Kuang Si Falls, Luang Prabang

We went on a little tour today to a nearby waterfall. I sort of didn't want to go and then when we got there I felt quite dirty about it because the cost of the tour didn't actually cover the cost of entry to the falls.

Then, as we walked up the winding clay track, I tried to be positive about how much cooler it was up there in the hills amongst the jungle next to the river. We walked past Lao families sitting on giant woven plastic mats with picnics and white people posing in not enough clothing and swimming areas full of screaming, splashing Lao children.

I was walking in a fog of 'why the hell did I come here' when we came to a spot higher up than most people had bothered to walk.

Because we were all going to be swimming, I didn't take my camera in case someone nicked it while we were frolicking trustingly in the mountain waters, so you are going to have to imagine.

There were water bugs that skipped away across the surface in a panic as we swam into them. Little fish that nibbled our ankles. Motes of water dancing in the air above the falls. Little zippy blue dragonflies and squidgy mud between our toes. We were in a pool with stands of bamboo and sandy brown rocks and sun dappling over pale jade water. Because I didn't have my glasses on, you also have to imagine a romantic blur of afternoon light and short-sightedness.

It was blissfully cool, Claire even got goosebumps. My temper improves enormously when I am blissfully cool, so I am going to go wash my hair and then go play nice with the new kids who arrive on the trip today.