Killing a week in Laos before I go to Australia turned out to be one of the funniest weeks of my trip so far. I was travelling alone for all of a day before meeting some more really great people. Laos turned out to be a real unexpected dream.

An early 7-hour bus journey from Chiang Mai wasn't the most enjoyable start but it was bearable. At the border my first task turned out to be helping a french guy cross the border using all that my schoolboy french had to offer - I'm really glad the places I've visited speak some english, this guy just demonstrates how hard it would be without! Fortunately he met some French people on the Laos border, s my work was done.

After spending a night in Hauy Xhi on the Thai-Laos border I borded a 2-day boat down the Mekong river to Luang Prabang. The boat was pretty basic, flimsy wooden benches lined up thoughout for us to sit on. 10 minutes before departure it didn't seem too unconfortable - and then the masses arrived! The boat owners wanted to cram approx 140 people onto a boat suited to about 80, fortunately they arranged a second boat but it was still a squeeze. It was a good place to meet people though and I travelled with some of them for the rest of my time in Laos (Simon and Katie from England, Stig and Siren from Norway, and Sebastian from Germany). The scenery along the boat journey was amazing, the most beautiful I've seen since I've been travelling. The effect of chinese damming further upstream was evident though, the water level was very low in places and some passengers claim to have head the boat scrape the bottom at times.

After an overnight stop in Pak Beng, a small village that seems to only exist to serve as a halfway house for this journey, we arrived in Luang Prabang. Soon after leaving the boat it became obvious that there was not alot of accomodation available - 3 of us went in search for the 6 of us travelling together, which resulted in finding 2 double rooms and Sebastiansleeping in the reception area of a hostel! Admittedly by choice to a certain extent, but that was the options available to us!

The first day in Luang Brabang 4 of us, joined by Beth from the hostel we were staying in, went to kouangsi waterfalls, 30km north of the city. It was quite possibly one of the most incredible things I've every seen. Waterfalls converging into a pool halfway up the hill that we were able to swim and a huge waterfall at the top of the hill supplying it all. Hopefully the pictures will explain better than I am!

On the second day in Luang Prabang Sebastian, Beth and I hired a boat for an hour to cruise up the Mekong (as I hadn't sent enough time on the river this week!) We watched as villagers fished and tended to their riverbank farmland and children played on the banks andin the water without a care in the world! Hopefully all these sights won't be lost to the innevitable increase in tourism in Laos that seems to be ahead.

The first bus Journey in Laos took use to Vang Vieng, 5hrs south of Luang Prabang. Arriving at 2am in a ghost town with nowhere to stay was amusing - a prior arrangement with a hostel landlord to stay there seemed to have fallen through when he stormed down the stairs at 4am ready to kick us out! Fortunately we were able to stay... The town proved to be a massive tourist town also with 1 main activity, floating along the Mekong on rubber tubes and sampling from the many riverside bars along the way! Ropeswings provided the entertainment at each of the stops where people were pulling off summersaults and other stunts - I was rubbish and just happy to land safely each time! The whole day was great fun with many many laughs, often in pursuit of someone's tube or drink after they had lost it in the river! A cold paddle for the last 2km was a bit painful though.

On the second day in Vang Vieng we recovered from tubing by searching out caves in the surrounding hills. The caves were a bit disappointing but the views from the hills helped to escape the tourist hubbub of the town. We visited the night festival that was in town which comprised a simple market and some dancing that left alot to be desired, although Simon loved it! All this before an early start down to Vientiene, the Laos capital.

Vientiene was a slightly disappointing end to the country - it is just a simple south asian city with not alot to see, other than a mock up of l'arc de triumphe, apparently constructerd with concrete destined to repair the city's airport! A quick look around and a fareweel drink with Simon Katie and Sebastian, before Beth and I left for another bus, overnight to Bangkok.

So late tomorrow I leave Asia. It's a wierd thought that I won't have to bargain for a taxi or hotel, or be constantly harrassed by tuk-tuk drivers or tailors! I'm really looking forward to the next part, but it will be sad to leave Asia behind.