Tubing and television

Trip Start Sep 18, 2006
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Trip End Mar 19, 2008


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Flag of Lao Peoples Dem Rep  ,
Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Vang Vieng is a small town done good (by Laotian standards). This is entirely due to the adaptation of one of this nation's children's favourite pasttimes - 'tubing', or floating downriver perched on top of the inner tube from a tractor tyre - into a tourist attraction. If you come here, you have to spend at least one day tubing. Its the law. This takes however long you want it to as, along the 4km-odd route, there are a multitude of distractions to entice you to shore. These are usually bars or trapezes. The combination of sun, alcohol and high-flying amateur gymnastics invariably leads to one or two casualties. Its hard to be sympathetic with such stark warning signs, mind.
The town itself is pleasant enough. The centre is full of TV bars, blasting out episodes of Friends or The Simpsons, or maybe a film. True to its usual vein of pretentiousness and pompousness, the Lonely Planet encourages travellers to eschew these centres of moribund culture. F**k off. If I want to indulge in some decent television for a couple of evenings after six months on the road, how does that make me crass? Lonely Planet - kiss my hairy ass.
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