Laung Prabang, Laos

We arrived in Luang Prabang, Laos around dusk on February 2nd. We grouped up with other backpackers and began the guest house hunt... Not easy with ten people. Mark and I decided to split from tHe group and find oUr own place. By this time our backpacks felt much heavier, it wAs really dark, and we were definitely lost in this new city. The whisky from the boat Clearly still effecting mark aS he begins SerenaTing Me with his beautifuL singing voice on the streets of Laung Prabang. I could barely keep it together from laughing so hard I knew we needed to find a place quick. We Negotiated a deal and got a nice room for oUr standards. We have been spending about $5-9 on a room per night but we spent $12 A night for the few nights we were in Luang Prabang.... Living largE... High rollers! The next day we walked around and got familiar with the town, checked out a few temples. That night we went to the night food market which consisted of tons of vendors and each vendor haD a table filled with huge plates of different Asian foods. You could buy a plate For $1.25 and fill it with all the food you could get on it. Needles To say we consumed our body weight in food that night and went into a food Coma. The next day we booked a trip in the morning to see thE Pak Ou caves. These are caves where they put old buddah Statues that are no longer deeMed fit for the temples. Its creepy to be in the dark and Only see tHe face of tHe smiling statutes. We took a boat ride back into town and spenT the afternoon at the Kouang Si waterfalls. The water was a very cool aqua Color. There were several different Pools of the waterfall so we picked one and went for a swim. It was awesome! That night we decided to give in and get some American food.. Pizza! We meT up with the other backpackers foR awhile and decided to head to Vang Vieng, Laos the next day. I don't know what it is with our luck but we always manage to be stuck on the scariest bus or van. Sure enough the next day Our over stuffed tuk tuk... One guy had to sit above the wheel on a tiny piece of metal because the back was way too full.... Pulls into the bus station and drops us off at the scariest van. Every other Van was nice had AC, which we paid for, but not oUrs. The classy beast was even missing some letters where it use to say ToyotA. Everyone was cracking up at the site And questioning whether we would make it. The roads in Laos Are horrible... Missing chunks Of road every half mile filled with rocks, pebbles,sand, whatever material was near by. There were pot holes the size of Texas, I think they double as swimming ponds in the monsoon season. The road was very CurvEy as well due to driving through the mountains. It was very similar to the road to Hana but Horrible road construction and they drive at triple the speed. our van was packed and we were cramped up. Think Of ridinG the scrambler at the fair foR 5 and a half hours while bouncing up and down and listening to the van Make huge clunck noises like the thing was going to fall apart.... Puts a whole new meaning on car sick. Along the journey we passed many hill tribe villages.... They would just be showering with a Hose in A sarong on the side of road. It was an interesting journey but we finally reached Our destination. when we ran into our friends We heard all sorts of crazy Van stories. One of them told us the bus driver stopped at one of the villages to buy Rats to eat Later and let the rats go wild in the van. Interesting! New adventures to start here in Vang Vieng. Over And out.