After what seemed like a very quick month our time in Thailand came to an end and we hopped back on the mini-bus to take us north to the border at Chiang Khong.Several friends had advised us to take the slow boat into Laos promising great scenery, a different way of travelling but most of all lots of fun so we hoped we would meet a good group to enjoy the trip with.The border town was as quiet and as empty of tourists as much of Thailand had been and it become apparent overnight that the group of us going to the boat the next day was made up of us two, 2 friends (Swiss and Welsh but from Italy!), a young grinning French Canadian and a slightly older French lady who didn't seem to know where she was.Luckily our group soon bonded at the border waiting for our visas and we hopped onto the slow boat looking forward to the journey.We had heard varying tales of the Slow boat - some say the journey's long and uncomfortable whilst others remember the fun they had.Luckily with our new comrades we were to experience the latter.

After an hour the boat had gone nowhere and we were joined by our seventh group member (coincidently someone Kevin the Swiss guy knows from where he lives in Italy - small world indeed).Eventually the boat departed and we slowly chugged down the Mekong.There were a few other travellers and quite a few locals who catch this boat back to tiny villages by the Mekong - many were bringing back bags of supplies from the border.The boat consisted of small wooden benches and some paper-thin cushions but with a bit of rearranging the benches were moved aside and we had nestled on the floor with our own cushions watching the lush green hills drift by.Every now and again there was a sight to see like a herd of water buffalo suddenly charging out of the river after a dog or a local getting off in what seemed like the middle of nowhere to be greeted by a group of children (plus the odd elephant).

We chatted, read and listened to Reece strum the guitar until we arrived at Pak Beng our overnight stop and first night in Laos.Luckily, we had been forewarned that locals at this tiny riverside village would bombard us so we had booked a guesthouse together (the 5 of us - the Canadian took up an offer from the French lady to share her room in another hotel).As the boat moored, locals jumped onboard pirate fashion before we had even had a chance to get our bags from the front.It was a frenzied scene as every one scrambled to retrieve backpacks and get past the offers of guesthouses onto the shore.There was no such thing as a ramp or jetty here though and we had to clamber across jagged rocks in flip-flops (it will come as no surprise that I managed to slip between two rocks and with heavy bag on back had no option but to let several tiny children pull me back up).Eventually safe on the shore we made our way the short distance to our accommodation.Not quite safe from drama though as a local tried to put a package in one of Reece's dangling boots (we had also been pre-warned about this and that the local would likely demand money for the likely drugs) - luckily he was spotted and we made it off the street to meet a hilarious albeit slightly crazy host who promised to protect us - apparently he can box.We turned out to be the only guests and so the evening overlooking the mighty Mekong river unfolded with too many beer Laos and shots of 'Laos Whisky' from a water bottle by our crazy host (we feared more for not excepting the drink than actually drinking it).After telling us about his wife and small children (including a new born) he announced he was off to see his 'darling' who was waiting outside - very funny evening but we were all quite happy to be boarding the boat again the next day for Luang Prabang.

The second day drifted by much the same as the day before (although on a much plusher boat with soft seats and a dining table at the back).We settled ourselves at the back and set about curing hangovers with Oreos and fried rice whilst teaching new friends and any local who wanted to learn 's***-head' (a long time favourite card game).Finally we arrived in Luang Prabang where, it seemed, was to a be an entirely different experience to Pak Beng with it's French Colonial buildings and baguettes.Sticking together with our newfound friends we set in search of a new (and less crazy guesthouse).

Liz