We took a 2 day trip along the Mekong Delta to get from Thailand to Laos and into the city of Luang Prabang.  The boat was really packed the first day but it was enjoyable taking pics as we went along, although the sight of 2 dead floating bodies was a bit unnerving!  The scenery was very beautiful but Laos seemed a lot poorer than Thailand.  We wended up meeting a nice Kiwi couple called Clint and Chelsea and we ended up travelling most of Laos with them.  The first night stop over we spent sampling Beer Laos!

 

We had been warned that the second day on the boat was meant to be a lot worse but it actually turned out better as the boat was less crammed and we sat on car seats which were a lot comfier than wooden benches!  There was even a mini bar at the back! 

 

When we arrived in Luang Prabang it was like an oasis stuck in the middle of nowhere!  Itb was just stunning and so beautiful I could have spent weeks there!  The buildings are French colonial and have lots of gorgeous shops, cafes and restaurants.   It had the most amazing night market to wander around too!  Our first day there we went and visited some waterfalls?Nick, Clint and Chelsea all had a go jumping off and playing on the rope swing but it was too cold for me!

 

When we arrived in Laos it was the beginning of their new year festivities and the way the celebrate it is with lots of water!  There were water fights going on on all the street corners and after getting soaked quite a few times by the locals we decided to form team Beer Laos which involved buying the T Shirts and buying the biggest super soakers we could find!  It was awesome as we went on a rampage of the town and we managed to time it for when school finished so we let lots of little kiddies have a go with our guns!

 

I wish we had spent longer in Luang Prabang and can't wait to return!

 

We then went to Vang Vieng home of the tubing!  Have to say I wasn't a fan as the beautiful countryside seemed spoiled by a town only geared up for backpackers and was void of any culture.  If watching lots of Simpson episodes or friends whilst drinking "Happy Shakes" containing mushrooms is your thing than go there!

Nick and the others enjoyed a day floating down the river on tubes whilst stopping in on bars by the rivers edge and jumping off rope swings and zip lines!  I was starting to feel ill by this point and by the time we arrived in Vientianne the next day which is the country's capital I was really sick.  The next day we ended up going to the Australian Embassy clinic and I was diagnosed with E coli!  Have to say that wasn't much fun and probably over shadowed my opinion of Laos, I was even grateful to leave even if it was on a 24hr bus ride to Vietnam!