Well after the 2 minute crossing over to Laos via the Mekong arrived in Laos to find that all the dollars and foreign currency I had, had been stolen not too sure where as I have not really checked it that often! But arrived to find that there were no boats going that day to Pakbeng or Luang Prabang. So after a few discussions and abit of negotiating I arranged to charter a speed boat to Pakbeng. I think the 3 Canadians and Clem where abit surprised that I managed it. So off we went by speed boat (really a long tail boat with an engine) with speeds about 80km ph to Pakbeng. I had read it was an amazing journey but a white knuckle ride also the are fatalities every week on this river. Life jackets were given and crash helmets but I was expecting as was Clem that we would sunbathe so we sat there with our legs out to catch some rays! After about 10mins we did our life jackets up and put the helmets on! The journey was hell and frightening! There were so many rocks in the water and water buffalo also many rapids. When larger boats were going by the waves were huge and the boat bashed the water causing alot of pain to our backsides. Also as we were going so fast it was bloody freezing so much for sunbatheing. By sunset we had arrived in Pakbeng and I can not remember the last time I was this cold I was shivering from the cold. So we spent the night there as it is far too dangerous to travel at night. The village was full of backpackers all on there way to Luang Prabang. BUt everywhere closed early as the boats all departed early in the morning but me and Clem manged to find a sauna and massage place to get a bit warm before heading to bed. The next day we chatted to some other foreigners who had brought a longtail boat and were gonna row to Luang Prabang (it takes 4hrs in speed boat and 9 hrs in slow boat) they left at 7am we left at 10am and after 10mins in the boat we passed them! Not gone to far. I really dont think they would get there but I do take my hat off to them! Another nightmare journey in the speed boat but the scenary was spectaculiar with small tribes living by the river and passing many more water buffalo, elephants we then passed Pak Ou cave it was truly stunning. We arrived in Luang Prabang and found a guesthouse then rented bikes and went visiting the amazing temples Wat Xieng Thong built in 1560,Wat Si-a, Wat That Luang just to name a few but in Luang Prabang the temples are all built in the Luang Prabang style. We cycled all around the town which was great. That evening we went to the night market and then to the red cross massage centre and had a massage. The next day we hired a tuk tuk for the day and went to the Tat Kuang Si waterfalles which is 30km outside the city. The waterfalls were on many tiers tumbling over limetone formations into a seriers of cool turquise pools. There was also a cave which went threw the waterfall which me and Clem went threw then we climbed to the top of the falls and it was amazing, only problem was climbing back down which I really thought I was gonna fall and break every bone in my body. When we reached the bottom it seemed a shame not to go for a swim even though the water was soooo cold but it was magical. The fauna was so pretty there and the flowers smelt so lovely. They had a lion there captured from the wild and I went and watched the feeding of it then we had to head back as we were catching the public bus to Vang Viang. Well the roads are terrible apparently route 13 which we went down is the most dangerous in Laos with hold up and robberies all the time but we had a monk sit at the front of the bus for good luck, it was such a bumpy journey also Laos people suffer terrible from travel sickness and the whole journey was spent listening to people throwing up not just occasionally but the whole journey. Plastic bags were given to all the locals and I am sure 50 percent of the pasengers were sick. Eventually at about 1am we arrived in Vang Vieng and there did not seem to be any life we found a guest house but there was no lights on and no one in reception but there were keys in many of the rooms so we had a look in a few of the rooms and found the one we thought best and stayed for the night.The next day we decided to go tubing down the river. My friend Sharon who I travelled with before had been and said it was great. We rented huge tractor tyre inner tubes and got a tuk tuk to the river, then spent the day floating down the Nam Song river through small rapids. As we floated down the river there were small shack bars selling Lao beer and they all had jumping off points. The guy in the bar would hold out a bamboo stick and pull you in where you sat in the tube and enjoyed the beer or floated with your beer. The trip down the river was supposed to take about 3hrs but after about 2hrs I spotted someone with a huge joint so I stopped there to have a smoke there ended up 9 of us sitting getting stoned. The joints were 10000kip about 60p I was warned they were leathal but I think I am a hard core smoker so sat smoked half this joint and was absolutley f*cked my legs and arms were shaking so much I had to have someone help me carry my stuff to the tube before carring on the journey to the end everyone from this bar stuck together floating back as we were all so f*cked. It was truly the strongest joint ever and I swear laced with opium. My journey down the river that day took me 5hrs as I was so f*cked. That evening we went out for dinner then hit the bars of Vang Vieng. At the back of the menus were the "specials" so I tried all of them I had 3 or 4 special shakes, opium tea, magic mushroom tea, special herb garlic bread then sat and smoked opium all night. What a night how trashed was I???? We tried to find a pipe for the opium but to no luck which was probably for the best. It was truly the best day of my life. The next day we caught the public bus to Vientiane the capital of Laos. We spent the night there and went shopping had walked along the river where we could see Thailand on the other side. Then I had a facial and a oil massage. The next day we went to the morning market and for a massage then headed over the border to Thailand were we contined to the Cambodian border.