Hey everybody!

Jimmy, the self-proclaimed "Miss Thailand" gives me a proper ladyboy-style welcome to his pizza restaurant.

We are now in Vang Vieng, Laos, a small town a few clicks south of Luang Prabang. Vang Vieng is well-known around SE Asia for its fantastic inner-tubing, an activity that is a big business here. You begin by hiring a tube for the day. This costs $3.50 and includes transportation to the drop-off point at the outskirts of town. Once you are in the river (and everyday there are many tubers floating along in the river), you float along until you become thirsty or in the mood to alter your state of mind. All along the river banks, locals have set-up bamboo platforms and/or cleared areas out to create makeshift waterng holes. Beer, soda, snacks, and if you are lucky, lao-lao are all sold here to make your strenuous day of tubing a little easer to bear. Also, at some of these "bars," rope swings and tall structures have been built off which you can jump or be catapulted into the water. A day of tubing consumes anywhere from 3-5 hours and is definitely one of the more active endeavors to participate in while visiting Vang Vieng.

Yes, that's my leg.

Tubing would be a lot cooler in our parts if the water was this warm.

Another wonderful treat previously unseen on our travels is "special" food, found in abundance in this quaint little village. Yes, you can have it all: pizzas, fruitshakes, omelettes, pancakes...all made with "special" care to really slow your days in Vang Vieng. I declared March 1st "Special Food Day" (a tradition I aim to maintain), where Chad and I could only consume food from the "happy and funny for you" menu. After sharing a pizza and downing two shakes each, I found myself in a new world. I think that if the experience had been any more special, I'd still be glued to the couch watching "Friends" (that's what they show around here unless you are lucky enough to catch a good flick.)

Step 1. Select from the "Happy Menu."

Step 2. Have your pizza brought out with extra herbs, as the Western food here can be quite bland.

Step 3. Wash all that pizza down with a nice "Happy Shake."

Step 4. Pass out after watching a couple episodes of "Friends" and "Beverly Hills Cop."

Yesterday, we spent almost the whole day in the same spot. It's a wonderful restaurant called "The Organic Farm Cafe." Here, all the dishes are prepared from produce that comes from an organic farm on the edge of town. The mulberry shakes are to die for and are definitely what kept us there, along with our interesting South African friend, Darrin. I had six shakes yesterday, along with two mulberry pancakes, a bowl of vegetable soup with chicken, a plate of mixed fruit wih muesli and yogurt, and a plate of chicken lap, a salad made with minced chicken breast, minced green beans, chillis, and sprigs of mint. Darrin persuaded us to prolong our visit at least one more day in order to check out the lagoon, somewhere out in those limestone hills.

Vang Vieng does have some very nice surroundings.

That's all for now. Take care of yourselves!

"A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug."
Patricia Neal