Lauren and I paying close attention to the front of the bus and the curving mountain road we were flying up on. We were riding a local Laos bus en route of Vang Vieng, the acclaimed backpackers paradise.
We heard such great stories of this village that was situated along side beautiful Karst Limestone Mountains that tower over The Nam Song river . What did all the young people come to Vang Vieng for? Well, to get liquored at 9 am while riding in black rubber tubes down the river. Locals were pulling us into bars by long bamboo poles along side the river. Lauren and I grabbed on to each and every one of those long bamboo poles and headed in for a bucket or two! A bucket? Yes a sand castle bucket, usually a bright yellow, blue, orange or what ever colour that bucket may be at that time in the morning. Filled with 1 red bull, 1 coke and a mickey of whiskey! Ouch... I was mostly seeing buckets on my journey through South East Asia. The River ride would maybe be half hour but getting out at ever bar and attending the notorious mud wrestling parties it could take you up to 3 or 4 hours.
When we were not riding down the river we would relax in one of the many restaurants with Thai Coushins laid out on the floor while eating amazing food costing us $2 or $3 and watching the Friends sitcom episodes play over and over.
During evening time the night life was centered around a few different bars along the river, screaming some kind of techno music.
We were just 22 years young and enjoying the time of our lives and spent it well, we both knew when we came home to Canada there would be no 9 am buckets of whiskey waiting for us along side a river back dropped with beautiful Laotian mountains.
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| Our first bucket of the morning |
I learned in the last few years that this town has stopped the river float, torn all the bars down and has not advertised for backpackers no longer. Their was 22 young people that drowned in the river in 2011. After that with all the drugs and heavy drinking, the government felt that the Laos culture was at state in this beautiful little town. Tourist were coming to Vang Vieng for the wrong reasons. Not to enjoy the culture and beautiful bliss of the village, but to drink, take drugs and float down a river aimlessly.
I am sure glad that Lauren and I got to experience it some time ago now. Even though I saw the danger and that maybe it was not the most responsible thing to do in such a lovely place, I will not only remember Vang Vieng for the party but for the beautiful landscapes, food, and locals that made the village spectacular.
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| Lauren arriving to the end of the river float almost dusk |
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| We were the only one left on the river ... |
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| In the evening at the Smile Bar Photo: Heather Walmsley some taken from Internet |
