We decided to move on to Laos after 2 weeks in Chiang Mai, taking the easy package-deal option which included a minibus to the border, accommodation, meals and the slow boat fare. It was sad to leave Junior guesthouse and all our friends there, but we are going back for Thai New Year in April to have a huge waterfight, so it's all good :)

On the minibus we met fellow Brits Jack and Jim, and many more lovely people. We stopped off at Chiang Rai, which is home to some hot springs that smell like eggs (you can buy baskets of them to boil in the springs), and a much more impressive sight, the White Temple. This literally looks like something out of Narnia, it is so bright and glorious, painted white and covered in tiny mosaic mirrors so it reflects the sun and blinds you. Awesome. The weird thing about this temple though is the inside, where the walls are covered in paintings of modern-day 'evils'... like the twin tower bombings and alcohol and darth vader and neo from the matrix and a pepsi truck... very strange indeed. On the opposite side there was a meditating monk who was incredibly still. In fact I'm still not convinced he wasn't made of wax...

The next stop was Chiang Khong, the small and rubbish border town where we stayed one night. We spent some time at the one bar there was getting to know our new travel buddies and the guesthouse's resident dog, who liked to follow us and trip up Jim. However The Dog's sly ways got the better of him later that night, when he was sneaking above our rooms and fell through the ceiling, the debris and his pride tumbling down with him. Unfortunately there were no eye-witnesses, but all evidence supports the theory... the noises before the fall, the debris on The Dog's back, the shameful look in its eyes, it's known penchant for sneaking... it all adds up! oh and The Dog was fine by the way, all you PETA fans out there.

So the next morning we packed up and waited with the thirty-four large group to be taken to the border, feeling strangley like illegal immigrants as we perched precariously on the sides of an open pick-up truck, our luggage at our feet and our hands grabbing each others knees for support. Miraculously we survived, and were then piled into these narrow long-boats to sail two minutes across the river to the Lao side, and then poof! We were in Laos! Passport control took a good few hours, it was extremely hot and with carrying all our backpacks and mistakenly wearing two top layers and trackies after a cold night, I started to feel really unwell. Somewhat worried that I had contracted malaria I endeavoured to take my tablets, drink more water and change clothes, which I did, and then felt better. Phewww.

After a lot of waiting around in the hot hot heat for our visas and passports back and boat tickets or something like that, we finally got on the slow boat! Time for our two-day trip down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang, by far the most fun and eventful journey we've had...... :)