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Published: October 16th 2006
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The Group
Make sure you return by 7pm Well childern...we left off from our last adventure in a little place we call Nong Khiaw. Northern Lao has been a pretty chilled out time the past two weeks that I have been here. I have kept a low profile, mainly because there is no real night life, there aren't many tourist, intermittent power, and I am still recovering from the intensity experienced in Thailand. However with two weeks of R&R now in the reserves, it time to go out and spend that hard earned sleep. I'm going to Vang Vieng baby!
Vang Vieng is both a treasure and a person's own worst nightmare, although I don't understand the latter. People either stop here and enjoy or move straight on with a look of disgust. Mainly this comes from those self-righteous, vegan, i hate mass commercialism and corporations but check out my new addidas type of people. Now I know what you are saying, there are way too many happy shakes, pizza's, garlic bread, opium and mushroom teas here. People are vegged out left and right, watching the same "Team America" being played every day. I'm not a big fan of the TV show "Friends" being played 24/7 either. In
The Gang
One leg, one arm up order to experience the real jewel of the city, one must venture out, and i highly recommend getting in contact with the Vang Vieng Tubing Group to take care of you. Vang Vieng is the global headquarters for the world phenomenon known as Tubing. Tubing is not just amazing, its FUCKING (or FACKING if Lady Boys are present) amazing. Who would have known that just floating down a swift river on a tractor inner-tube would be so much fun. Well it really isn't the tube itself, but the copious amounts of Beer Lao that is enjoyed on the way, amongst other things, not to mention probably the best backdrop mountain scenery I have ever seen. Put this in combination with the fact that Lao is still pretty much virgin territory (as in no
commercialism, you dirty Gary Glitters out there) and you have all the ingredients necessary to never wanting to leave.
The river course itself is only a 1.5 hour ordeal, maybe, if you just take it straight down from where the Tuk-Tuk lets you off. However thats not the point. The point is the numerous amounts of makeshift bars that line the river ever 200 meters or
Playing 'Tender
Was it a bucket or a shot, i can't remember so. The first one you come across is nothing much, but its the only place along the river that has a zip line. All swings, lines, and bamboo surfboards are all fastened to trees via bamboo supports. You would love to question the structural integrity but usually the beer puts you in a happy place and the feeling escapes you. After you land in the water its time to make haste and swim to shore before the current takes you down. If you were only going to stop at one place, the third bar is the best one on the whole river, and the owners so knows that. Last time I was there he was buidling a 3 story hotel, and the volleyball courts were being paved. Its by far the largest, loudest, most populated and has the highest attraction. You climb into a tree that is probably 40 feet tall where there is a platform. From there you grab onto a long rope which looks like a trapeze. Then you give you balls one last reassuring feel before you jump. At the peak of the swing you are at least 30 feet high in the air. Its sick. If
"Bamboo Bridge" to the Island Bars
Don't look, just walk and pray to God you are really skilled you'd do a flip or so, but no matter what happens there is a cheer from the large crowd that is watching. Even when people die...no, just kidding. On top of that, there are numerous bungalows where you can enjoy a shaded meal, many bamboo platforms, 2 volleyball courts, music with the funkiest of techno remixes (you can do a lot with Rick James, Vanilla Ice, and even Celine Dion) , and the $1 beer lao are 640ml, thats 2x the size of those aluminum fellers. Its heaven on earth.
Rain or shine, this activity is great. In a four day period I went 3 times, I believe I only saw around 4 hours of actual, unobstructive sunlight over the coarse of those few days. As it starts to get late, you start making your way down the river once again. Just before the river makes a sharp curve to the left, there is a hilltop bar that gives out free lao lao shots. See "Plain of Jars" for a reminder of this. The mom is very nice and if you ask her nicely she'll most likely give you some Beetlenut to chew on. Beetlenut
One of the Island Bars
A nice place to relax, when its not raining of coarse. is bark from the Beetlenut tree that you chew with a leaf and some white paste that acts as some sort of catalyst (kind of like chewing on cocca leaves with the ash). You'd think that you'd be punched with a handfull of razor blades in the mouth becuase your spit is blood red. It took me awhile to figure out what all those drops on the ground were just walking around the country, but once I saw this I knew what was up. I really didn't feel to much of anything from it. It rots the shit out of your teeth so the older generation all look like they could use a good set of veneers (think possible future business plan).
By this time the sun is usually setting, it's time to head back to town, via the tube of course. It couldn't be a more perfect time because the mountains are right there, and this is when you experience the best view. What a perfect way to recollect on the days activities, if even possible. Once you reach the island bars its time to get out, how convenient. Usually by this time though beer if the last
The View
Much better on a tube, and much better at sunset. thing on your mind, give it 2 hours though and a M-150 and you'll be good as new. The island bars themselves are pretty awesome. If I was going to throw an outdoor party, this would be the setting. Be it the low season or the rainy season but none of them seem to fill up much, its kind of a pity actually. There really isn't too much night life back in town, one club, a bar with a pool table, but mainly just TV/restaurants where everybody is vegging out. However if you are looking for something to do, its very possible to find what you are after. Putting it into context, that is in Lao standards, this place is bumping.
Other than tubing, there are caves in the area, its possible to do some rafting and stuff like that. However I have started to realize that one cave here and one cave there doesn't really add a new light to anything. You've seen one, you've seen them all, the same goes for waterfalls. If you've gone rafting a few times, there isn't any difference here so I avoided all that. Vang Vieng is for the serious tubbers only.
French Bowls
The only good thing France has done to this country besides the Baguette Just remember, "Tub-ing....is much better than ca-noeing."
My only regret, not being able to bring my camera on the river. Next I'm off to Vientiane to find some sponsors.
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ablondon
Adam Blake London
Xmas Love from USA
Merry Xmas bro. I definitely partied at that bar where you're pooring drinks. Luang Prabang was my favorite though. Peace Dude