![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.followthatfireengine.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Day-82-Vang-Veng-5-of-8.jpg\" "\\"Day")
<\/a>On one of these homemade constructions, which are substantial to say the least, Steve put his weight on a hand rail only for it to come away in his hand. I\u2019m not sure what surprised me more. Either witnessing this event, or there actually being an \u201cattendant\u201d at the top to hand it to (the only one I saw all day) or the \u201cattendant\u201d on being given it promptly throwing it in the water with a grin. Health and Safety would have had a field day but this is Laos. Suffice to say we were very careful to pick our landing points in the water where everyone else was.<\/p>\nThroughout the afternoon many new friends were made, with the FTFE message was continuously being conveyed and heard being shouted before the jump. The things we have to do for FTFE\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n
The ladies sensibly exited the last sweet shop in good time to float back to town before dark but we remained as we wanted to smash the record for the most number of people on the slide in the last shop. (Official New World Record of 5 for FTFE). Awesome!<\/p>\n
When we did finally leave we were told it would be dark by the time we got into town but we were full on adrenaline and quickly decided to push on down the river as opposed to getting out early at a bridge and taking a tuk tuk back.<\/p>\n
It gets dark super quick in this part of the world at this time of year. When the sun goes down darkness quickly follows. It wasn\u2019t long before about 8 of us were floating down the river in the darkness and the wind was rising. A bittersweet benefit of having eaten pasta earlier meant that we were familiar with the river and knew the exit point so we\u2019re able to reassure the growing band of people joining us who were lost on the river. We weren\u2019t afraid of the dark.<\/p>\n
We found the exit point which was an Island connected to the riverbank by a rickety wooden bridge but the fun and games hadn\u2019t finished yet. To mark the day and our safe return to dry land we had an obligatory beer at the solitary tiny bar on the island and there was much rejoicing. At this point the heavens opened the intensity of which can only be described as biblical proportions. The temperature dropped quickly and we sought refuge en masse in the back of the bar which was in fact the barman\u2019s house, hugging together to keep warm as several had started shivering uncontrollably. We we\u2019re then hit with a power cut and plunged into darkness.<\/p>\n
Thankfully a combination of being a little sheltered and the rain easing off meant we could make our way like drowned rats across the now river-esque island, over the bridge and onto the mainline to return our tube and receive back our deposit.<\/p>\n
The morale of the story is; In Life why have Pasta when Steak is on the menu\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n
PB<\/p>\n
[flickr album=72157625131520466 num=30 size=Square]<\/p>\n