Vang Vieng!!

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Vang Vieng;
Well this is different...
Perhaps a thousand people a day scramble down the banks of the Mekong in Laos' Vang Vieng. Famous for its tubing, this portion of the Mekong sees endless intoxicated tourists zooming down the rapids on inflatable tubes—the obvious transport of choice. Hurling down stream, through the rapid and churning water, small calms of water allow the tourist to access the many bars along the ride. If a day on the water surrounded by sharp cliffs and drinking bars doesn’t grab your attention then perhaps the free shots of whiskey, giant rope swings and mud-surfaced volleyball courts will! This place parties like it’s New Year’s eve or schoolies… yet even crazier, because it is All Year Round!

With a cool group of people, I headed to the first stop. Greeted with free shots, this place seemed UNIMAGINABLE. People were spray painting each other, doing flips off platforms and the music was CRANKING! This was a very surreal part of the trip and was definitely worth the couple of bucks it costs to rent a tube.

Southern Laos;
Leaving Vang Vieng behind, we all headed hung over on a 22 hr mission to the 4000 islands in the south of Laos. Laos has found the answer to night travel on buses! Those who have done night missions will understand how tiring they can be, but prepare for Sleeper Buses. The double Decker buses contain beds, COMFORTABLE BEDS! As there were five of us, we were thrown onto a king size bed at the back of the bus. Hours later, I awoke in Pakse ready to visit the islands.
Only stopping over for a day, I found the islands too relaxed. Yep, I couldn’t handle lying around in hammocks all day, on the beach in the sun! So I left, and have ventured into Cambodia.

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