Loving Life in Laos - movin on to Vientiane and Vang Vieng

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Me swinging into the Nam Song River in Vang Vieng, Laos

19 - 20 August - LONG bus ride from Hanoi to Vientiane
20 - 21 Vientiane
22 - 24 Vang Vieng

We got into Vientiane late on the 20th and met up with Jen's friend Tam who was traveling for a little bit around Southeast Asia. Vientiane is such a beautiful and quiet capital city. And it was like night and day the difference from Vietnam. The people were so sweet and friendly and the city, though small had a lot to offer.

After a couple days of sight seeing, the three of us headed up to Vang Vieng. On the bus up to Vang Vieng, we met a fun Canadian guy, Felix, who as it turns out also lives in New York. We spent a few days in the beautiful mountains. Vang Vieng is known for tubing, and we ended up going two days in a row. Actually, the stretch of Nam Song river where people go tubing is not even that long, but it is lots of fun. All along the river there are little bars - just wooden shacks on stilts. As you float by - and during the wet season, the river flows very quickly - the boys on shore toss out a bamboo rod to grab onto while they pull you in. Most of the bars had huge swings. We climbed up the rickety platforms and grabbed onto the swings before plunging in the river. It was so much fun! It is a bit of an adrenaline rush. The first one where we did most of the swinging was about a storey and a half, maybe two above the river. The last one we did was probably a good 3 to 4 off the river, and because the swing was attached much higher up, the arch felt enormous! The town itself was pretty tiny, but we met a lot of other travelers and had a great time hanging out with Tam and Felix!

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Photos

Second swing
This one was even higher! Lots of fun!

Lao countryside
On the bus from Vientiane to Vang Vieng

Out for Beerlao after hard day of tubing
Felix, Jen, Tam, me and Jakov the Finnish guy we met on the river.

Bruno
Jen randomly ran into this French guy she had met in India - he came tubing with us one day. It's such a small world sometimes!

Comments

[Jim]

Ha Long Bay Viet Nam
Was happy to see your warning about the tour operators at the HaLong Bay stop in VN. Four of us will depart Washington State in April 2008 for a month or so in VN, BKK, SEL. Have enjoyed reading your posts. Also, your photo's are wonderful. Have been to Koh Samui and S.E. Asia many times but only saw VN threw a gun sight...Now want to see it threw my own eyes. Keep your posts coming.... Jim

[Jim Blanchard]

Hoping for more
Kris and Jen; Please tell us this is not the end. We have enjoyed your posts from the start and found them profound in your observations. We hope you are both safe and well. Please know that you have a big following and how starved we are for more of your posts.... Jim Blanchard in Washington State