Vang Vien

I went to meet a tour guide, I'd bumped into him on my first night in town and said that I would meet up with him but didn't go. He wanted to practice his English and I think that maybe my conversation class in Lurang Prabang had brought back my teaching instincts. I have been out of work a while. We went to the town's Irish bar and chatted over a few beers, we were joined by a few other people and before I knew it I was having a late night. Not a problem, I wasn't planning an early morning the next day and I don't think that Vang Vien is a morning town. Just like Mui Ne really. I wrote my postcards the next morning and spent $20 sending them, that would be the last time I sent so many postcards from Laos. I would keep sending them to Darren and Megan but everyone else would have to go without. I then went tubing at totally the wrong time of day, I had meant to get an earlier start but it didn't work out that way. The tubing itself wasn't as peaceful as it looks. The scenery is stunning and I was very happy that I was getting to see it this way but you do have to pay attention and it is easy to see how people have died here. Under the surface of the water in several places are huge boulders, if you hit one of these then you're done for. I only had to get out once to get across some shallows but despite putting on sun screen I got sun burnt. I spent the afternoon in a bar reading followed by another early night. I was done in Vang Vien and heading further south to Vientiane, the capital.