Stop 16: King Khong can't cross the Mekong -- Chiang Khong/Huay Xai

The following day we boarded a local bus to return to our favorite border town, Huay Suck my Xai. We spent the better part of one hour searching for a non-existent Indian restaurant and eventually gave up, ultimately settling on an overpriced, touristy, riverside karaoke hall.  The next morning we headed to the dock and boarded a massive slow boat that would haul us down the Mekong river for the next 2 days. As we were one of the last to arrive, we were stuck next to the toilet, on the floor for the seven hours to come.  Like a baby on a washing machine, Jen slept under the dripping bathroom sink and Cam read 90 books. Eventually we arrived in Pak Beng where we would spend the night eating Indian food, watching Prison Break, and preparing for another 7 hours on a boat. Determined not to mingle with obnoxious Canadians and the smells of night soil we made our way to the boat a couple of hours early, grabbed some luxurious seats (relatively speaking) and reveled in our catch. When our northern neighbor nemeses nestled into their wooden plank benches, we smiled at one another, looked out over the picturesque river and proceeded to thoroughly enjoy the second leg of our journey to Luang Phra Bang.