Boxing Day arrived and we had an action packed day planned, first stop bike hire and then off to visit the Blue Lagoon and Tham Phu Kham caves 7km away. We set off really early to avoid the heat of the day on our high performance wheels, complete with fetching baskets, maybe paying a little more for mountain bikes might have been a good idea! The tracks were yellow rivers of craters and boulder land mines which our thin tyres found a tad difficult to negotiate. Obviously being the honed athletes that we both are the journey was a doddle and we arrived looking cool, calm and collected...OK I looked like Mrs Tomatoe head and Matt had a startled look on his face with rivulets of sweat dripping onto his wet t-shirt!
We then had to climb 200m up to the cave, like two mountain goats, and scramble around in this fantastic cave. My head torch (10,000 kip) shone none existent light and how I avoided taking a very quick descent into the abyss at certain points I don't know. A local guide eventually took pity on me and lent me his head torch, I was very relieved that this opened up a whole new view of the dangers and caves beauty.
Heading back we met some school children and ended up giving two boys a lift up the road. I think they pretty quickly acknowledged our expertise on the bikes and asked to get off.
Making it back in one piece we quickly swapped our bikes for tubes and were taken by tuktuk 4km up river to the drop off zone. Let the fun commence! First was watching people, including ourselves, trying to launch themselves into their tubes whilst the fast running river snatched it from grasps. Eventually we were on and cruising down the river, spinning and gliding passed the numerous bars blasting out music and trying their hardest to get you to stop. After about 15 minutes and the bars disappeared and we left alone sucking in the tranquility and amazing scenery. Lulled by the calm water we drifted slowly like two water lilies on a pond, eyes closed enjoying the sun's rays. "Matt what's that noise, can you see anything down river", my tube refused to rotate me to a downwards view. As we paddled furiously, eventually both facing down river it was upon us, a line of rocks jutting out of the water and a froth of white water. Arses jutting from the bottom of our tubes hit the rocks and we had some serious backwards planking to do in order to avoid having baboon bottoms at the end of this adventure! Those that know me will not be surprised that part way through these manoeuvres I was completely helpless with laughter, unable to focus on cackling and planking so cackling took priority and my arse paid the price! Once we'd re-grouped and actually caught up with each other again we looped legs to keep our tubes together and continued onwards ready for the next onslaught. More prepared for the next rocks we took the inside line, feeling smug that we'd cracked it, the left bank loomed at great speed, tree roots jutting like knives and we were now helpless to avoid capture. Matt was paddling furiously whilst I again lost it in laughter and we swirled into, on and over the clawing trees...no harm done and we emerged into the sun and calmer water again. It is now easy to understand how 10 plus years ago when spliffs were in abundance and masses of alcohol mandatory that this activity caused so many injuries and even death. For us it was an absolute joy and superb way to pass an afternoon.
As with the tube launch, the docking and alightment proved to be just as hard but I'd like to think we showed a little grace and style as we scrambled over the rocks to the finish point, Smile bar. After such a strenuous day what better way than to congratulate ourselves with a Bacardi bucket!
Ravenous we stop to munch on a Laos sausage, just to keep us going until dinner.
Between 4 and 5pm brings out the hot air balloons, dotting the landscape like baubles on a Christmas tree.
Matt waiting patiently for his Laap, a spicy and hot local dish with a rocket afterburn. We have since learnt the phrase 'bore pet' which means milder!
The following day, given we will be spending much of the following few days on the road, we spend the day at Smile beach watching the world go by...
and the tubers alight...hilarious, pure gold
Tomorrow we catch the bus to Vientiane and say goodbye to Vang Vieng. The scenery in Vang Vieng is absolutely stunning, there is no getting away from the fact that this is very much a tourist town, fun and relaxing the perfect way for us to have celebrated Christmas but we're ready to move on.
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