Tubing Boomers
Trip Start
Oct 01, 2007
1
60
81
Trip End
Oct 01, 2008
Vang Vieng,
Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Friday, May 2, 2008
Lao people have an extraordinary ability to tackle everyday with a smile and a laid-back attitude. Most families have around 3 or more children who freely roam the streets and alleyways chasing chickens and teasing tourists. These giggling little bundles give you the same feeling one might have when eyeing newborn puppies at the pet store: you desperately want to take one home with you. Rory and I are seriously contemplating adopting one if the chance ever presents itself, but from experience, it doesn't look like any family in Lao is looking to give up children.
Our humble abode was located at the north end of town on a hillside overlooking the Mekong. We were taken aback with the lavishness of our simple room. Most low-priced guesthouses don't offer cozy white comforters, queen-sized beds, large back patios, TVs with cable, A/C and huge clean bathrooms. It looked like we would be staying for a while.
On our first night, we put together our plan of attack for Vang Vieng and strolled down the road to Jaidee's Bar & Restaurant. Thanks to Kelly and Jordana, we had a heads up on the place to be in V.V. and made fast easy friends with owner and bartender, Jaidee. While we sipped our ice-cold beers (so cold that a few blew up with beer ice crystals), Jaidee's pregnant wife whipped us up some noodle soup and yellow curry. Little J and littler J chased each other around the restaurant's hut-like lounging tables and a few regulars loudly slurred conversation in the far corner. It was an envious atmosphere of family and fun. Life and business are so much simpler here.
We turned in for an early night and rose with the sun at dawn ready for action. Our first mission was to check out the nearby cave and viewpoint. On the west side of the Mekong, over a bamboo footbridge, we hiked to a huge rock dwarfed by the one behind it and paid our entrance fee to start climbing. Little did we know that this was going to be an intense climb, so we smartly dressed in flip-flops and I in a sarong skirt. Lovely. The views from the top were incredible as the photos will reveal, but the climb down was shaky and heart racing. Note to self: skirts are for strolling, not climbing.
Further into the rice fields and jungle, a narrow path lead us to a cave about 100 meters up the side of a rock wall. The sign boasted a lagoon on the other side, but stated "Must Have Guide!" and there were none to be found. Hence, we lurked into the opening of the cave and then lurked out. Maybe next time...whenever that may be.
With the afternoon sun blazing overhead, it was time to hit the chill of the river. A quick stop at the room, a shake from our friend Jaidee and a short walk to the tubing company and we were bouncing away in a tuk-tuk heading for the starting point. In a matter of seconds after disembarking from the tuk-tuk, we were awe struck by the wild debauchery ahead. Huge bamboo structures on either side of the river towered over tri-level flats full of young western backpackers drunker than skunks. Every few minutes one would fly across the river on a rope swing crashing into the water after a sometimes brave and impressive stunt. Rory and I exchanged looks as the high started to take hold of us and we plopped into our tubes giggling like idiots ready for anything.
The first bar was only a few meters from where we put down, but who cares. Why tube on a river sober?? So we saddled up for a few. A short while down the river we stopped again after catching an empty plastic bottle attached to a string meant to pull us ashore to spend some well-deserved beer money. Music was blasting from huge speakers and a pack of ladyboys was parading along the lowest patio shaking their "things" as best they knew how. The chaos of it all had us laughing so hard I was almost in tears. After a Beerlao and some free Laoh Lao (whiskey) we decided that lounging in our tubes was a better way to enjoy the river. Drunk people talk too much.
Connected by the legs we floated down the 4 km of river made for tubing which took about 3 hours total. It was a long, slow ride, but wholly worth it. I've never been surrounded by such mind-blowing scenery before. The mountains looked like huge elephants and the rock formations appeared to be hand carved into monkeys and Buddhas like there were hidden ancient ruins beneath the greenery. Fortunately, the sky was a perfect mix of blue and puffy white clouds forming crazy shapes above our heads. We could have spent hours laying on our backs exchanging cloud animals.
We ended our adventure by watching the sunset over the mountains from our guesthouse patio, scarfing down a margarita pizza and snuggling under the cozy comforter watching a movie on the laptop. It was literally a perfect day.
The following days activities cannot even compare to the previous, but we made the best of it. We took a tour out to a few caves, ate a BBQ lunch and then paddled down the Mekong in kayaks. Fairly uneventful, but a great way to tire us out and catch some zzz's before the 6 hour bus ride to Luang Prabang. Vang Vieng - you definitely make the top 5 list!
