28th Dec: Getting up was easy - only needed to catch the bus at 9am and it was a 5 hour bus journey from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong. Once there, I just had to sort out my visa for Laos and get the ferry across to Huay Xai, which was very simple and on the other side I found a guest house. Had some rice and went out. Not much there - no internet, but there was a bar and at the
bar I discovered Beer Lao and met loads of people who where due on the boat the next day. After a couple of hours, headed back to my dump of a guest house but slept well!

29th Dec: Up and off to the river to catch the boat I had been told to get there for about 8.30 and after buying the ticket made it on to a rather simple long boat. I got a seat - wooden and rather uncomfortable and waited. After the boat was packed out, it left at 11.45 with people crammed on the boat. The ride took 6 hours and it was fairly cold on board. We ported at Pak Beng and it was a sudden rush off the boat in desperate search of a room - which turned out to be really easy!. I met up with some people off the boat for something to eat - the waiter offered food, drink, marajuana and opium so a very full menu! There was even less in Pak Eng than Huay Xai, but nice to see that every now and again.

30th Dec: Back down on the boat - they put us on 2 boats this time, which did make sense and we set sail - cold again and fairly slow. I think I was on the refugee boat, because it kept stopping off along the Mekong and picking up and dropping off the locals. One even had a pet guinea pig on a lead! So another 6 hours passed and eventually arrived in Luang Prabang - a World Heritage city. Accomodation was a real tough thing to get. I found a place slightly out of town, but at a
reasonable cost, but I met others later who were paying lots and had been searching for ever. We all met up for a few beer Laos and forgot about the worries but everyone was knackered after spending 3 days to get there.

31st Dec, Went out and got myself a bike and bumped in to some of the others, all ofwhom had rented a bike out and we peddled around town, checking out a few Wats and stopping off for lunch. The bikes were fairly basic, but with great character and mine was a manly pink! The action plan for the evening was the Hive Bar for happy hour and then to Lao Lao Bar for BBQ Buffalo, but we didn't leave the hive bar!! It was like a boat reunion and the beer Laos were flowing as we saw in the New Year - fireworks and all sorts. It was a bit like a street festival I eventually left around 3ish as I had a bus to catch at 9 the next day!!