Aerobics Mekong Style

There's an inexpensive exercise option down beside the river in Vientiane: outdoor aerobics at sunset. Last night I went. It was fabulous.

And four and three and two and.. change!

 

These classes run from around 6pm every night on the open areas next to the Mekong River. The music is loud pop and mostly unfamiliar. The crowd is generally slim and fit and gorgeous. There are a few wobbly ones in there, but not many.

 

Popular or what?

I think that's a ninja up the back in the hoodie

 

After catching this spectacle a couple of times during our first weeks here, Clara, Martin and I braved the heat, the mossies and being laughed at and gave it a go.

 

The aerobics teacher was amazingly fit. He jumped and minced and pumped those hips and we all followed along. He didn't stop yelling and he hardly had to take a breath. He must be a real goer on the disco floor.

Pumpin' and stretchin'

 

I couldn't keep up with him. His instructions were in Lao and I had to copy the girls in front to work out what to do. As is usual with these things, I spent more time trying to coordinate my swings and kicks with everyone else than I did actually swinging and kicking.

 



Swingin' and kickin'

 

I knew I wasn't working hard enough when the mossies started to settle in and bite. Then I fell over. It was about then that I quit. We'd been going at it for over an hour. Enough!

Those lights on the other side of the river are in Thailand

 

A few stayers were still stretching and sweating as I took this last picture. The camera almost slipped from my sweaty palms. It was the coolest day I've experienced in Laos but I was sweating like the proverbial porker. My hair still wasn't dry an hour and a half later. I'd certainly earned that chicken curry.