The sleepyness of Laos

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Good day to you all and here is my first official blog on this new site. I was having many comments of "how do you use your bloody site" so ive changed to a new one. Here also I can download more photos- sweet!

So anyway, I havent managed to leave a blog for a bit now cus Im a lazy arse and too much has been going on. So Ill start my news from where I left off- Luang Prabang. This place was a bit of a mystery to me because everyone hyped it up as being one of the best places to visit in South East Asia, but I was not so overawed by it. We spent 2 days here generally just chilling and relaxing on the river fronts. Again, the people are so laid back its untrue. The market was great and the sunset over the river was utterly gorgeous. We climbed to mahusive hill to overlook the town at sunset (only to miss it by 10minutes!).

Finally we managed to heave ourselves away from this sleepy town and caught a bus to Van Vieng, further south in Laos. However, things did not go as expected. Without thought for the journey, I stupidly had had one too many beers the previous night watching the footy and so I was not feeling the George Best when settling down into my seat next to a Canadian girl in preperation for the 7hour bus journey. Sure enough, after a few dozey sleeps, my belly erupted! Tossing and turning, whatever was down there did not want to stay! So inevitably, I kindly asked the Canadian girl to move, beofre I unleashed the fury all over the floor and into a bag! Better out than in I say! The next hour was spent looking glum out of the window and feeling suitably ashamed- us English eh- what reputation??

We arrived in Vien Vieng at the bus station/airstrip used in the war 30years ago and found a hostel. The whole town is a building site at the moment, and feels a bit more like Benidorm than middle of Laos. Friends repeats are REPEATED and you can get a full english fryup in the morning! Naturally we took advantage, and after the horendous bus trip it was good. We spent 2 lazy days again enjoying the delights of this laos village, which is nestled on the riverfront, with the backdrop of mountains. The first day we spent 5 hours floating in a rubber ring down the river. Its called tubing and is great fun and soo relaxing. Us safety cautious english hired lifejackets, only to find about a 0 rating rapids- i think the swedes had a good laugh at us! We did a few rope swings into the river too and a few beers really finsihed the route brilliantly. However, once back at the hostel, our sunburn really hit home! My feet tingled and my arms were bloody sore!! The only relief was go out on the lash to the beach bars and roll in at 4am feeling fresh!!

Our next target was the Laos capital Vientienne. To get here we got a truck half the way and Kayaked the other half- I think we have now tried every mode of transport other than skiing!! However, we have been here 2 days and for all of that I have had diorrehea!! The worst thing is we are staying in a dorm and I had a top bunk that was so squeeky- naturally I didnt make friends with everyone!! This morning we have been to the Cambodian embassy to get visas and seen the Revolutionary Musuem which tells the story of how the Laos people overcame the American stronghold under the leadership of their own Che Guevara- very interesting but when interspersed with toilet stops, it wasnt ideal timing!

So all in all Laos has been fantastic. It is a very relaxed place and the pace of life is soo very slow. It often feels like we have not done anything, but I think that is just the Laos way! We are catching an overnight bus (10hrs) to Pakse in the south of Laos tonight and then its Cambodia.

Hope everyone is well back home and not missing me too much?? Please comment on this brand new higgledy biggledy site!!!

Take care

Jonny x

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Photos

On the boat to Luang Prabang
Sore arse but stunning scenery!

Double dutch
The dutch girls we just cannot avoid!

Revolutionary Laos
The statue depicting the Laos revolutionaries overcoming the Americans- horrah!