Laos

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Okay so Laos.

We've been here since 30/04/10. We took a 2minute boat crossing from Thailand to Laos (the two countries are separated by a river) and then hit immigration to check in our passports, receive our Visas etc etc we then met our guide Sing Kum (I can't spell his name but that's what it sounded like). Oh and just so you are aware, climbing on and off a very small, low boat with a 90l rucksack and small daysack is not bloody easy especially when you have to walk across a thin wooden plank to get to land. Thankfully no-one fell in but I did dip a toe in the water for balance.

Following our epic plank walking skills we got a Tuk-Tuk to the Mekong river and to our boat which we were to spend the next 10hours on. The song "We're on a boat" by the Lonely Island got a bit tiring after a while. The scenery was incredible, very green and mountainous but describing it doesn't really do it justice so I shan't bore you with it. Just watch out for the pictures if I can ever upload them. We stopped off at a local village and climbed up to see how the different tribes lived. The houses were very basic, made of mostly bamboo and they had central water points. The biggest surprise was the satellite dish attached to each hut that was NASA worthy. It did provide a moderate comedy value seeing pigs running around the dish. One of the kids in the village was Albino and had white blonde hair and very pale skin, this made Anty happy as for 15minutes of her trip she was no longer the palest. We donated money to there school building charity and then headed back to the boat. Other than that, we slept, read and then slept some more.

That night we arrived in Pakbeng and headed off to the village for dinner. One thing, BEST GREEN CHICKEN CURRY EVER. Other than that we drank, met the the "Yobo" tour leader - for those of you that don't know, Yolo Tours are the chav version of Gap Adventures, renamed Yobo after we decided it was more appropriate - made fun of his lively group, sat through a storm and were dive bombed by Kamikaze moths and mozzies.

Back on the boat, another 10hour journey. Soooo, we slept, we read and then slept some more. We did have a bloody good lunch though courtesy of the Captain and then we trekked up like a zillion steps to get the Pak Ou caves to see the Buddha's and just the general awesomeness. Shan't like 300 stairs in like 37 degrees does make your enthusiasm dwindle but I got a chance to use my head torch so I can't complain. Anyway other than that, we sailed the Mekong to Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang is siiiick we stayed there for 3nights. Loved it. The street market is wondrously cheap and I got dinner for 10,000kip which sounds ridiculous but is actually like 70p. The night market sold all kinds from traditional dress, purse, shoes etc to CDs to "medicine" which is basically a bottle filled with Whisky and a whole preserved scorpion. Dan and Matt Godden, I DID buy you guys one each and I have photographic evidence to prove it but then our guide Pauline said we couldn't take it through customs to Australia so I've had to leave it here. It tasted nice though.

The next day we headed to the Royal Palace museum to nose around and were swamped by rather pushy orange t-shirt wearing Thai's. The palace itself is very simple and although the public rooms were decorated elaborately, the private rooms - despite being large - we basic and filled only with the essentials. The Palace itself was only built in the early 1900s so was fairly new. Time to head back for a change of clothes and then we hit the waterfalls. The most beautiful place ever. Had so much fun despite frantically searching a plunge pool for my camera (which i found, don't worry mum) and being nibbled by fish. There was also a reservation for the endangered Asiatic Bears which by the way sleep in hammocks. Pretty cool. The rest of Luang Prabang consisted of sleeping and shopping, AND CHUCKING OUT CLOTHES because of the 15kg weight limit that useless STA FORGOT to mention, before traveling for 7hours to Vang Vieng.

Vang Vieng is like Yobo heaven. Welcome to Mini Britain. Other than the heat it was similar to a night out in Croydon. We saw the tubing sites had dinner and in my case an obscene amount of water. We then headed for for pool and Raks and Anty finished off 3buckets of whisky and something. I went home early but Raks thought it'd be funny to play Knock Down Ginger on our leaders door which he claims not to remember.

Our free day in Vang Vieng was a bit good. We got Mopeds (well Anty and I). Having never used one before and not even having a driving license it probs wasn't the best idea and I feel I did admirably. We drove out to the Poukham Cave and dear God was it hell to get there - like 350 steps, if you can all them that they were like rocks with bamboo poles for grip. The cave was enormous and cold so it was welcome and when we reached the bottom again we dipped our legs in the Lagoon before heading home to get appropriately dressed to swim. On the way back, Anty hit mud, slowed down, lost control and fell off her Moped. She's fine though, just grazed. We re hit the lagoon and that's when the the Yobos appeared. I don't care how old you are or how fit you are. Speedos are NEVER a good look. Ever. It didn't stop the American's though and there they were showing off and being just general boys.

We left for Vientiane (the capital city) the next day. 4hour drive on bumpy, winding roads. Not fun. It's SO hot here that I've barely left the hotel since we got here - which was yesterday. There doesn't seem to be all that much to do except eat and shop so I'm not too miffed. The machine swallowed my card. I am not happy but at least it wasn't my current account. Anyway today we are flying to Hanoi (Vietnam) so I'm off to fix my rucksack etc etc.

Byee.

P.S. Sorry about the spelling, grammar mistakes I don't have time to check it today.

THAI BRIDE COUNT = 27

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