Tubing, Travelling and Hanoi

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Arriving in Vang Vieng was a relief after a journey that took us through the mountains of Laos, with the odd obstruction ranging from children to buffalo to goats and pigs, often chilling in the middle of the road. After finding some where to stay we soon found some where to eat over looking the river.

The next day was tubing day, we had a leisurely morning drinking pineapple shakes (our new fave drink) and then collected our tubes. Tubing involved taking a tuk tuk to a point 3 km up the river from town and then getting into the river with your rubber ring (tube) then floating back to town, whilst having many opportunities to stop of at one of the many bars/huts that lined the river.

As soon as we had been dropped of by the tuk tuk, a guy had opened a new bar/hut and gave us a shot, andy had one and said it tasted like vodka and he didn't like it much so i opted out. As soon as we entered the river we soon got out again to the first bar. As there were some people already at it jumping of a swing. We watched a few people jump of the swing. (The day before we saw many people with injuries so was thinking this jumping into the river lark might not be a good idea, another thing we had heard about is people getting pink eye from the river water) However after watching some girls go on the swing, andy immediately decided he had to do it and was off climbing up the ladder. It was soon andys go and i felt a little nervous for him, but he did the swing fine and didnt scream like one of the girls before him. After doing this we decided to float on down to another bar. We found another place to stop but the current was strong and a girl who's job it was to get people in ended up jumping into the river to help us get to the side.

After a beer and choosing a few of our tunes to chill to we decided to move on again. We decided to float all the way back to the end which took a fair while. Along the way there were a few swirly bits of river, rocks which skimmed our bottoms and a lot of limestone rock to enable us to enjoy the view whilst floating back to town. Getting out was going to be hard too, but luckily some little boys jumped and helped us to the side...and then they asked us for some money...

The next day in the afternoon we took a normal bus to Vientiane, the capital city, then we took a sleeper bus in the evening to Hanoi. It was here we met some people we had seen before in thailand and some other boys and we got talking about pink eye. As we had seen many people with it, turns out two of them had it to and were wearing shades to disguise this fact. Andy has not got it yet...

Anyway the sleeper bus sounds good but after 23 hours it was not much fun at all. As we arrived at the bus station it was now dark and was wondering how we were to get to the old quarter of Hanoi. There were a few people about persuading us to go with them and get in there taxi. It was all a bit much when they started hassling us, saying that other person was going to rip us of. However you'll be pleased to know we made it to a safe place, we are now spending our second night in a backpackers hostel called the drift. Which has free internet, pool and other people backpackers obviously.

Today we spent wondering round Hanoi, we visited the old quarter which is was very busy, we also had a ride in our first rick shaw who took us to a museum about Ho Chi Minh. The museum was very strange it had lots of modern art with pieces of information around and on them. We didnt really gain much of an understanding about this famous guy either, but at least we experienced it. We then took a long walk back to our hostel, whilst dodging traffic.

Tomorrow we are heading to Halong Bay on a three day two night trip and can not wait to see some blue sea!!

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Comments

[mum]

phew
Phew it sounds a tricky few days. Glad you got out of that river in one piece. Its amazing how people do stuff abroard that they wouldnt dream of doing at home. Please dont go in the rivers again they are full of germs and bugs. You will find it a real treat to see the coast at last, cant wait for the next batch of photos thats more my sort of thing ! Keep safe. Love you both lots and lots xxxx

[Dad]

eye eye,
Realy sounds like your having fun out there and mum is pleased that the tubing is over i don't know why it sounds fun, And as you say it will be good to see the sea again and have a dip in it, A lad at work said he would like to do somthing like your doing. Take care nad lookforward to the next exiting instalment. xx

[John and Tanya]

mmm
That's Rick Shaw.... he looks nothing like his mother!!!! Sounds like you are having a great time, I fancy the tubing!! Keep safe Love John and Tanya