Tubing in Vang Vieng!

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The bus bumped into Vang Vieng at about 2pm on Friday afternoon, it was warm & sunny. Two girls we had met in Phonsavanh had told us about a place to stay in Vang Vieng so Claire, Giles & I got a Tuk Tuk to Champa Laos Bungalows which was right on the river with amazing views of the Limestone Mountains & we managed to get a bungalow with a veranda & a hammock.

We went out to explore & in the evening went across the bridge to Sunset Island to go to a place called Smile Bar, Claire & I joked won't it be funny if we bumped into the Bristol boys & as soon as we walked into the bar we saw them sat by the big open fire. Later we bumped into Justin & the following morning we bumped into Adam, it was great having so many of our friends there all at the same time!

On Saturday Claire, Justin, Rich, Giles & I went tubing, this is where you go down the river in a big rubber ring & stop off at bars with big zip lines & rope swings. We met loads of people it was great & I was even brave enough to do a big zip line into the river. We spent a bit too long in one of the bars so didn't actually finish the course & had to get a Tuk Tuk back to town which they managed to fit 24 people into, (on the roof, inside & hanging off the back). There was almost a fight between a guy on the roof & a guy hanging off the back which could have been nasty!

We decided as we loved tubing that much we would do it again on Sunday but try to finish the 5km course, it was just Claire, Justin & I this time. On Sunday I managed to do 2 zip lines & the big rope swing which I had been too scared to do the day before, I felt so proud & so were Claire & Justin. We did manage to finish the course on Sunday & at one point were playing a game with random people tubing down the river; it was one of my favourite moments of my trip so far.

On Monday we were shattered so just booked our overnight bus to Bangkok & a flight to Ko Samui as this was a combination of the quickest & cheapest way to get there. We had a lazy day & in the afternoon we sat in hammocks in The Lucky Bar by the river drinking shandy; it had amazing views.

We had to get our bus to Vientiane at 1pm on Tuesday so didn't do much in the morning. I was sad to leave Laos; I have loved it so much & wish I could have spent more time here to see more of this amazing country. I would definitely consider coming back here again.

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