Lazy days in Vang Vieng

---

26th February-We managed to get up at 620am and caught a bus at 8am from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng. I was well impressed that we managed to get up at such a ridiculous hour (In Luang Prabang there were signs everywhere asking tourists to respect the local culture and be quiet after midnight, consequently life started for the locals at about 6am everyday, by the sounds of things life started at about 4am for the flaming roosters!).

We arrived in Vang Vieng after 6.5 hour bus journey from Luang Prabang- there were some killer views along the way, and I say that perhaps a little too literally because we were basically driving around mountains and some of the drops were huge. The roads were extremely windey and at times the “road” seemed to be none existent. The driver needed to use the horn loads, especially when going around sharp corners to notify oncoming traffic.

Vang Vieng hasn’t so much got a bus station but rather a disused American Airstrip where the buses drop you off. Here’s a quick History bit: Laos is apparently the most bombed country in the world -because of its tactical importance in the Vietnam War, America rained on average $2.2 million worth of bombs down on the country everyday!

Jonny slept off his illness once we’d found a hostel, he was sick during the bus journey (Beer +windey roads + bus journey for 6.5 hours=bad idea!) Me and Will went exploring, much of the place is currently like a building site, it’ll look amazing when it’s finished though. It sounds harsh to say it but it does look like a miniature Benidorm at times, building work going on everywhere, and everywhere showing TV from back home and offering All day breakfasts (Not that that’s a bad thing, especially when your starving and can’t stomach anymore rice) There are some really nice places by the river though- We went to the riverside bar and had fruit shakes whilst chilling out in bamboo huts- Many of the bars have cushions on the floor and low tables rather than seats, its really relaxing

Watched Friends on the TV for over 2 hours whilst eating that night, and wound the night up by watching the Man Utd Wigan cup final in a bar with some locals. I was quite touched that the Man Utd players seemed to dedicate their win to me at the end of the game! (I still hate them with a passion mind)

27th- Today we decided to go Tubing down the river that surrounds Vang Vieng, its really popular here. Basically it’s just like when you get in those rubber rings and go down the “lazy river” at water parks. Along the way there are several places where you can stop and grab a beer or jump into the river from a great height. We stopped at a place that was pumping out covers of Beatles songs and had a zip wire that you went down and then jumped into the water at the end. Jonny had a few far from perfect landings in the water, the sound of back on water was deafening! All in all the tubing that was supposed to take around three hours took us nearer to 6 due to our far from breakneck pace and multiple stoppages!

It was only when we finished the Tubing and went to another riverside bar that we realized that sunburn had struck. Our faces were fine but our legs and arms were red raw, you don’t realize how hot it is when your constantly in the water. The fact we all had tan lines to die for meant we just kind of laughed it off; it was a bit uncomfortable but there are worse things in the world than sunburn. Besides we wouldn’t look like the English abroad if we didn’t look like we’d had a run in with a kettle full of boiling water. That night I watched the repeat of the Liverpool Man City game in some bar, I already knew the score and then grabbed an early night.

Till next time, Mike.

---

Photos

Bridge over not so troubled water
Lazy tributary of the river

Got the Hippy Hippy Shakes
Me and Wilson avec shakes in bamboo huts, by the river in Vang Vieng

Comments

[will and sheila stud]

you have found your niche in life
hi smudge, have we found the job for you!!! you should be a roving travel reporter. your descriptions and details make us feel like were there with you, and you still remember to put funny quips in !! nice to hear about you all getting sunburnt when we are basically freezing here at the moment. glad you liked the man u tribute (they'll do anything to attract new supporters) we'll miss your wit when the england games start, have already bought the flags and bunting. well take care as we have to now venture out against the elements to go shopping!!! (oh the exciting lives we lead) x x x

[Odele x]

Well it sounds like you're having a brill time, and I'm extremely jealous of you. Hope you're having a good day and your sunburn isn't bothering you too much. Speak to you soon.