Vientiane Sand Art Competition 2015, Mekong River, Laos

Thirty minutes tuktuk drive back to my hostel later (it had been a long walk!), and I was happily washing the dust off my feet (they’d turned a browny sort of grey). I then had a very welcome hour-long siesta on my bed, as I was also still recovering from mild flu. When my feet were slightly less swollen, I headed out as promised to visit the sand art competition that I’d seen on my first evening. 

Clambering down the steep sand dunes to get to the competition proved interesting and I was glad I was still wearing my walking boots! My favourite by far was the enormous sand yellow elephant which dominated the designated space for the competition. It sat majestically gazing out across the Mekong, small local children clustered at its feet. As the sun sank slowly, hugging the horizon line, the elephant was bathed in a soft, warm, golden light, its lines softened.

 

Car load upon car load of locals began to appear and wind their way to a sand headline in the middle of the river bank. Watching the sunset was evidentially a popular local pastime as by the time I’d got back to the far river bank to head back to the hostel, literally hundreds of mopeds, bikes and scooters had appeared – their owners clearly with the same intention.

I later headed out to find some street food with 3 peeps I’d met at the hostel, a fellow British chica from Birmingham and a French guy and a guy from Malta. The food we eventually chose, delicious spring rolls, glass noodles, spring onions sprinkled with peanuts with a peanut sauce, was interestingly cold, but absolutely yummy. After 90 mins or so I said goodbye to them and headed back to the massage place where I’d had a very good (if slightly overly friendly – they really mean FULL body!) oil massage the night before. This time I wanted to try a foot massage but they were fully booked so I had a traditional (no oil) Thai Cambodian one instead. Man it was painful! I didn’t know that my body could twist into some of the positions she put me in! There was a lot of petrissage, alongside lots of finger and toe pulling. I felt slightly like a stretched pretzel by the time she’d finished but as parts of it were still relaxing it was all good, and I’m sure I’ll feel the benefits. I’m recovering from a ripped ligament in my left ankle so I do think that will be a bit sore, but hey ho sure I’ll be fine :)