Wandering Scotsman

Spent today tubing with a couple of girls I met climbing yesterday, and a girl who took my photo in Luang Prabang (small world, not an exciting explanation!). Reluctantly I plan on leaving tomorrow – I think that’s Sunday, not because I’m ready for it, just that I need to time wise to get through southern Laos in a whistle stop fashion! Yesterday I went climbing which was fantastic – great to get out on rock again. Tomorrow I have to fight with my mind as I know two seperate people going on various routes, and I’ve got to know three of the instructors well, (having drinks and eating at their restaurants) so I’m desperate to hang around and climb with them tomorrow but my schedule dictates otherwise. I’m also a tad jealous of Jane’s posting from the Red Cross in Luang Prabang as I want to be doing it too!

A big thanks to Amy, Zoe, Deb(s) and Joe for the last day or so of fun in Vang Vieng! In fact thanks to everyone I’ve met so far – Israeli, English, Irish, American, German, Argentinian, Spanish, Australian, Polish, New Zealand, French, and last but certainly not least Canadian (and the others I’ve missed)

I feel like a bit of a spoilt brat being out here and complaining about lack of time, but there’s just loads of things I’ll miss out on, and I’ve not been moving fast at all compared to some!

Advice for others travelling – save loads, buy a one way ticket, go on your own, and get people to fit into your plans ;->

Sunset at Vang Vieng :

I can’t actually decide whether I like Vang Vieng or not….
On one hand it’s in an amazing setting with limestone cliffs all around, but on the other hand it’s in a shithole of a town, full of bars playing movies, Friends and the Simpsons! But to cater for the backpacker crowd there’s also some quite naff bars on the riverside, but it’s also pretty relaxing to sit by them and have a beer, one foot dangling in the river. Going price for a joint is 40,000Kip (don’t worry mum) and there’s a lot of that kicking around. If only Luang Prabang could have the activities like this and not be spoiled it’d be perfect.

But, I went climbing today. I’m don’t think it was value for money at $21 but it got me on rock, and I had a good time, despite being defeated by an overhang move, but hey, I haven’t climbed since May.

I’ve not had a chance to write posts about my recent circuit in North East Laos yet. I could easily spend a couple of months in Laos but I’ve got a real time dilemma about hitting Veitnam by the end of the month, with very limited time in Cambodia so I think I’ll have to move south the day after tomorrow, and take a killer overnight 24 hour bus journey south from Vientiene to Pakse, and that sucks! Too little time!

Rope swings at a tubing stop (right next to a climbing area called Sleeping Cave :

A riverside bar at the end of tubing :

Kids at a village on between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng :

Amy on a 6a? :

Me at the crux move on a 6b, before my not-used-to-climbing arms gave up :

Me just before the crux move :

Jeez, I managed to get out of Luang Prabang! It was hard, it has to be said, it was just such a relaxing chilled place. Even at the bus station I was feeling weird about leaving when I said goodbye to Jane in the tuk-tuk as her next stop was the Red Cross to find out about the volunteering I was keen to do. But hey, if it sounds good I can always go back. Time is passing too quickly to stay 🙁 I also tried to speak to the guy at the adventure tours place about potential opportunities last night, but fate decided it was his night off – the only time he hasn’t been there in the dozens of times I’ve walked past… but this generally sums up my Luang Prabang experience…chilling out and leaving everything until it had to be done.

I found even more places in the last few days that I had meant to check out for days – a really cool place called le’Cinema that has private rooms, with hundreds of DVDs you can pick and watch, and l’etranger book shop which we chilled in for hours yesterday, not even watching the world go by…and eating a damn fine ceasar salad baguette. Even at the night market I found the most tasty, yet sickly sweet coffee I’ve had for ages, AND I got it to takeaway! The Lao Coffee rocks. Even better when it’s served ‘Sabah style’ (a kickback to my Borneo days) with sweet condensed thick syrupy ‘milk’. I also went for a bit of a shopathon at the night market which was great, but has left me carrying even more shit with me – so much so the guys from the bus thought I was moving house.

Today I made the 7.5 hour public bus journey from Luang Prabang down to Vang Vieng. Despite not having taken any of the ‘VIP’ tourist buses yet I’m convinced the local buses are the best way to travel…take a bit longer as you stop off at some village dropping rice and stuff off, but far less tourists, and you manage to get a better glance at the places you pass through, rather than being surround by 60 tourists gazing out the window at 70km/h. And you meet cooler people. Usually.

Vang Vieng is home of some of the biggest limestone karsts in SE Asia, and I’ve got a decent room for $3, with a communal balcony out the back overlooking the river. Hopefully I’ll get some tubing down the river tomorrow, or a climb ($21!!) and get a better feel for the place. As usual my scenic expectations haven’t quite been matched yet, but I’ll give it time. I’m off out to post this blog entry, and avoid any happy pizzas, and see if this place is really as much of a backpackerville as it’s made out to be.