So after the worst ever night bus journey, further four hour bus journey and then rickety narrow boat ride to Don Det, our chosen island, it would have been great to check straight into our place and take a shower. No such luck though as nowhere on this island takes bookings and you just have to turn up and hope for the best. Leaving very happy BG in a bar by the jetty with all our bags, I left to try to find us somewhere nice to stay. An hour later, it was clear that the standard of accommodation on this island did not meet with my standards. One place after the next showed me a squalid bamboo hut on stilts crawling with insects with a manky mosquito net hung over a filthy bed that had about three centimetres of room around it. While I tried to feign interest, I was led to the shared 'bathroom' which was consistently a congregated iron structure that had never been cleaned with a hose pipe picking through the ceiling that served as a shower. I declined any offers to see the toilets. Another thirty minutes having almost reached the other end of the island and I was starting to despair. Heading back towards BG I spotted one last place that I'd missed and went inside to take a look. It was still squalid but it was made of bricks and not bamboo, had its own concrete bathroom (with a loo you had to flush with a bowl of rancid water and a pail) and two rickety twin beds with enough space between them for our two bags. It was gross but it would have to do. Collecting BG who was starting of wonder if I'd been eaten by a buffalo, I told him that the situation was grim but we did at least have a bed for the night. BG is way less fussy than me, but even he thought the place was pretty grim and was surprised that I was ok staying there. After a quick shower (during which I burst into tears because the bathroom was so disgusting) we agreed that we would leave first thing in the morning and move to Cambodia a bit earlier than planned.

We then went for a walk around the whole island which was pretty cool. I insisted on showing BG a few of the bamboo cess pits I'd looked at so that he would understand how grim the alternative options were as we did a full three hour circuit. Although the accommodation was grim, the island itself was pretty amazing. The island was pretty much one large rice paddy with the community living around the edge in bamboo houses and huts on the water. One path took us the whole way around and even though the heat was sweltering, the scenery and people were amazing and there was just so much to look at. The children here were so independent, it was completely normal to see mini gangs of ten or so children, all about three or four off on their own playing and exploring in or around the water - something that would never happen at home. Although the families lived in extreme poverty with skinny frames, raggedy clothes, no shoes and incredibly simple bamboo homes; they were so vibrant and full of life that their lives seemed almost enviable. Walking around we encountered ragamuffin children, ancient women herding cattle, all sorts of livestock (BG had a Doctor Dolittle moment with a particularly friendly pig - see the video section!), babies suspended from beams in swinging baskets, beautiful scenery... I'll let BG's pics do the talking but it really was amazing.

On a neighbouring island we'd heard that there was a nice walk to a waterfall so we walked across the bridge to take a look. As we walked across, tens of schoolchildren were coming towards us on their way home from school. At first glance they seemed like any other school kids, with one major difference. They were all carrying machetes, and some of these children were really small (we later walked past a school and saw the children cutting down foliage around the edge of school buildings so think it was part of the curriculum!). Once we got the the other side of the bridge we discovered that we had to pay to go onto the neighbouring island. With only an hour left until sunset, we decided to come back the following day to do our fee justice!

Later that evening after watching the sun set right in front of us, we headed to the 'highstreet' of the island where a small cluster of bars and restaurants served the tourists. We sat in a movie bar on floor cushions and enjoyed some Laos cuisine whilst watching movies on a large screen and drinking cocktails - bliss! On the way back to our hovel, BG noticed a slightly smarter cluster of bamboo huts and went to take a look. Amazingly, hidden behind them was a large building full on one bedroom apartments with proper bathrooms, huge beds and clean rooms - amazing. Bizarrely, the girl (who in over 30˚ heat alarmed us by wearing jeans, socks, a hoodie and woollen gloves while we were sweating in shorts and a t-shirt!) who looked after the place, didn't even think to show us one of these rooms and we had to ask to see them - it was the islands biggest secret, and at £5 a night, absolutely perfect!

Next day we moved in and as the girl kept these rooms a secret, literally had the whole building and huge veranda with a view over the rice paddies and lotus fields to ourselves. Determined that we were going to make it to the other island to see the waterfall, we headed along the dirt track once again. Halfway there and we spotted a cute bar called Utopia. Built on bamboo stilts going directly into the river, the small bar was literally paradise. Swinging hammocks, a 360˚ view of the river and amazing food (delicious fresh spring rolls and chocolate and banana pancakes!) and drinks we sat down with our books and let the time while away. As the heavens opened, we were very glad to be under bamboo and to cut a long story short, ended up spending the whole day there. The waterfalls would have to wait until the next day!

On our way back we spotted three floating houses in gorgeous ice cream shades on the opposite island which looked amazing. When we got back we looked them up and realised that they were just in budget and after much deliberation we decided to treat ourselves for three nights and booked ourselves in. Next day we hired a narrow boat to take us to our new home and sailed across the mud brown river to check in. I was literally in heaven. Our new home was built on a raft and was literally floating on the river (secured by some very dubious looking ropes and knots that did not look like they could withstand much of a surge!). A private pool behind us and a balcony leading right onto the river, and a rickety spiral staircase curving up and over the water which led to our own roof top terrace, perfect for watching the sun set. It really was luxury. The next three days were spent chilling on the balcony (annoyingly I got sick and could really venture out much), reading lots of books, swimming in the pool, watching the sunsets with a cold beer and in BGs case, a trip on a bicycle then boat to visit the infamous island dolphins (see the very blurry pic!) which I think was a little disappointing. One evening we were on the roof top and watched a storm make its way down the river towards us as the sun set which was pretty spectacular (we just managed it slide down the spiral staircase in time to avoid a total soaking!).

We also got to sample some of the Laos hospitality at this place. Although the most expensive place on the island, the staff we somewhat lacking in manners and service skills which started off being really annoying but ended up being comedy bad. Upon arrival at the restaurant and waiting about twenty minutes, you had to ask for a menu which was given reluctantly with a roll of the eyes. Twenty minutes later and you had to ask to order. Maybe 30 minutes or an hour later your food would arrive, which was still earlier than the drinks which required further chasing to materialise. God help you if you were thirsty and wanted a second drink. The bar staff just sat around the bar and in the kitchen chatting and doing their own thing and didn't really seem to grasp the idea that they were meant to be working! The next evening we tried the next restaurant down which was even worse, the owner sat with a group of his friends drinking and playing cards while his wife tried to keep up with the orders. Food took even longer to arrive and at one point we think the wife got a battering by her drunk husband for forgetting our drinks which was really not very nice. The Laos people definitely need some lessons in hospitality if they are going to run restaurants!

After a week of doing absolutely nothing, we were ready to move on and booked our narrow boat (which came to get us from directly outside our floating home!) and bus to the third country on our list, Cambodia.