Vang Vieng

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Vang Vieng - a place which continues the theory that all things beginning with the letter 'V' are great :o)

A backpackers 'playground' so to speak were you get (if you wish) to choose your poison; marijuana, opium, mushrooms, happy pizzas, buckets, beer lao etc.. There are adventure type things to do here e.g. kayaking, climbing, trekking but most sit around in lounge cushiony-type restaurant/bars watching episodes of Friends, Simpsons and the latest DVD movies. Or they're tubing - what's that I hear you say. Well, some genius decided to combine the rubber ring from inside a tractor tyre with willing participants and the Nam Song river. In other words; you + rubber ring + river = fun.

Catch it while it's hot..

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All along the Nam Song river (which during August is 4 times faster than other times of the year) there are bars scattered, catching people coming down the river on tubes. So you stop off, have a few drinks, move on to the next one, meet different people, have another drink, move on and so on. The third bar along the river has 'the firefox' - a zip line combined with a huge swing which propels said tubing-participants into the river from your chosen height. Great fun (if you land nicely haha). [Unfortunately, due to the lashing rain, the cameras were a no-go so I don't have any photos :o(]. The whole thing is so completely unsafe (so I wonder how long it will last) especially as it can get dark quite quickly and then you find yourself on your tod, on a rubber ring, floating down a river in the complete dark with no one telling you were to go. Mad! Another great thing - the whole time your surrounded by absolutely beautiful landscape. I remember at one point standing in the lashing rain, Beer Lao in one hand, people slinging themselves into the river, standing on a wooden platform with all the gang, 2 Unlimited's "No, No" blaring (I remembered the dance haha) looking around at the scenery, thinking this is surreal! :o)

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In the end, we spent quite a number of days here. Probably too many if we're honest but that's the kind of place it is. Catch it while it's hot..