The time I awaken, the bugs have been swept away. I'm sure my boat has floated away also. The closest restaurants are a choice of 2 curry houses, so I go for a curry to waken my senses. I meet up with Anna, Bobby and Claire at our local bar that provided last nights beer. Everyone has decided to go. Information on boats are limited, but depending on numbers one may leave for Muang Khua tomorrow. It's on route to Phongsali where I would like to have gotten ...

I go on a hunt for a boat. Pissing down and hard to avoid. I walk the 2 miles to the bus station. A tuk tuk just a fantasy here. The guy tells me I have a chance of a boat at 11am in a few days. I am going to try otherwise I will give up and go back to Luang Prabang. Had a quiet day other than hunting for the boat and the dock. Not much here other than a couple of small bars and 2 good Indian restaurants. Sitting having a beer, the pace a lot slower than...

Waking up to monsoon rain, I sit and watch it until the storm breaks momentarily, in the sky, but not in my head. I was drunker last night than I've been in years. The mad dutchmans whiskey proving my downfall. The Brazillian girl and her boyfriend had kindly escorted me back to my hostel (Meexai). If I see them again, I will indeed thank them. I won't however be thanking the Dutchman. The main high street is short, even shorter when you don't want to get...

I sleep in and just make my tuk tuk. I get to the bus station and need to wait 2 hours to leave. Last night was fun at the bowling. I help the bus driver load the vehicle and he rewards me with the front seat. Leg room being a change (LT) A bumpy 4 hours sees me driving through some beautiful terrain. Large mountains, small villages and enough rice paddy fields to feed a nation. I arrive at Nong Khiaw and jump on a tuk tuk. The lao lad talks me into goi...

I wake up and the local whiskey was a bad idea. I sit down stairs talking to the girls from the hostel. Coffee going down like medicine. I chat with a Brazilian girl who is thinking of coming to Nong Khiaw with me tomorrow. She has been travelling for 2 and a half years. I spend a few hours playing pool, play with the camp local and his friends. I say my farewalls then go to Utopia for a final visit. I meet a nice mix of Germans, Swiss, Americans and talk t...