Slow ass boat to Luang Prabang

We had been warned by countless travellers about the hideous boat ride down the Mekong river from Hoi Xaiy to Luang Prabang. But determined not to take a local bus (10 hours) nor a speed boat (4 hours, but seriously dangerous) we bought our tickets for the two day, hard bench, sure to be overloaded slow boat, extravaganza! We also bought soft pillows for out sensitve buttocks. We departed an hour late, (normal for laid back Laos) and set off down the Mekong, reading books and playing cards along the way. The crew now consisted of Peter (friend from Korea) and Liam and Mark from the Gibbon experience. After 7 hours we pulled into the Pak Beng for the night, and as we left the boat we were swarmed by touts offering their guest houses and of course all the Ladies and Drugs you could handle...we passed on the ladies and drugs but took the guest house which was pleasent enough. Early next morning we departed again for the next leg of our voyage to Luang Prabang - more cards more reading and more beer laos were in order and the journey passed quickly enough. Once arriving in Luang Prabang we meet up with some more people from the Gibbon experience and partied the night away reliving great memoris from the Zip ZIp. Communist Laos is in full swing in Luang Prabang and the bars all shut down by 11:30pm, so that people get enough sleep to wake up early to give alms to the monks. However word on the street was the bowling alley out of town is open till the wee hours and they sell drink! - We all tuk tuked out there for more Beer Laos and bowling carnage.From Luang Prabang it was off to Vang Vian by minibus for TUBING down the river and intense swinging and insane backflips! More on this, next time!