Hello again everyone,

We have had a very interesting few days in Laos.

So we set off from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng on a bus journey with the the girls and guys we had met and been traveling with. We arrived in Vang Vieng and were immediately pounced on by a guesthouse owner, but it had resort it the title so we went to check it out. All ten of us stayed there and it was one of the nicest places we have stayed. We had a fantastic view of the river and the mountains all for 4 pounds 50p (big spenders hey). We spent the rest of the day sunning ourselves and paddling in the river, it was bliss to just relax for a while.

So the next day we arranged to go 'Tubing' on the river. A driver took us up the river where we sat in big rubber rings on the river and the current took us back down again. Along the way on the side of the riverbank are bars with zip lines and trapeze swings. Both Claire and I went on the 1st zip line along with most of the others, we had a great time. The second bar we stopped in had the biggest swing on the river, I went on it, but screamed most of the way through the swing. By the end of the third jump I don't think I was screaming and I stayed fairly straight rather than my legs being all over the place!! I was very impressed with myself for doing it. As we were on the river we didn't take our cameras but someone in another group had a camera and a video camera, so she filmed us doing it. So hopefully soon I will add the video of me and the photos, so watch this space. We were very relaxed having a beer and watching everyone else swinging into the water.

We then floated downstream some more until we saw the sign for the last bar with the last swing, where we stopped.

Claire: I didnt do the last swing as I was worried that I might not be able to hold myself up on it. Anyway we got to the last stop and I did feel like I had missed out a bit as everyone we were with including Carly had done it except me so I thought sod it, I would do it....

The jump itself was fine, I swung off and swung backwards and forwards, held myself fine and it was wicked. However as I was walking out of the river it was so muddy that I could see where I was going or what was beneath me. I suddenly felt like I stubbed my toe on something but as I got out and looked down at my foot, in between my second to last and middle toe was gapping open and there was something hanging out of my foot at the top of where the two toes join. One of the guys we were with pulled it out and they carried my up to where Carly was. It turned out that I had cut my foot open on a massive bit of bamboo and that's what they pulled out - gross! The people running it got a first aid box and Carly cleaned it up with the limited resources she had. She had to steralize a pair of tweezers with vodka as it felt like there was still something in it - gross eh, hope you're not feeling too sick yet!

Anyway we thought it was best for me to go to hospital to get it checked out. I didn't want to spoil the rest of Carly's day and one of the girls with us, Lauren didnt want to carry on as wasn't that fussed about the tubing came with me. We had to go across the river in this tiny boat (they had to scoop water out before we could get in it) and then they drove me back to our guesthouse in this really random car that looked like something out of the dukes of hazzard with no windows!

I went to the hospital which was clean but they could hardly speak any English. The first person I saw who I thought was a doctor and was the only one that could speak English turned out to be the Porter! The doctor cleaned it up and said there was nothing still in it but I wasn't convienced as it really felt like it, like when you have a splinter. They obviosuly hardly get any foriegners in as at one point I had 5 people all crowding round to have a look plus there was these mental looking people in the beds next to me with boss eyes and stuff - v scary and so completely random! Lauren and I had to keep laughing and saying what an experience it was otherwise I think I would have cried!

Anyway, they bandaged it up, badly, and I had to pay 4 pounds for the pivilage - they didn't even give me any antibiotics or anything.

Back to me-Carly: We stayed at the last bar for a while and left well before it was dark. We took a couple of buckets with us to share. It took a lot longer than any of us thought and what we had been told so we ended up still on the river in the pitch black. The only light some of the time was the light from the moon. It reflected off the water and surrounding us were the shadows from the mountains. It was stunning. Some parts of the river got faster and we got stuck on the rocks occasionally, which was a bit scary in the dark. All in all even though Claire hurt her foot we both said that it was one of the best things we have done and one of the best days we have had.

When I got back Claire and Lauren were drinking vodka!!! We all got ready and went for dinner not far from our place. Two of the girls we were with got their degree results so we had a toast.

The next day Claire, Jane and I headed down to Vientiene the Capital of Laos. We left on the early bus and having not booked a ticket we luckily managed to get the last three seats!! The others wanted a lay in so got the later one. We all stayed at the same hotel again. Claire, Jane and I went to the Morning Market (even though it was about 3pm), then we walked to the Arc d'Triumphe replica. We managed to walk up to the top of it and see the views across the capital. Vientiene is not as nice as the other parts of Laos we have been to. But it is a city so there is pollution and its dirty whereas the rest of the country was very picturesque and pretty.

That evening we all went out for dinner, then we went to a karaoke bar where Clare (not our Claire) wanted to sing but they stopped as she was choosing her song! The next stop was a Laos club, which was an experience, us girls spent most of the evening sitting outside. The club was on top of a hotel with a swimming pool next to it which you weren't meant to swim in, but Clare, Andy, Jane and Hans couldn't resist and went in.

We had a late one as the girls had to leave the hotel at 4am to go to the airport so we all just stayed up to say goodbye to them. Then we crashed and didn't get up until midday.

Once we finally got up we went to a large temple in Vientiene. We wandered around it for a while and then went back and said goodbye to the boys, as they set off on their 23 hour journey to Hanoi!!

We have had an eventful time in Laos, but also an amazing time. I have seen some of the most perfect views I think I could ever see. Laos as a country is great and I would recommend it to anyone. I had a great time and it will probably go down as one of my favourite places. Neither of us really knew what to expect from Laos which made it better and be both really it.

Goodbye Laos, Hello Vietnam.

Hope your well

Missing you lots

Lots of Love
Carly and Claire
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