Well, turns out we're not in Laos tonight...Who wasn't paying attention when we were told our travel itinerary? Yes, well, never mind. Anyway, from what I can work out, we had the 6 hour minivan trip today (well obviously I know that much), now we have an overnight stop here in Chiang Khong (aka The Middle of Nowhere, seriously there's about 3 shops a couple of bars/restaurants/guesthouses and the obligatory random teepee on the side of the road made from straw...) before we leave here at 9am tomorrow (the sole scrap of information we were given on arrival) presumably to head in a general Laos direction...? They asked us whether we had a Laos visa and I saw a place called "Border Guesthouse", both promising signs... It's actually cool up here in the far North (as in cold). We're not actually breaking a sweat walking from one side of the road to the other! It's amazing. The scenery on the trip here was really impressive. There were miles and miles of paddy fields complete with aunthentic Thai farmers with wellies and big straw hats and brightly coloured clothes. Twas cool. There were humongus hills, the peaks rising above the low steamy clouds. Very beautiful, bit eerie. Nothing to report from the 6 minivan trip other than some moody passengers rolling their eyes repeatedly at Dave's loud proclaimations that he was dying for a fag and that his toe hurts (he had a blister which someone trod on and burst (oh, it gets worse) in a club which spurted blood everywhere. Honestly, never seen so much blood come from a blister before, I think Dave must have very thin blood. Of course I doubt the alcohol helped... Anyway, sorry where was I? Oh yes, well he got his toe first-aided in the club (throughout which Dave was apologising profusely to the first-aider about pointing his feet at her, ignoring comments of "Well, what else are you going to do? That's where your injury is you idiot") but then while we were at the market last night someone else decided to go and stamp on it and re-open the wound...not pretty. Dave says the next person to do it shall recieve one punch in the mouth). It was also very bumpy. Um, yep that just about sums it up. Exciting stuff. I will get round to writing up the trek soon I promise. I haven't recovered strength of mind enough yet to deal with it if, God forbid, the same thing happened again and all was deleted. Let's not talk about it, tis too early to be able to laugh about it yet. Loadsa love Jessxxx