After a 5 hour trip to the border with Laos which is on the Mekong we arrived to spend our last night in Thailand. The evening involved watching a film in a bar before an early night, as we had a long day ahead of us the next morning, which involved a speed boat, which we had been told by numerous people to not bother getting, as it is a little dangerous.

Morning came and we crossed into Laos, we where then told to hand in passports so we could be identified if an accident was to happen on the speed boat...very worrying. The time arrived and I was given my life jacket...didn't fit...think it was from baby gap and then I was also given a securical mans helmet...the visor was boken also, so, so far so good.... the driver starts the v8 engine on the back of what can only be discribed as a piece of drift wood and we started flying down the river at some pace (as morgan would say bowling a very heavy ball)...I would think about 70mph but can't be sure...it was a little scary seeing the various rocks and whirlpools fly by, but after about 20 minutes it was just plain uncomfortable. 5 hours later we arrived in Luang Prabang and we planned on waiting for the others on the slow boat who would arrive the next day.

Lovely place so far Laos, the mountains are very beautiful and so lush with grass and vegetation (or as Morgan would say 'they are very green'), the river Mekong is a little muddy but is absolutly massive. Also the people are so lovely...much more warm, smiley, giving and less pushy than their Thai Neighbours... You want a suit..no i don't f#*k off!!!

We found a guest house for 2 pounds a night which was really nice and that evening we headed out on the town and visited the nightmarket. I then decided to head out on my own as the others went to bed (lightweights or on the internet) and i hit the only late night spot in town, which is the bowling ally, where i met various nutters and had an awsome night. Next day I had a wonder round the town which is beautiful and then Ed and I went on a push bike ride to the small waterfall about an hour from the town. Again this was a great way to see Laos and again i was pleasently surprised by the people and the beauty of the country. That night , this time armed with a new Kiwi mate and the boys, we bumped into the crazy finnish lads and went to Lao Lao bar and then Bowling again....it was another great night and unfortunatly an early start the next day as we where off to Vieng Vein to hit the tubing hard....

speak soon x