Another lesson learned NEVER go on a Double Decker bus with a dodgy tummy through truly exceptional windey roads (I thought the trip to Pai was bad)It started with loud music of George Michael – "Careless Whisper" (how apt kitsch as hell and soooooooooo Asian) little did I know that song was the only saving grace it was the barf bag journey from hell.
When you high up in a bus you weave and roll, I (Lou) had direct vision of a girl two seats up vomiting in her bag, it took all my mind control not to join her and so I have committed "Careless Whisper" to my mind and I cant get it out. 7hrs on a bus with people barfing in a bag and trying hard not to join them makes a girl love kitsch.
Vang Vienne was such a fab surprise, Janine (Canadian friend) swooped up to the train station in a tuk tuk to wisk us away to the best little spot on the river cutie pie bungalows yahh we were so relieved to arrive and have accommodation sorted.
Arrived around 3pm went straight out and rented motor bikes, no more scooters so decided to practice getting the hang of gears on this wide road which turned out to be the runway. Eeks we made a hasty lurching departure and headed for the caves and water.
On the way to the swim we drove through landscape that were jaw dropping exquisite, lots of little villages- children, puppies, dogs, chickens scratching, the occasional pig, edging our bikes through herds of cows. We finally arrived at the swimming hole, the rocks have a patina of polished gemstones and it gives the water an effervescent blue turquoise colour , quite unbelievable and incredibly inviting especially when there is a huge tree that you can climb and throw yourself in the water from it, Bill went to the highest one and I couldn’t look!
Lawrence and I (craig) got some food for thought from a local, borrowed 2 lamps and headed into the deepest caves I have ever been in, it was a real adventure. Up in the first big immense cavern was a Buddhist alter illuminated by a light source from high on up. So being in a creative frame of mind decided to get Lou and the Boys up the next day, go into the deepest darkest cavern and give them a crash course in meditation.
We headed back to town around sunset – roughly a 10 km journey through tiny little one restaurant villages negotiating wooden suspension bridges where you have to drive on a raised ridge about 600 mm wide, with that and bumpy dirt roads it was a real baptism of fire for us on new bikes. Hiring a bike is really casual here, you haggle over a price using mainly sign language and a calculator with various options on 1 day, 2 days and extended periods hand over your passport and of you go, no paperwork, no licenses, no helmet, I love it.
Showered and headed to town desperate for some western food and found this funky bar that served pizza. It had a pool table and before we knew it the boys were playing pool and hustling with vibey aussies and kiwi boys and girls. I was in heaven a glass of wine and a pizza woohoo, definitely was a good evening. Craig and Lawrence got pink tickets and hit the club section which consists of about 15 open air clubs along the river. At this time of the year everyone converges on the most popular one and we met all our loved up new best friends from our travels to date.
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