Vang Vieng

I am now in Vang Vieng.

A minibus picked me up from the Phone Paseuth Guest House at 10:00 and transfered to another minibus which then did the run along Highway 13 in three hours and fifteen minutes. Not too bad at all.

Some interesting peolpe on the bus non more so than the German bloke with his thai rent boy. How can anyone be so thick skinned to thing in normal to take your rent boy on a tourist bus? Arrived at Vang Vieng just after 13:00.

Had a quick look at travelfih website witha British and Australian couple and decided on Riverside Bungalows. The accommodatio ranges from simple huts with a fan an mossie net for US$3.80 up to large rooms with AC and ensuite for $12. I plumped for the simple hut mainly because you don't really need AC at this time of year. The huts have spectacular views over the karsts and are away from the main drag with its pizza reataurants showing endless re-runs of Friends and selling happy and happy happy pizza. It is a bit of a backpacker centre but it is quite easy to avoid most of the 'scene' if you make a little effort.

Overall I reckon it is well worth it.

Last night I eat at Erawan about the poshesst place in VV. I went mad and ordered steak, french fries, green salad, baguette, glass of red wine and a Lao Lao lemonade. The bill was 85,000 kip (four pounds 25 pence) and this really is splasing out. Lunch was noodle soup with pork down by the river in one of the little shacks in the picture.

Today i am going tubing (US$4) they pick you up in a tuk tuk and drive you 5Km upstream where you launch yourself into the river on a large tractor inner tube and float back downstream back to town. Whole journey take 2.5 to 3 hrs and there are stalls along the way selling Beer Lao.

Going to get some sunblock and look into some trekking, caving and kayaking for tommorow.