What an adventure!!!!!  Steve, John, Kaz and Mandy had previously joined me on a tour throughout Vietnam back in 2008 and together we worked out this itinerary for our fantastic trip. Our travels started in Bangkok and then from there we trained to Chiang Mai where some took advantage of brushing up their Thai cooking skills at one of Chiang Mai's famous cooking schools. All participated on a entertaining countryside bike tour and had a wonderful local lunch of the local speciality Khao Soi. Huay Xai in Laos was the next stop where from there we spent 2 wonderfully relaxing days cruising down the Mighty Mekong through stunning mountain terrain. A highlight was stopping at a local village much to the bemusement of all the local kids. (Farang look funny!) The very pretty, UNESCO world heritage Luang Prabang was next on our hit list... Highlights for some being learning how to be a Mahout (drive an elephant!!), waterfalls, shopping and i'd better not forget the local disco. From there it was a spectacular drive to Vang Vieng where we enjoyed some caves and enjoyed the serenity of the beautiful surroundings. Vientaine (capital) was our last stop in Laos and unfortunately it was time to say goodbye to our local guide Savath. A former Buddhist monk who everyone found extremely informative and entertaining. A city tour with a very interesting and informative visit to COPE rehabilitation centre followed by an evening scrumptious meal at  the Makphet street kid training restaurant and that unfortunately was the end of our time in Laos. Cambodia here we come!!!! Siem Reap was our first stop, home of world famous UNESCO World Heritage Angkor Wat, where our local guide Mr Sokham kepted us amused and informed about the magnific temples and life in Cambodia in general. A boat trip on the "great lake" Tonle Sap was a highlight as was a refreshment stop at a local hammock bar for sunset. An interesting days drive through the heart of Cambodia to Phnom Penh where there we were informed just how cruel the Khmer Rouge legacy actually was. An invite to our local guides place for dinner was a highlight and so was the look on their faces on those brave enough to try a favourite local dish Tarantula!!! The quiet and scenic Kampot was next on the agenda where we feasted on local seafoods in an area that was once a playground for the rich and famous in the 1940's and 1950's. Time to hit the beach on Cambodia's premier resort town of Sihanoukville. Awesome seafood is what this place is re-known for and it didn't disappoint. Boat trip, snorkeling, deserted island, bbq lunch, sun, need i say more???? Finally, we head back to Phnom Penh to complete our amazing journey of rich of culture, amazing food, history and good times. Our final night dinner turned into a lively and entertaining affair with one or 2 sore heads in the morning. The common consensus was that the 24 days went tooooooo quick! What an adventure.......

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What the passengers said.....  Garry and I wanted to thank you for such a wonderful experience. Knowing how much goes into something like this and the fact that everything went so smoothly and with such little fuss, was a credit to the work you put into it and your organisational skills. Your calm approach and valuable information about local culture was also very helpful. and we all felt very safe. The local guides were such interesting and generous people and it was great to have the opportunity to support some of the local organisations. I particularly found the talk by Dr Beat Richner very enlightening- coming from a health background myself. The visit to the local guides house where we met the local children and had dinner, also provided a great insight into the life of the people.  Cambodia is certainly a place that leaves an impression on you and when people ask about our trip I describe it as an experience rather than a holiday. I think a visit like this certainly helps to broaden your views of the world and to put our own small problems into perspective. I have been recommending this trip to all my friends but particularly to my family and younger people who would benefit greatly from this experience. Despite some confronting moments particularly when understanding the history of the Cambodian people, the friendliness of the Laos and Cambodian people and the laughter we shared made this such a fun trip as well. Garry and Jenny Australia . We recently completed the “Best of Laos and Cambodia with a taste of Thailand” trip with Alan Crocker from Alby Adventures.  The whole experience was amazing and we could not have hoped for a better holiday. This is mainly thanks to Alan. He had everything well planned so it all went smoothly, yet we never felt we were being over organised. The itinerary was excellent and there was a perfect balance of included activities and time on our own to eat, shop or explore. Alan has a relaxed manner, a sense of humour and an easygoing nature but is very tuned in to the individual needs of the group. We trusted his advice and we were very confident in his ability to handle any problems that might arise (none did). Alan’s genuine compassion for the people whose countries we visited also made the trip special for us. We met many different people and the local guides who travelled with us were fascinating to spend time with. He is very knowledgeable about each country and we genuinely felt that we got to know something of the real Lao and Khmer people, their history and their culture, rather than just viewing their country from afar.  Alan’s mission is to try to leave each country a little better off with each visit. This I think we achieved, but there is no doubt that we are all a lot better off for the experience. Steve and Mandy Australia