All six of us - Me, Pam, Adrian, Urs, Reto, and Mike - are currently on the two day "slow boat" to Thailand UP the Mekong River instead of down. Two days, thirty people, four life jackets.....
Actually, we haven't even left yet. Why?
Laos time?
Missing passengers?
Mysterious mechanical problems?
Who knows.
Maybe someone is taking a long cigarette break.

I'm sad to leave Laos even though all I saw was Luang Prabang. It's a nice place. It seems the poorer the country, the nicer the people. Actually, I don't care where we go or what we do, we are all together and it's all good.
We are actually quite the motley crew. Four Swiss German guys, a Canadian, and an American. Freakin' brilliant.

--------------------------------
LATER
I've seen the Mekong in almost every country here in Southeast Asia.... and I feel like (when finished) I will have seen the entire thing. The whole freakin' river. It's beautiful, though. Especially in the sunshine. Passing villages with all the little children running to the shore to wave "hello" to the boat. Seeing water buffalo drinking at the water's edge adn even a few elephants working on the banks. Caves jutting into the sheer cliff face... Buddha statues looking back at us from inside. The rainforrest... tall, cascading; trees dripping leaves. Pretty freakin' cool. It's a beautiful part of the world. Not just the scenery... but the laid back, get-away-with anything, half-assed is good enough, smile-all-the-time attitude from the people is brilliant, as well. Yes, it's frustrating when the laundry place loses your black bra or favorite shirt, yes it's nerve racking to board a boat with no floor in places, with rats, and with (honestly) no concern for safety. And yes, it's uncomfortable when you eat something that doesn't agree with your stomach (which is almost daily). But in all reality, I like it better this way... especially compared to the rigid, strict, stressful, boring, unfriendly politics and some of the people in the U.S.