LuangPrabang - Vientianne - Koh Chang
Left Hilster and took the bus to Vientianne. Bus dated from the 80's with frills!!!
We both felt really sick as it was up and down and swerving around, we were tired and it went to quite a high altitude - not great but we arrived safely. Scenery was really beautiful though! Had a bit of a palava when the driver decided to change bus at lunch stop and we lost our fleeces which were still on our seat in the original bus. Still Vientiane was cool and we stayed there for one night to see if we could get our fleeces back. The Laos bus people kept nodding and promising but nothing turned up - hey ho!
Were going to take the night train straight to Bangkok so had little local currency, only Thai baht. We were told locally and from the Lonely Planet that being Saturday eve the exchange places were closed for the weekend and there were no cashpoints. Were concerened about where we would stay with no money! We met a really encouraging family coming out of Joma's (of LP bakery fame!!) who directed us to the local exchange. They kindly offered to give us a few dollars but we couldn't really take it from them. Nat said "don't worry God will have a plan". Then as we went round to the exchange place to find the opening hours for Sunday they pulled up in the car, said that they were Christians (which we thought) and were sure they had heard what Nat had said correctly and could they pray for us. How cool! As it turned out this exchange place had just had two cashpoints put in, one of which was international so we could get money out - probably one of the first cp's in Laos!! God answers prayers!
Enjoyed the night train very much!! Clean, cool and slept quite well balanced above Thais on a foam 'ledge'.

In Koh Chang for relaxing
Has rained but is brightening up! Really beautiful. Splashed out in swanky hotel for Nat's b'day last night. Beach bung with sea view only 12 feet away - beautiful. Swam and swung on coconut trees. Ate tea in our own little terrace looking out over lights round the bay!!