The Lao Children's Library Boat and the 'Cafe for Knowledge.'

The events that happen when not having any plan in particular in mind never fail to surprise. After having had a tummy bug for three days, the chemist prescribes some probiotics, antibiotics and an energy drink to deal with a bout of food poisoning. Within half an hour, I'm on a boat that's pulling out to go across the Mekong to the other side of Luang Prabang. On reaching land, the Lao Children's Library boat is moored there. Eager looking children are on board and two women. One of the women invites me on board. She says they're going further down the river to the children's library to do activities. I excitedly hop on board. The woman, and man about to steer the boat, ask me to mind my head and watch my step as I clumsily, but happily, step aboard.

We spend a great few hours together in the library doing fun English games. The kids are eager and love learning. Afterwards, the Lao teacher takes out a giant set of false teeth in a blue mould to tell them the activity will be about mouth hygiene. The teacher puts the colourful false teeth in the middle of the table and asks the children to draw the teeth. It's no easy thing. One or two children have got their companions to draw them the teeth after their own sincere 3rd or 4th attempts at drawing teeth. I'm thinking of Steptoe and son and Steptoe's fun with his false teeth and for a moment I'm tempted to grab the giant false teeth and make them move! And I do. Each child then wants a turn to make the false teeth move. And they do. It's great. Also coming to mind is Pam Ayres' poem that encouraged Irish and British 60's and 70s children to look after their teeth. 'I wished I'd Looked After Me Teeth.' My siblings and I were about 6 or 7 years old when we got our first toothbrushes from Santa Claus.

On leaving the library, I go round the corner and find Kraw and Sen's 'Cafe for Knowledge.'The place is amazing. And empty. Sen, through sign language and photos, recounts their love story...the events are worthy of a film. They have an intriguing collection of books and art from their travels, one being a bronze bust of Chairman Mao (Sen shows a photo of Kraw wheelbarrowing said-bust along the street and into their cafe)... a place with so many stories. I'll go back for more.

An unpredictable and lovely day and the benefits of modern medicine.