Welcome to the Year 2553.

We decided to spend the notorious lao new year in a city, so jumped aboard a local bus from the 4000 islands to Pakse. As we arrived, at 8am, "phi mi lao" (be my lao) was already in full swing - we were met with a rather drunkenly enthusiastic tuk tuk driver who wasted no time in offering us beer, spraying the dregs on a colleague and then proceeded to cram in us, and no less than 18 other locals..tight squeeze.
After settling in, we decided to take a stroll in search of some phi my lao festivities; we soon found out. BY lunch time the street had transformed into a quasi- carnival, with local families and restaurants setting up mini street party complete with hoses and bu7ckets of water , karaoke and of course lots of beer lao. it is considered to bring good luck to tip water over (followed y talcum powder for good measure) on passers by and invite them into your home for boogie and beer - this was particularly enthusiastically bestowed on us as as we were falang. Most memorably, a rowdy group of transexuals and a large welcoming family whose filming of the occasion we now feature in highly...
Things later escalated as pick up truck gangs, complete with installed paddling pools guns, co-ordinated uniforms plus anthem, patrolled the streets rendering all fellow motorists and passers by (including the police) at their mercy.
Picture the two of us stumbling around soaked, covered in talcum powder, a weird red dye, plus Rs unfortunate choice of 'ethnic' skirt which left her feet a bright fuschia pink.
On our way home we stumbled upon the major phi my lao procession with decorative floats, where the more traditional blessed water was thrown, we were soon persuaded to join the procession to the local temple by a local water factory worker - amazing to be part of the town coming together and the sounds of the crowds and the drums...
While these antics were much fun and highly appreciated, thanks to the sweltering 44degree heat, by nightfall, we were running down the back alleys.

The next day was mainly occupied trying to organise our 'VIP' bus to vietnam and circumnavigating the phi mi lao closures.