hello!

ok so we arrived in laos. it took 3 days total to make the journey! from chang mai to the border it was 7 hours in a mini bus, then we stayed over night in chang kong. we met some awesome people and we found a teepee bar. the guy literally lived in this teepee played music all day and opened it up to the tourists at night it was fun. next we headed out at 7.30am to clear customs and got on the most uncomfortable boat in the world! it was called a slow boat and had wooden chairs but only enough for half the people so half of the 250 people were on the floor of this boat...for 7 hours! luckily we managed to squeeze ourselves into a seat! we played scrabble and cards and managed ok but were tired. when we arrived at pat bang we realised there were no way going to be enough beds for everyone in this town. so us girls ran up the hill and the boys gathered the bags of the boat! we managed to get one JUST! it was a crazy little town only there for the tourists getting off the boat so it literally had placeas to stay and restaurants! because laos used to be french colony it all looks really french still with balconys and french speaking people everywhere, the best bit is they have BREAD! which we all know thailand is lacking greatly! anyway we wake up in this crazy town and head back to boat (2 hours early to get a seat) and then sit for a further 7 hours so 9 total on these wooden seats! when we arrive we are so tired and everyone falls off the boat into luang prabang. this night we get ourselves some much deserved pizza and head to a bar. we meet a few americans (so our group is now about 13 strong!) and head to a loas nightclub! we are all rather intoxicated and so take to the empty dancefloor imediately! slowly but surely the loas people trickle over to us and try to dance and get pictures with us! one guy does a few breakdance moves and george shows him up with his very impressive caterpillar he has obviously been practising! they love us though we felt like royalty! when shakira came on they couldnt believe our asses! cos they havnt got any! after this we all collapse at our hotel. nesxt morning goerge and i explore and go in search of a camera.... yes thats right i had to throw out my camera due to a very sever ant infestation! we beleive we picked them up on our trek they were eveywhere inside the flash, crawling from the usb hole in the lense. george flash fried the little b*****s with the flash! and wrapped it up in 4 asda bags! followed by muchos swearing! when we arrived after a horrible 7 hour journey we looked inside expecting to find dead bugs but oh no....they had taken over fro the great nation of ant. it was covered in them. they swarmed out of the bag! there was nothing for it but to remove the memory card safely and discard the offending item. so now we have no cmaera! this town is 30 years behind and was selling two ancient digital cameras for 150pounds each! NO THANKS! we experienced somthing quite extraordinary that day. the oldest monk in the city had died and it washis funeral. we stumbled across the procession. hundreds of monks in their orange outfits followed by the coffin so ornate! then all of the buddist women from the city fiollowing with their coloured umbrellas to keep the sun off them. the colours were intense and it was quite breathtaking. speaking of breathtaking. today we went to a waterfall. you wouldnt beleive how amaxing it was. it was like hollywood set! we jumped right in the first pool only to find out that later on in the trek there would be 3 other pools! george was in his element. there was a rope swing on one of the pools that went so high. he went on it about 50 times! just kept running round to do it again! and our new friends were singing the old classic ....george of the jungle! its becoming his theme tune! when he wasnt on the swing we were rehearsing our dirty dancing lift...needs work! tomorrow we are heading on the bus for 6 hours to get to vang vienne. aparrently you can float down the river in a tube! we are exited.

thnks for all the messages a few shoutouts!

fayeby and phill, cant wait for p festival in clacton get your tents ready! no crocs as yet. also the sleeping bag liner was the best advice you ever gave me!

papameach, for some sound advice.

mamameach, yes this time you were right but not everytime!!!!!!!

mum and dad sorry about the 5am phonecall!

nanna and grampy, well done for the internet exploration youll have your own comp before we get back! not going to cambodia so your dont have to worry!

delia, hope your reading this and checking up on us. write us a note if you can!

houd and sj, not long till 23 hope you are surviving your summer apart. we are planning some awesome thai dishes for our cooking days! how does cockroach soup sound!?

della,del and jimmyfoo. we are being safe....honest! hope the ging isnt developing too much or causing any concern! special kisses to the foo.

erin and jake. hope your canadian summer of loove is still awesome! all the canadians we have met have been smiley lovely people so its not just you now. we love canada!

ps everyone sorry if we missed you out i am being rushed by a loa man. but just so you all know george is still healthy and accident free TOUCH WOOD!