Well, we arrived in Vang Veing in Laos after a 6 hour car ride, poor Mieke was not enjoying a travel sick start to her birthday! Although things perked up when we found a stall that sold bagettes and laughing cow cheese for lunch mmm!!! More of those please! Vang Vieng is a tiny little town in the middle of the mountains and from the moment we got out of the car we fell in love! (Well, I most definately did!) Al instantly spotted our Canadian chums Lewis and Chris which was cool, they recommended a place for us to stay which was absolutely lush - the best so far we reckon, 2 double beds, sofa, bathroom and flowers everywhere!

We went to explore a bit then came out later for tea and found our manw**** and Derek who told us about a nighspot called 'Smile Bar' which according to the manw**** was where everyone goes! Had a slightly hit and miss tea - hit for Mieke with a yummy steak but miss for Al with her glass noodles that smelled of Dog food - sorry mate didnt have the heart to tell you! And my chicken that tasted like chickens smell when they have been rolling around in poo! Yuk, so after that we made our way to the bar, accross a dodgy wooden bridge over to 'the island' where lots of bungalow huts are - and it was dead! Music was ace though - DJ Martin from Ireland was playing some wicked tunes and we just started dancing away. At about 10.30 ish it was getting rammed, so cool, its an outside place with buckets of alcohol (black russian a new favourite) and a bonfire and benches to sit on (or dance on as we later did!) What followed was the best night ever,Miekes had so much fun for her Bday yey! Was AWESOME (and lots of lurvely men hehe)! And late night pancakes made on stalls in the road, so good!!

Tubing on Saturday was so cool, and possible one of the most surreal experiences, floating down a huge river in a rubber ring in the middle of Laos mountains, and stopping at bars along the way to drink beer Laos! pretty dam good day! Although got a bit cold on the botty! Very chilled though so all good. Off to Smile bar that night again - and once again, awesome night! more dancing and buckets woo hoo! And our pancake lady recognised us! So nice to be a local.

Sunday Mieke wasnt feeling so good so she stayed in bed and had a chilled day while me and Al rented some mountain bikes and went to explore. We found a cave (which some Lao men charged us 1000 kip to see - like they own it!) and we also climed a mountain! Go us! Very proud of ourselves and apparently im quite nimble at the old climbing, both up and down, new found talent methinks! Cycling was wicked, good to be exercising again, found another cave this time with a lagoon in but the same men turned up and tried to charge us 30000 kip this time to go in this one, we were like no way naughty lao men! All in good spirit though and they did tell us they loved us! Found a bar which was showing Friends non stop so had tea there lying on cushions, ah this is the life! Last night was spent yes you guessed it at Smile Bar which I do believe i love more than Jacks - shock horror I know! We danced even crazier than last 2 nights and had an amazing time. Loved Vang Vieng so much, was such a lovely place where you got to know everyone and everyone would be in the same bar, actually beleive it is my spiritual home and I cant wait to come back next year and maybe try and teach out here. So it was with a heavy heart (haha high drama) we left on Monday morning for a very pleasant 3 hour trip to Vien Tien to catch our very small planes down to the Island, and this is where I shall leave you. All in all, the best place we have visited, Vang Vieng we love you long time!!!!