vietnam and a little laos on the side

got to laos through a slow boat. Once again had no idea what we were getting into but charged ahead anyway. Left chiang mai to chiang kong on a mini-bus. Everyone complained...most had reasons. John marc was sort of car sick, weldon and chris both had some heavy shit in their guts that had yet to be defined. 8 hours later we arrived in a hotel in a po-dunk town and settled in. At this point chris had worked through his hang over and was feeling lower than a catapillars ankles still. We met some very frendly and statuesque europeans at the hotel where we stayed. I proceeded to play drinking games and party through the night. Weldon, usually my wing man and vice versa on these occasions had...we'll just leave it at frequent trips to the bathroom, so he was not in attendance. Apparently kings cup is universal...they just call it ring of fire. I got to kareoke johnny cash...very cool. Next day...slow boat...a bit hung over but decent...got through customs and got laos visa no problem. First day slow boat was ok. The mekong coast is a trip. Very peaceful and in the middle of fucking no where. Got to meet the slow boat crew a little more over some fine scotch whiskey procured the night before at a Thai stop off. Best 350 Bhat I ever spent. Stopped at a tiny little town in laos that I cant even remember right now. Ate food and assed out. Didnt sleep despite my drunken disposition. Apparently there are massive amounts of dogs and chickens running around freely...both of which are very very early to rise. The whole town ran on a diesel generator conveniently located by our hostel. Haggared as one could be we embarked on the next day of slow boating. This go was far worse as the amount of people the locals fit on two boats the first day now had to share a slightly bigger one boat. Cramped like sardines...I envy sardines because by the time they're cramped they're dead. Hot as balls. Cards and scotch were my only true friends...I actually reverted to reading and if you know me well you know that I dont read unless I have to. Catcher in the Rye is a surprisingly good read for the first 40 pages or so. Thats as far as I got. Arrived at Luang Phrabang mid day ish. Laos currently is buring...the entire country. Its the hot season and farmers and fisherman are burning brush...very smoky. We spent two days in this wonderful town. Besides the heat I really dig laos...locals are laid back and you can pretty much do as you please. Bars close at around 11pm but there is a bowling place that stays open till about 2:30am. Brilliant. Saw most of the slow boat crew around town and at bowling...which by the way we did bare foot...I will never bowl again unless I can be shoe-less. As a quick side note I really like this part of the world because all you need to procure drugs is to be white and go to popular drinking spots....or just be out late. Not that Im a fiend, I just really like that the locals take out all the leg work. All jokes aside by this time weldon was putting on a face, cause he hadn't shit solid in about 5 days and was rather weak in appetite. This was pale in comparison with chris, who was bed ridden most of the time in luang and felt malarial symptoms. We decided that we needed to got to Vietnam sooner that expected because Laos has no health care. We flew. We had suspitions that his dimentia was caused very ironically by the doxicyclin that was prescribed to combat malaria. The only symptoms that the rest of use had been having was crazy, lucid dreams...which have been thus far a highlight of my trip. Flew to Hanoi...a city of 7 million. Crazy shit. WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE. Got hooked up to go to How Long Bay. We are currently here. Weldon stared taking cipro and has almost made a full recovery. Right when his appetite is coming back we travel to a bay where most of the dishes being served are seafood which he despises...more for me. Chris has made a very accurate assumption that his vertigo/no appetite/hard to focus symptoms were caused by the meds and hasent been taking them and by my assesment has made a full recovery although he seems to be drinking less than he should by my standards. Heres the beauty of it. We dont fucking need to. The doctors in America are so full of shit that if you poked them with the needles they are so fond of it would spew onto the ground. We have spoken to so many aussies/kiwis/europeans/canadians that look at us like epileptics the way we pop these pills. No areas we are traveling to are at risk except cambodia. Chris will be deeting if we even go. Plans change...we're starting to look at bali as a real option. Hopefully we can get scuba dive certified in Nha Trang and then put that to use in bali and the south of thailand where we plan to travel. We bought an open bus ticket which gives us a theoretical whole month to travel from hanoi to saigon making frequent stops along the way and stay in those towns as long as we like. Hue and Nha Trang stand out in my mind but I think there are like 3 or 4 others. I have been writing for too long... got some pics...not totally comprehensive...just highlights. Some of my viewers may want to see everything on my camera and have been getting impatient... its in the works. Flicker seems to be my best option at the moment as facebooks uploading is retardedly slow. I know at some point I will back up most of our stuff on CD...and you guys just might have to see all of it that way cause blogging is boring and trying to remember all this stuff is hard. I want to have fun and this world is ripe with it. In fact.....go outside...you've been reading for far too long....thanks though, always like to keep my audience riveted.Peace. whoops. computer is retarded...get those highlights to ya later. How Long bay,swimming on top waterfalls, BSGs, vietnam jungle, crazy high delapedated towers, etc.