Liz having a girly moment (her words when she screamed and ran, boy was the expression on her face funny) at the sight of a snake which turned out to be a twig being dragged by a vine attached to our guides shoe :)
The elephant trek was fantastic, it was worth the detour just for that. The local tribes were interesting and the company was great. I'm ready to leave however.
