Louang Prubang to Vang Vieng

Louang Prubang was a lovely place to visit - its French touch starts with freshly baked baguettes and jam in the morning to a walk around the towns many alleyways which have vast numbers of homes much like what you would find in a French vilage (im assuming here but will confirm with you sometime later in the year) and a visit to a museum or two in the afternoon laden with French language and scripture. The history is rich.

We visited the famous Pak Ou Caves, after a boat ride that backtracked two hours up the Mekong from the direction in which we had travelled down earlier. Our poor captain - after loosing our propeller along the way for the first time and after he stripped down into in blue underpants to replace it, it happened a second time just minutes later. This time he ventured up into the hills to buy one from a local village. The caves itself...well...involved a lot of walking up stairs...and about 4000 little buddha statues. It was ok, and as they say its the journey and not the end destination.

Most of our time in L.P was spent lazying around (now one of my favourite hobbies, along with dining out of course) reading books and walking the streets. Hiring a bicycle for the day was also very cool and you get to see much of the backwaters that you wouldn't necessarily otherwise see.

We left L.P on Sunday (yesterday) and headed for Vang Vieng, a small town that like most other places we visit relies solely on tourists stopping by for a couple of days en route to the capital. Our journey took about 5hrs in a minivan through and aroung some gorgeous landscapes and mountains. We passed hundreds of little clusters of houses on the way with people working and kids playing on the road side. The horn is used as a defence weapon to warn other cars, scooters, cows, kids, trolleys, chickens etc that you're coming and they should watch out. Interestingly enough i had to sit in the front seat, something that not even Lonely Planet would recommend. Like some of the food, its better off if you can't see what you're eating. This clause applies to driving also. We almost hit two cows, one was so incredibly close, and the trucks too seem to not mind if they are on your side of the road!

Well we arrived, caught a songathew into the small town and found a guesdthouse (GH). We spent yestarday r\arvo watching Family Guy and about 8 episodes of Friends (after walking around the town of course. All eateries play comedy seies in an attempt to lure travellers. One of the most overwhelming things with this is however that there is no market differential (that may not be the term) they play the same series and episodes. This problem, unfortunately, is all too common around SE Asia. They compete for the same thing but what they offer is undeniably the same. However, in saying that, its what they do.

So we are in Vang Vieng and wiull probably do some tubing in the local river tomorrow (its what the town is famous for). We would do it today but one of us has succomed to a spot of diarrhoea. Did you know that about 60% of travellers get it within 2 weeks of travelling. Anyway, enough of the pleasantries, im off to find something to eat.

Dont work too hard people!!