Well, having escaped from the rain in Vientiane, Pakse was quite a refreshing placew to stay. I hired the bike and got out into the Bolaven Plateau, returning for the last push into deep southern Laos.

Si Phan Don, an archipelago of thousands of little islands and a haven for backpackers. I got the boat to the islands and spent my last nights in the best bungalows i have found in Laos (and most expensive). A 5km walk with my backpack to the southern most island of Don Khon was great, eat your heart out squaddies!!

The islands are beautiful, i didnt however get to see the rare freshwater dolphins that stay here, but did see one of the largest waterfalls on the Mekong, the blocking point for the French trying to bring their steamboats up the Mekong in the late 1800's. There was also a railway that started here, but the French gave up building it and it remains the last and only piece of railway in Laos.

The people here were even more lovely and helpful than everywhere else in Laos.

There was a little storm in the evening, other than that it was relaxing to stay here before i headed of to Cambodia.

Not much more to report.