Trekking, Caving, and Tubing

Today we’ve been on a tour all day. It cost $13 per person, including lunch. We were picked up at 9:30 AM and got back around 5 PM. There were eight of us in the group, and we were driven up into the mountains. Our first stop was a short hike to some caves. We visited a total of three different caves, each with its own story. The first cave was called Elefantcave. Elephants are sacred in Buddhism, but sadly, they have been wiped out in Laos. The vast majority of elephants were killed by the Americans who dropped bombs over Laos. In fact, more bombs were dropped in Laos than in Cambodia and Vietnam combined during the war. The remaining elephants were hunted down by poachers after their tusks. Today, wild elephants only live up near the Chinese border, where reserves have been established on both sides. Elefantcave serves as a reminder of the great elephants that once roamed freely in these areas. The next cave was quite large and consisted of three chambers. We climbed up, down, and over slippery cave walls and limestone to get through. This cave had been home to 250 people during the war who were fleeing from American bombs. They couldn’t light a fire for fear that the smoke would be detected. And I should mention, it’s completely dark inside the cave. Those 250 people had only small candles to light their way. They had to eat whatever they could find... bats. They actually ate so many that there are none left in the caves today. Life in a cave can be tough, so many died. The names of all the people who perished back then are written on the rock walls. They died from diseases due to the dampness of the dripping limestone caves, and they also died from falling rocks when bombs exploded outside. The third and final cave was dedicated to Buddha. There was a large statue of him right at the entrance to an incredibly deep cave. Many have tried to reach the end of the cave but without success. Some have walked for 10 hours straight without getting to the end. You have to be very careful when entering the caves. Even if you know the caves and their many paths, you should never go in alone. If you fall and get hurt or break a leg, no one will hear your cries for help. An Argentine man learned this the hard way when he entered the Buddha cave by himself. Later, he was found dead. He had fallen and sustained fatal injuries. We were served lunch during the tour: grilled skewers, rice, bread, and bananas. It was really good. After lunch, we went on a little trek along the river to some small villages. We had a great English-speaking guide who shared stories about the culture in the surrounding villages. The small communities up in the mountains don’t believe in religion; they worship spirits. They also don’t believe in hospitals. Even if they did, it would be too far to get help if they needed it. Instead, they make offerings to their spirits when they get sick. If that doesn’t help, they die. Polygamy is common here. A man usually has three wives. This works because people in Laos have "big hearts." Seven years ago, there were no tourists in Vang Vieng. Since then, Laos has become more open to the outside world. This has greatly impacted the prosperity of Vang Vieng, as tourists have started to arrive. The standard of living has increased significantly. Tubing means floating around in huge tractor tires. At one point, we had to enter an underground cave. We hopped into the tube, put on headlamps, and grabbed a rope to pull ourselves under the rock and into the cave. We had never experienced anything like it. It was wild sitting in the water, barely able to see, and not knowing what was swimming around beneath us. This cave was filled with fish and had previously been used for fishing. It was really beautiful and a very special experience. To get back to Vang Vieng, we had to walk to the river, where we would tube down for about three hours. It’s so nice to sit in the tube, floating gently down the river while looking up at the stunning surrounding mountains. Tubing in Vang Vieng is a huge hit. Along the river, bars have been set up with rope swings, so you can swing out and jump into the water. We’ve been staying at the same hotel for two days, and every day there are guests who have lost things from their rooms. It’s a bit too random for us to want to stay any longer. A camera and a mobile phone have gone missing. The hotel staff doesn’t take it seriously. They laugh at people when they come down to report it. So, we decided to move. The people who lost the camera were woken up at midnight and asked if they wanted their room cleaned. They left the room and came back a couple of hours later. The room hadn’t been cleaned, but the camera was gone... We got a bit heated with the hotel staff, so after finding a new place to stay, we went out for a drink to calm down. We ran into some Germans we had bumped into a couple of times before. It was nice company, so we partied a bit with them and chatted in German.