Ok, we r back tracking a bit!

After jungle trekking in Chiang mai, and before scuba diving in Ko Tao, we went thru Laos, the least known country on the planet aparantly! It was beautiful though and the people were lovely.

We were meant to travel from chaing mai to luang prabang on the slow boat which takes 3 days. But we were conned, just before we got on the boat, into going for the overland local bus option instead. 'Oh you'll be there by tonight! Only takes 10hrs!' Hell No it didnt!!! It took a total of 18 excruciating hours along the most dangerous road i have ever seen! Winding thru the mountains avoiding the ditches and the massive cliff that would send u plummitting to ur messy end! In some parts the road was skinnier than the bus - big drama! A family decided to move house half way thru the journey too so we had the house, planks of wood and chickens packed onto the roof - fun times!!!

Arrived in one piece at 6am and checked in to the only place that was open. We went kayaking for 2 days, which was wicked fun! Stayed overnight in a village - in the chief's house no less! Em got vsick tho and the 2nd day was a bit of a struggle. On the second day we had to go upstream UP the mekong river! Very difficult and very funny. Trying really hard to cross it but not seeming to go anywhere - em got the giggles and was rendered useless! Was fun tho :)

We met up with Nat and Alex again from the trekking in chiang mai. they were a day behind us. We had dinner and planned the rest of laos together. We went by bus to Vang Vieng which was pretty cheap and didnt take long, and struggled to find a place to stay there coz it was so busy! The only reason people go there is for the TUBING! You sit in a massive inner-tube and float down the river, getting pulled into the many bars along the way, ending up pretty merry at the end of the day - its wicked! At each bar, there was a rope swing or a zip wire which launches u 30ft into the air where u let go and land, with style, in the river! the current was pretty strong tho so if u missed the bar whilst swimming back in, a local kid dives in and rescues u! Sooo much fun.

Then went with nat and alex on the night train to bangkok, we said goodbye to them as they went on to cambodia, then we went down to koh tao.....

Now we have caught up! :) We will upload tubing pix when we get them off nat and alex (we didnt take our camera). Love to all at home xxxx