Thursday - We are now at a beautiful guesthouse on the banks of Ou River, each guest stays in a stilted hut on the banks. We have travelled on Route 13 for 200km. but it took 8 hrs as most of the way was unsurfaced and extremely dusty. All the vegetation was thick with either white or red dust depending where we were. The sides were littered with boulders and earth from landslides during the wet season. We were on very close to the border crossing with China at one point and many lorries were coming or going to it. That part of Laos is closely linked to China. There were many very poor hut villages placed on the side of the road, so how on earth they managed with all the dust I will never know. The families have a life growing their own food and live on that - many now have elec and so a satellite dish is essential. The rice harvest is now in full swing and back breaking work - cut by a hand sickle and then threshed by hand tools. It is laid on palm mats to dry - always on the road side. The mountains were beautiful and covered in sub tropical trees.

The weather is much different to what I am used to - evenings and mornings cold - I would think about 10 - 12 degrees. The days are hot but for a much shorter period. My fleece is just about enough as we are moving tp lower ground.

Tomorrow we are travelling by long boat along the Mekong to Luang Prabang, it should be a good journey, with one stop to visit cave temples.

I am with an excellent group, but too much beer is being consumed and unfortunately we have discovered a liking for Lao Lao, the locally brewed rice whisky.

I am being told off for being unsociable so will finish. I'll write about the ethnic hill tribes later.