The bus to the boarder left at 12.30 and took about 6 hours. The bus was full and all the people were really cool. We stayed in a boarder village but I cant remember the name. The guesthouse sorted out our Laos visas so we didn't have to do anything.
The first day of the slowboat was not bad, it was not rammed so we had a bit of space and it only took 6 hours even though we were told it was 8! The stopover town doesn't have electricity on the mains, the guesthouses just have thier own generators which usually turn off at 10.30. I ate with 3 geordie lads, a geordie couple, 3 Swedish girls, an Irish couple and 2 Israli guys. So we had a very large and multi national group. It was a really cool night and we all chipped in to keep the generator running for another 2 hours so we could play music.
The second day was not as good at all, it was 9 hours and the boat was literally half the size as the day before with the same number of people. I was so tired from the night before but couldn't get any sleep at all. Then the boat broke down. The mechanic tried to use an empty coke can as a tool so we didn't have much faith in him. Luckily another, empty boat came and rescued us and we continued in that. It had no seats but was far bigger so we had loads of space to ly down and sleep.
We got to Luang Prabang at about 6 and tried to find out about buses straight to Vang Vieng [we being the 3 geordie guys and Swedish girls, they are travelling together and I am tagging along heh] because I need to meet Ollie and Matt, they are only here for one more day! Everyone we asked gave us different information so we paid a bit more and got a private minibus which I thought was a bit dodgey but turned out to be OK, if rather expensive.
Before it left we went to get some food and as we were going in I saw Bill from Pai! He was staying there for just a day untill his flight to Vietnam. He said it is definatly worth flying to Vietnam because the roads are dodgey, alot of the bus companys are dodgey and it is alot of hastle and takes days.
When we left the resturant I was half way accross the road when I met Scott from Bangkok and Pai! I tried to cross back and see him and walked directly into a bike coming from behind me!! I think he had seen it coming and slowed down so it wan't that bad, he was a cool guy, sounded American/Canadian. After appologies I went over and spoke to Scott. I asked him if he was going to Veitnam and if he was flying, he said he is not but someone he was with said thier friend was flying because of bad things heard about overland. I said goodbye to Scott and will probably see him again here in a few days.
So we got in at 3am to Vang Vieng and he dropped us off at his friends guesthouse which was very nice but very expensive. As it was 3am we didn't have much choice so we just went with it for one night.
The town in very small and quiet, it reminds me a bit of Pai at the moment but way more tourists and busier. I ran into Naomi from Pai, she was going tubing today but I am not sure if I want to because the bike incident ripped the scab off my grazes from mountian biking. I think I will have to risk it though, everyone says it is the most fun thye have while travelling. I have some celine solution and savlon cream so as long as I clean my cuts as soon as possible I think it should be OK.
Ollie and Matt got here yesterday and facebooked me to say they are here but not where they are staying! I havn't got hold of them today so I think I will check in with the geordies tonight again. They have met up with 3 of thier mates from home as well, so we should have a good group tonight. I am not going to drink too much because I want to save up for tomorrow. If I only go tubing one day because of my cuts I want to make the most of it haha.
Ben messaged me on facebook and said june-august are the best times for the alps in the summer so I still have a month untill it gets good there. I do want to make the most of it while I am here so I will just take as long as I like and go to Les Gets when I am done here. I will ask Ollie and Matt how long they were in Vietnam for and how long they think is good. About a week in Cambodia should be fine and I will do the same in Laos I think. I kind of wish it could have worked that I had time to go to northeast Laos but I dont think I will now because I cant face the roads for that amount of time.
I think I have just a few options for jobs in the alps, basically cleaning or driving the shuttle to and from the airport. There was a job for a DJ advertised on a Morzine but I dont think I have the music of any DJ experiance unfortunatly!
Anyway I have just seen the guy I travelling from Koh Tao to Bangkok with so I will go say hi. Byes
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