Friday, July 9, 2010

Day 36

Woke up around 8:30am. Myself I wasn't feeling the greatest so Teale went off on her own to find adventure while I stayed inside trying to slep a little bit more hoping that I would start to feel better. As I was trying to sleep I realized I had a friend in our room that kept making noise making it hard for me to sleep. It was a Gecko just chilling out in our room. So from then on I knew I wasn't going to get anymore sleep so I got out of bed and decided to get ready. Once I was ready I headed out to the internet to get caught up in my blog, which was caught up... until now.

Got some food and found Teale. We chatted for a little while and then decided we wanted to rent bikes and go biking around the city. Went to the bike shop and found out we needed our passport to rent a bike... but seriously who takes their passport around with them. Obviously we didn't have it on us. Couple guys just rented some bikes and they let us put our names and what not on their passports. They knew we were Canadians so they weren't worried about us taking the bikes or anything, cause I mean al Canadians are nice right. From that moment on we made us some friends and decided we would spend the day biking with the boys. The guys were from England and Australia so it was a good mixture, and we all got along great.

We spent the day biking around checking out temples and stopping every once in a while for beers. It was a fantastic summer day with new friends. We checked out the markets and tasted some interesting meat, not sure what we were eating, but it was for sure intestines of some sort. After checking out the many different market both big and small we headed to a place the boys found called Utopia. It a bar that honestly was the most beautiful bar I've ever seen. The view was incredible, there was a volleyball court, and an endless supply of drinks. Teale chilled out drinking, while I played some beach volleyball with the boys. I showed them that Canadians can play other sports other then Hockey. They were impressed by my skills, but I mean who wouldn't be.

The day was coming to an end so we headed back to the bike shop, dropped our bikes off and said our goodbyes. Teale and I decided Indian food was in order so Indian it was. After supper we went and checked out the internet situation and bookd out plane ticket to Bangkok for the next morning.

Later that night we checked out the night market and did all our last minute shopping. Walked around for a while and then found a bar that was playing Justin Bieber which I made Teale attend. She was unhappy about this, but I thought it was great. We decided to make it an early night to bed cause we had to be up around 4am the next morning and we were not about to miss our flight, like we almost missed our bus to Laos.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Day 35

Woke up around 7am, got us a quick breakfast and then headed to the place where the bus picks us up. Waited there for a few minutes until a Tuk Tuk driver told us he would take us to our mini bus so we got in with him and he drove us to our mini bus. Jumped into the mini bus to take us to Luang Prabang. The bus ride was 6 hours long, but the roads were so twisty and turny that if we were hungover we would have been sick more then a dozen times. I was thanking god I didn't drink the night before because I could see it being a disaster. The roads might have been bad, but the view was amazing, I tried to take pictures, but kept taking it at the wrong time so our mini bus stopped a few times so we could take a few pictures which was nice. Made us late arriving, but we didn't mind. We shared the mini bus with a few other people all from the UK, pretty much everyone we met was from the UK. But everyone seemed nice and we chatted a big part of the 6 hours, while the other half was spent trying to sleep, but not being able to because of the roads.

We go into town around 3:30, Grabbed a Tuk Tuk with the rest of the gang who were in the mini bus and headed to central part of the city. Found a really cheap guesthouse, but it was one of the sketchiest. We were pretty much living in this old man's home... no actually we were living in his home. It was weird, but he was a lovely man. Very nice man. We walked around the city for a bit and tried to found our way, but instead we found food so we sat down and ate. After dinner we headed to the night market where we bought a few things. Some things were super cheap, while others were very expensive... for some reason all the stuff I liked was expensive. I got good prices in the end so that's all that matters.

