Greetings from Laos. When last we wrote we were still in Thailand and now we find ourselves in a different country but still the same friendly people; same same but different.

We left Chiang Rai aboard a local bus and 3 hours later we were in Chiang Kong, our final port of call in Thailand. From there we got a short ferry, the word ferry is used very loosely, crossing across the Mekong River and proceeded through the Laos immigration filling all the forms and handing over our hard earned US dollars. We were now in Huay Xai, Laos.

When we arrived we were still in two minds whether to do the Gibbon Experience which would take three days or get the boat directly to Luang Prabang the following morning. In the end this was answered for us as the Gibbon Experience was fully booked for the next few days (much to Trish's relief). I guess this is an experience which will just have to wait until the next time we return to Laos. And so, after booking our slow boat to Luang Prabang for the following morning (which would take us two days to complete), we relaxed in our room and gazed out over the Mekong River across into Thailand.

Next morning we were up early and onto the boat we got with our tickets (which we eventually got from our crazy guest house owner) along with what seemed to be hundreds of other backpackers. And so we sat on small wooden benches watching the stunning scenery drift slowly past us. We eventually got into Pak Beng later that afternoon, a small town on the banks of the Mekong which makes a living from all the tourists who have to stay overnight on route to Luang Prabang. It was here that we got our cheapest accommodation to date, 100 thai bhat, very cheap indeed.

Another early rise and back onto the slow boat for our second and final day. Seven hours later we were being pulled into the pier at Luang Prabang and our journey down the Mekong River was over. Luang Prabang is a small town, once the residence of the Laos Royal Family, with plenty of temples to wonder at. The rain continues to follow us and being the rainy season it comes down hard. We have enjoyed our time here and tomorrow we get a bus and head south to Vang Vieng, the town famous for, among other things, tubing down the river. This should be fun!