The last 3-4 days have probably been the most enjoyable so far. After 4 hours the local bus arrived in the northern village of Nong Khiaw, late, or Laos style as its better known. The scenery there was unbelievable. Perfectly balanced aesthetics of river, cliffs and mountains in dramatic shapes. I hooked up with a couple of American guys to spit the room cost and we went exploring. What we found was an extensive set of caves and tunnels reaching deep into the mountains that were used as a base during the Indochina war. My flash light just about illuminated the dusty signs that still exist deep in the mountain. On the way back we picked up a bottle of the local moonshine or Lao-Lao as they call as it. At 3000 kip (18 pence) for a large bottle is was hard to complain but it was actually quite good. Like a blend of the finest Japanese sake...and gasoline.

The following morning we took a boat up to the next village, Mong Ngoi. A rarely visited village of the beaten track with no infrastructure. It was here we found the most impressive scenery I, and they, had ever seen. We each took a bamboo shack next to the river overlooking the mountains, a $1 room with a $1million view.

Over the following days we proceeded to explore some local caves extensively. One we found included a swim of some 50m down a flooded tunnel. We also persuaded a local guy to rent us his boat, silly man. We took off up river, stopping off at the odd sandbank, but eventually the current got the better of us and we returned. A short trip in a dicey speedboat got us back to Nong Khiaw and then we took a truck back to Luang Phrabang.

Today Im confirming flights and doing a few other monotonous tasks, and then tomorrow I fly to Cambodia.

Despite repeated attempts to reach more of the caves in the area, I only managed to get lost in a maze of rice fields. Suicidal bamboo bridges allow access across the river, but getting further is unguided and intimidating.

I have felt increasingly tired and lethargic over the last few days which I am putting down to my malaria pills. Without the energy or enthusiasm to venture to far into the mountains i have decided to head back to Louang Phrabang tomorrow morning. From there I'll make my way to Nong Kiow. Supposedly home to the best scenery in Indochina.

I arrived in Vang Vieng last night after a pretty incredible journey. Six hours winding through the dramatic Laos scenery made for an interesting ride. The only worry being denim dressed guard at the front with an automatic rifle. “Should I be happy he’s there or worried he’s needed”. I checked into a guesthouse and got a good nights sleep.

On wakeing the full grandeur of the surrounding landscape was apparent. The flat plane of Vang Vieng is immediately surrounded by gravity defying limestone cliffs. I walked into town, all two roads of it, and hired a large inner tube. Why? Floating down the river is one of the best ways to take in the scenery around here, and that was my intention. I took a ride further up the river so my journey would back in town, hopped on and set off. Despite the 5 hour journey there is plenty to keep you occupied along the way. Laotions hold out long lengths of bamboo allowing you to purchase a beer and keep floating, very relaxing :-) Another stop of point allows you to take your tube hundreds of feet deep into the mountains. Floating in the pitch black is pretty terrifying especially when you loose sight of the only guy with a head torch. I finally found my way out and made it back to town.

Apparently even the most hardened traveler gets sick of rice 3 times a day. Ive held out for a long while but ive finally broke and am off to find a pizza.

In a sudden change of plans ive decided to head south first instead. Currently Vang Vieng is the furthest south you can get. Its 160 km and a 6 hour bus ride from here, and requires going down the infamous Route 13. Banditry is common in Laos, especially on this route, but Ive been told not to worry due the current heightened national security. Great.

Vang Vieng is situated in a limestone karst valley and should offer the opportunity for a couple of days decent trekking. I’m slightly frustrated I won’t be able to make it to the far south as this is home to “The Four Thousand Islands”. Not a salad dressing but a place where the Mekong splits into a series of rivulets and has created a vast scattering of islets. Maybe next time.

Getting out of Laos is currently impossible without flying, boarders are closed, a curfew is in affect during certain hours and a lot of routes are closed, all due the summit. This morning I had no choice but to buy a rather expensive flight out of here to Siem Reap in Cambodia on the 2nd Dec (when my VISA expires).

I’ve spent the last few taking in Louang Phrabang and visiting the many dramatic waterfalls that surround the area, I managed not to fall off this time just as well as the one I visited yesterday was 180 ft. I’m going to head north today or tomorrow to Nong Kiow which allegedly boast the best scenery in all of Laos, unfortunately due to travel restrictions im unable to go south at all at the moment. The furthest south you can get is a place called Vien Vieng, which I’ll probably check out next week.

After a 2 day journey by slowboat i have finally arrived in Louang Phrabang, the cultural, royal and spiritual capital of Laos, Vientiene being the official capital. The journey here although long is very beautiful. Watching mountains pass by as you slowly miander down the Mekong is hardly a chore, the only issue being a on board toilet that would challenge even the most lateral thinking contortionist. A overnight stop in what has to be the strangest place ive been yet allowed some needed sleep, along with on opportunity to sample the national beer 'BeerLao', supposedly the best in South East Asia. It certainly felt like it.

Despite having a few issues convincing someone to take us to Louang Phrabang we finally re-boarded a different boat to complete the journey. The only chance for a leg stretch being a cave overlooking the Laos landscape which is used to store unwanted Buddha, quite creepy.

So how's Laos. Well. Its beautiful and very different to Thailand. In Louang Phrabang at least there is still a slight feel from the french colonial days, and the people her lovely, if not a little 'too' laid back. Sometimes doing the simplest of tasks can be quite a struggle, but to be fair this is largely down to the money situation - which is as follows.