After spending too much time in the night market we headed to this bar/restaurant to have a few drinks and watch the football game. Watched Korea get their ass kicked and then decided to go check out the internet. After internet I went back to the guesthouse to drop some things off, but by this point the city was dying down fast. I know Laos has a curfiew, but I didn't think people would actually head to bed this early. Got to our guesthouse and the door was locked. I was locked out of the building. I knocked and woke the old man up, he let me in and then went to my room. Got into my room and saw a giant spider in our bathroom. Teale wasn't with me so there was no one to kill it. This spider was like no other spider, we do not have these spiders in Canada because it was a taranchula... actually it was. I was scared out of my tree so I ran out to the old man and woke him once again tried to communicate giant spider to him through body language. He came to our room saw the thing and killed it for me. He was my life saver. He laughed for a long time at me and called me a girl. He even teased me the next day when he saw me. I didn't really care though cause that was one less taranchula in my room. Teale came back a few minutes later and was sketched out because the city was dead and there were no one on the streets. This is when we decided it was time for bed since there was nothing else to do since the city was dead.

Day 34

Woke up around 9am feeling like ass on a stick. Was not one of my favorite mornings. I got a shower hoping it would make me feel better like the day before, but it was an epic fail. Went and got some breakfast, once again couldn't really eat a whole lot because my stomach was making noises I've never heard before, plus my head was spinning and advil just wasn't cutting it. I was even starting to think I never wanted to drink again, but we all know that's not going to happen anytime soon. I'm only young, wild, and free once right. After breakfast we sat around anf watched Friends for a while, it seemed to help the hangover. After Friends we went back to our guesthouse and took a small nap because our heads were still spinning more then a spinning top.

We woke up an hour later and decided today was the day to rent motor bikes and go motor biking around Vang Vieng. Got us some nice bikes and the woman looks at us and says do you know how to drive one. I look at her and say, how do you turn it on. I think she was a bit nervous for us, but she let us go anyways. The first few minutes on the bike was the hardest cause I had to switch gears, while watching for cars and trying to stear. Teale on the other hand was scary on a bike. She would reve the engine then switch gears so her bike would pretty much jump in the air, lets just say she didn't really have control over her bike. I think I only knew what I was doing because I drove so many of my fathers toys while growing up, such as a fourwheeler and seadoo. I thank him for teaching me now. We drove for a little while and I hear Teale yell my name, I look back and she had almost crashed into a fence. At this point I was thinking the motor bike idea wasn't a good one. After a little while she started to get the hang of it so we took off without helmets into the mountains. We drove for hours into the mountains seeing Laos the best way you could possibly see it. The views were incredible, way better then anything I've ever seen before. The mountains were huge, and it was one after the other after the other. They never seemed to end. We drove like real Laos people, meaning if someone was going too slow you pass them on the inside or outside whichever way you prefer, and beat your horn at everything and anyone for being in your way. You would even drive on the other side of the road while something is coming right at you. Driving like real Laos people means you must drive with no fears. At times I was a little nervouse because a truck would be coming right at me, but for some strange reason we would never hit one another. this would never fly in Canada, there would be more accidents in Canada if people drove this way.

After hours of driving around with motor bikes we decided we had enough, plus we were running out of gas and didn't want to pay for more. Took our bikes back and headed to an internet place. Took care of some business on the internet, got caught up on all the gossip, then went out for food, and of course more Friends.

Later that evening we booked our bus for the next morning to Luang Prabang. This meant no drinking for us because we had an early morning the next morning. We didn't want a repeat of us almost missing the bus because we got drunk the night before. That was bad enough the first time. We spent the night walking around seeing things we needed to see, then Teale went to bed because she still wasn't feeling the greatest from the night before. I went and did internet for a while and ran into Mel and Eli who we came to Vang Vieng together, but as soon as we arrived went separate ways and didn't see each other. It was great running into one another again, but at the same time they were out of it. Seems like someone got into the happy stuff that night. We parted ways and I walked around after internet then headed to bed because morning comes early.

Day 33

We woke up around noon not feeling the hottest. Felt like a ball of shit to be exact. We honestly didn't know if we were going to be able to get up and get ready for the day, for a moment there we thought it might be a wasted day in Vang Vieng, but we pulled it together got us a shower which made life so much better. Headed out for food since it was already almost 2 in the afternoon. I wasn't feeling the greatest so I didn't eat a very large meal. After lunch we sat around for a little while and watched some Friends since that's all they do there is sit around and watch Friends one episode after the other. I wasn't complaining though, I love Friends.

