14th Feb: After a 6 hour bus ride form Chiang Mai to Chiang Kong (Thai/Lao border) we headed to the boat crossing point after some significant faffing about! We jumped in a little boat and arrived in Laos about 2 minutes after leaving Thailand. Our passports got stamped about 10 times before we were allowed in to the town HouayXai. We stopped at the first guesthouse we saw at the top of the road. Good choice since it had a balcony with a view over the river and the sunset. Went to the ATM to get some Kip (Lao Currency) and I felt like a millionaire, 1pound is 10,000kip!! Wondered about a bit and tried to walk to the slow boat crossing but gave up after about 20mins walk, we were to find out later than if we had walked just 100m more we would have found it. Got some dinner and then some much needed sleep since we decided to wake up at 6 the next day in order to get a good seat on the boat.

15th Feb: Up early as planned and walked to the dock. Nothing much going on only ladies with roadside stalls selling baguettes and cushions for the boat trip. (Very good purchases) We sat on our backpacks watching the Lao men loading boats and were introduced to the disgusting phlegming noises and spitting that seems to be very common practice all around Laos. The ticket office opened finally and got onto boat 13. Rows and rows of wooden pews filled the boat and there was about 30cm leg room. We bagged the front seats which seemed to have 1 or 2cm more and one of you could sit on the floor (see photos!). Slowly, very slowly the boat filled up and I mean filled right up, I would say about 150 people were squeezed in and there were only 96 actual seats. We left at about 11.30, 5hours after we had arrived!!! The first day was ok, really nice views and we seemed to have enough room to be remotely comfortable. One guy fell off his bench and cut his cheek open, only to later on fall out of the boat. Very funny!! Pakbeng was our stopover and it was dark by the time we got there. (7 hours) Mad rush to claim your bag before local guesthouse workers and tuk tuk drivers picked them up and insisted you go with them. I had to climb up a very steep sand bank with backpack on and guesthouse signs shoved in your face. I found a guy that was offering a room with hot shower but the thing that sold me was 3 words: "One minute walk". We went for dinner and I had my first BeerLao….it is true what they say, it is the best beer in Asia. The electricity went out at 10 so it really wasn't a party town.

16th Feb: Slowboat Day 2. Again we woke early to get the same seats and it worked. We were so early I even helped line out the benches. It was a different boat today, prettier but smaller! The views were even better and we saw lots of Lao children playing in the water at the banks. We had a few beer stops and there were even some baskets of chickens put on the roof. After 8 more hours we arrived in Louang Prabang. Again we had to climb up hill with guesthouse adverts everywhere but it wasn't half as bad as Pakbeng and there was actually a tarmac road. Found a really nice guesthouse pretty central and very near the night market.

17th Feb : We had a sleep in, and then rented bikes to explore the town. It was really nice cycling along the river and around the roads. We saw a few temples and then decided to go to the bus station to book our bus to Vang Vieng. We then headed for the market but on the way I got hit by a motorbike so we had a detour to the hospital. I was ok, only a few bruises, a cut heal and an exhaust burn but he came off his bike and cut his hands open pretty bad. I was asking for an ambulance and then soon realized Tuk tuks are the only way to get to hospitals in Lao. A very friendly English speaking Lao man called Pew helped us with the translation and came with us to the hospital which I am so grateful for. We were both patched up and then after settling mine and his medical bills Fiona and I cycled VERY slowly back to the bike rental shop. The front wheel of my bike was bent and the breaks ruined but they only asked for a tenner to fix it! We had a chilled evening after that, and I got a lot of comfort food at a great restaurant.

18th feb: Went to a really nice waterfall (Kouang Si) by tuk tuk with some Canadians. It was soo annoying that I couldn't swim because of my bandages since the water was so blue. But it was still nice to just chill out there. I did manage to fall over in the mud though but at the same time someone was swinging into the pool and so no one saw me stack it! (except Fiona). After we got back Fiona picked up a really nice duvet set at the market and then we watched the sunset and all the travelers clambering off today's slowboat. We packed and then headed out for dinner and a few drinks. Louang Prabang had some nice bars but was pretty quite. We tried some Laolao whiskey, it's made from rice somehow.