… perfectly 2:20pm Laos time. Yup, there have been longer waits on my travels and I was waiting in a great place, where I had stayed for the past 5 daze or so on the banks of the Mekong.

Under the advice of Graham, Emi and many a traveller I took a mini bus down to Vang Vieng. The local bus was a no go, and the VIP bus was said to be bad also. The mini van was good, when it showed up. So, 13 hours after due departure I arrived in Vang Vieng. man, what a freak show this place is. As I stood on the back of the overcrowded tuk tuk from the bus station to where I was heading to camp for the night, there was a wanker chasing the bus, maybe from  USA wearing a bikini, a long blonde wig and many a texter scrawl all over his embattled body. He was screamin: “new blood, new blood, welcome to Vang Vieng. Free mushroom shakes all night at Q Bar.” Just the kind of welcome I was expecting after many a stories about this place.

This is where all the Backpackers come to go tubing down the river, eat mushrooms, smoke pot and drink litres of whatever kind of alcholic beverages they can, usually buckets of vodka redbull. Oh, and get laid of course, how could I forget that.

I checked into the guest house, washed the dirt, dust and smoke off me and headed in to the town centre with my wits close to my chest.

Many a Backpacker cruising out in various laid back bars watching Simpsons, Family Guy and all those kind of travelling sit coms from the States. It reminded me of Tonsai Beach Krabi. I wandered around and couldn’t help but to venture into Q Bar as I passed. What an experience.

It was loose to say the least. A ripper of a bar, full of Backpackers out of their heads in full flight. It was only 9pm! Behind the bar were Backpackers working, most of whom seemed to be indulging in the extra-fungial treats that litter the fields of Vang Vieng. I asked one pretty English girl what the story was, she said she came for 2 days 10 months ago…. need I explain that one to you? This place was totally out of control but I am glad I made it there. Most were in get up of some kind or another, bikinis and wigs were the flavour for the boys, the girls just had bikinis and shorts, I counted a total of 7 nipples hanging out un beknowce to the chicks wearing them. Yeah OK, you couldn’t help but to notice. Really, you couldn’t. It was just crazy free love on ‘out of it time’. I had to have a shot of Jack with my Beer Laos to feel like I could fit in some how. No thanks to the mushrooms, Beer Laos was my stable and I was happy with that.

There were of course the owners of the place from Laos keeping a watchful eye on the goins on, but really outrageous is an understatement at best. All falang, or foreigners, there were only 2 what seemed to be local girls in the bar sitting down having a larf at the shannegans. I think that they and I were te only ones that hadn’t been tubing down the river all day damaging the body and having a great adventure. I had to go and say hello, and that was when the next adventure kicked in, more beautiful Laos hospitality and cultural immersion.

Next.