Tubing in Laos

  Vang Vieng, Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The peaceful river before us!

This bus journey has to be the most painful on record. We are in the back row of the very old basic bus which somehow has even less leg room than the other seats. The pain on the knees is unbearable and the bus is full so we can't spread out. I end up half standing/squatting to try and get comfortable until I end up headbanging the overhead compartment on every bump - there are a lot! Finally I use my blow up pillow to sit on which seems to help a bit by making me higher even if it deflates too rapidly. Tonight we are off to Vang vieng. This is another travellers hang out with a bar crawl tubing down the river! This time we arrive about 2.30am and although we do the split up thing to find the cheapest hostel we have one by 3.30am! Too much haggling for my liking at 3am in the morning, it's a difference of $1.10 between 4 of us - apparently it's the principle, I've lost my principles at that time! At least we are not camping outside tonight!

The river

 

So Tuesday real we surface and get breakfast. We check out as aiming to get another night bus - these travel buddies we have picked up want to see the world in their 3 weeks, I know I'm short of time now too, but I would like to enjoy my last 3 weeks or so. I think this will need to change a little!! Now its time to head into town and pick up our rubber rings from the cooperative and get dropped off by the Tuk-Tuk bus 4km upstream.

In our tubes to the end

Funnily enough while waiting for the Tuk-Tuk we meet the English girls from Luang Probang, but more weirdly their friend is one of the men, Chris, Alicia and I met at the Polo match in Buenos Aires!!! Weird. So we say hi to him and his friend Kevin and we all head off to hit the bars! Chris has a waterproof camera too - useful reaquintance!! The place is packed with backpackers - many on their 2nd, 3rd or 4th trip down the river. It's baking hot so jumping into the tyre in the water is bliss. But watch out the river is fast! You don't want to head too far out or the speed will whisk you right past the bars.

Agghhhhhhhhh

We drift a little to the first bar which is pumping with activity. They pull us in with bamboo sticks and ropes. Some drift by as too late! We chill by the water edge with out bucket of vodka lemonade watching people swing off the tree on a trapeze and jumping into the river from it. I'm sure health and safety wouldn't allow any of this, but when in Laos... The Trapeze looks a bit to terrifying for me, I've had my fill of canyon swings and the like, however within seconds we look up and Rachel is hovering on the edge of the platform! She is straight up there conquering her fears - and goes without hesitation. Well done girl! A few swigs and Alicia is going too - now I've got to too really! Now there's a queue and the waiting is worse. The tree is high as we climb up the ladder leaving my old cheepie sunglasses at the bottom of the tree. The platform and tree wobbles with all the people, not helping my nerves. Eventually Alicia grabs the trapeze and goes. She drops from a weird point in the swing, under us, and disappears under water for a while. Alls well as the tube and rope are thrown out to catch her.

Do i drop now?

  

My turn! I grab the trapeze. It looks a long way down. The others on the decking below are watching expectantly. I falter and step back. But no, if Alicia and Rachel can do it I can't chicken out. Pier pressure again! 1-2-3 Go aggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh. I'm swinging through the air...and back...and forward. 1 swing, I won't drop yet. 2 - not quite. Swing 3 - let go - splat in the water. Awesome fun!!! Let's finish that bucket - and someone's nicked my sonnies! Oh well, I'd probably lose them in the river anyway!

On to bar 2 and another bucket and another swing.

Bar 3 launch

This one is much lower, the first is said to be the highest of all the bars. It may be lower but the current is incredibly strong. We jump and are rescued by the flying tyre and pulled to the edge, but the drag is so strong it takes all the energy I can muster to pull myself out of the water. Time for bar 3. This one's very busy. Volleyball is being played, so we partake, before another high swing. This time Alicia and I do a tandem swing, great fun.

Ali and I jump

Luckily we don't collide as drop at different times! The afternoon continues downstream with more bars and swings and a slide and a huge slide under construction. We miss out 6pm deadline for the tyres to be back - you don't lose much! It's dark as we finish back at Vang vieng to return our tubes.

Group shot!

What an excellent day. 2 pairs of sun glasses, Alicia's flip flops and one tube claimed by the river from our group, not bad! I check us back into the hostel as there is no way I'm going on a night bus tonight!

Yoga in between swings!