Luang Prabang, Nong Khiawn Muang Ngoi Nuea, Luang PrabangJason & Kirstyn O Travelled by local bus (no chickens) to Nong Khiaw. From here we caught a boat up the Nam Ou (River) to the tiny village of Muang Ngoi Neua. The boat was more like an oversized wooden canoe and the driver was very adept at getting us up the rapids without tipping us out! Muang Ngoi Neua has a population under 1000 people and there is only really one main dirt street in town. We found it to be one of the most relaxing places we have found so far on our trip. The town itself has several guesthouses and restaurants but is otherwise dependant upon farming and other industries such as making tools and fabric weaving within the local area. Power is provided by ... read more

We made it across the border, with no problems after Kirstyn's second hospital experience post monkey attack for another vaccine shot! Very relaxed border crossing, although this was our very first. We did however have some dramas trying to get enough cash (especially the US dollars - the banks didn't want to part with small denominations) for the next few weeks as Laos apparently has no ATM's except Vientiane. All this aside we arrived in Houay Xai a bit after lunch and attempted to find the Gibbon Experience in the hottest part of the day carrying all our gear! Unfortunately we had bogus directions so found a hotel and then found it later by simply asking someone - derr. At the Gibbon Experience office we had a very brief rundown and tutorial before signing an ... read more

Pai back to Chiang Mai Arrived in Chiang Mai in time for the beginning of Songkram...the crazy celebration of Thai New Year which involves seven days of water fighting! Found a lovely Guest House to stay at which was not charging special Songkram prices... Asia Guest House...highly recommended as a nice place to stay and feel at home. Luckily we found a nice place to stay as Kirstyn quickly developed a very unwelcome stomach bug that rendered her house bound (or tiolet bound) for the next three days! Jason did a great job of running to 7-11 to get water and stock up on electrolytes! Found a great pharmacist around the corner who was very helpful and also helped us to stock up on malaria tablets for Lao and Cambodia. We did manage to brave Songkram ... read more

Pak Chong to Phitsunalok/SukhothaiJason & Kirstyn O After a great stay at Pak Chong it was time to brave the public transport system again, this time across and up to Phitsanoluk. While not that far in distance, it did take us all day to get there on our bus which was totally crowded but thankfully it had a/c (sort of) and we got seats. Found a great hotel which was cheap and had a TV (what luxury). Phitsanoluk was suprisingly a really nice place. It had a great night market which was very peaceful, not too touristy and a beer garden area where you could buy "towers" of beer (plastic tube with a tap to pour). We weren't game enough to have a crack with just the two of us! Lovely setting right on the River ... read more

Kanchanburi to AyutthayaJason & Kirstyn O Caught the local train from Kanchanaburi back to Bangkok then on to Ayutthaya. Thought we were going to get away with it cheaply but were charged the 'Foreigner' special price of 100B for our ticket out of Kanchanaburi. Locals pay only 25B!!! Decided that from here on in when we are charged more for being foreign we will just call it our little donation to a beautiful country! A long day of travelling on trains but a great way to see the scenery as the trains tend to bypass the main parts of town and travel through lots of rural and farming areas. Stayed two nights in Ayutthaya...hired pushbikes to ride around and visit the ancient temple sites. Also rode a little way out of town to see the Elephant ... read more