Doing the Loop

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Well we have just returned from a 5 day motorbike trip doing a circuit called the loop. The trip started in Tha Khaek and in an anti clockwise direction took us along dirt roads, forest tracks and up into the Annamite mountains within 30km of the Vietnameese border, and then through limestone karsts possibly some of the nicest scenery so far. The places we visited were very remote and the people were not used to seeing many tourists at all, getting a recognisable meal that you fancied eating was quite a challenge at times. The chain broke on the motorbike and we had to push it app 2km, then a young man repaired it for us it took him about 45mins inc going to fetch a new joining link, he charged us 10,000 kip (11,500 = 1 pound) I gave him 20,000 and he was well chuffed, The back brake linkage snapped on the last morning and we had to ride 140km with only a front brake, luckily this part of the route the roads were tarmac but we very nearly ran over a piglet. We froze in the mountains and had to buy socks gloves a sweatshirt a coat and a blanket, one morning we were so cold we stopped and made a fire to warm ourselves, a Laos man on a motorbike came and joined us sharing our fire and smiling and talking to us in Laos which we didnt understand. We took a 7 km boat trip through a limestone cave travelling right through the mountain in the dark.

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Photos

The Loop
The road to Mahaxin, limestone karsts

Loop
The road to Tha Long, charcoal burners

Loop
A village along the way, with the Annamite mountains in the distance

Loop
Konglor Cave

Loop
Cave trip

Loop
The Sala view point West of Nahin

Loop
Tha Khaek start and finish of the loop

Comments

[philip]

howdy
hi there, how goes, great to see your doing well amazing photos, can only imagine, we are well, really good weather warm by day freezin by night. all the best. take care. bye

[sue]

That sounds so awesome. I cannot wait to see you and talk to you about your trip. We have just climbed Moel Siabod - highly recomended as it was still a bit snowy up there, but nothing like the adventure you are having.