LAOS

Hi everyone from Vang Vieng! It's been awhile since we posted and I feel like alot has happened. Here's what we've been up to for the past week.

The Slow Boat Experience.
We crossed the border into Laos and successfully acquired Lao visas for one month. Then we got ready for our two-day slow boat trip to Luang Prabang. The slow boat is probably the most talked-about means of travel in Laos, you hear about it everywhere you go. Plus Jeff and Val took it when they did their SE Asia trip. So we were definitely stoked! Right before we were heading down to the pier with a big group of travelers, the tour guide gave us this big speech about how crowded the boats would be and how miserable the trip would be, and how once you were on the boat you couldn't get off, and the backpacks could get stolen (etc. etc.) - but, he did have bus tickets for sale for just 300 baht more! His speech persuaded a handful of people to take the bus instead, which would take just one day instead of our two-day boat trip. Hm. It was all very interesting until we found out later that he just worked for the bus company. There was some truth to his words though - the slow boat was crowded!!! The first day we were sitting on a cooler in the kitchen on the back of the boat. The second day we got these tiny little bench seats, a step up! And half of the boat was full of car seats (as in, they could have been in a minivan). What a wacky but gorgeous journey. The boat went down the Mekong River past fishing villages and we were able to look out and see the fishers and farmers at work. The scenery was awesome. Oh, and probably the best time we had on the boat was sitting right up at the front, chatting with other travelers about places we'd been and places we wanted to go. Here's a view from the slow boat.

Luang Prabang.
This is where the slow boat drops you off. We had our packs ready and we scrambled up the hill in order to get a guesthouse for the night. We had to ask at so many guesthouses because the boat drops you off in the evening after many are already full. As soon as you walk up to a guesthouse with your big pack a little kid may run out and tell you, "sorry, full!" with a smile. We finally found a nice one and settled in. Luang Prabang was so fun! We walked around the town for about two days. The French influence is really there in the architecture and the food. Mike enjoyed many a baguette and one night we actually went to a little wine shop. We also explored some villages right along the river. The night market was the best yet!

Vang Vieng.
So here we are now in Vang Vieng. Possibly the exact opposite of Luang Prabang! We got here and thought 'whoa, is this place real?' At first it seems like a regular backpacker-filled travelers town, then you realise that every shop sells the same t-shirt ("In The Tube"), every food stand sells burgers and banana pancakes, and every restaurant plays Friends re-runs! It's totally nuts! There are so many drunk foreign young backpackers here, it's hilarious. The intertubing thing (hence the "In The Tube" tank tops) is the most popular activity. It's so silly. Okay, but the nature surrounding this wacky little town is the best! I had no idea there could be massive limestone cliffs in a landlocked country. On our first day here we went climbing with Adam's rock climbing school (http://www.laos-climbing.com/index.html) which was great! So far we've been able to pay for transportation to the local crag without getting a lesson or needing to rent gear, which is great because we also get the benefit of being in a group and meeting people, and getting any tips on how to get around. Here is a picture of us walking to the climbing area yesterday.
Today we met up with the two girls in the above photo, who we met climbing, and the four of us pedaled out to a cave called Phu Kham, or the Blue Lagoon. The cave was enormous!!! Really spectacular. After that we swam around in the Blue Lagoon area and enjoyed the sun. Then pedaled back to town and enjoyed some fruit shakes and some Friends. Tomorrow (here is the best part) we're kayaking to Vientiane. The river companies here offer a trip where you kayak part of the way from Vang Vieng to Vientiane and get transportation for the last stretch. So instead of taking a bus (windy roads here don't make for the most relaxing bus rides) we get to kayak. Sweet!

All the best from Laos - J/M