Tuesday 5 January
Breakfasted under grey skies with light drizzle, and were checked out by 8:30 waiting for our minivan to Vang Vieng. It was chilly in the van as were collected more passengers around town. Soon were heading into the hilly countryside. Teak forest and bamboo and small villages lines the roadsides. By the time we turned on to the ‘new’ road to Vang Vieng, the clouds had been left behind and the sun shone from a mostly clear blue sky. Our route took us high into the limestone karst mountains, along a winding road lines with pampas grasses. The highest pass was over 1800 metres, and the air was cool and fresh. A precipitous winding descent brought us to Kasi for a lunch stop at a basic warung.
It took nearly two hours more to reach Vang Vieng, on a road becoming increasingly potholed, slowing progress. Vang Vieng town most unattractive, all dusty streets and concrete buildings of little character. It is only when one is by the Nam Song river, looking across to the cliffs of the karsts that the attraction becomes apparent. We were dropped off at 1pm, outside the Elephant Crossing Hotel, and checked into our very pleasant room (wooden floors, white walls, with a balcony and a fine view across the river to the aforesaid cliffs. Took a short walk to VLT Tours to book a balloon flight tomorrow afternoon at 4pm (US$80 each).
Vang Vieng is also bogan heaven. The ugly streets are lined with sandwich shops and bars. The tattooed, sunburned muscle-shirted denizens of these establishments, and their bleached blonde girlfriends are back from a hard day of tubing and caving, craving the first shot of Lao-lao for the evening. Also, along the riverside, thatched huts provide platforms over the water for lounging (or preening), drinking Beer Lao and more shots, with the added bonus of loud doof-doof music. This I learned on a circuit of the riversides, crossing the tolled Nam Song Bridge (4000 kip) to the rural far bank of the river and recrossing by the narrow (but free) bamboo bridge.
We are dinner at the Elephant Crossing’s own riverside restaurant, and had a quite good red curry, and average Vang Vieng vegetables dish. It is deliciously cool by the riverside of an evening.
Wednesday 6 January
A quite satisfactory buffet breakfast (with made to order omelettes from Ms Po Face) greeted us by the riverside this morning. Afterward, I convinced Minuk that a walk out to Lao Valhalla, where we had not succeeded in booking through Airbnb, would be a good idea. This involved crossing the river, and walking about 1 km up the road to the Blue Lagoon. Whilst the walk along the riverside was pleasant, and the views of the karst hills very attractive, there were also a number of negatives when we turned onto the road heading out from town. Chief amongst these was the regular rumbling by of dumptrucks, accompanied by clouds of dust. And of course, whilst the air was cool, the sun most definitely was not. And the road was distinctly lacking in shade. A good thing then, that the walk was only 1 km.
On arrival at Lao Valhalla we were greeted by the proprietor the very loquacious Nouth. We enjoyed cool drinks, and had a look at one of the bungalows. Very airy and bright, in a garden setting. Best to have your own transport to stay here though. We ordered early lunch (red curry and chicken larp with steamed rice. The cooking was crisp and fresh, a slight cut above the hotel food of last night. Nouth gave us a complimentary plate of mango anf banana, and a shot of her mother’s lao-lao.
It was time however, to brave the walk back to town, as there did not seem any evidence of tuk-tuks going our way (any number were headed to the Blue Lagoon, in the opposite direction). It was a long, hot and dusty walk, and a shower and rest in our room was a relief.
Soon enough though, it was time to go to the VLT office to be collected for our ballooning expedition. We were taken in a tuk-tuk, which became ridiculously crowded as it toured town to pick up more customers. We subsequently ate the dust of the half full one which was in front of us as we wound through tracks between fallow paddy fields on the way to the launch site a couple of kilometres south of town.
Three baskets lay on the ground, and draped in front of them were the balloons. They were then inflated by the ground crew, first filled with air with powerful fans, then the air was heated using the gas burners. Our balloon, with space for seven, was 2nd to launch, and fortunately for Minuk, had a gate in the basket, allowing easy access. The heat from the gas burners was incredibly intense (I’d scored the spot under them - for balance).
We lifted off to about 30 metres, pretty much as the 3rd balloon also got underway. The first balloon was soaring very high at this point. We drifted low over the paddy fields, chased by the 3rd balloon, and rising just in time to miss a line of trees shading the roadway. The balloon climbed high (to about 400 metres above the ground) heading toward town. The 3rd balloon drifted under us, and then low along the Nam Song River as our balloon drifted diagonally across the town, providing fine views of the clifs, the river and town, lit by the slanting rays of the setting sun. It is amazing how in the setting sun, the rather ugly town of Vang Vieng can actually look very picturesque.
Our designated landing spot was in a field about a kilometre to the north. We landed gently, right on target, about 40 minutes after lift off, We had to remain standing in the balloon as the ground crew arrived to set up the balloon for a 2nd flight. Our pilot, a jolly Chinese fellow in a white flight suit was trained in Beijing, and waxed lyrical about the beauty of Guilin! As we left, the balloon soared skyward one more with a second load of passengers. We piled into the tuk-tuk to be taken back to town. A very worthwhile experience.
Dinner, once again at the hotel’s riverside restaurant was uninspiring (yellow curry, vegetables, pretty meh). More exciting was the rowdy rombongan of Chinese tourists, drinking up a storm at the top of their voices in the room next to us! Great let me embarass my wife in front of all these people performance for on guy in particular was a standout.
