Welcome To Laos (23-30/11/08)

SUNDAY 23RD NOVEMBER

I was woken up at 7a.m by the phone ringing, a friend from home it was midnight there so that's OK then. I'd been in bed for less than 5 hours so it wasn't the friendliest greeting. I wanted to be up early to watch the Hatton fight but not this early. Found a bar that was showing the fight so sat down and relaxed to watch that with a massive full English that was piping hot, can't complain at that. Finally moved out of the bar at noon and went for a wander around. It was a bit hot so we went back to the hotel for a swim. Even though we're on a budget hotels are dirt cheap so you might as well stay at one. Early evening went to the Sunday walking market to buy some tat. Was a bit shocked when the Thai national anthem came on and around 3000 people stopped what they were doing and stood to attention, even the foreigners stopped still in the street! Went to the night market and bought some junk and got conned when I bought a couple of knock off RL Polo's that turned out to be two sizes smaller than the one I tried on. Third week in and the first con, so I haven't done that bad.

MONDAY 24TH NOVEMBER

Had to go to the post office to send all the tat home we'd bought, and a couple of things I didn't need to bring. it cost more than 35 quid for less than 4kilos and it was by sea mail that takes 2-3 months. After we hand been robbed by the post office, joy of joys a 7 hour bus ride to Chiang- Khong border crossing. Apart from stopping off at a dried fruit place I did nothing other than read, Louise slept and dribbled a bit. Arrived in Chiang-Khong about 6:30p.m went to our basic room after a feed. Nipped out for a few beers and a couple of frames of pool and retired to bed.

TUESDAY 25TH NOVEMBER

A bright and early start ready for the rigmarole of visa checking and the like at the Laos border. Was up at 7a.m I don't really know why because the boat didn't leave until 11:00a.m. In the intervening 4 hours I was offered weed three times by three different people. *Note to self: must shave more regularly. On to the Boat for two days. They call it a slow boat which is right, but they should also call it the loudest slow boat in the world. The noise was so bad i got hoarse from shouting. The seats are only about 8 inches deep so for half the 7hour trip I was either sat on the floor playing poker or stood up. Met a really nice couple James and Carla both psychiatric nurses on a 6 month break spent they day talking to them and ended up at the same guesthouse as them for the night in Pak Beng. Not a lot there a couple of restaurants and that's it. Good job really cos the towns power cuts out at 10:30p.m anyway.

WEDNESDAY 26TH NOVEMBER

Back on the boat for the remainder of the journey to Luang Prabang, got sent off with a packed lunch of, you guessed it, rice. Did some more reading and listened to the ipod and tried to teach James, Carla and Louise some card games with limited success. We got one bench each on this journey as they realised that they'd put too many people on yesterday. Arrived in Luang Prabang at 4p.m which wasn't that bad going considering. Found a guesthouse for 85000kip a night which is about six and a half quid. Had a quick tour around and had some dinner with our new friends. I ate raw chicken, I didn't notice as it was pretty dark and we were outside. Got practically thrown out of the restaurant at 10:30p.m, there's a curfew in town, all foreigners have to be in their room by 11:30p.m.

THURSDAY 27TH NOVEMBER

Got up and had a nice breakfast. Because it was French occupied until 1954 the influence is everywhere. None more so than at breakfast time, fresh baked croissants and the like. Hired a couple of bikes and went for a ride around the town for a few hours. Much to my dismay we visited some more temples, but at one I did see a lady boy. Ended up at a coffee shop for about two hours just talking. The bikes didn't get used that much. Planned to go bowling at night cos there's nothing else to do. Hired a tuk-tuk which was the engine and the front half of a 200cc Honda bike welded to a trailer with a roof. Somehow we got four of us and the driver in it. Arrived at the bowling alley, there was no one there so we left straight away in the same death trap we arrived in. Had some beers and told some stories to J&C went to the guesthouse just in time for curfew.

FRIDAY 28TH NOVEMBER

It took nearly 4 weeks but after hunting around I finally found somewhere that did Cornflakes. Ate them and a Danish pastry for breakfast with a mug of hot tea, Was then hungry for the rest of the day. Tried to plan where to stop off tomorrow. Looking like Vang Vieng which they say is 5 hours in an air-con bus for 135000kip each(11quid roughly, have you realised yet there's no pound sign on Asian computers.). Chilled for the rest of the day. The pace of life in Laos is very slow, using the international measure of costing, local beer, one large bottle 10,000kip (85p), it's also really cheap, my kinda place. Went to the street market for tea, had the usual which is chicken, rice, veg and buffalo intestines. They're a bit rubbery and don't taste of much. Realised too late that I need to change my flight to Hanoi, got to go in the morning which is gonna be a rush as the office doesn't open til 8a.m and we get picked up at 8a.m. Whoops!

SATURDAY 29TH NOVEMBER

Managed to change my flights and make the bus, good going on my part. Sat on the bus for almost 8 hours not 5 as stated. Listened to a lot of AC/DC, which is always a pleasure. The drive is a little bit hairy as it's along mountain roads for the first half of the journey, you can only go about 30mph. It does give you time to appreciate the scenery which is absolutely breathtaking. Arrived in Vang Vieng at 5p.m and found a guesthouse. Had a little walk around, in the lonely planet it states that all the bars show endless re-runs of Friends, and they do. Got our bearings and found somewhere to have dinner, I went to get a jumper cos it's quite cold at night. While I was away Louise assured me that she would order me some dinner. Everyone except me ate. Drank some more and agreed to go Tubing tomorrow.

SUNDAY 30TH NOVEMBER

Tubing involves sitting on a tractor inner tube and floating between bars along the river and trying not to get so drunk that you drown, which has happened a few times. We did this for the day and it is a great way to get wet and drunk. Along the way Louise managed to lose her flip-flop, this is going to the first bar! At the second bar there is a rope swing which is around 40ft high, me and James did it. It hurts when you land. Another lad did it and lost his wedding ring, a couple of people went to look for it but to no avail. A local went in with some goggles and within 20 seconds found it, don't ask how, he just did. Another local then bought Louise her flip-flop back. It must have just kept floating down river. Had lots of drink, which after 2 beers was a bucket full of cheap Tiger whisky a bottle of red bull some lemonade and ice. I don't like whisky or red bull but at less than 3quid a bucket I'll drink it. At another bar there is a mud bath in which we all had a wrestle and got completely filthy. Then went on a massive slide into the river, it is very fast and you don't look too graceful and hurts more than the rope-swing when you land. Bruised my little toe quite badly I think it might be broken. Got back to the guesthouse and had a shower which involved washing my hair and body twice, which is not easy when your drunk and have a busted foot. Went for dinner at some bar. Watched the Manchester derby, got even more drunk, lost a lot at pool and had roast lamb with real Yorkshire pudding. Delightful. It took four weeks but I found somewhere that did it. Went home after too much beer and river fun. Managed not to die. A good day all round I think.