Vang Vieng - Laos

FROM LUANG PRABANG TO VANG VIENG
We took a bumpy five hour drive through rolling hills and deep green valley’s until we arrived in Vang Vieng on Friday 15th January. There was a little confusion with regards to the name and location of our hotel but eventually we worked it out and were greeted at the entrance by Craig and Sash. It was great to see them after so long so we quickly dropped our bags in the room so that we could catch up at the hotel bar which overlooks the Nam Song River. After a quick bite to eat and a beer, we took in the minor solar eclipse before making our way to the Aussie bar on the main strip where the boys were keen to watch a bit of cricket. The main road of this town is more than surreal, full of bars, restaurants, Internet cafes etc. The bars all seem to be screening continuous re-runs of Friends, Family Guy, and The Simpsons to keep the Western tourists engaged!

We spent the next few hours catching up on stories and planning what we wanted to do the next day before taking a short stroll down the road where we found a great spot to eat. Unfortunately we were a pretty big group so we ended up sitting with the girls around one table and the boys around another....sounds similar to the braais we have in SA! After a tasty meal yet again we made our way to the party spots which sit on the river. Unlike Luang Prabang this place does not shut everything down at 11.30 pm but rather it caters to the tourists who flock the town and the place rocks all night long.

Our first stop after walking across a dark and rickety bridge was the Rock bar. Each of these places blasts out it’s tunes played by their resident DJ and they set up great big bon fires that you can sit around to keep warm (it gets a bit chilly at night). After a few beers at the Rock bar and a small incident with a power failure which plunged the entire area into pitch black darkness, we moved on down the road to the next cluster of party spots which were packed to the brim with people. Eventually the days long journey had taken its toll and we made our way back to our beautiful little hotel for a great night’s rest.

SCOOTER RIDE AND BLUE LAGOON
We woke up on Saturday morning and hired motorbikes so that we could make our way to the Blue Lagoon. It was a fair ride over some very rocky, sandy and dusty roads but we made it in one piece. Our first stop was a very small lagoon which was surrounded by lovely little bamboo structures where you can take a little nap in the shade. While Craig braved the water, Clydo, Al, Lara and Leise caught a few winks and Shands, Greg, Sash and I made friends with one of the local boys who was very excited to show us his drawings with his new set of coloured pencils.

After a little while we then jumped back onto the bikes and made our way to the real deal. When we arrived we could see why this spot is a favourite place to visit. The beautiful lagoon was as blue as the sky above us and the gang jumped in as soon as they could get their t-shirts off! We lazed around the lagoon for the rest of the afternoon and soaked up the beautiful surroundings. Jungle covered mountains as a backdrop; crystal blue water and grass so green and thick it felt like we were lying on a soft mattress!

On our ride back we were a little more confident on the bikes so were able to take in the gorgeous mountains and valleys. We passed herds of cows with their pretty calves and smiling little children and their parents working hard to get wood home for their evening fires. It was a spectacular drive that showed us the beautiful landscape of Laos.

Once we got back to the town centre we dropped off the bikes and headed back to the Aussie bar so that the boys could catch the cricket. Shev, Geoff and Kath then arrived and joined us for a tasty burger dinner. After a few beers and some rounds of cards we all made our way back to the hotel for an early night as Sunday was tubing day!

TUBING ON THE NAM SONG RIVER
We woke up bright and early on Sunday and Ali was not well. After being up most of the night he decided to stay in so we sadly left him behind and headed out for a hearty breakfast at the nearby bakery to set us up for a fun filled day on the river. Once we’d booked our tubes we were herded onto the back of a tuk tuk and driven to a point further up the river. There we were dropped off with our tubes and left to fend for ourselves!!! The “get in” point is a bar which offered us our first local drink and then sent us on our merry way. As we jumped into our tubes we began to float down the river. As we went, the various bars on either bank offered all sorts of freebees to get you to stop in and have a drink or a bite to eat. Once we showed a bit of interest they would throw out a rope which we would have to grab onto and they would pull us in. Some bars also had monkey ropes and slides which you could use, so of course it didn’t take long for the boys to get stuck in.

It’s a little hair raising as it’s quite evident that health and safety are not a priority here so we ensured at least one of the boys checked the depth of the river at the entry point before recklessly making any swings or slides. Even the girls had a go on one of the slides but the landing was pretty hard and we vowed not to do it again. So after an afternoon of fun in the sun we approached the last two km’s of the journey, it was getting pretty chilly at this point and as the river doesn’t flow particularly fast it was taking some time to get to the finish point so Sash and I managed to catch a lift with a couple of guys who were kayaking. While Sash clung on for dear life we reached our destination, jumped off the tubes and headed back to the hotel to check on Al and have a well deserved warm shower.

That evening we headed out to one of the local BBQ restaurants and enjoyed a great dinner over cards and beers. Some of us finished early and headed home stopping at the pancake stall for take away dessert while others continued to party down on the river.

DAY AT THE POOL
The next morning we woke up and left those feeling a little worse for wear in bed while the rest of us made our way out to breakfast at our favourite bakery. After breakfast and a short catch up at the internet cafe we made our way to a hotel resort that had a pool. For a small fee we were allowed to enjoy the pool and the volleyball so that’s what we did to pass the time for the day. Once the team had re-grouped the girls left the boys to finish the all important volleyball tournament and headed out for a late lunch and massage. The boys followed a little later and made their way through some tasty pizzas before heading back to the hotel. That evening we decided to stay in. With tummies full and very relaxed from the massages we took the opportunity to watch DVDs or read our books.

SASHA'S BIRTHDAY AND TUBING THE RIVER
The next morning was Sasha’s birthday so we woke at a reasonable hour and gave our wishes. After a quick breakfast at the bakery we were ready for day two of tubing. The process was all pretty much the same as before however this time we knew we didn’t need to rush through any of the stops as there are not as many as you would expect. So we enjoyed a few games of beer pong, swings and slides as the sun beat down on our shoulders.

That evening after a quick shower, we did a bit of exploration and found a great little spot for dinner. We sat down and enjoyed a lovely meal and some drinks at which point the girls were thoroughly worn out and headed off to bed leaving the boys to play cards.

On Wednesday morning we had to be up and at em as we had an early morning bus which was taking us to Vientiane where we were to catch our flight to Cambodia. After our sad goodbyes to Sash, Craig, Geoff, Shev and Kath we headed to our collection point.

Vang Vieng is a great town and it was such a treat to be able to spend Sasha’s birthday with her. Here are our highlights and lowlights:
- Great town but being slightly tainted by the number of tourists who are flocking to the area. There is always the handful that are a bit disrespectful to the locals.
- Tubing!!!! So so so much fun.
- Don’t go to the Aussie bar. On our last night there we noticed on a number of occasions how horrible the owner is to his staff.
- Some of the best pancakes we ever did taste.
- The scenery here is spectacular, a beautiful part of the world!