Five buckets a day keeps the doctor away.

Arriving in Vientien, we quickly got to the other end of town to jump on yet another bus to Vang Vieng. Well was it not one of the most picturess places on this planet. Strange what a oxymoron the place is with everyone getting smashed not taking in the stature of the place. There are these lime stone pillar hills that rise up around the river, surrounding one with jungle amidst these hills. First thing was first, got the cheapest room we could find in town dumped and the bags. I bought a dry bag for my camera (the kewlest invention since sliced bread) and we hired tubes headed for the river and bucket madness.

It's one massive piss-up on the river from 10am till the sun goes down. After which your off to town to grab a nibble and then the buckets continue while bar hopping. Q-bar, Oh la la on to Sun set and Smile bar. The music is switched off around 10-11pm and bar closes not to long after. Around 2-3am the police chaise everyone home with AK-47's. Suppose all thing communist started with the kalashnikov (the AK's ancestor).

On day one we managed to tube all of 10 meters from bar I to bar II. The rest of the time we took that precious money for tubes and spent it towards buckets. We had managed to make some really kewl friends Dane and Sarah (Aussie & English couple) they were bags of fun, Kieth a DJ who plays 6 months on Ibitha and the other 6 in Thailand he has done it for the past nine years and Emmie a rocking Swedish chick who has been working at bar II for a few months now.

Gosh did we have a piss-up and buckets of fun. On the 6'th it was Sarah's B-Day and we had decided we were going to hold the invisible Olympics. That morning we went shopping and kitted our selves out in the colours of our countries. I was in a pair of girls tight volleyball shorts green and yellow, head sweat band yellow, black wrist sweat bands and a pair of ridiculous blue sunnies. The rest were similarly dressed. We looked like we were a bunch of Dutchmen.. Going to the special Olympics. Once at bar II things got messy fast, from invisible darts, fishing, tennis, weight lifting to golf we had it all. Everyone was really into it and acted out the events with the utmost skill it was hilarious!

It was amazing bar II where Emmie worked was pretty quite (the day before) due to some bad mouthing stooge in bar I. But that all changed when our events got going and rando's were joining in the fun. To top things off for Sarah Q-Bar some how got wind of our idea and made fliers about the events to be had. Jeez that party went down so well. Even though we missed the Q-Bar gig as some one (no names) suggested we have quick snooze, but I think that was for the better considering everyone's state.

One of the days I took a breather and ventured out of town on a rented bike. As much fun as I was having with my new friends I wanted to see some of the surrounding area. Just wondering off in a random direction I had landed up at some caves, Tom long and Elephant caves I think were the names. Not a clue what I was in for.

A local guide tagged on to me from the small Elephant cave to the larger one. At first I was cursing under my breath. But once half way into to the 1.5km cave system I thought other wise. It's awesome wondering around in these pitch black caves with no one else around. No ques, lights other than a shitty headlamp. Here we were walking, crouching, squeezing, crawling through this cave that seemed to go on for ever. Through mud, over rocks, under ground streams it was marvelous! I could just see this place in five or ten years, light up and fenced off, all it splendor squashed. But here we were, no policing in sight, going where we wanted.

After what seems like 2 hrs we got to the end of the cave. It was time to swim and I hand no trunks, but I thought what the hell dose that matter you made it all the way here. So in my undies trying to hold a flash light about water, here I was splashing and swimming about. Deep in the bowls of this cave... Ah it was such fun, and I was so glad to have stumbled upon this and done it. Even though I left my iPhone some where in the cave.