After arriving at 'Treetop Ecolodge' we rented a scooter to more quickly negotiate the Cambodian highlands. We rode an elephant to a waterfall, and wrapped up the day with a swim with the locals in a pristine crater lake. The next day we checked out and made our way to Don Det, Laos.
The travel time was about 8 hours - including bribery and being charged American-Tax (cost of a westerner, especially American, to come into a communist country). We arrived by nightfall on the Island of Dong Det. Dong Det was a very touristy location, unfortunately catering to the drug-loving Westerners... we witnessed many people lounging on lay-back chairs watching U.S. sitcoms and cartoons while getting stoned. Meanwhile, Kelsey and I rode a few bikes to other islands, and the next day we Kayaked the Mekong, spotting a few endangered Irawaddy River Dolphins along the float. We had also met up with a few Londoners, Joe and Tanya, exploring, chatting, etc the nights we were there (including one terrific rainstorm where the generators around the island would trip and shut off with every lightning strike, casting us all into darkness and silence (silence since all the stoners only last until mid-afternoon anyway, leaving us to our personal island)).
After 2 nights on Don Det, we ventured to Pakse, a four hour bus ride. Pakse served as a 2-night hub so we could venture to the Bolaven Plateau, to see the culture of weavers, tea and coffee farmers, and we played with the livestock and children (which are often considered one-in-the-same). Kelsey liked the pigs. The people here, interesting enough, make their coffins while they are alive so they don't burden their family with the task upon their death - a fascinating sight. We explored these places with our friends Joe and Tanya.
After Pakse, we caught a sleeper bus (one sleeps on them) to Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng is another sort-of party touristy location, partially dominated by drugs. Kelsey and I walked around and dined at almost every place in town and learned about "whiskey buckets," a huge mixed drink (it's in a bucket). Our first full day in Vang Vieng we floated the river in inner tubes. It was absurdly fun - the riverbank was [literally] lined with bars, rope swings, zip lines, and water slides for the 5 km trip. We spent our last day on a rented motorbike exploring the caves of the high Laos mountain caves. A lot of which were used as protection when we bombed the s*** out of Vietnam and during the IndoChina war.
Later in the day, we caught a mini-bus (van) through the high mountains of Laos bumping and winding (think the worst roads in the US x 10 x 6 hours) all the way to Luang Probang. Luang Prabang is the old (ex) capital of Laos, it maintains all of the spirit and character as if it were still the center of attention, plus it's Lao New Year - god save us.

Day one of Lao New Year was wild. The air is thick with dust and exhaust since the city is finally coming to [party] life for the first time in a year. Flour hangs in the air and sticks to everybody and everything that has got in the way of the city-wide water/ink/colored water fight. Everything within ten feet of a road is soaked or slightly ghostly white. Everyone has an 'instrument' (shoe+drum, empty bottles, bamboo shoots, etc.), so the noise level is astonishing. Kelsey and I rent a motorcycle to get out of town, and check out waterfalls. There is a great law here, one that only applies to ALL motorists: drive however fast you'd like, and feel free to use whichever lane for whichever direction. Furthermore, expect everyone not in possession of transportation to have five-gallon buckets full of water. This water, weighing no less than 20 pounds, will end up hurled at you when you least expect it. As treacherous as it sounds, everything was (wet and) fun. Until day two. Kelsey and I hide, hopping from restaurant to restaurant avoiding squirt-gunners and water-pail-owners with our packs... watching the parade (and our backs) all day until we catch the bus to Huay Xai at night.