There is one reason and one reason only to come to Vang Vieng and that is to go tubing down the Nam Song river. I was no different in this respect.

You hire an inflatable tube, get taken by tuk tuk down to the Nam Song river and away you go to float down the river stopping off at each of the makeshift bars along the way. It's easier said than done as there is a strong current during the wet season, so when your mates have managed to grab hold of the 15 foot bamboo stick to be pulled into the bar, your often shooting by it out of reach of all bamboos. But the bar owners keen not to let this profit wash down the river, have a plan B and a failsafe plan C.

Plan B involves a lassoo type activity where a life saving ring is thrown out to you where you have overshot. If this fails each bar has hired a couple of 8 year old David Hasselhoffs to jump in swm down the river and drag you to the bank. And let me tell you there's nothing dignified in having your ass saved by an eight year old. If neither plan A, B, or C has got you into the bar, you've obvioulsy had too much too drink and lost all your physical co-ordination and they let you float by for the next bar owner to take care of.

I tubed twice over 3 days, and on both occasions ended up leaving too late and was floating home in the dark holding onto to someone's leg, arm or whatever came to hand. On both occasions I thought I was going to end up in Cambodia!

During the day all you do is eat and watch back episodes of Friends to help you recover from the previous days tubing. You're often a bit battered and bruised from having a go at each bars river swings. I tried to do sommersault on 5 occasions and managed a headplant, a couple belly flops, and an another couple of artistic entries before finally admitting defeat!

Anyway twice tubing was enough for me so I moved on, but there are people who can do this day in day day out for over a week.