1 May 11 2nd leg of the slow boat trip to Luang Prabang! Today I realised why the trip was called slow boat - it was a slow boat travelling down the Mekong river!! It kept stopping every hour to drop off and pick up various locals on route too, even though the boat was full! Besides the speed, the views today were beautiful with lots of greenery in the mountains!! Caution - sad story next... A sick lady and her husband came aboard onto the boat...unfortunate...

Left Houayxai today on a slow boat, travelling down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang. The trip takes two days, with an overnight stop in Pakbeng. Sailed for 6 hours before reaching Pakbeng. For the first time on my travels I have arrived earlier than expected...speechless! The journey down the Mekong River so far - peaceful, looking at the weathered rocks and scenery, however there is a lot of burnt out forests. It is such a shame they burn down so many trees ...

Back to Houayxai after the Gibbon Experience for a night. Staying at the friendship guesthouse - which had a nice roof top patio over looking the street. Off to Luang Prabang next, taking the slow boat (2 day) cruising down the Mekong.

27 - 29 April 12 Gibbon Experience Spent 3 days and two nights in the Bokeo Nature Reserve, as part of the Gibbon Experience. Got to Sleep in a 4 tier tree house and zip wire around the jungle for 3 days. The tree house was awesome. 9 of us were staying in our tree house (number 1). There was a kitchen area, with a sink, ice box, and dinning table for us to hang around. There was two higher floors with beds, and one lower floor with a bathroom and porch into ...

25 April 12 Successfully crossed the boarder, which involved a very short boat trip, and I am now in Houayxai Laos!! Houayxai is another no mans land town, with not a lot to do! Stopping here (at B.A.P guesthouse) to do the Gibbon Experience! Got my first 1,000,000 out the bank today (just a shame it is in kip!). Feel so rich...I am a millionaire (in Laos)!!! 26 April 12 Lazy day, not much to do in this town! Went to a women empowerment project house for t...