The photogenic Luang Prabang was only viewable from the rear view mirror when we started to check out what the next city, Vang Vieng, had in store for us. Horrors! But before that we had a nice little 6 hour roadtrip ahead that the WRC could easily add to their yearly schedule because the curves that are endless! As always the scenery is amazing and the pictures dont do them justice. The center of Vang Vieng is useless. The streets are full of restaurants serving "happy" pizzas, fruit shakes, beerlao and a neverending list of Friend's episodes. There really is no difference here. The are all the same. Looking at the other travelers, I feel a sense of disgust going through me and I want to leave. Who comes to South East Asia to watch friends? The first night is spent getting settled and having dinner.
Vang Vieng still has a lot to offer though. The have canoes, rock climbing, trekking, caves and of course TUBES! The stay started off with a visit to the nearest cave that was situated 2 km from the TV-hell. Easy walk except for the mud obstacle course setted up by a couple of trucks and a digger. As we get there a little bit early I decided to take a dip at the bluegreen shining lagoon right outside the cave. Running water might be cold but it definately is relaxing with the temperatures going through the roof. The cave in it self was a massive complex that didnt suffer from that horrible blue/green/red light syndrome that makes the staligmites look like pop sicles. Just natural light and a light bulp here and there. We had some monks as company and I became a light bearer with my head lamp as the monks wanted to venture outside the guided tour into the darkness Sas right on my tail. Messing with the lights caused some giggles and claustrophobia in the team but we got out in the end. Sas was being a big girls blouse about the whole darkness thing and a hug made it all better.
A little lunch companied by mango shakes which I'm totaly addicted to now and we leave for the main event the city has to offer: tubing. Prices going at a steady 3 euroes a pop and a ride to the up stream starting point, it is a fairly good deal. The idea is to ride down the river for a hour along the slowly running river of Nam Song. The main attraction of course is not the tubing itself but the abbundance of bars the place has to offer on the river sides. Catch up with the other travelers, have rice wine shots or a beerlao and try out the crazyest swings know to man all at one spot. I managed to scare everybody by breaking on of the swings while on it but I came out alright at the end with a small bumb on the head and a scratch on the knee. Instead of crusifying me the barowners paraded me with free shots of Lao Lao and icecubes. Apparently not the first time this has happened..
Been six months on the road I must say that the tubing has got to be one of the most chilled out things I have done so far during this trip. Once your out of the range of the towering boom boxes owned by the restaurant, the whole riverfront becomes your own personal ether. You only hear the steady sound of running water and see the sun setting behind the magnificient limestone cliffs. Not too shaby.
More pictures at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/timo.laaksonen/
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