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“Addictions can be very, very bad but addiction itself is not bad.

It’s a case of what you’re addicted to.

You better live each day like it’s your last, ‘cos one day you’re going to be right”.

Ray Charles.

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In September 2008 a team of international white water kayakers were gathered by Lachie Carracher to explore the white water potential of a new whitewater region in South East Asia.

The purpose of the Laos 2008 Kayaking Expedition is to explore a number of rivers in Laos which have never been kayaked before and the expedition team comprises a multinational group of young kayakers from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Laos has had very little exposure to the outside world as it has been over shadowed by its larger neighbors Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma) but it has an abundance of natural wealth in the form of rare and endangered animals but also faces a huge problem due to its threatened environment.

: Four Thousand islands area recce

Laos definitely deserves international coverage in order to promote it and also to assist with the protection of the country's wildlife through international education and exposure.

One of the primary expedition goals is that of relaying information on the remote unexplored regions to the local authorities as well as the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to help assist with the protection of the native wildlife. The expedition aims to help create awareness of the environmental destruction taking place there.

: Sean entry to PHT rapid

The main site of our expedition is the spectacular Xe Kamman River which has never been paddled before and is planned to be dammed at the end of the year.

Our descent is likely to be the last ever run of this river and thus many of the sights will never be seen again. We will also be running first descents of a number of other rivers in the Bolaven Plateau region of Laos.

Check out the main site here

: Sean resurfacing after Paddle Tuck and Hope rapid

Here’s a snapshot of some of the mischief they’ve been up to, this part of the exped they called Return To Pakse …….

“Sean and I returned to Pakse with some unfinished business on the Champi river.

On the day Craig and I completed the first descent on the Upper Champi he lost his camera with our only shots of the white water. It was not described in much detailed but this section of river between the abseil and the horrible hike out was some of the best creeking I have ever done in my life.

: Hiking Back into Hell - Upper Champi

I promised that I would never return to that eddy I sat in and truly wondered how I was going to get out alive. Today I saw it again, Sean and I hiked in through the jungle where Craig and I spent 6 hours trying to escape, in hope that we could possibly return to the Upper Champi and get some media from this amazing river.

: Last eddy on river right is where Craig and I found ourselves on the first descent.

Tomorrow we plan to do just that. On our hike out just when things looked like they were going well I stood both legs in some kind of wasp or flying ant nest, it was the most I have screamed since I was 2 I think. I was honestly in more discomfort then when I shattered my ankle and broke my leg. The jungle always has surprises!

After our hike out, we travelled further upstream to look at the 45ft waterfall that Craig had run earlier on in the trip. The decision was easy for Sean and I, due to feeling good after spending a couple of weeks back in out creek boats.

I went first, hitting my line but unfortunately my deck popped on impact, too proud to swim, I paddle my full boat of water to shore.