Back to where it all began

So it's been a fairly hectic week - far too much to explain by blog. I went tubing back in Vang Vieng and absolutely loved it. You float down a river on a tube and bars reel you in and you go drink for a bit, then hop back on your donut and continue floating down the river. There are all sorts of activites, like swings and giant slides, mud wrestling, volleyball etc at different bars and by the end of it we were all pretty wasted.

The problem arose though when we got to the last bar. We ordered a drink and it didn't taste anything like alcohol. I then asked for my money back or a real drink and the guy refused. He then told the four of us there that the river would be our cemetry. Feeling a bit uncomfortable around this guy, everyone hopped back on their tubes and we started floating down the river, looking to finish. However, it was pitch black and we didn't know where we were going.

Out of nowhere, a local came and started to point us in the right direction. He hopped on my tube with me and started paddling us ashore, however all of a sudden he disappeared and pushed us back out into the current. As soon as he did that, I checked my pockets and he'd taken my money. Luckily, I had left my wallet and everything else back home.

20 minutes later, we managed to stumble ashore and walk up some path into a paddock in the middle of nowhere. A tuktuk driver picked us up and started driving until he ran into another tuktuk. They stopped down some road with no landmarks or street lamps and started arguing. The other tuktuk driver took off and our driver 'broke down'. I hopped out of the tuktuk, and realised there were people everywhere watching us. About half an hour later he came back and we managed to make it back to our hotel. I couldn't sleep for three days - I feel that it may have had something to do with what he put in our drinks. Unfortunately, that incident kinda spoiled the day for me.

Other than that, we moved on to Luang Prabang which was an awesome little city with great night markets. After that, we spent two days travelling up the Mekong by boat (very scenic) and crossed back into Thailand. Visited the white Temple in Chiang Rai, which the artwork inside depicts the failings of the West and the rise of the East. There was the two towers falling, and demonic looking humans drinking from petrol pumps, while on the East there were families praying and floating up into the sky on clouds. Then headed to Chiang Mai and went to Tiger Kingdom!!! Was probably the most fun I've had thus far. I got photos with 3 month olds, 8 month olds and 20 month olds. I will also be able to post pics shortly, as I've now worked out how to take photos off my camera.

Caught an overnight train last night and arrived here in Bangkok today. The protests have finished, and I feel a sense of ease being back here. English is a lot more widely spoken, and it's the most developed of the four countries. I've been hear nearly 5 weeks now and I just don't feel ready to leave.

Next off, I'm heading down South for some R&R on tropical islands and beaches before making the jump until Germany! Can't wait.