Millionaires on the Mekong

Water buffalos, monks in orange garb flashing you from the shore, raging forest fires on the hillsides as you glide by, tasty BeerLao and baguette sandwiches everywhere, and literally inch thick stacks in rubber bands of tens upon tens of thousands of kip (their dollars) that we throw around in card games and roll cigarettes with...
We are in Laos (and their is internet but no ATMs), after a two day barge-style slow boat trip down the Mekong, staying overnight in a small village for one dollar before making it to Luang Prabang. We are now travelling with two hilarious Englishmen from Birmingham, Steve and Tom, who talk rugby and football all day, and a Swede, Mike, who loves pizza. Today we visited Kouang Si Waterfall outside the city, with multiple falls and swimming holes where tourists and monks alike leap from the tops of rope swings and waterfalls. There are also tigers and asiatic black bears housed next to the waterfall, a protection effort from poachers. It was a great day, and I have awesome pictures. I'll figure out a way to post them, I promise.
We eat most meals here at Hong's, a great cafe with an owner who refers to me as his boyfriend and showers me with love - apparently I look exactly like his ex from NYC, glasses and facial hair and all. It's actually become quite confusing to deal with the touchy feely guys we meet in these countries, you never know the line between playful and overboard! but it's all part of the experience I guess. I just laugh and make friends. At some point I should dedicate an entire entry to the strange phenomenon of 3rd sexes, bisexuality, and homosexuality that permeates the communities we've visited. Fascinating and very different, in terms of cultural acceptibility, than what I've experienced before.
Last night was the end of their New Year celebration here - it coincides with Songkran in Thailand. I went to watch thousands at the main temple pour water from ceremonial bowls on a famous Buddha borrowed from the museum here, and children gathered round for a traditional Laotian dance festival performance of choreographed groups of monsters (masks) with intricate hand and foot and leg movements. We also strolled past student monks in lesson at a local temple near the city center night market.
The only problem now becomes time. We have only 15 days on the Visa, and intend to be in Vietnam sooner anyhow@! How ridiculous. My heart is set on seeing the Plain of Jars and Vang Vieng, a village halfway south to the capital Vientienne. More south is less travelled and tempting, but I fear we're stretched too thin already.