After a few episodes of Friends we decided today was the day, it was the day to go tubbing down the river. Went to the tubbing place and met a few girls I can't remember their names for the life of me and a lonely boy named Tim. We got our tubs and jumped into a Tuk Tuk together and headed to the river. We were expecting a bunch of people who were going to be tubbing down the river stopping at the bars along the way, but when we got there we realized no one really goes tubbing they just go to the bars. Whatever its a learning experience. We started off at Bar 1 and got us a bucket, chilled at bar one for a while chatting and meeting new people. After bar one we jumped into our tubs and headed down the river and stopped at bar two. Got another bucket and stayed there for a while meeting more new people. Bar two had a rope that you could swing on into the water, but it was extremely high and I didn't think I was drunk enough yet to try that one. After bar two we headed to bar three obviously. We ordered another bucket... note each one of these buckets have a full pint of whiskey in them, I watched her pore them, with very little mix, so it was hard to drink at first, but after the first one and all the free shots each bar gives out you couldn't taste the second two buckets. We stuck around bar three for a while longer then the rest because this is where we met a bunch of girls and we hung out with them drinking. Also this was the bar with the giant zip-line into the water so by this point I was drunk enough and decided why not. Got on the zip-line and took off into the water. One time wasn't enough for me, had to do it a bunch more times with different people, Tim and I went once together, and then I went with the group of girls we met. After the zip-linning into the water I continued to drink by getting another bucket, at the time it was a good idea. While getting a bucket a bunch of girls were walking around giving out bracelettes for free buckets at the bucket bar that night, so me being a Wry and all I thought to myself if I was my father I would never pass up a free drink, so I didn't. Got me a bunch of bracelettes for free buckets.

Now for all of you who don't know the river only had eight bars along it. After the third bar we decided to grab our tubs and head to the fourth bar. Went to get our tubs, looked everwhere for them and realized they were stollen. We thought that was a sign so we stayed at bar three for much longer and continued drinking until way into the night. Once the darkness took over the bars shut down so we grabbed a Tuk Tuk with a bunch of randoms and headed back to town. I was spinning and was thinking maybe I had one too many buckets. Got out of the Tuk Tuk and headed back to the guesthouse. There was no way I could drink anymore buckets, my night was over. Got to the guesthouse safe and sound, passed out while locking Teale out of our room. She comes back to the room an hour later and bangs on the door, but of course I am passed out so I don't hear her. She had to get the man to open the door and she told me I was passed out on the bed and there was no waking me. So guess the night came to an end pretty early.

Day 32

We got into Viientiane around 6am. Felt so nice to get off that bus. We arrived at the other bus station to find that the other bus we needed to take wasn't leaving till 10am so we had to chill in Vientiane for a few hours. We split up, Teale and myself went to a small cafe and chilled there for the whole time eating and doing the internet thing. We realized that Vientiane may be the capital of Laos, but there is nothing to do there, which is why we are passing through and not staying.

Got on the bus at 10am and headed to Vang Vieng finally. The bus ride was only a few hours which made it so much sweeter since we've had enough buses for a while. We got into Vang Vieng around 1:30 and left Eli and Mel to find their own place, while we ventured into town to find something a bit closer to the party. Found the perfect place, and it had AC so we were in heaven. After dropping our stuff off we headed to the Aussie bar and got us some burgers and beer. The burgers were massive, I couldn't fit it in my mouth that's how big it was. It had two patti's and egg and so much stuff you couldn't even believe it. It was called "the really huge burger" so I guess that explains it right.

After burgers we walked around and checked out the place. We found a bunch of people so we headed off to the bar and started drinking with them while watching the game. Teale and myself got a tad bit drunk so we may have gone home a bit early. A lot more happened in the night, but pictures will explain it better then I can.

