They weren't joking about needing travel sickness pills on the 5.5 hour minibus trip from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng - pretty much back to back hairpin bends and potholed roads. We were crammed in with a few German lads and another older German bloke in a fashion crime shirt who refused to give his ticket to the organiser chap for some reason, nein, nein, nein.

We'd already been back in touch with Jess and Chloe who we met in Kampot, Cambodia as they were in Vang Vieng at the same time and they recommended a great place where they were staying. Got dropped off by the tuk-tuk transit next to a dodgy looking bamboo bridge and were informed it was a '2 minute' walk across. Massively doubted him, but it actually was and we soon arrived at the Maylyn guesthouse after getting ripped off and having to pay to cross said bridge - that's why the driver wouldn't go over.

Maylyn was great and out of the main bit of Vang Vieng which is an absolute hell hole of a town centre. For those that don't know, Vang Vieng is a bit of a hedonists paradise where people come to 'tube' down the river on inner tubes and get literally dragged into bars by the river by barmen with sticks. It's full of mainly europeans and kiwis/aussies either drunk out of their heads or high on 'happy' drinks and pizzas. Lovely. Hence the decision to stay out of town.

We met up with the girls and headed into the centre in the evening which was only a ten minute walk - head torches came in handy. We booked a kayaking trip and generally laughed at the 'sights'. One great example was an aussie girl of about 20 who at 8pm was staggering around in the middle of the road, covered in paint and attempting to dance in a bikini and holding a kebab - she's done her family proud. Couldn't believe how loud the music was coming out of a couple of bars as well - seriously ear splitting.

To be fair, if we were about 10 years younger we'd have probably got involved, but a bit old for this now. Would also point out that Newquay is about 100 times worse on a Saturday night and has a lot more smashed glass.

The surrounding mountains and countryside are beautiful and Vang Vieng could easily attract more upmarket tourists if it got its act together. Looks like they're building a few more premium plces next to the river so time will tell.

Despite some serious illness in the stomach departments for us both the next day we forced ourselves to go kayaking. The trip down the river was absolutely amazing with great scenery and no noise due to the early time. The first half of the 10km kayak isn't on the tubing route which made it even better and we passed through the tubing bit before anyone had even started - sweet. A lot of the side bars look like something out of Mad Max gone wrong and anyone who goes on the zip-lines from them is mental.

Managed to run aground on rocks a couple of times and steer into a bush (down to my steering probably), but apart from that, pretty easy although boiling hot, even at 10am.

Hired bikes in the afternoon and all headed out to the 'Blue Lagoon' which was about a half hour cycle on a very bumpy road. Sweltering by the time we get there, but jump straight into the lagoon to cool down which is awesome. I try to have a read of my Kindle while we chill out in the lagoon huts, but the local kids are far too interested so I give them a demo for about half an hour - they're transfixed, especially with the screensaver pictures.

Get back to the guesthouse and head for food and swap recommendations as Jess and Chloe are heading for Luang Prabang where we've just come from. Plenty of smashed people staggering around harassing the locals or watching Friends in some of the bars - depressing.

Next stop the capital, Vientiene before heading south.