Hot Springs to Vang Vieng

Friday October 27, 2017, 50 miles (80 km) - Total so far: 1,205 miles

(1,940 km)

A much easier day. One climb, but it barely registered after yesterday. The scenery is incredible - I'd seen the pics on here and elsewhere, but I was still amazed!!

We bumped into our French friends several times today, including the time when they'd bumped into some Thai cyclists! I absolutely loved this meeting! The Thais are warm showers hosts in Songkhla - we are very much hoping to pop in :)

Excellent impromptu coffee stop in Kasi, where my iced coffee came in an amusingly huge plastic cooler. Very sweet but I am growing to like it that way (AKA ruined for life!!).
Excellent lunch at a noodle stall somewhere around halfway. It isn't an obvious town but there are loads of restaurants along the road - must be a bus rest stop or similar.

And now Vang Vieng....we originally weren't going to ride this route because of the stories I'd heard about this town! I'm very glad we did, but the town itself doesn't hold a lot of charm....it's ok for a stop though. We're hidden away at the Sengkeo guesthouse, which is small and secluded, with a lovely garden (and noisy chickens!) Very clean and pleasant, 80,000 kip, definitely recommended if you're not keen on joining the VV party ;)

We had dinner at Veggie Tables - read the reviews on trip advisor first, particularly about the sullen service and terrible music from the surrounding bars, And then just have a little giggle, The food is good, and my incessant smiling at the waitress did just about get the corners of her mouth to twitch by the end!!

Rest day tomorrow. I doubt we'll have the energy to go tubing / kayaking / zip lining / drink buckets of cocktails so we might just stuff our faces instead.