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Vang Vieng Day 3
Started with a nice 4 hour bus ride to the party town of Vang Vieng.The bus was a VIP (just a coach) so it was fine but the roads are still something to get used to.They use concrete but they forget to smooth it out or they have made holes in it for the fun of it (along with the occasional 10 metre section where they have missed putting concrete down - weird), so you happily bounce along.Then there are the wandering cows, water buffalos etc that want to stand in the middle of the road and they have to driveswerve round!
Turned up and checked into the bungalow that we had pre booked for the 3 nights and then took a stroll around the town, getting some food and deciding was a little quieter than expected but may be that was to do with the tubing place.Marie bought a sarong and Martin some Havaianas and then booked up a trip for the next day to see caves and do the tubing.Ended the day in an Irish bar, having a burger and chips!!!
Van Vieng Day 4
So an early start today to get up and do the tour.We headed out with a group of about 10 to spend the morning together visiting the caves.We started at the elephant cave, which is so called because of the stalagmite that looks like an elephant (actually does) but then it is just another Buddha to see.We then headed over to the water cave.We waited a while for people to come out as you needed to use a tube and they only had so many.Then we were geared up with a tube each and a nice head torch, attached to a heavy battery round our necks before heading into the cave, using ropes to pull yourself in.The opening to the cave was fairly wide at about 5 metres but the height was probably maximum 1 metre (at parts) above water level and damn that water was freezing.So you pull yourself through this tunnel whilst on your tube, using the rope that they have installed for visitors.The cave was only ever about 5 metres wide and 3 metres tall and it was pitch black.As we moved more and more into the cave and therefore further away from the outside world it became a little more daunting but at the same time it was spectacular to see.
Had a good lunch and started having a chat with some Swede's named Fredrik and Pernilla but then our guide took part of the group to a place where they would kayak back to Vang Vieng and the rest went to tubing (which was us, a German couple and some Ukraines who spoke no English).Having heard about this place from friends, the web, lonely planet we were in two minds whether this was going to be fun or where we realised we were too old for it!
So the way it works for those that don't know, is that you get a tube and start at a point in the river.May be a whole100 metres away, the bars start on either side of the river bank and if you want to stop at one, all you do is blink an eye or anything and a piece of rope with something attached of lobbed towards you and they pull you over.We decided to head to one bar but the crazy Ukraines (getting on for midlate 30's) decided we'd stop at another.So off we go.Weird to be with a tour guide on what is more commonly known as a pub crawl (outside of 18 to 30) but it was more like having a mumdad because you could leave your stuff with them and not worry (many stories of disappearing valuables).
Got a beermojito in and just as we did this a guy came over and started telling us he was the one that we sat opposite to on the bus up here yesterday (where he did nothing but sit and listen to his ipod) and here, have shot of the local Laos Whiskey.Interesting but good fun way to introduce.Then we turned around and started looking at this place.There are bars everywhere and they all have different music playing and they all seem to have either a water chute, a swing or a zip line where you end up dropping into the water and there are loads of young people getting wasted.Before we knew it the crazy Ukrainian man was up on the swing (must have been the influence of the extra gin the women made the bar tender put in her bucket of G&T) and off he went.Martin contemplated but decided not enough beer was inside yet!!!Then the crazy Ukrainian woman was made to do it.This was hilarious, she was up there for ages - going and then not going before the whole bar is cheering and there is no way out, so off she went.
After a while, people decided it was time to head on, so back into a tube and further down the river we floated.We picked a place that had it all, a water chute, swing and zip line.More beermojito's in and then we find the kayakers and the Swede's are there, so a chance to have a few beers together.Martin decided it was time to start the activities, so warmed up with a slide down the chute.Not that fast but a good 23 metres drop at the end.Loved the people in board shorts that got stuck going down - people were laughing their heads off as they come back into sight from the final dip and up of the chute, by walking and having to jump off the end because their shorts stopped them.Then it was time for the zip line.So up the rickerty wooden staircase, where you are given the choice of the swing or zip line - it was pretty high and Martin wished he'd tried out the first swing now, which was much lower as he didn't fancy it!Was excellent and such a rush but making you leave before the end, where we'd seen many people not do so and the swing suddenly stops and your kind of ripped away from it or swung upwards, was the only concern but came off it well happy and keen for more!!Pernilla had taken a video of it and it was impressive - Marie decided to just photo it, so there was no choice, another go was the only way.Marie got a good video of it but the landing this time was pretty bad and not reflected by the video.Martin went off legs open and diagonally forward, kind of bashing everything (chest hurt for 4 days after!!!).
Agreed to meet the Swedes for more beers later in the evening before tubing off to the last bar.There are so many bars but it seems most people get out at one and pretty much stay there for the day!We were going to head off to the end now, some 3 km's away, so we got in a wine cooler and beer for the journey but then we saw the others at the last bar, where we met some of the weirdo's from this place.Let's say they weren't just drinking but it made us think about the Full Moon party and whether we'd actually like it.As we got out, Marie found the hole between two rocks, grazing her leg and stubbing her toe (at some point she won't have a cut or bruise!!) and then the tour guide gave us the good news that we could get out a little further down and he'd get the tuk tuk up.We wanted to finish the whole thing but now it seemed not such a great idea, so we headed back to town.
In the evening, we headed into town for some food and then met up with Fredrik and Pernilla for some beers in the first of 3 bars that everyone goes to.Martin and Fredrick had a tower of beer (happy days) whilst Marie continued on the Mojitos.They introduced us to some people they had met along the way, who then decided we should play a drinking game.Was all good fun except that Martin was rubbish but thankfully it was just to drink a bit of your drink, which was like normal !!After a few hours, we headed home having had a great day of fun and looking forward to meeting up with the Swede's again, probably in Bangkok.
Vang Vieng Day 4
Martin woke up sore and stiff from the bad landing the day before and we both felt like we needed just a day to chill, so we spent it resting in the bungalow, speakinge mailing people and doing some research on the next places.
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