Had to get a Songthaew (large pick up truck with seats down either side and a make shift roof) from the bus park to Don Khong which was going to be about a 3 hour journey. When we got there the guy told us a price and we had previously been told the price we should pay, so we ended up meeting him somewhere in the middle. The funny thing was his explanation for us paying more was because we were bigger then locals and also because of our heavy luggage. I pointed out to this guy my size and the fact that even he was bigger then me!!! They then began to load raw building materials onto the truck which must have weighed the weight of a house which one guy was bringing along together with a motorbike...... which was rigged up on the back of the truck. Now my bag may be heavy but I am not sure it is the equivalant of carrying a motorbike on my back, haha. Very funny though and made me chuckle, he really should work on his reasonings for slightly hiked price, how about your a tourist and if you can afford to come here you can afford to pay more!!!! To be fair being a tourist I am always prepared to pay a little more then the locals would pay as long as they do not try to take the piss and since it was very little extra this guy was charging it was no problem.

So after 3 hours we arrived at the Mekong river crossing and a small ferry took us across and we were then dropped off. Found a nice guest house just opposite the river and booked in here for couple nights. Really is a peaceful town and clearly a place people come to relax and not party. The next day we hired a bicycle each and cycled around some of the island. Very peaceful and fantastic scenary. This island is the biggest of all of the 4,000 islands and yet still only 32sq km. Really good place to come and chill although that could probably be said of all of Laos in general. Only stayed here a couple days as Steve was needing to head across to Vietnam shortly to go find himself a job and I was going to be heading into Thailand at the same point he heads the opposite directiion. Decided to head to Savanakhet as this is a central trading point between Thailand and Vietnam and therefore offers good transportation in either direction for each of us.

Not a lot else to tell you about Don Khong, the blogs gradually getting shorter as less time spent in these places with very little being done in the time here. Just a case of seeing the places talking to locals and enjoying the fact that I dont have to work!!! haha, suckers!