You may remember hearing about an Aussie guy - Rob Kidnie, who was planning an epic stand up paddle down the Mekong river to raise awareness about pollution in south east Asia.

This week he started his trip despite challenging conditions, Kidnie says: 
“Today started off in Chau Doc drinking coffee on the banks of the Mekong waiting for the tide to change so I could get the benefit of the out going current. When the tide finally changed, the current was cancelled out by the steady headwind.”

Despite the challenges, Rob's ahead of schedule and is loving the paddle - he says the highlights so far have been seeing the hundreds of amazing smiles from the local people, swimming in the clean parts of the river and drinking coconuts during lunch time. Only a few setbacks have slowed Rob down so far, the main one being weed and debris getting caught on the Stand up paddle board fin, which needs to be cleared every time. 

Unfortunately, as he approaches more populated areas, the pollution and debris are getting thicker, with dirty nappies and large chunks of plastic littering the water. Hopefully things improve soon for the Aussie, who's got a long way to go yet. 

Check out this video for a look at what Rob Kidnie's getting up to, and check back later this month for a report on his progress.