Frogkicking in Asia maybe?
Your blogger sets out for a day on the Nam Song. In the background is the second of the river bars that you pass. I normally swung by here for a Beerlao to start the trip properly but rarely bothered to get out of my tube.
Lao woman arriving at Thamlom bar. This is one of the few places I never stopped in all my many trips down the river as I preferred the even bigger rope swing at the next stop.
Wanaxay river bar. During the last two weeks in Vang Vieng I started making regular stops here for the huge rope swing. This swing is so high that if you let go at the end of the arc you are still 20-25 feet in the air.
Tubes stacked at Wanaxay river bar.
Interestingly shaped tree in the mountains over the Nam Song river. This was taken on my last day on the river immediately after I got caught in a major downpour. After the rain stopped the mist sprung up for the next hour or so and made for one of the prettiest of all my days on the river.
Another of the few places I never stopped this year. Shortly after this are the most interesting rapids of the day as the river flows through and around and over numerous rocky outcroppings that rise from the riverbed.
Closeup of the nameless river bar where I usually stopped for lunch.
One half of the couple who runs my usual midday stop. Two years ago this woman and her husband ran a different stop much further up the river where you used to swing from a bunch of bicycle tires that had been tied together and hung from a tree. At the time it was one of the biggest stops on the river - you can still see the old tree standing forlorn next to Thamlom bar.
Leaving the lunch stop. The platform in the foreground was the original eating area but over the course of one week they built a whole new covered seeting area higher up and started tearing the old one down.
The Nam Song bends away from the mountain at the midday river stops. The red bungalows in the background are part of a huge resort that appears to have been abandoned before it was ever completed. The rope swing here is pretty fun but that jumping ramp is pretty much pointless.
Closeup of the bar at the second midday stopping point. Interesting menu if you look closely enough.
One of the smaller platforms where locals set up to sell beer and soda. Unfortunately it seemed to have shut down operations by the time I started carrying my camera.
Closeup of the Jumping Beerlao platform. This had been extended since my previous visit to make it easier to clear the river bank when you jump. Interestingly this extension was something that Derek and I had suggested to the family that runs it on my previous visit. Seems they recognize a good idea when they hear it.
The Jumping Beerlao mascot. He *really* didn't like my camera.
Kids on a footbridge. Note the Beerlao bottle the girl has very conveniently collected from a passing tuber.
The first wave of Kayakers of the day arrives.
Dragonfly sunning on a rock. This is actually one of the less colorful types you see on the Nam Song. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get one of the shocking red ones to sit still for a good picture, even though they were often willing to catch long rides on my knees or toes.
The very last operating riverbar of the day. I stopped here about half the time.
Tuk-Tuks waiting to take people who have had enough back to town. From here it's only about another hour back to Vang Vieng but many people who start late or spend too long at the river bars get out here and pay for a ride back. Personally, I don't understand.
A motorized plow pulling a farm cart across the Nam Song. In addition to plowing these are used for (very slow) local transportation all over Laos. Up north entire vehicles built around them are common.
One of the abandoned riverbars from the last stretch of the river before reaching Vang Vieng. These aren't really good for anything other than a convenient place to stop and dump your used Beerlao.
Another abandoned river bar. This one was particularly poorly thought out as the water under the jumping platform is only about 6" deep.
River bank detail with boat and ladders.
Another river bank shot, with effects.
Kids playing on a footbridge in Vang Vieng. This is the last bridge you pass before it's time to get out of the river.
On this day a rock popped the valve stem completely out of my tube, leaving a half inch diameter hole. Luckily I was only about 200 yards from the end of the trip so I just stuck my finger in the hole and kept going. I would not have been happy had this happened in the morning.
