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Dec.3 We went down to the fast boats at 08:00 am - after the officials had checked & listed our passports & more travelers had arrived - we all walked down to the speed boat - our backpacks were placed in one end & we sat down in the other end. They gave us a life jacket& a helmet each - & we were ready to go! 80 km an hour - up the Nam Mekong - for 3 hours. It was a tough ride & funny because we were extremely wet from the waves. We arrived in Pakbeng - a strange little town - clinging to the hillside. We more or less had to climb up to the road from the river. There are 2 hotels in the town - a primitive wooden one where we live & another primitive dirty one up the road. Our hotel is hanging or balance ½ way on the hillside & 1/2 way on poles. The toilets (eastern style) & bathrooms are further out on a strange arrangement of poles & boards - but the view is stunning. Took a walk to see what this little town had to offer - met a weird Aussie & a German girl. Dec.4 We went on a picnic today - up a small stream. Bought some veggie. Food on the local market & some cans of tuna fish - found a small track down to the stream. David - Annemette & Kate took a swim - I collected funny stones. (I still got the 2 - Kate & David gave me. We ate our lunch - read & Kate took a nap & David & I updated his diary. On the way back to town we met Tim (the American from Luang Prabang) we all walked through the market & saw roasted guinea pigs. We ate dinner in the restaurant across the street were a lot of single girls were working ( I later realized it was a brothel - but I learned to cook basmati rice there - so at least I learned something useful) - it okay to be stupid once in a while. We danced & had fun & tried to teach a poor French guy belly dancing - I don't think he understood what was going on.