Hello all!

Sorry for the slight delay in blog writing - but it hasn't been too much longer than two weeks!!

Firstly, the internet connection out here isn't great, so you will probably not get any more photos uploaded until I am home. I'll keep trying every now and then, but just expect to have lots of photos to wade through once I have returned!

After Phi Phi as I mentioned I went over to Koh Samui for a few days, and one evening I got a speedboat over to Koh Phan Ngan for the Full Moon Party. On the night boat over to Koh Samui I met a Norwegian girl who I spent the few days with, and so that was nice. The Full Moon Party was great to see, but not really my scene. A big rave on a beach, but it was still a good night and great to see what all the fuss is about!

After Koh Samui I moved over to Koh Tao where I did my scuba diving course. So I am now officially a Scuba Diver! That was amazing, a strange experience that took a bit of getting used to, but definitely worth it. I also met a couple of girls over there who were also doing the course, so spent my spare time with them, hanging out at the beach. Then it was time to move on to Chang Mai, which took a couple of days to get there via various buses and boats, but I eventually got there!

In Chang Mai I spent two days doing a trek in the hills, where we also got to ride elephants and went bamboo rafting, which was really good fun. The trekking was very hard as it was uphill (on the first day anyway) and the heat was extraordinary, but we managed to survive! The group of us that had been on the trek all went out for a drink once we got back to celebrate the fact that we managed to survive! The next day I went on a cooking course, where I learnt to cook various Thai meals including Thai Green Curry and creamy coconut soup. Delicious! That was really good fun, and I'm determined to cook up a Thai feast when I return!

That was it for my time in Thailand, and time to move into Laos, which consisted of a two day trip on a boat down the Mekong river, into Luang Prabang. The boat trip was interesting, whereby there were more tickets sold than space on the boat, and then the driver stops to pick up locals with sacks of rice or big fish, that then take up our space! But it was an experience, and gives me some stories to tell, so I guess it can't be all bad! I met a couple of girls on the boat that I have since spent most of my time in Laos with. Luang Prabang was a beautiful little town, with markets and a lovely waterfall (although to be honest, I've seen so many waterfalls now they all kind of blend into one!).

So after a couple of days there, I moved to Vang Vieng for two nights. Spent my full day there floating down the river in a big rubber tube, stopping at a few bars on the way for a drink.

That brings me to today, where I got the bus to Vientiane, which is the captial of Laos. I am now travelling with a couple I met on the trek in Chang Mai, and two guys that they have met since then. We are waiting here for a couple of days in order to get our visas for Vietnam, and then the couple are moving in a different direction, and the guys and I will be heading on a 24 hour journey to Hanoi, which will be great fun I am sure!

Once again, I hope all is well back home. Only 5 and a half weeks now until I am back - I can't believe what little time is left!

xxx