Hey, well Vientiane seems to be disappering into the Mekong its rained so much. Last night at the riverside market they were putting together sandbags to stop the expected overflow form the river. All very organised and community spirited!!

Anyway, all immaterial for me now, i have found the sun!!

i booked the late sleeper bus out of Dodge and am now 300k or so south in Pakse a little transport hub close to the 4000 islands i mentioned previously. Its also the Boalvan Plateaux, home to lots of hill tribes and waterfalls, so tomorrow i am off on my motorbike for a jaunt round the hills.... the weather seems back to normal now, almost unbearably hot here, so the tan should return, hope to get some serious tanning in over the next few weeks, only a month or so left out here and i need the tan!! ;-)

Mosquito-bite watch - been better since i got to Laos, good job its high risk malaria zone, but last nights bus journey i had to share a bed with a local man who may (or not) have had fleas, whichever way the blankets or the spooning has resulted in me being covered with bites today. Itchy as hell. Oh well.

Not many photos at the mo, i will get some up soon. Got a great scene of the Mekong today.

Meeting lots of lovely French who like speaking English, so i am having lots of fun.....