The elephant trekking didn't happen in Luang Prabang. Apparently, the tour involved only 1 elephant and each person had to take their turn to ride it. Fortunately, I am now in Chiang Mai and can elephant trek until my heart's content. I've just arrived this afternoon and have said goodbye to my group as they continue on to Bangkok via night train. I must say I am not sad that I will not be boarding that train. The excitement of night trains has been lost. It has taken 2 1/2 days to reach Chiang Mai. I have spent 20 hours travelling down the Mekong in a less than comfortable ferry. Plus, 6 hours by bus. However, we did end up on a private boat, apparently saving ourselves a ride with chickens and goats. As usual, the scenery was absolutely amazing and changed considerably from Laos to Thailand. Quite strange to see the contrast on either side of the river when you near the Thai-Laos border. Shacks on one side and large buildings on the other. I can't say that the Mekong is the prettiest river I've seen but that could be because I saw people's plumbing draining into it and garbage all along the side of it. Yet, you see kids swimming and adults washing themselves and dishes. Stayed in a strange town along the way called Pakbeng. The town runs on generators so the electricity cuts out at 1030pm. It also blasts back on at 530 am. So nice waking to glaring lights and a super strong fan blowing on you, not to mention the roosters doing their cockadoodledooing not once, but several times . . .

There were a lot of strange-looking dogs as well, mixed breeds and inbreds, short legs with long bodies and heads that didn't fit. It was all a little weird.

Am now in Chiang Mai. Have a couple friends from Australia meeting me in a couple days. Looking forward to seeing them and then making my way home.

Unfortunately, I have a 14 hour layover in LA.