Highlights galore & ch ch ch changes!

I've now been in Laos for a week and completely utterly love it here! I don't want to leave but unfortunately I have to, tomorrow!

We were finally let out of China and crossed the boarder heading towards Luang Prabang, a UNESCO city. But some strange stroke of luck we ended up taking a 130K detour (trust me it was a stroke of luck) because we some how ended up at the port on the Mekong for boats to Luang Prabang. Genius! I hoped of the truck&on to a long boat and headed up river. It was so good. There was about 20 of us on the boat and the scenery far better than on the truck! We even managed to do a sit ups session on the boat. Lorna, Rach, Louise and I were in pain for the entirety of the next day!!!

Reaching LP we stayed in a lovely little guesthouse right on the edge of the city within easy reach of the various temples, 'JOma' bakery (the best muffin I've had in my life!) and the Lao Red Cross were you could have a all over body massage for less than 2 pounds! We also had Ave's birthday on LP which was great fun. And the first time that Sos and I had drank together on the trip. We seem to miss each others big nights. It was great fun! (Even if I did somehow get a couple of bruises!) The bars close early so we headed to one that had a late licence and the party carried on there.

We then headed to the Plain of Jars, it was exactly what it says on the tin. Hundreds of large Jars up to 3m tall scattered over rolling fields. The strange thing is that that have no idea what exactly they are doing there. It was an interesting site to visit but I'm not sure that the day diversion was really worth it but hey ho I can say I've been there and done that!

Next we visited Vang Veing which is where we have just spent the last couple of nights. A most bizarre little tourist town were it seems every bar is a TV bar and 75% of the bars are playing FRIENDS DVDS I kid you not. Very random. Not wanting to watch friends and hear another episode in the background I steered clear of the FRIENDS bars. We had another birthday in VV Dr Nick's, again it was a good night and I discovered the secret to Chinese Egg and Tomato! Alex and I were invited into the restaurant's kitchen to be shown! (I'll cook it when I get home and you'll soon understand my addiction!) Whist in VV I went tubing down the river which has to be one of the best activities I've done in a while. Slowly drifting down stream stopping off at various little bars to jump in and brave swing jumps out across into the water. It was great! And I even had the afternoon to chill out and watch The Queen over a late lunch in a bar!

Today I have travelled to Vientiane by Kayak! Sos and I capsised on the first of three rapids so I ended up riding the rapid solo in the water which I reckon was more fun than anyone else had! And again much better than a truck day like everyone else!!!

Laos has been a great week, it 's a fantastic country with plenty to do. I wish I could stay longer but I have to push on to Vietnam. My bus is booked for tomorrow night and I can't wait to explore! Time away from the truck is going to be good too!

So tonight is my last night in Laos and we have yet another birthday! Louise's so we are off out for our final Laos party!

So the changes........I'm coming home...................for Christmas! I've had a lot of time to think on the trip about 'life, the world and the universe' and have decided that I would like to try to go back to uni and train to become a teacher! (I'm very excited about it!) I've chosen to come home early for a number of reasons, firstly I'd like to sort my UCAS application in the UK and make sure that I speak to the right people and get on the right course for me. But secondly I don't feel like I'm taking enough in from the countries that I visit any more. There has been a fair few and over a quick period of time! I feel that I would get a lot more out of things if I haven't just seen a similar landscape, architecture, food etc etc. Also I'm really enthused about Vietnam because I've chosen where I want to go but with many other countries I just read about the towns that we are going to. I'm not sure that I'm explaining myself too well. (sorry) So my plan is to finish with the trip in Sydney and spend 3 weeks or so either on the east coast or New Zealand before coming home via America. NYC at Christmas time would be fab me thinks! So all being well I'll be home just a few days before Christmas. I'll then get temp work through to may and hopefully head out to camp for a summer before enrolling in UNI! I can not wait! So that's my news for now.

I'm off to Vietnam tomorrow so excited about that too! Oh and with the delays in China I THINK that my birthday is now going to be in Bangkok! I could not have asked for a better location for a knees up!

Lots of love nicole xxx