Vang Vienging it...

Vang Vieng is a crazy place. Word has it that after the tsunami hit S. Thailand... Ko Phi Phi and other S. Thai party island moved some of the party scene to this small, dramatic place in the middle of Lao.

So if you are looking to party in Vang Vieng, party hard... and do it right. If you are looking for a mellower scene, just avoid the party spots (very easy to do) and stay in a chilled out guesthouse. But don't try to do both... you'll get annoyed at the partyers... or the non-partyers.

Enjoying sunset from our rooftop terrace moments after check in.


The next day, after visiting the rope swings (see last post), we went further north up to a cave with a river running through it.


You spelunk with inner tubes and follow a rope to the end... quite enjoyable...


One (among the many) thing Vang Vieng is known is that it's a very comfortable place to have a hangover (and I'd say most folks here experience a few)... with so many loungy cafes serving fruit juices with the TV playing "Friends: reruns... although our guesthouse refused to play Friends...


This is what Funk looked like 80% of the time...


Awww


The next morning, Funk and I decided to run-off that haziness in our heads with a nice trail run around town... there are many make-shift bridges in Vang Vieng...


And many smaller ones over smaller creeks


...


There's a fee on some of the bridges... like this one... but we didn't have any $$$.. but we were running anyway... so we just ran...


Later that day, we scootered around the area looking for caves, mountains to hike, or swimming holes to discover. This is Jasper's first ever stream crossing on Nice.


And found a cool cave.


With the biggest cave-spider I've ever seen!


The next morning... after a suggestion from Fred, we headed up to this lookout. Which he describes as the "the apotheosis of Zen"... and we fully agree.


Not a bad view egh?


Look Fred! We made it!!! (It's a little better res after you click on it...)




You'll have to ask Funk about this pic... I'll let him tell the story.


More monkeys! This one lives at one of the bars at the rope swing area... kinda sad really... and pretty mangy looking.


After enough caves, tubing, rope swinging, and trail running... we decided to leave town. Here's Kim's potatos and cheese for brekky... woohoo


Our parting shot with Jasper. He took a bus to Vientiane, a flight to Bangkok, a flight to Phuket, then to Seoul, and Seattle, then home... phew. I'm sure he appreciated the shot. The Woodford's was a Funk item. Although he only brought a very small day pack, he made room for the Woodfords... priorities.