KayakVangvieng.com

3 Nov 06

“Today we were on a combined trek and kayak day of activity. We hopped on to the van which took us and Lisa (USA), the 3 Crazy Belgains (Belgium) and John & Caroline (USA) off into the countryside surrounding VV”

Our first stop was to explore some of the caves which surround VV. We had forgotten to bring our head-torches, so we were wired up with some 1950s style car battery type affairs which hung round our necks like cow bells, whilst a few watts of power was beamed out (admittedly you could see quite a way, although Dave’s light insisted on fluttering on and off which did give a nice strobe effect). A-M and John discussed the detailed geology of the caves, whilst the rest of us banged on the stalagmites (sp) as they made a funny bongo sound.

The next cave was way cool. It was flooded and so we were each given a tube (see previous day notes) and then there were ropes in the cave which you could use to pull yourslef in. Now this is how you explore caves – floating around in the dark, using your head-torch to illuminate the way. A definite highlight of the trip!

An early lunch was then followed by the ‘trek’ element of the trip, which consisted of about a 2 mile walk alongside a stream. Not perhaps the kind of trek we might have envisaged. Then it was off to kayak – essentially we were doing the same stretch of the river that we had tubed the previous day, but setting off earlier (ie more time) and with more sun (ie warmer). The result was possibly better than tubing – your rear does not get wet, and you can fully recline in your kayak to take in the sunshine more completely (fully reclining on a tractor tube usually results in you fully taking in the river). Today we took the opportunity to stop off at one of the jump spots. Beer Lao were ordered in (with thanks to J&C, given that we had yet again come unprepared re: cash) and the zipwire / flying fox which looped you over the river was tested. This was scary or excillerating or both, depending on your point of view, as you zoom out over the river and then decide from what height to ‘drop’ in. A-M picked up many plaudits for style and sophistication, as she decided to zoom back and forth, before elegantly letting go. Dave picked up plaudits from A-M for the second attempt ‘being better than your first’. Say no more.

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