Picture yourself on a boat on the Mekong

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After two days of sitting on my arse on the slow boat to Luang Prabang I am strangely exhausted. Strange because there was bugger all to do for 8 hours at a time, and nowhere to go past about a 30cm radius. At one stage a few of us got on the roof, but were promptly told to get off by powers that be. Good thing, though as it started raining and didn't stop for 48 hours. About an hour before Luang Prabang we hit some rapids (thats right, in a boat full of about 60 people) and a massive tsunami-style wave came blasting over the side soaking everybody and everything. Pandamonium ensued and it was lucky that the we didn't capsize after that, as everybody ran to the drier side of the boat!

Laos doesn't seem to be as cheap as everybody made it out to be. Accomodation and beer definitely is, but food seems to be the same, if not more expensive than Thailand! Maybe it gets better out of town- i hope so, as I need to make my 5000 baht last 15 days! I think WWOOfing in Vang Vieng is looking like the best option at the moment!

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Photos

This is the end...
Floating down the Mekong with a ukulele singing the doors... for some strange reason :)

The Mekong
The river gave us all a face full of lovin' soon after this photo...

Bail out!
It obviously gave some to this guy too. He was on the bank bailing like crazy!

On the roof
...well, it was lucky we DID get on the roof to put a tarp over our luggage (only mine, benny, pete & magda's were up there) - they were soaked enough as it was! My plane ticket is drying out at the guesthouse as we speak!

Diving headfirst into the 21st Century
Contrary to popular belief (ie, bloody Lonely Planet) Laos is a highly technologically developed country- take this shed for example!

Not a child, a little man!
Getting led to our guesthouse by a child who is barely a foetus- and who insists on running things like a military operation (i tried speaking Lao to him this morn and he told me off) We call him The Boss.

Comments

[luce]

ahaha
wow! this little boss guy sounds like he really knows the whole shebang of things! I am doing canoeing at schewl at the moment, havent gotten as far as rapids yet. all weve done is cooked some two mintue noodles on a camp stove. and so,I be adventurous too!

[lex]

hey charrrrrz ha ha that little dude looks hillarious! glad ur havin fun. wen u get a mob numb or anything make sure to let me kno. miss you like crazy newspaper face. luke says hi.

[ash and alaya]

hey anus..!!!1
hey man, sounds like your having a blast!!! were over herei in portugal at the moment and about to head back into spain and then morroco. wissh you were here or i was there!!! take care and hope to catch up soon in another weird and wonderful country love ash and alaya (specially ash this is me typing)

[Nicole (ex-roomie)]

SO jealous!
I am getting all nostalgic reading of your adventures in Laos, I wish I could go back! Instead I'm waiting for it to be airport time - thats right, I'm going home. Have a blast, down some Supertiger whiskey for me (Smooth and Mellon!), and you rock out on your ukelele (remember hangman?)! Don't forget your Phi Phi roots! Nic

[Dad B & Jasper]

How is Lao Now?
Hi Chaz, I don't know if the last comments went on so I'll say hiya now. The weather is still very wintry and wet. School goes on and on. I'm sure holidays are somewhere out there. Jasper is sitting beside me drinking his milk and I've just been informed the fire's gone out ( again!) There are great caves in Lao if you get there. Are you keepingt to your budget? Wwoofing yet . I realise you're pre probably out of range on the technology stakes. Jasper's hitting me on the head with keys at the moment so I think I'd better go Lots of love Dad B and Jasper