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Dec.5 Booked a seat on a back of a pick–up truck in the early morning & left Pakbeng & Kate behind. (Kate was flying back to Hanoi to pick up her belongings & think about the future maybe as a teacher in Vientiane). We were wearing all our clothes – cause it was a cold misty morning. The road was endless & very dusty – but pretty too. We drove through villages & saw hill tribe people in pretty clothes & men with old fashion muzzle loaders. We arrived in Muang Xai (or Udom Xai as it’s also called) at 2pm. Moved in at a Chinese hotel – the room is more or less covered white ceramic tiles – so it’s like sleeping in an ER in a hospital. Spend the afternoon sightseeing the town – it’s not pretty – but we were looking for a bank were we could change some $$$’s after finding one we realizes we could have gotten a better prize in the market. Never mind! We met Ingrid again & ate dinner in a nearby restaurant. Tried to take a shower – but the water was so cold – it felt like ice cubes – so I got only a quick wash & tomorrow will be another ponytail / cap day. Dec.6 We left Muang Xai at 08:00am in another truck – together with a bunch of Laotians – this one lady kept asking me something I didn't’t understood (My Laotian language knowledge is very limited I know that [khawp jai lai lai] means thank you very much [khawp jai] is only thanks& [sa bai dji] means hello & that'’ it!) so I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about – but caught the meaning when she finally grabbed my breasts! No need to tell how we all laughed. David ran over to get the ”lunch boxes” for us on this trip (bamboo sticks with rice pudding & coconut flour inside) It taste a lot like Danish Christmas. Then we took of – drove through pretty areas with rain forests & hills – Laos is such a pretty & unspoiled country. We reached Muang Khua & were dropped of outside the ”official registration house” . First David followed a guy who had a ”hotel” – It was nice & clean – the rooms smelled like the ”BRUT” perfume they used to spay with to cover the wet smell – from the damp walls. Interesting! We went down to register – these very important uniformed men trying to figure out where the h… we come from. Politely we said our names & nationality & they wrote it down in Laotian (or what it sounded like). Muang Khau is placed on the shore of the Nam Ou – it’s not big – full of Bamboo & concrete houses. 4 ½ meter from our rooms is a loudspeaker hanging – at 08:00am & 04:00pm ”they” (who ever they are) broadcast propaganda - using the start of ”The Final Countdown” a rock hit with Swedish band ” Europe” in the 80’s. We’re eating noodle soup & sticky rice & yes they are sticky)