Laos, the country of my dreams for many years, began from crossing the border from China - actually nowadays they have an excellent direct bus from Jinhong in China to Luang Nam Tha in Northern Laos. I took it with a few people I met while trekking and a friend of one of them. Together we took motorcycles on the next day and did a long day ride, which was planned to be North towards Muang Sing, but thanks to a stupid navigation mistake we found ourselves in Vien Paukha, which was not bad at all. The road was excellent, sealed, the scenery fantastic, the bikes rent ridiculously cheap (30000 kip, less then US$4).

On the next day I took a bus to Muang Sing and stayed in Adima - a place in the middle of nowhere 8 km from the town. The surrounding area is packed with small villages, the locals are always happy to offer you some weed or opium, first for very cheap, second for very expensive.

Muang Sing - back to Luang Nam Tha and then straight to Udomxai. Nothing to say about Udomxai since it`s boring, but I used it as a jumping point to the AMAZING Muang Noi - a remote village accessible only by boat with not too many tourist, fantastic views and amazing people. Since it was pretty cold at night and the bastards wanted 10000 kip for a bucket of hot water, we preferred to go to an amazing Lao-style herbal sauna (for 15000 kip), which included a bucket of hot HERBAL water, smelly in a good way and probably healthy.... Anyway:

From Muang Sing to Luang Prabang - it`s a beautiful temple town, but FAR too touristy... My second time here, last time was September 2004, since then it`s become very crowded, but still beautiful, the temples are nice, even though you`ve been to a couple - you`ve been to all of them.

Luang Prabang to the extremely annoying Vang Vieng - sorry guys, I know most people like it, but I guess getting drunk, stoned and high and watch "Friends" in this condition surrounded by 18 years old drunk, stoned and high Australians is not really my cup of tea. The surrounding countryside is really beautiful and not touristy - most people in Vang Vieng get drunk, stoned and high and go tubing. At least I`m glad that this time for a change, not the Israelis are the annoying ones.

One evening in the capital Vientianne - for sure the most laid-back and peaceful capital in Asia, with very nice colonial architecture and a totally bizarre Buddha Park, a small piece of land with surreal Buddhist and Hindu sculptures, from gods to strange creatures coming out of God knows what imagination. Worthy and recommended.

OK, from now on the real thing begins - the South. Heading straight to Tha Kaek for an amazing 4 days trip on a motorbike, famous under a common name of "The Loop". Cat & me shared one and a Singaporean girl named Jasmine joined us, we had great time and say some really nice views. The sure highlight was an amazing cave with a river going inside, you take a boat operated by two locals with strong flashlights. Since it`s the dry season and the river gets really shallow in some places, from time to time we had to get out of the boat and walk barefoot on sharp stones for a couple of minutes. The whole cave experience is bizarre and grotesque.

From Tha Kaek - to Savanaket, a very peaceful city with, again, some nice colonial architecture - like Vientianne but much smaller. Here saying goodbye to Cat and heading on to Pakse. A day in Wat Pho Champasak - there was a festival there and it was the main reason I came, and again, it`s the 3rd time in my life I come to a place especially for a local festival, and each time, this time as well, I get disappointed. Very crowded and nothing interesting, the temple looks like a tiny and badly preserved Angkor Wat, though nice but it`s OK to skip.

The next 2 days went to a totally AMAZING motorbike trip on the Bolaven Plateau, definitely one of the bigger highlights of this trip so far. I shared a motorbike with an Irish girl named Treasa, who proved to be a great companion, I had no problems with her AT ALL, which is uncommon. The waterfalls on the plateau, in spite of the dry season, are absolutely gorgeous, and Tad Lo, a village where we spent the night, is surrounded by very beautiful scenery. We had two crazy French motherfuckers with us - they call themselves Michelle and Nat (The Wild) - and an Italian professor named Atila we met in Tad Lo, the evening went on smoking weed and drinking Beer Lao - the later is another true highlight of this amazing country. To my great unfortunate, I didn`t have a chance to talk to Atila a bit more - he`s a totally awesome person.

Back to Pakse, the next morning saying goodbye to Treasa and heading to Si Phan Don - an area canned "4000 islands" on the Mekong. I`m not sure whether it`s really 4000 - it might easily be much more, and their size goes from less than 1 square meters to huge island that takes you half an hour to go around by bike. I stayed on Don Det and wish I could stay for longer... Beautiful countryside, hundreds of naked kids bathing in the Mekong and picturesque waterfalls on the nearby Don Khon (connected to Don Det with a bridge) - all these make Si Phan Don an unforgettable experience.

February the 14th, the last day of my Laos visa, I`m leaving the island and saying goodbye to this amazing country. To my great unfortunate, I`m going to Thailand. For the 3rd time in my life.