Laos joy

i'm in a bit of a pinch here so no time to craft much of a narrative.
know that i am ecstatic.
loving lao from the minute i crossed the border. and things just keep getting better and better.
the slow boat was lovely, and i was dreaming of hiring my own boat and floating the rest of the way. well, i managed to instill my dream in a lovely english couple, and we think we have hired a boat to take us three down river a couple days to an elephant festival in a small town, that seemingly few westerners visit. elephant races and processions abound, for three days! and then we heard about a homestay program there, and think we might have that worked out. and have found a store that can sell us a bottle of wine for the journey, some baquettes, some brie and even some chocholate cake! we started celebrating with afternoon tea, and then some beer, and then a fabulous dinner at a night market, spring rolls (with local watercress and mint), some pork rinds (with anise i think), and bbq chicken and a lovely fish (stuffed with lemongrass). all of it disgustingly affordable (except the afternoon tea, but hey).
i couldn't be happier with how the future is looking. really.
i'll try and get back to a computer tomorrow to confirm things. but i might again be out of touch, for longer this time, maybe a week.
know that i am in very happy place.
i wish you could join me.
there will be room on our boat.
might try a little fishing off the bow, catch us one of those three meter carp.
ben seems keen on trying a little waterskiing.
i'm up for it.
the boat driver says "it's your boat. you can stop where ever you like. you can go wherever you want. you can do it in one day, or you can take two days. you can do whatever you want."
pinch me.