Archive for the ‘Laos’ Category

Day 252. 89km. Vang Vieng – Phon Hong

Posted: November 9, 2015 in Cycling, Laos
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‘We’re all booked!’
What?
‘They might have a room in the other hotel – but they are having a party.’
They’re having a wedding reception, and the only available room is 10 metres from the wall of loudspeakers. The walls shuddered all night.

Ready for the wedding reception

Ready for the wedding reception

We made our way along the non-flat road with several stops in fruit-seller’s shelters waiting for the torrential downpours to pass. Our goal was actually a bit past the wedding reception town, but the darkness caught up with us, and so – wedding reception it is..

Rain

Rain

Drying fish

Drying fish

Keeping the fish fly free

Keeping the fish fly free

View from a small pass

View from a small pass

Day 251. 61km. Kasi – Vang Vieng

Posted: November 8, 2015 in Cycling, Laos
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And the road went down – gently down into the valley. Karst rock chunks adorning the side, and the brown river slipping slowly towards the distant ocean. The sun was out, and it was hot. Perfect for a slow, smoothie stop-filled ride to the ex-party town of Vang Vieng.

Sunset at Vang Vieng

Sunset at Vang Vieng

Mark cycling down the valley

Mark cycling down the valley

Karst landscape

Karst landscape

Kids on the way to school

Kids on the way to school

Day 250. 71km. Pong Dong – Kasi

Posted: November 7, 2015 in Cycling, Laos
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Steep! Very steep! Cloudy skies, cool temperatures, and a little tailwind made it a bit easier. From 750m to 2050m and down to 650m with lots of uphill intermissions. Coming down was straight and fast – an adrenalin rush. All with the beautiful green, kaarst landscape as a backdrop.

Looking down into the high valley between 2 passes.

Looking down into the high valley between 2 passes.

I lie at the top, on the concrete, facing up into the heavens. I laugh. And laugh. I’ve cycled to Laos. I’ve cycled up this steep, steep road. The view is spectacular. My body feels strong (even if I am knackered). I have made it. I am here. Now. And I am happy.

Meat and veg

Meat and veg

The banana kids

The banana kids

Steep steep

Steep steep

In the morning we were blessed by the monk. His blessing got us over the pass.

In the morning we were blessed by the monk. His blessing got us over the pass.

Day 249. 66km. Luang Prabang – Pong Dong

Posted: November 6, 2015 in Cycling, Laos
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The orange-clad monk beamed with his 3-teeth grin and his wispy 3-haired beard. Opening the door to his living quarters, he pointed to the television blaring in the corner. ‘Waw’ – bull, he chuckled. The crowd on the television, and the monk cheered as the two bulls locked horns. A thumbs-up from the monk. Evening entertainment at the temple.

Mark and the monk

Mark and the monk

Today was a cycle to the bottom of the high pass, and see what the universe provides for accommodation. Mark had sent his tent back home from Luang Prabang, and I had sent home my cooking equipment. We were much lighter, and could speed over the hills, but we couldn’t camp tonight. We knew there was no guesthouse on the way.
No, we couldn’t stay in the little restaurant, or in someone’s shed. The monks were lovely, and set up a sleeping place for us on their verandah. My first time sleeping at a Buddhist temple. ☺

Mark charmed the kids repeatedly in the little villages and at the temple.

The kids

The kids

Today was hilly, and steep in parts. Tomorrow is the big climb that everyone warns us about. Steep, steep, steep, apparently.

Riding to our temple home

Riding to our temple home

Day 248. 146km. Lak Ha Sip – Luang Prabang

Posted: November 4, 2015 in Cycling, Laos
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I wasn’t expecting it, but, today turned into a head-down and burn the kilometre day. Cycling along the ‘Sabai dee’ valley of little kids waving in excitement, we made it to the beautiful jewel of Laos – Luang Prabang.

River

River

With Luang Prabang 140km away, and with the limited daylight hours, and evening spent on the way seemed inevitable. After an early start, and a quick 1000m descent along improved roads, we started out eating the kilometres to our distant goal. The mountains got pointier, and we hit the languid river that would follow us into Luang Prabang. Beautiful.

The river

The river

River

River

Day 247. 53km. Oudomxay – Lak Ha Sip

Posted: November 3, 2015 in Cycling, Laos
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Hit by a truck. Torrential downpour. Muddy road. Result: we didn’t make it over the two passes we wanted to today, but rather to a lovely new hotel/restaurant at the top of a pass. Very pleasant!

Sunset at the top of the pass

Sunset at the top of the pass

BANG! The whole bike bolted forward, almost hitting the cement water barrier. The truck behind me stopped, and the driver got out. He was very apologetic. We looked at the bike, and, amazingly, nothing seemed to be damaged at all. The wheel was straight, no spokes broken. He hit me directly from behind, and I just bounced off him like a ball.

The other excitement today was the amazing downpour. The heavens opened and it bucketed down. I went under a small bamboo motorbike shelter, and felt bad when Mark couldn’t fit and insisted on continuing in the pouring rain. It continued to teem down for an hour as I huddled under my tiny shelter, getting quite cold. Mark sheltered a few kilometres further along under a shelter for fruit sellers.

Mark in a village

Mark in a village

Day 246. 53km. Na Mor – Oudomxai

Posted: November 2, 2015 in Cycling, Laos
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The positions of the passes are dictating our itinerary. Today was a short day to the bottom of the big double pass tomorrow. Time for Mark to pull out the Polaroid and take photos of the kids. Lots of excitement was had by all.

Mark with the polaroid at the kids

Mark with the polaroid at the kids

The passes seem short when you’re deep in conversation about anything and everything. It is good catching up with Mark, and being able to converse at full bandwidth with no language barrier. With Bangladesh looking quite dangerous these days, my forward plans are being reshaped. Borneo (side trip) – here I come!

Rice fields

Rice fields

Day 245. 69km. Luang Namtha – Na Mor

Posted: November 1, 2015 in Cycling, Laos
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The closer to real-time posts will start, now that I am in Laos, and have left China. The daily posts through China will continue until January until I reach Luang Namtha. 🙂

It’s been nearly 8000km since Mark and I cycled together in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. We are now back together in Laos, while Will and Kim – the other 4 of our central Asian party – are together in Bishkek. The tropical rolling hills of Laos are a stark contrast to the dusty, windswept high altitude plains of Tajikistan. Also, in Tajikistan, we couldn’t pig out on unrecognizable tropical fruit and delicious smoothies. Laos!

21000km

21000km

I passed my 21000km at the top of a little climb. Tomorrow is a short day over a pass, and sleeping at the bottom of the next pass.

New cycle video online. Xiahe (China) – Luang Namtha (Laos)

Posted: October 26, 2015 in China, Cycling, Laos
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My rest in Luang Namtha in Laos has given me time to upload my next video of the cycling trip from Holland to Australia. This is the second instalment of my cycle through the Middle Kingdom – from Xiahe in Gansu province, through Sichuan and Yunnan to Laos. I hope you like it!

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