Posts Tagged ‘Lak Ha Sip’

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