Tubing, "Friends", Beer, and "Happy" Shakes

Trip Start Dec 26, 2007
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Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of Lao Peoples Dem Rep  ,
Wednesday, April 16, 2008

We found a bus out of Luang Prabang. When we bought our ticket at 9 in the morning, the guy said the bus was going to leave at 10. At 10, the guy said the bus will leave at 11 and at 11, we found out the bus leaves when it gets full. It got full around 12:30. But then, we were on our way happy and comfortable in the nice air conditioned bus. That is until only about an hour later when the a/c stopped working. I was seeing flash back of the Philippines already. Fortunately, these guys were professionals and we just pulled over, replaced a broken belt, and continued on our way. The road south toward Vang Vieng was through some mountains that have a bad reputation for having bandits stopping buses and cars and robbing them. All along the way at different points, you can see guys standing under small grass huts and guarding the road with AK-47's slung on their backs. I'm still not quite sure if that is supposed to make you feel safe or a little worried. Everything was going along quite well until a couple of the people got sick from the mountain curves and decided to discard their bad feelings in the middle of the bus isle, the stopped the bus and cleaned out the isle, only to stop about an hour later and clean it out again.

We arrived in Vang Vieng in the middle of a downpour but managed to find a place quite easily right along the river. This town is known for 4 things: tubing, "Friends" the television show, drinking beer, and "happy" shakes and pizzas (shakes and pizzas with hallucinogenic mushrooms). It is basically a backpacker's party town. A group of us rented some tubes the next day and went down the river. All along the river there are bars that have built rope swings and platforms for people to jump off. It is really nice; I just don't think the combination of alcohol and 30 feet high rope swings mix well together. Hence, there are a lot of accidents. The background is amazing as well. On the west side of the river are large limestone mountains that make a beautiful background the to river and rice farms. Back in town, almost all of the restaurants are serving the happy shakes and showing re-runs of "Friends." You can literally stand on one corner looking into different restaurants and see about 10 different episodes of "Friends" at one time. Some of the places are getting a little more creative and now starting to show "The Family Guy." In my opinion this place is good for a day or two but if you're looking for that kind of scene then you might as well be back home. Next stop Vientiane.
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