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We headed to Vang Vieng on a bus that was due to leave at 6.30 - finally left at 7.45...I was full of trepidation (after our last journey). Everyone in Laos is pretty laid back - nothing has been on time so far and no one seems to have any worries by this. So I doubt anything will be on time again. It was however the most luxurious mini bus we have had yet and only 6 of us in it! Most importantly no Chickens!!!

Vang Vieng is a place where you go for one reason and one reason only...to tube, drink and get high! The only locals we seen were the people that owned the hotels and restaurants, all the restaurants and bars were playing Friends/Simpson's/Family Guy. So it was very much a party travelers place to be!

Second night there after having a day of calling home and chilling out we decided that while we were here to try a 'Space Pizza'. You only live once - and we were only going to be here once... after checking the restaurant that was going to be of the weed variety and nothing else (you need to check these things), and getting a lighter version on my half we were ready to try! The pizza was probably one of the best we've had here. We had the funniest night of watching the discovery channel (o yes.. 'I nearly got away with it' is a great programme!) trying to remember whether we were watching a film or real life! A very funny night!

The next day we decided to do what all people to when you go to Vang Vieng - tubing! First stop was a very busy bar at the side of the river with rope swings and many many people. Chilling in the sun with a few beers was a nice way to start the afternoon. So many tourists there getting drunk, we meet 2 people from Shaftesbury and decided to spend the afternoon with them. Greg showed off his Tarzan skills and played on the rope swing..very elegantly done I must say! Once it was starting to empty out we jumped in our tubes and heading down the river to the next bar.. for some reason I couldn't get going and then the current took me and I nearly passed the next bar..luckily the staff through me a rope and pulled me in! We met up with 2 American guys at this bar who decided to join us to the next bar, where there were slides, swings and all! A few more drinks later some Dutch guys came and joined our party! It was such a fun afternoon, just when we thought we would head back as it was getting dark the Dutch guys told us about a bar further down the river where they had been the night before! So with agreement from the American guys that we do this together we hopped back into the tubes and headed further down the river all holding on. By this point it was starting to get dark - the other guys assured us they had done this before...lets hope so!
At this last bar when we arrived there was no one else there and it had started to rain, by this point it was already dark. Rosie and Rupert (the first people we met) decided to stay in the bar before so it was Greg and I, the 2 American guys and 5 Dutch guys. The bar staff were really friendly and after we had ordered drinks they arrived with several 'spliffs' for us all to share... by 9pm very happy and a bit drunk we decided it was probably time to leave. Admittedly not the most sensible idea either of us has ever had.. Back in our tubes in the dark we all clung to each other and floated back down the river to the end of the tubing experience and just hoped we would make it back in one piece! Not long after we got in the river a local just appeared in the middle of the river at the back of our group and proceed to push us in the right direction. He didn't say anything other than hello (whether he wanted to catch a ride or wanted to make sure we were ok we will never know). When we got closer to the stop point on an island the local disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared and with a bit of holding on and quick paddling we made it to the edge of the island. Probably not the best plan.. but we arrived back safe, just as we made it out of the water the rain came - so after much giggling and saying goodbye to the others we ran down the street in the pouring rain back to our hotel!

The most amazing day ever! So much fun!

The next day we decided we should head to Vientiane (capital of Laos) and luckily we booked the bus for the afternoon. Again our lift to the bus showed up late, but after dropping us off at the bus station (which was deserted) the bus arrived an hour late. I have never seen such a rickety old bus before. No sleeping for us!! It was the bumpy ride we have had yet!! But after 6 hours we made it to Vientiane - thank goodness for that!!

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