To Laos and Huay Xai

Time to leave Thailand. We'd run our visa clock right up to the 30 days (not recommended - you never know when you're going be delayed randomly by a day or two). Anyway, partly because we couldn't risk getting held up we decided not to attempt the appealing but slightly sketchy route along the Mekong to get to the nearest land border open to foreigners. Although Chiang Saen is a border town, only locals can cross the river between Thailand and Laos here and the more entertaining route to the international border at Chiang Khong involved a change of songthaew half way with no guarantee of a connection.

So we took the local bus back to Chiang Rai and another to Chiang Khong. In theory you should be dropped at the junction for the new friendship bridge over the border, where tuk tuks were waiting, but our bus just sailed past and stopped further on where other transport was waiting. Another case of cartels controlling who gets the business. The border is scam central. Nothing serious but the captive nature of the market puts the prices up and they tend to be non-negotiable. So a ฿50 per person tuk tuk 8km to the border post, a (not unreasonable) ฿20 p/p 2.5km bus ride across the bridge, an extra $1 'overtime' fee on the $35 visa charge on the Laos side because it's after 4pm (!) and finally an eyewatering ฿100 p/p for the 7km tuk tuk to Huay Xai (but at least they accepted the Kip we'd taken out at the border, which gave a slightly better rate).

Arrived at our riverside accommodation at 17:30, some 6.5 hours after leaving Chiang Saen. On the way we'd seen a Black-winged Kite, a Peregrine and a Small Asian Mongoose from the bus. Our first experience of a communist country and one of the world's poorest nations. First birds were a couple of Common Sandpipers, Barn Swallow, Ashy Woodswallow, White Wagtail and, in the gloom of evening, about 8 Small Pratincoles! Went to put some rubbish in a large bin and got snarled at by a vicious-looking Bamboo Rat at the bottom, presumably destined for the pot; they are good eating apparently.

We were faced with a choice here. Nearly everyone takes the famous "slow boat" to Luang Prabang from here. A two day scenic trip down the Mekong with an overnight stop on the way at Pek Beng. Reports of this trip range from "best trip ever" to "overcrowded hell, never again!". I'd had it on my wish list for a long time but we were aware of an alternative. Buses across the mountainous north of the country could take you to Nong Khiaw on the Nam Ou river where a fabulous looking one day boat trip linked you back to Luang Prabang. The scenery looked amazing and it promised to be a trip a little more off the beaten track. So we made the decision to book the first bus to the town of Luang Namtha. A good decision or not?