KayakVangvieng.com

The author’s first kayaking tour along the Nam Song River in Vang Vieng is what the entry’s about.

July 6, 2008

Nope, Never!!!

Well at 8am this morning I was up and packing my bags ready to go kayaking. Trying to decide what I should pack in my daypack. Should I take a first aid kit, is it dangerous, how many changes of clothes, camera, phone, valuables, so many choices!!! Anyway I was ready in time for 9 when the tuk tuk came and picked us up from our hotel. I was almost glad to be getting away from Vang Vieng after being there for 6 days. I was all tubed out and with no power in the town I needed to get away for hot showers and ATM’s. Plural because Vang Vieng only had one and that didn’t always have money in it or power!

Once on the tuk tuk we drove across the airstrip to the other side of town to the truck which we would be traveling on for an hour to reach the Nam Song River which was our starting point. Once here we were given a life jacket and helmet ( I think I was underestimating how dangerous this might turn out to be!) and some basic instructions as to how to Kayak. Basic as in our guide didn’t speak a lot of English and was giving us this lesson on dry land. Showing us how to move the paddles. He also went on to say stay away from the rocks and the whirlpools!! Because if you get stuck in a whirlpool you can’t get out!!! They also stressed to us that a paddle costs 200 Baht! So don’t lose it! With that, we was in.

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