Tubing and Chilling!

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Originally we had planned to go straight to Vientiane from Luang Prabang, but after much discussion from other fellow travelers, we felt we ought to pay Vang Vieng a visit. We arrived at 11oclock at night after another lengthy but scenic bus ride. We needn't have worried about an open guesthouse as the one main street of this small place, was lined with lively bars. There are so many guesthouses that they are all at cutthroat prices. We were whisked into one for $3 between us!

Vang Vieng has nothing really of cultural value to offer but sometimes its nice just to relax and have some real fun! The main draw to Vang Vieng is the ultra popular activities that thrive off the Mekong - namely tubing! This "sport" involves lying on the inner tubing of a tractor tire and floating down the river. We got up very early to arrange our full-day tour before 7am. We didn't leave until 9am so we had some time for a leisurely breakfast. The bar/restaurants of Vang Vieng are referred to as 'TV Bars'. We were highly amused by the fact that every bar showed a different episode of Friends at booming volume. Wherever you chose to eat you could here about six different episodes at the same time!

Our tour was excellent and involved a variety of activities, with a great group of people. We began with a trip to a cave that we were to tube into. As we are in the rainy season the water levels had risen to such a height that there was about a half a metre gap, at the most, to squeese yourself and your tube through into the cave. This was not a task for the claustrophobic! Once safely through the gap, we pulled ourselves along a rope armed with a head torch. The cave was very long and narrow. We journeyed about 60m into it, having one meter width and height of space around us. Although not keen, the spider webs that sparkled down over us were fascinating.

The second cave we visited was not far away, which we went to on foot. This cave was full of Buddha’s and Buddhist images, whose stories were animatedly explained to us by our enthusiastic guide. We then stopped for a superb BBQ lunch. Next to us was a clever female monkey enclosed in a cage. It was sad to see her trapped but hilarious when she searched the pockets of anyone who got close enough to her. She also seemed particularly interested by Dom's hairy arms and scrutinised them for fleas. Gladly, she didn't find any!

In the afternoon we split off from half of our group, who were kayakers. Four of us, two Aussie girls and us, began the relaxing trip of tubing down the river. Two guides kayaked alongside us, giving us a push when they felt we weren't going down fast enough. All along the banks of the river are makeshift bars that hold a pole out to haul you in for drinks. We stopped at two places along the way and made great use of their zip wire swings! We had such a fun day and got on so well with our Australian friends that we met them in the evening for dinner and of course a few drinks!

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Comments

[Anne]

It sounds like a really fun trip. Not long to go now! Love Mum x