You can pay in Baht, Dollars or Kip (Laos). Which ever you use you will always get your change in a different currency, this is the first problem. Another major issue is the value of the Kip. It has been so devalued due to the political history of this country that a Laos coffee now cost about 9,000 Kip, anywhere between 9 and 18 paper bills, for a coffee. Obviously the situation is quite ridicules as vast bundles of bills are required to pay for anything. Although this makes you feel rich it is worth considering that 10,000 kip is about $1.

I'm off to do a bit of exploring. And to buy a bigger wallet.

The last few days have been beautiful, cold, emotional and painful. Depending on when you would have asked me. In keeping with my one accident per fortnight i managed to dramatically fall down the big waterfall in Pai. An incident that looked a lot more painful than it felt, less painful in fact than the subsequent neck massage that was recommended to me to relieve the stiffness.

And so..With every reason to stay and not a single one to leave except a piece of paper with a pressing agenda, i reluctantly left Pai. Along with a promise of a return visit. Fon drove me back to Chiang Mai so that i could book my bus ticket to Chiang Khong. We ate, slept, said our good byes and I set off on the 5 hour drive to this small border town.

I wouldn't say im happy to be back on the road but its kind of refreshing now knowing what the hell im doing again. Im currently sitting looking a spectacular view of Laos, some 100m across the Mekong. I will head there tomorrow for my arrival visa and to catch a 2 day slowboat down to Louan Phrabang (the emphasis being on the 'slow').

I'll refrain from rambling thanks to everyone in Pai, surfice to say...thank you. Why i got 'stuck in Pai' i will probably only later realise, but i did, and i had a terrific time. And as Dr.Guruda (who i never did beat) said to me over a game of chess.

"Do you know how to make god laugh? You tell him your plans!"

I have a minor problem:

"Travel Indochina says it has received official notification that access to Vientiane will be closed between November 22 and December 1, 2004. This is due to increased security measures for the Association of South East Asian Nations Summit (ASEAN) summit to be held there from November 29-30.

The closure covers Vientiane International Airport and the Thai/Laotian Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai and applies to foreign tourists and business travellers, both those already holding a visa and those wishing to obtain one on arrival. Only official ASEAN delegates will be exempted."

Im heading into Laos this week via Chiang Kong, a small village in the North East of Thailand on the Mekong river. I will then travel on a slow cargo boat for 2 days down to the beautiful mountain town of Louan Phrabang . Due the closure of the capital I will probably now have to wait in Louan Phrabang untill the summit ends as Vientiane is the only transport hub into Cambodia that im aware of.

Untill i leave Pai i will largely being saying goodbye to many people, packing my stuff which is currently spread around the town at various locations, and having a few camp fires under the stars and mountain shadows.

But there is one more thing to do before i go.

2 days ago i met a fascinating chap called Guruda, a retired doctor of psycology, originally from the USA, but has been living in north India for the last 20 years. Every day he is to be found sitting in a small street here in Pai waiting for someone to play chess with him. Sometimes he waits all day and no one comes, this he says, is part of the fun. I have had a couple of games with him over the last few days, both very close, but it was his victory on both occasions, and so right now, im off to see if i can settle the score.

I read somewhere that when you travel you have two choices. Stay in the same town and change clothes, or, stay in the same clothes and change towns.

The problem with traveling light is that your clothes wear thin very quickly due to excessive use, and I so ive been shopping. 3 hours and 2000 baht later I have a new mobile wardrobe that smells less, looks better and probably won’t fit in my rucksack. A problem I’ll solve when the time comes.

It was whilst shopping that I stumbled across some piano practice rooms for hire. I indulged for a few hours desperately trying to remember what I thought I had forgotten, but my memory seems to have served me well and I felt very much at home until my time ran out.

My Thai is also coming on leaps and bounds. Once you get your head round the 5 different tones its actually fairly simple due to its almost total lack of grammar. The pronunciation is essential though, the wrong tone can mean ‘nine’ instead of ‘rice’ or ‘blind drunk’ instead of ‘cat’.

“Im sorry, but I’m a cat and need some nine”….doesn’t really work!

Why am I still in Thailand? When am I going to Laos? Why are my posts getting shorter and fewer?

I’ve been up here going between Chiang Mai and Pai for nearly a month now and feel very settled. I know all the roads around the north, most of the people in Pai, and about 50% of the stray dogs in the city? Net cafes aren’t on every corner and so I simply pop in when I can, or when im not busy. Once im back on the road posts will obviously increase in number and size again, im not traveling here at the moment, just living for a while.

A Laos VISA last 15 days so I’ll probably head there in the middle of this month. I’ll then try and catch a slow boat down the Mekong and drop into Cambodia around the beginning of December. The only thing that worries me at the moment is American Intelligence of terrorist attacks in Laos between 25 and 30 Nov. Its in the papers here and on the BBC website at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3944121.stm so i may change my plans if thing flare up.

My VISA is extended here un till the 12 Dec, thats after im due to fly to Hong Kong, so I have a lot of options open to me until the 8th of Dec.

Im back in Chiang Mai for a few days. The rainy season has finished, the days are getting slightly cooler and the air is filled with the scent of mountain flowers ( or car fumes, depending on where you are) A couple of days ago a few of us hired a truck and took it up into the mountains around Chiang Mai. We drove to highest point in Thailand, about 2500m above sea level, took photos and ate noodles. It was very cold, and very pleasant. Two temples have been constructed near the summit giving breath taking views across the mountain ranges that fill the surrounding area and so we simply decided to stay up there untill it was time to leave the national park.