11th - 18th May

We leave Thailand today and travel to Laos.Picked up from our hotel in Chiang Mai by two motorbikes (we weren't expecting that!) it was so funny... between us we have so much stuff that we couldn't see how the hell we were suppose to jump onto the back of a motorbike with it all! Anyway someone managed it with our backpacks on and the rest hanging from the handle bars! Thankfully this was just a short 5 minute ride to the mini bus.Here we met up with the group that we'd be travelling with for the next few days which included two sisters from Southampton, small world eh!We had a 5 hour drive to Chiang Khong (Laos border) where we stayed for one night.There's not much going on here so we just chilled in a bar watched the footy (unfortunately, only to see Man U win the title!!) so playing pool was much more appealing.Oh and managed to get a thai massage in before dinner as well.The following morning we went across the Khong river into Huay Sai (Loas) and then mini bus to the pier onto the slow boat.No seats left so had a 7 hour journey sat on the floor at the back of the boat so it felt as though we were on here forever! We finally arrive in a small village called Pag Beng.Checked into a guesthouse called Boom (we had the worst room ever, sleeping in the jungle was so much better.It was like sleeping in a dark little shed with lots of bugs everywhere and no hot water!) Everyone else had nice rooms so I guess we were just unlucky.Later we met up with the rest of the group for dinner and finished the night off playing poker (not that Cheryl and I were any good as we'd never played before).All the electric in this village is off by 22.30pm so our touces had to come in handy after that!The following morning we head back down to the slow boat for a further 9 hours on the floor of the slowboat.What a journey this turned out to be.... First we broke down (something to do with the engine I think) luckily though this happened right next to a deserted beach so most hopped off to chill and soak up some sun.Once we got going again it wasn't long before the steering cable then snapped and I was woken up by the lady working in the mini bar frantically screaming as the boat was heading for and crashed into the rocks just after the driver jumped out of the boat in sheer panic.We were all knocked forward but luckily no one was hurt and no holes made in the boat. Arrived in Luan Prabang and stayed in a guesthouse called Soutikone.Luan Prabang is a lovely place so it was a shame that we were only here for one night.Today we were picked up by a mini bus and had a 6 hour drive to Vang Vieng.We drove through many local villages along the way and it really is such an eye opener seeing the simplicity of their way of living and it sure does makes you appreciate back home.We checked in at the Dokkhoun guesthouse where plan to stay here for a few days.Tonight we hit the clubs.For the nightlife here you have to cross over the river bridge where there are a couple of really cool bars.We went to Smile and Bucket bar - both great places to go. The next day we took a short walk from our guesthouse and booked to go tubing for the day and it was the first day since we've been travelling that we actually got to chill out in the sun, yay!Tubing is apparently the thing to do here and and is so much fun.Nine bars to stop off in on your way down each with swings which look like great fun but couldn't convince Cheryl to go on them so I'll definitely make sure that I do these when we go again in a couple of days.The views as you float down the river are absolutely breath taking.Need to mind the hidden rocks under the water though.... got a nice bruise on my back from one, it was so painful!Back to get ready for another night in Smile and Bucket Bar Today we planned to go and see the caves but it's raining... great!With not much to do when the weather is like this we just chilled in a couple of bars (almost all the bars here have 'Friends' on all day - so Shells you'd love it here) and went for another massage.... it's such a hard life travelling!Booked our flights to Vietnam so leaving here on Monday.Tonight we went to a bar called 'Oh la la' really good place for socialising and we got pulled in on a pool competition they had on 'killer pool' then on for another wicked night in Smile and Bucket Bar Another day of tubing.I braved three of the swings today and omg I was absolutely petrified.I'm not keen on heights and when you're stood up the top the drop looks 10 times worse! Wicked fun though... I'll try and get the video clip on (wasn't the best of landings mind, ha!).The heavens opened as we were tubing today and when it rains and the thunder and lightning was on top form as we floated down the river - A bit scary but it was cool Tonight was surprise surprise yet another night in Smile and Bucket Bar! To be honest though all the bars close by about 11pm so what with this place being so small there isn't anywhere else to go Last full day in Laos and more rain! So what better thing to do on a day like this than to go shopping (my favourite pass time).There really isn't much here though but we still managed to purchase a few bits.It's ridiculously cheap so it would have been rude not too (just need to find some space in our backpacks!)Then had a chill out evening as off early tomorrow to travel to vietnamPicked up by the mini bus this morning and taken to the capital 'Vientiane' where we get our flight into 'Hanoi' Vietnam.