Just a quick note to let everyone know we have arrived in beautiful Laos safely after a very long 2 day boat trip to get here!

We left Chaing Mai to get on a minibus where we met another Scott, Alex whose been travelling around Oz for a couple of years, got to Chaing Khong on the border and stayed in a lovely room with a view next to the Makong, but a random toilet with the loo facing the wrong way and the shower over the sink...gave a whole new meaning to brushing your teeth, showering and s**ting at the same time! The next day we got up and headed across the border and into Laos, the start of the 2 day journey.

We continued to travell with 2 dutch people Ellis and Guida, who we actually met trekking in Chaing Mai, and have also found an Oz called Dave on the boat on the first day, the 5 of us have stayed together for the whole trip and are in the same hostel in Luang.

The boat trip was Well worth it though and not that bad a journey as split it up with a night staying in Pakbeng, when Gill could evntaully get herself and her bag up the non-existant jetty thing from the boat, (then fell on her back and lay there squirming like a beached turtle as Karen laugher!) But it was a quaint little town with no electricity after 10pm, so very romantic everything by candlelight... and a nights accomodation, dinner, brekko, a packed lunch and beers all night only cost us 8pound for us both... Total bargain.

So after another 8 hours on the boat we entered country number 2, currency number 2 and already learnt "hello" "goodbye" and "thanku" in Laos. And still only just over a week into this trip, certainly has all been 110mph but maybe we can look forward to chilling in Laos for a couple of days and apparently we should also look forward to a travellers bowl off later tonight as that is the only place that serves alcohol after 11pm! Confess aswel we are both turning into belching beer drinkers!!

Will update again soon and get the photos uploaded, actually the internet connection here is the best we have had!

xxx