VANG VIENG

After a crazy but scenic bus ride along the mountains, we arrived to Vang Vieng. It is the complete opposite of Laung Prabang. It is made for crazy backpackers 100%… the main attraction is going tubing, which consists of hopping in a tube and being pulled into bars along the river by grabbing the floating bottles that are thrown at you. Free shots at every bar, and for every shot you take, they give you a bracelet, so you can imagine that some people get a little competitive. The town itself is filled with restaurants that have tables where you sit on a platform with cushions and watch non-stop episodes of Friends. I think we almost watched an entire season…

 

On the first night in town we were ambushed by a group of people who offered us free buckets, and so down and across the river we went to get our whiskey buckets with our newly met friend Lonnie, a global health professor from Seattle but living in Thailand. At 10, we switched bars to Smile bar, which also had free buckets. At around 11 the fire started, fire limbo! Other than the fact that they spilled some gasoline on me, it was all fun and games. Then the real party started and the dance floor was packed by 12. That’s when I met Bonnie, an Australian girl who I had way too much fun with. To me she’s what I call a free spirit, always smiling, dancing and  just enjoying life. We danced the night away and I got to the hostel at 3:30am….

 

The next day we stumbled upon a cave, we followed a random sign that took us across some rice fields and unto a rocky path where a guy gave us head lamps and guided us to a really long and dark cave. It was just so unexpected, he just took us spelunking! There was absolutely no one else there and it was wet and slippery. After about 15 minutes in, we got to a pool of water and he asked us if we wanted to go swimming… It was very random but good adventure J. When we came out we were covered in clay so we found a stream to clean ourselves. The day was pretty hot so I decided to go for a swim. Then out of nowhere came a huge angry bull who looked like he wanted to kill us. As soon as I saw it is ran across the stream. The look of confusion of Trav’s face was priceless, but he snapped out of it and grabbed all our stuff and hurried across the stream. But that did not stop the bull, I ran without my shoes and just a bathing suit on across the forest, until we got back to the rice field. There was a family working there, and I wonder what they though when they saw a girl coming out of the forest with nothing on … but I was running for my life haha so my bad…

The next day we took a truck up river with a contingent of Spanish speaking peoples. Luckily Trav is used to this by now, and sat quietly piping in with a “Si” or “Yo comprendo pero no hablo”. We got on tubes and pulled ourselves along ropes through a very low cave system before reaching the end and letting the current take us. We had lunch then began the kayaking adventure down river. Since it is now the rainy season the rapids were in full force and allowed for moments of minor excitement. The whole trip was laced with gorgeous views of the mountains surrounding Vang Vieng and ended at one of the tubing bars. Here you could buy drinks or take part in activities to get them for free. These included sling shot beer, where you take a sling shot and every time you hit a beer can…5 feet away….you are entitled to a shot. Also if you chose to take part in mud boxing a free drink awaits you after, but only if you fight one of the locals, Trav was the only one up for that. Needless to say he was quite muddy afterwards.

 

We got back around 5:30, and took a shower and fell asleep… woke up at 8ish and went out again to claim our free buckets once more. Bucket Bar then Smile Bar…. But this time, knowing more people I ended up staying until close… aka 3:30am but it was not over then… Reggae bar stays open until who knows when, so we continued the party there, with a pool table and silly push up games where I lost count after having to do at least 40 … I walked back around 5:30am in the pouring rain as the sun was slowly coming up behind the mountains.

Next day I had promised to meet my new friends at 11:30am to go tubbing… we rented the tubes and took a tuk tuk about 3km out of town. Got into a boat and crossed the river to the first bar. We were welcomed with free shots and bracelets… according to them its never too early … at every bar there are different games and things to keep you entertained: giant jenga, cards, beerpong tables, flipcup, ziplines into the river, slides, hammocks to take a quick break, volleyball, “mud sliding” and pretty much anything cool you can think off…  it was a fun day, but by 6pm I was exhausted so called it an early night. Next morning woke up with lots of bruises and little cuts that I hadn’t quite noticed the day before… they say that you haven’t truly tubbed if you don’t 1) get the marks to prove it 2) loose something in the river and so I succeeded I guess…

One interesting fact to note as we were leaving Vang Vieng the next morning is that every backpacker runs out of there as if they feared for their life. With the river and drunken madness it is no wonder 10 people die there yearly , I guess no one wants to belong to that statistic.