Journey to Luang Prabang Laos

The journey to Luang Prabang actually began in Chiang Mai with planning the three day route and getting photos printed that meet the Laos Immigration requirements.
So many optional routes that they seemed to blend together after a few hours of mapping and analysing elevation profiles. Phu Sang National Park stuck in my head so Google chose the Ban Huak Border Checkpoint which is halfway up a 5 km climb that's 20% for a few stretches. When it was explained to me that Visa On Arrival is only available at train/bus stations, airports and Friendship Bridges, there was only an hour of daylight remaining.
Wiang Theong is the nearest town and the Teak Villa had an available air conditioned room for the night so I paid a cabbie 1000 Baht for a 35 km ride from the Thai-Lao border. I decided to apply for the Laos eVisa online (fifty-some US dollars) since the wait time is 3 business days just in case I didn't qualify for the Visa On Arrival at Friendship Bridge IV.
The 110 km ride is mostly flat and went by without any drama or difficulty. As quick as showing my passport and laying out some cash, I was on the other side of the Mekong and in Laos looking for a hotel. The next morning I was up early looking for a Laos SIM card enroute to the slow boat pier. After securing a suitable SIM, I stopped for breakfast and gained some insight about the slow boat to Luang Prabang.

Most of what transpired is in the video other than the very sad occasion of a baby who passed away during the second day of the trip between Pak Beng and Luang Prabang.