I've arrived in the blissful comfort of Luang Prabang, but first a little about Vang Vieng.
VV was fast and furious and more than anywhere else is now a blur in my memory. The small town feels like a college campus filled to capacity with fratboys and their female equivalent. Evidence of Vang's blatant appeal to the tourist dollar can be seen everywhere from restaurant after restaurant playing episodes of Friends and Family Guy on loop, stall after stall selling banana nutella pancakes (which are amazing mind you), to the menus which, in clear print, offer marijuana, mushrooms and opium, in your choice of size from joint, bag, or mixed into a shake or pizza. It's wild.
Caving is a big draw here and on my second day I spontaneously decided to wander into some. One finds the cave by walking across open fields toward the mountain, following a series of poles with a white bag tied to the top. The trek takes you through farmer's property, over their fences - a little odd. Inside the cave I was equally unsure of where I was going. You are provided with a flashlight (thankfully) but there are no signs giving direction or warnings. I soon discovered I have a fear of caving alone! Each cave was a labrynth of possible paths, the ground sometimes slippery, sometimes muddy, and always a muggy heat. My mind began to machinate ideas of becoming lost forever in this nightmare! In one cave, a shoddy ladder led 15 feet straightdown into a cool pool of water below. I undressed and carefully climbed down. I found a secure spot to rest my flashlight and illuminate my surroundings. Looking down into the water revealed nothing. I nervously slipped in, but found I could not touch bottom. I sank a little deeper, but still nothing! As I tread water I reached for the walls for support, but their smooth limestone surface provided no help. I now glanced over at my flashlight, realizing that if it were to fall, I would be left in utter darkness. Panic took over and I swam back to the light, ever careful not to cause too violent of ripples that might dislodge it from its perch. I'd had my fun and had conquered my fear to even go into the water. I left the cave feeling fairly proud.
The quintessential experience of Vang Vieng, some would say, is to go tubing down the Nam Kon River. I was told repeatedly by fellow travellers however not to bother renting a tube; sure enough there was not much tubing going on at all. The novelty here are the bars situated on the riverbanks all down the river. Locals armed with a line of rope with a bottle attached to the end to give it a weight will toss the line out, with impressive accuracy, to those floating by and pull them into their respective bar.
The first three bars are within shouting distance, strattling either side of the river. Mixed drinks are sold by the bucket (like a child's sandbucket) and drank through an obnoxious amount of straws. A couple regulars pour cheap Lao whiskey into thirsty and willing mouths, free of charge. Drinking games are played like musical tubes, beer pong, and a frisbee game where an empty beer can must be knocked off a pole. Other bars have swings into the water and platforms for high diving. And of course Western music is blasting at all times. I was told most don't make it pass the third bar, and indeed I only made it to the second before I forgot all about tubing.
Three days in Vang Vieng was enough for me, and I left for Luang Prabang in a stupor. The journey by bus did not help. Laos is like one long series of forest covered mountains, and the roads stubbornly force their way up, down, around and every which other way in order to get by them. The views are gorgeous yes but the swaying back and forth never stopped for six hours and made me miserable. Luang Prabang so far is an absolute gem which I will update tomorrow, hopefully with pictures!
VV was fast and furious and more than anywhere else is now a blur in my memory. The small town feels like a college campus filled to capacity with fratboys and their female equivalent. Evidence of Vang's blatant appeal to the tourist dollar can be seen everywhere from restaurant after restaurant playing episodes of Friends and Family Guy on loop, stall after stall selling banana nutella pancakes (which are amazing mind you), to the menus which, in clear print, offer marijuana, mushrooms and opium, in your choice of size from joint, bag, or mixed into a shake or pizza. It's wild.
Caving is a big draw here and on my second day I spontaneously decided to wander into some. One finds the cave by walking across open fields toward the mountain, following a series of poles with a white bag tied to the top. The trek takes you through farmer's property, over their fences - a little odd. Inside the cave I was equally unsure of where I was going. You are provided with a flashlight (thankfully) but there are no signs giving direction or warnings. I soon discovered I have a fear of caving alone! Each cave was a labrynth of possible paths, the ground sometimes slippery, sometimes muddy, and always a muggy heat. My mind began to machinate ideas of becoming lost forever in this nightmare! In one cave, a shoddy ladder led 15 feet straightdown into a cool pool of water below. I undressed and carefully climbed down. I found a secure spot to rest my flashlight and illuminate my surroundings. Looking down into the water revealed nothing. I nervously slipped in, but found I could not touch bottom. I sank a little deeper, but still nothing! As I tread water I reached for the walls for support, but their smooth limestone surface provided no help. I now glanced over at my flashlight, realizing that if it were to fall, I would be left in utter darkness. Panic took over and I swam back to the light, ever careful not to cause too violent of ripples that might dislodge it from its perch. I'd had my fun and had conquered my fear to even go into the water. I left the cave feeling fairly proud.
The quintessential experience of Vang Vieng, some would say, is to go tubing down the Nam Kon River. I was told repeatedly by fellow travellers however not to bother renting a tube; sure enough there was not much tubing going on at all. The novelty here are the bars situated on the riverbanks all down the river. Locals armed with a line of rope with a bottle attached to the end to give it a weight will toss the line out, with impressive accuracy, to those floating by and pull them into their respective bar.
The first three bars are within shouting distance, strattling either side of the river. Mixed drinks are sold by the bucket (like a child's sandbucket) and drank through an obnoxious amount of straws. A couple regulars pour cheap Lao whiskey into thirsty and willing mouths, free of charge. Drinking games are played like musical tubes, beer pong, and a frisbee game where an empty beer can must be knocked off a pole. Other bars have swings into the water and platforms for high diving. And of course Western music is blasting at all times. I was told most don't make it pass the third bar, and indeed I only made it to the second before I forgot all about tubing.
Three days in Vang Vieng was enough for me, and I left for Luang Prabang in a stupor. The journey by bus did not help. Laos is like one long series of forest covered mountains, and the roads stubbornly force their way up, down, around and every which other way in order to get by them. The views are gorgeous yes but the swaying back and forth never stopped for six hours and made me miserable. Luang Prabang so far is an absolute gem which I will update tomorrow, hopefully with pictures!
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