Day 31

Woke up a bit early this morning due to the heat and because we had to get off the island for 11. Packed all of our things and made sure we had everything this time. Got breakfast together and headed down to where the ferry picks you up. Right before I decided a beer would be a good way to say goodbye to such a beautiful island, so beer it was. We took some last minute photos and said our goodbyes as we got on an even sketchier boat then the night we got in. At this point we were wondering if they actually had an actual ferry, or were they all this sketchy.

Got to the mainland and jumped into our mini bus that was going to take us to Pakse. Spent the entire morning in the mini bus until we finally got to Pakse. Finally we could get out stretch our legs and chill in this cool town for a few hours before getting another bus. We were wrong... not so much about the chilling part, but about the cool town. The town is a ghost town, nothing is open, everything is closed down. It was so hard to find somewhere to chill for 6 hours, Teale and I managed to find a place where we could buy beer so it was all good in our minds. Then we walked around and met this American couple who told us about the only restaurant that was open, and it just happened to be Indian. We headed there and got food before taking another bus. Met up with Eli and Mel and went to thr bus station. Our bus was much different then any other bus we've ever taken... why you ask, well it was a sleeper bus. This means there are beds on the bus instead of seats. It was an overnight bus so at the time we thought it would bve a good idea. So not. Last sleeper bus Teale and myself will ever take, the roads were so bumpy we were flying up in the air and almost fell out of our bed. It was brutal, we so did not get any sleep, only because we had to hang on for our lives the whole way.

Day 30

Woke up around 8:30, we didn't really sleep much because it was so hot and had no AC to cool us down in the middle of the night. Also we were staying in a very sketchy place and I was worried about waking up with bugs on me all night, so obviously I was up almost every hour checking for bugs. God I am weird, or am I. Nope I'm just a sissy scared of bugs. We got showers and for the first time Teale and myself didn't have to meet the group, we were on our own. It was a bit scary, but at the same time such an adventure. We met up with Eli and Mel, who also decided to come to Dondet with us and got some breakfast together. After breakfast I decided it would be a good idea to have a beer since it was such a beautiful day. The beer was amazing, so smooth and just what was needed after a horrible day yesterday of travelling.

We walked around a bit checked the bus schedule and prices because our goal was to leave the next day and head to Vang Vieng. Booked our bus ticket, felt like we accomplished something so we all rented bikes and biked around the island. Took us most of the day to go all the way around, but we did stop a bunch. First stop was because of a monkey. It was a tiny baby and I kinda got carried away playing with him... found out later it was a girl. This monkey wasn't the so much a friend. He tried to take my camera... got a hold of hit and started to take off, but at the last minute i got a tiny piece of it so he dropped it just in time. Got my camera back and was done playing with the monkey... we parted ways.

Kept biking around the island and we ran into a bunch of children playing around so obviously me, I stop and play with them for a little while, while the rest of them kept biking. The kids were adorable and cute and we played games I could not tell you the name, but I lost every time. That could be because I was white and couldn't understand what they were saying so for all I know they could be making it up on the spot and they say the white lady loses every time.... who really knows.

Got back on my bike and found the others. They found a hammek bar so went in there grabbed me a hammek and chilled out there for a couple hours drinking the best mojito's I've ever tasted. We got food and sat there over looking the water. The view was incredible, and the bar was one of my favorite. Not a dancing place, but for sure a very chill place.

Biking finally came to an end as we passed the tiny monkey on the way back. I think he remembered me because as I was passing he tried to take Eli's shirt that was hanging on my bike. He got a hold of it, but I was too quick for the little buggar, the he tried to bite me, so I decided our time together was over.

Brought our bikes back, got more beer to hold us over for a while and went swimming. Myself personally I didn't go swimming. My leg was still not heeled over and it was still very open so I decided to hold off getting into the very dirty water that all the poop goes into. We then chilled out on a couple more hammeks as we watched the sun go down. After spending a lot of time in a hammek we decided to hit up the Indian place for food. I do not recommend, not good so don't go the only Indian place on Dondet island.

Got back to our place and chilled there watching some of the Football they call it while we call it soccer and then headed to bed.