Walking about town we noted two interesting advertisements posted up on street corners. One set advertised a hot air balloon trip over Vang Vieng for a paltry $80 US. Sensing that this was a price too good to be true we asked about and sure enough it was real and the reviews seemed positive as well. That was enough to get us booked in for an early morning flight.
The second set of eye-catching ads were a simple bunch of hand written signs telling us where we could find authentic German and Thai food. This seemed to be an intriguing mix, plus the signage was cute, so we followed the somewhat confusing directions and eventually found Mr. Chef Kaz and his little self-run restaurant, Viman. Without going into too much detail.. simply the best schnitzel and potatoes I think I’ve had – if you’re ever in Vang Vieng and get a desire for some hearty German/Thai cuisine (or simply sick of local food..) seek him out!
Anywho.. the next morning we were up early and ready for our balloon flight. Quite excited and not really knowing what to expect we stood by as the crews organised themselves and eventually began to fill the balloons up with a set of giant sized fans. Once inflated they lit the burners and shortly after we were ready for lift-off. Seeing the pilot all covered up in his fireproof suit had me a little worried but the sensation of floating up and over the buildings was one of the coolest things I’ve experienced.
Although it was beautiful and inspiring to drift over the town and watch the sun rise to light up the countryside, what they don’t warn you about is the noise and heat from the burners above. Not quite as peaceful and serene as I originally imagined.. but still a great experience nonetheless 🙂
