This section is dedicated to (from left to right) Xay from the Savannakhet Eco-Guide Unit http://www.savannakhet-trekking.com, Liz and Toby from Canada, Mr. Soda (pronounce on the last syllable), the local guide and Magali from Belgium - our trekking team. When we start at 8:30 it is unusually cold, in particular on the Tuk-Tuk that takes us to That Ingang, the most sacred stupa in the province which preserves the backbone of Buddha. During the annual 1-week-festival a lot of little shops have been set up around the stupa walls. Inside you can light your incense sticks at a fire of cones from the forest and wax. The locals are much better than we in rubbing a large gong until it resonates with a strong sound. If you are successful your wish will come true. The inner enclosure of the stupa can only be visited by men. But since it is only 2 m wide and 50 cm high, women don't miss a lot.

After another short tuk-tuk drive we meet Mr. Soda from the village who takes us on a wonderful 15 km hike through the Dong Natad forest with towering 200 year old trees. We pass Nong Lom, the sunken lake. Mr. Soda tells us the story. A beautiful young lady from the ancient settlement refused to marry a prince from a distant kingdom. An enormous turtle was sent to punish the villagers - but they simply ate it. As a consequence, the settlement was drowned in the lake which since then carries a taboo that doesn’t allow monkeys and snakes to be hunted.

Mr. Soda spots every detail on the way. We encounter insects, single spiders as well as hundreds of them hiding from the wind in a single spot. Daring Toby lets a lizard dangle from his ear. We see a charcoal kiln and many trees that produce oil used for torches. Some trees also have simply ladders used for the annual honey collection.

In the evening we arrive at Ban Phonsin, the village where Magali, Thomas and Simon stay in the house of the village chief. We are greeted with the Baci ceremony which is also part of every wedding. Around a banana leaf pyramid decorated with flowers the village chief and his son, an old guy and three old ladies from the village take turns to sweep cotton listels across a boiled chicken before they bind them to our wrists wishing us health, safe travels and a long life. After the ceremony we enjoy a festive dinner with our hands.

On the next morning, Magali and Simon “make merit” by bringing alms to the monks before breakfast. Afterwards a short hike takes them to the turtle lake.