Well I lost the last posting in cyberspace just before Christmas, so here it roughly is again with a festive sprinkling.. My plan for SE Asia was to travel from Bangkok north to Chiangmai for a trek, then cross the border into Laos for a month, head South and next to Vietnam, finishing in Cambodia before flying to Australia mid Feb. So arrived in Bangkok what seems like a very long time ago, land of ladyboys and Patpong, both still thriving among the new found Thai wealth. Gleaming temples, the Chao Phraya river almost clean, new roads and flash cars is not what I remember from a dozen or so years ago when I first visited (a 3 hour stinking sweaty journey by bus from the airport to Khao San Road, which now takes half an hour in a/c luxury). Quickly escaping North, I joined a group trek near Chiangmai - 3 days visiting hill tribes, elephant riding mahout-style and punting on bamboo rafts. Into N Laos for another, more surreal village tribe - the Akha - animists who worship trees, make their own long-bore shotguns to blast anything that moves in the forest, and crazy people still indulging in the illicit pleasures of opium and weed, by the looks and sounds of things where we stayed the night. Down through the old colonial French town of Luang Prabang, still being lavishly restored on development aid to something like its\' former glory. Then R&R in Vang Vieng, with Friends reruns showing on big screens to packed vegged-out tourists in the central eateries - sad! Good for karst limestone scenery, caves, waterfalls, swimming and river tubing with a beer in hand though.. And finally for Laos, coconuts and fresh fish by the Mekong in the capital Vientiane- December and temps in the high 70s. Its a hard life. The freezing cold overnight sleep in the mountains in the 24 hour bus to Hanoi was a jolt to the senses, and in the capital I stocked up on cold weather gear in preparation for a Russian 125cc bike trip aroung the North West. I\'d finally built up the confidence to free myself from the confines of public transport, at least for a couple of weeks- but by eck it\'s chilly up North. Mountains, paddy fields and beautifully colourful village people combined to make up a great alternative festive period - Christmas Eve with 13 Dutch bikers, New Years Eve karaoke in a backstreet back of beyond Vietnamese bar. Just the one puncture for about 900 miles of, let\'s say \'variable\' road conditions, from very freshly-laod asphalt to rocky donkey track. It\'s warmer now back in Hanoi and hopefully the freckly white legs will make an appearance in shorts from tomorrow when I\'m headed South again. As I now have a smattering of local language, I might extend my visa and stay a bit longer if I find a good beach. Then there\'s the local New Year Tet festival at the end of Jan, which apparently is a must see. The 6p a glass Bia Hoi is also keeping me from leaving I must admit. More than Probably the cheapest beer in the World.. Cheers! and Happy New Year.