Breakfast as per normal at the hotel then we join Dave & Heken at Le Benetton for  coffee. They’d been at the early morning market, eels, innards of anything you think of, wet butchery, you name it sold there.

Decision was made by the Navigator “Let’s start proper shopping today”. The Navigator is like thoroughbred before they go into the starting gates, champing at the bit, ready for the break, red light flashing ” and they’re away!!!”

Lu’s shop is first, hemp stuff ( not the smoking kind), and nice gear. We teach her little Aussie sayings and how to address Australians negotiating too hard by using tilted head and saying ” maaate, come on!”

Kinthong and Californian husband of 16 years are next, a beautiful silk shop where they buy mainly Hmong tribe weaving from villages. Not cheap, but not dear for the work that goes into them. Our table runner is a hand woven  silk piece that took a woman 10 weeks to make. Their wrapping paper is from the Por Shah Tree ( Paper Mulberry).

We then make 1.5m kip purchase craft shop in Middle street, lots of gear, mainly cotton stuff.

Lunch is at Popolo, we regroup over a pizza. Meanwhile over the street instagramers are pouting, posing, cocking legs in a supposedly in a provacative way, throwing things in the air and jumping to catch, its so contrived it makes me cringe.

A short rest and she’s off by herself, by the time we catch up agailn at 6.30 the bag market in Luang Prabang has risen significantly.

I spot some young novice monks beating one of the big drums in a monastery before drinks with Dave and Helen at The Library, a ritzy looking hotel near our lodgings.

Dinner is at Red Rose Restaurant on the Nam Khan River, beautiful Thai food tonight. Bit exxy, 1.5m kip for dinner and drinks at a fancy up market place ($98)

Hard to believe we have one more day.

Ciao from Lao

Pauolo