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The ten hour sleeper bus from Luang Prabang to Vientiane to meet Jordan was interesting to say the least. Squished in a top bunk, no space to turn, positioned next to the toilet - I knew this was going to be a long ride; but at least it was the nicest sleeper bus I've been on so far (the blue lights on the aisles probably helped). We set off, however round every bend, which was every minute because of how windy the roads were, my body either shifted into the window or the aisle. Multiple times I was in danger of falling off my top bunk but somehow I think the floor would have been somewhat better. Every time I looked towards the driver's direction all I could see was fog and rain - how could he see! I slept for 3 hours undisturbed, but all my thoughts were whether I was actually going to make it to see Jordan. I arrived at the hotel and caught up on sleep before Jordan's arrival; seeing her face after 6 months was brilliant and I couldn't wait for the next few weeks with her.
Coming from Luang Prabang and other beautiful places around Asia made Vang Vieng look somewhat interesting. It seemed to me like it was a run-down Malia. Staying on the island surrounded by bars and clubs did have its advantages though; no long walks home. I don't think I've even seen a place quite like it; and I've certainly not come across as many Irish people in one place. The restaurants were filled with TV screens playing either Friends or Family Guy and the menus were like a sweetshop for drugs, filled with varieties of 'sroom shakes, opium and weed. Our dinner times were often filled with watching Friends and the paralytic girls coming back at late hours after tubing, stumbling in without a clue where they were, legs covered in cuts and blood, still in bikinis owing to the fact they had mislaid their clothes (you should wear shorts and t -hirts over bikinis out of respect whilst tubing). We were keen on seeing some of Vang Vieng on our first day so we spent the day kayaking, tubing through caves (the water level was extremely high), seeing an elephant cave and walking through rice paddies, and finally ending up at the last tubing bar before heading home. It was an interesting kayak home.
Tubing. Oh tubing. No words can explain how much of a strange surreal concept it was, but a great one indeed. There were bars left and right of the river and we had to get in huge rubber rings / tubes to get to them; the bar tenders threw bottles attached to string to pull you in. At each bar you could take a free shot, and for each shot you took you received a coloured string bracelet. It was crazy! There were slides, ropes, jump platforms, and tonnes of people. I even bumped into someone I used to dance with when I was younger! Good news is I didn't die, but I did however lose my flipflops in the river.
So aside from the drinking and partying the countryside / landscape of Laos is the closest to Cambodia that I've seen since being on my travels. The poverty and how the families live I would say is on a par with places around Siem Reap. I do miss it! Back to Thailand it is!
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