Vang Vieng

Tourist Central
I spent a very brief time in Vang Vieng... not even 24 hours, arriving in the late afternoon Sunday Sept. 28 and leaving the next morning. But I can't say that I am saddened by this. Though, had I spent more time in the area, I might have been more apt to like it. Vang Vieng is definitely not a destination for the city itself. Rather it is the stunning country around it that is the draw. There are also lots of outdoor activities available, from kayaking to caving. I didn't have enough time to partake in any of them, but I don't feel like I missed out tremendously. It seems like lots of these things have sprung up to have something to do in the area, rather than it being a place that you really need to do them in. And (granted the natural setting was gorgeous) since I have already been to Yangshuo in China, I didn't feel like I missed out on exploring that type of landscape. Though I will say, I would have liked to go to the Blue Lagoon had time allowed.
I was planning to go hot air ballooning to see the sunrise, but when I asked around at various booking offices, I learned that the ballooning was not available. "It starts next month." You mean the month that is starting in three days?! Talk about unfortunate timing. So I contented myself with walking around the area and admiring the river and beautiful landscape. And I also treated myself to a two-hour massage.
Well, it should have been two hours. I negotiated with the lady to get a one hour full body oil massage followed by an hour foot and leg massage. She led me to the massage room and left me in the hands of one of the masseuses. I checked our starting time, 6:35 p.m., and then settled in for a nice massage. Until she said, "OK. Finished." A glance at the clocked showed 8:20 p.m. Seriously?! There is 15 more minutes to go. I decided to just complain to the lady downstairs and ask for a discount, but to no avail. A language barrier suddenly formed, and two other masseuses claimed the massage had started at 6:25 p.m., backing up the other girl. I didn't even enter the building until 6:30 p.m.! The massage was still much cheaper than it would have been at home, but I was still frustrated on principle. I paid the full price and left grumbling; at least I "saved" money by not forking over a hefty amount for a hot air balloon ride.

I got dinner at a restaurant and then settled in for a night of picture uploading and editing. It poured rain through the night, so I was happy to be safely situated in my hostel. I woke up the next morning with just enough time to get breakfast, see the river once more and catch the bus back to Vientiane. The bus ride had quite a lot of lovely scenery along the way.
I would recommend Vang Vieng solely for a nature expedition. Or if you have been traveling for a while and need a break from the exertions of a foreign country. Episodes of "Friends" play on loop in almost every restaurant in the city, all of which offer more options of foreign food than Lao cuisine. The city has sadly become what it thinks tourists want rather than maintaining its own identity.

Vang Vieng Gratitude Journal
1. I am grateful for sticky rice dessert.
2. I am grateful for beautiful landscapes.

*NOTE: Exchange to/from Laotian Kip in Laos. It's nearly impossible to do it outside of the country.