Cold Coming

First off, things have gotten worse in Thailand. Bombs are bigger etc.
So we're looking into changing our flights.
I'm waiting to here back(hopefully tomorrow) from our travel agent back home as to what way we should do it.
In other words; we're on top of it.

And a another few things:
1. Vietnam wasn't as bad as the taste my last post about it may have left in your mouth. I was just so happy to be in Laos, that I may have been over-zealous in my description of Vietnam! :)
2. Luang Prabang has the 5th biggest population not the 2nd biggest. The biggest is still 200,000 though!
3. I've gone 23 days without a Mosquito bite! This is huge, considering it was about 5 a day before that!

Meanwhile, things are still ridiculously beautiful here. Although the weather is getting quite cold at night. We sat out the other night by the Mekong playing some music with a few Canadians, and the next morning we felt a bit under the weather. I think we'll have to ask for an auld duvet in the hostel tonight!

Here's a few pics since the last post:


- Lennie doing some tricks for us. Turns out he's a Pro Skateboarder. Lennie if you're reading this, now you're really famous. You're on the blog man! :)

The oldest Wat in town:

- 500 years old I believe.

Another night market shot:

This old dude is mad. He was dancing in the middle of the street yesterday with his shovel. The day before, he was blowing onto handfuls of dirt and then trying to shove them into the hands of locals passing by:

Heading up to the Royal Palace Museum:

And back out after:

- twas really interesting in there, but they don't allow the auld camera.

Monks beating a drum to signal the changing time of day:

Crossing the dodgy bridge over the Nam Kahn:

Fishermen in the Nam Kahn river:

Riverside homes:

The parched earth on the banks of the Mekong:

OK I'm out of here.

Bye!

Lazy In Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang.
Laos is the final new country of the trip(before returning to Thailand) and it's one of those rare times in life where you are actually able to save the best until last.
I would recommend anyone to come here.
Little things that the people of Laos do you will not see anywhere else in Asia.
Example:
------
(Bean walks into a currency exchange office)
Bean:"Sabaidee!(Hello)"
Woman: "Sabaidee)"
Bean: "I'd like to exchange dollars please"
Woman "Yes sir, we give 8,300kip to one dollar. If this is not OK, you go across the road and they will give you 8,500kip"
Bean: "OK I'll go across there, Khob Chai(Thank You)"
Woman: "Khob Chai"
------
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, there's a curfew here!
The whole town must be where they're registered to stay by 11.30PM. No one is allowed out after midnight! Except the bowling alley for some reason!?!?!
I realize I haven't been putting up too many prices of things on the blog.
Let's start now shall we?

Beer Lao: 8,000kip for a 640ml bottle(That's twice the size of bottles at home for a cool 80cent)
Food: More expensive than other parts, anything from 1 to 4euro, but can stay around one of you eat at food stalls etc.)
Accommodation: Fluctuates wildly from 4euro to 25euro, our average here in Laos will be around 4-5euro pp)
Bottle of Water: 10-20cent
12 hour bus: 4-6euro
Internet: 1euro per hour

- you get the idea, it's cheap.
A daily budget can be anywhere from 10euro to 50euro.

Anywhoo, we left the side of the Mekong in Vientiane:

- took our 'VIP Bus' on the unbelievably beautiful, and almost sickeningly twisting 10 hour journey to Luang Prabang. I don't believe I will top the views out of any bus I will take again in my life. It's worth pointing out at this point that the average speed of a bus is 40kph and they spend around 20-30% of the driving on the wrong side of the road. Lines are mere suggestions that are very open to interpretation.
We checked in to a decent hostel, on the river. We also for once didn't go for the cheapest room, but for one with a terrace on the river! As we're staying for a while, we may as well be comfortable. The room is 9euro for both of us, so it's not going to break the bank! Here's our view out the terrace doors:

OK the best thing ta do, is to stick up a load of pics and explain each one...much like what I always do I suppose! :)

Headin' into town:

Across the Nam Kahn river:

You NEVER see a woman on these signs do ya:

If only it were this easy:

The white building on the right just before the bicycle bridge on the river is where we're staying:

Hi-tech scaffold:

Night market:

- one of the best in Asia from what I've seen.

Climbing the 500steps to Wat Phu Si:

Passing sunbathers along the way:

Dave and his Monk buddy. Dave donated some money to him as his parents are dead, and he's trying to save to buy school books for English and Japanese so he can become a guide:

- poor auld divil.

The summit:

The view:

Would ya look at the wee girl working:

- another poor auld divil.

Monk school:

Making peace out of war in a temple:

Dave having a wee pray:

Monks boarding a boat at the convergence of the Nam Kahn and Mekong rivers:

We had our first sign of Christmas about two hours ago:

We are keeping a close eye on the Thai riots situation(By we I mean Dave. No need to worry there, Dave is my news correspondent!) For those that have been reading the blog from the beginning, and have fingers to count on, you may be wondering where the feck we're going to fit in Borneo. The truth of the matter is, we aren't. We had too much shite with getting a visa, a cheap flight, and making enough time whilst going the path we had chosen.(Also having no money doesn't help!) I am pretty sad about this, but it can't be helped.
Onwards and upwards!
We'll be here for a good few more days, and after having visited most of the temples in the area, we'll be heading beyond to see some other things, which will be a larf! We've met some cool Germans on the way to Laos, and are already making friends with people around here, so it will be hard to leave when we do.


In other news, as some of you may know, I'm going to Texas for Christmas holidays about 9hours after I get in to Ireland. As a result of my withdrawal symptoms for a trad session, there will be one in my home house(5 The Elms, second last house at the bottom of the hill, on the front row) on the night of the 21st! Somewhere around 9 o'clock. Bring your instrument, and tell a friend! :)

Chat ya'll soon!