Breakfasted under grey skies with light drizzle, and were checked out by 8:30 waiting for our minivan to Vang Vieng. It was chilly in the van as were collected more passengers around town. Soon were heading into the hilly countryside. Teak forest and bamboo and small villages lines the roadsides. By the time we turned on to the ‘new’ road to Vang Vieng, the clouds had been left behind and the sun shone from a mostly clear blue sky. Our route took us high into the limestone karst mountains, along a winding road lines with pampas grasses. The highest pass was over 1800 metres, and the air was cool and fresh. A precipitous winding descent brought us to Kasi for a lunch stop at a basic warung.
It took nearly two hours more to reach Vang Vieng, on a road becoming increasingly potholed, slowing progress. Vang Vieng town most unattractive, all dusty streets and concrete buildings of little character. It is only when one is by the Nam Song river, looking across to the cliffs of the karsts that the attraction becomes apparent. We were dropped off at 1pm, outside the Elephant Crossing Hotel, and checked into our very pleasant room (wooden floors, white walls, with a balcony and a fine view across the river to the aforesaid cliffs. Took a short walk to VLT Tours to book a balloon flight tomorrow afternoon at 4pm (US$80 each).
Vang Vieng is also bogan heaven. The ugly streets are lined with sandwich shops and bars. The tattooed, sunburned muscle-shirted denizens of these establishments, and their bleached blonde girlfriends are back from a hard day of tubing and caving, craving the first shot of Lao-lao for the evening. Also, along the riverside, thatched huts provide platforms over the water for lounging (or preening), drinking Beer Lao and more shots, with the added bonus of loud doof-doof music. This I learned on a circuit of the riversides, crossing the tolled Nam Song Bridge (4000 kip) to the rural far bank of the river and recrossing by the narrow (but free) bamboo bridge.
We are dinner at the Elephant Crossing’s own riverside restaurant, and had a quite good red curry, and average Vang Vieng vegetables dish. It is deliciously cool by the riverside of an evening.
Wednesday 6 January
A quite satisfactory buffet breakfast (with made to order omelettes from Ms Po Face) greeted us by the riverside this morning. Afterward, I convinced Minuk that a walk out to Lao Valhalla, where we had not succeeded in booking through Airbnb, would be a good idea. This involved crossing the river, and walking about 1 km up the road to the Blue Lagoon. Whilst the walk along the riverside was pleasant, and the views of the karst hills very attractive, there were also a number of negatives when we turned onto the road heading out from town. Chief amongst these was the regular rumbling by of dumptrucks, accompanied by clouds of dust. And of course, whilst the air was cool, the sun most definitely was not. And the road was distinctly lacking in shade. A good thing then, that the walk was only 1 km.
On arrival at Lao Valhalla we were greeted by the proprietor the very loquacious Nouth. We enjoyed cool drinks, and had a look at one of the bungalows. Very airy and bright, in a garden setting. Best to have your own transport to stay here though. We ordered early lunch (red curry and chicken larp with steamed rice. The cooking was crisp and fresh, a slight cut above the hotel food of last night. Nouth gave us a complimentary plate of mango anf banana, and a shot of her mother’s lao-lao.
It was time however, to brave the walk back to town, as there did not seem any evidence of tuk-tuks going our way (any number were headed to the Blue Lagoon, in the opposite direction). It was a long, hot and dusty walk, and a shower and rest in our room was a relief.
Soon enough though, it was time to go to the VLT office to be collected for our ballooning expedition. We were taken in a tuk-tuk, which became ridiculously crowded as it toured town to pick up more customers. We subsequently ate the dust of the half full one which was in front of us as we wound through tracks between fallow paddy fields on the way to the launch site a couple of kilometres south of town.
Three baskets lay on the ground, and draped in front of them were the balloons. They were then inflated by the ground crew, first filled with air with powerful fans, then the air was heated using the gas burners. Our balloon, with space for seven, was 2nd to launch, and fortunately for Minuk, had a gate in the basket, allowing easy access. The heat from the gas burners was incredibly intense (I’d scored the spot under them - for balance).
We lifted off to about 30 metres, pretty much as the 3rd balloon also got underway. The first balloon was soaring very high at this point. We drifted low over the paddy fields, chased by the 3rd balloon, and rising just in time to miss a line of trees shading the roadway. The balloon climbed high (to about 400 metres above the ground) heading toward town. The 3rd balloon drifted under us, and then low along the Nam Song River as our balloon drifted diagonally across the town, providing fine views of the clifs, the river and town, lit by the slanting rays of the setting sun. It is amazing how in the setting sun, the rather ugly town of Vang Vieng can actually look very picturesque.
Our designated landing spot was in a field about a kilometre to the north. We landed gently, right on target, about 40 minutes after lift off, We had to remain standing in the balloon as the ground crew arrived to set up the balloon for a 2nd flight. Our pilot, a jolly Chinese fellow in a white flight suit was trained in Beijing, and waxed lyrical about the beauty of Guilin! As we left, the balloon soared skyward one more with a second load of passengers. We piled into the tuk-tuk to be taken back to town. A very worthwhile experience.
Dinner, once again at the hotel’s riverside restaurant was uninspiring (yellow curry, vegetables, pretty meh). More exciting was the rowdy rombongan of Chinese tourists, drinking up a storm at the top of their voices in the room next to us! Great let me embarass my wife in front of all these people performance for on guy in particular was a standout.