THE LOOP!

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SORRY FOR THE DELAY PEOPLE

So week 6 kicked off with a late arrival in Thakhek, thanks to a broken down bus in which we think someone stole our fucking camera. Little bastard.

1am in the morning and we share a tuk tuk in to the town with an English couple called Rich and Lucy. They are also planning on doing ´The Loop´, a 350km round trip through mountains around most of central Laos. We met the next day for a chat about how we were going to tackle this little challenge and met a Canadian lad named Ben, who was also about to take on the trip. We all thought that a little entrouge like this would hold us in better stead for a safe and enjoyable time. So now with myself,Ryan, Andrei, Snaedis, Rich, Lucy and Ben on board we set off the next day at 9am, all the lads riding out on 110cc mopeds, with two bithes riding shotgun and a 4 day bag packed. We looked like Hells Angels. ´Fucking road trip!!‘

We start off at Thakhek and move around 20km of beutiful scenery before we have our first stop at Xieng Liab cave, also known as Buddha cave. On arrival was a gibbon, wild we assume, just hanging about around the entrance of the cave. After 10 minutes of photos and excitement we had a look inside. Whilst the crew looked around quitely at the stalignites, staligmites, buddhas and candles, Ryans phone went off in true Dom Jolly fashion. Tone to boot. Honestly, it was THE ringtone. Marcus was calling, (the gay mascara wearing austrian florence nightingale from the travelodge in Thakek, but more about him later).

After leaving Buddha cave we had a short ride to the next one. On arrival this time was a handful of Laos school children, who infact skip school to come and work in the cave as guides. They dont tell you about the place obviously, they just show you the way in and how to move up the cave. You shouldnt be endorsing this though, because they still have their shoolshirts on and you feel bad knowing that they shouldnt be here, they should be in school.
The cave was impressive, more impressive than the last but nowhere near as impressive as the next, but thats over 150km away and we still have a bumpy road ahead of us. After an afternoon swim at Tha Falang we pressed on.

We rode for a few hours after lunch at a roadside shack, the scenery somehow matching up to any we have seen anywhere on our travels so far for at least 70% of the journey. During an uphill climb on a mountainside, good road conditions but hard bends, Rich and Lucy were leading the pack with me close second. We get to the top and wait for the rest, seeing as we couldnt see them. Andrei and Snaedis quickly joined but Ben and Ryan where yet to be seen. Soon came Ryan who informed there had been a crash.

It was Ben. Apparently he had been struggling with the corners on the climb and had taken his eye off the ball in turn 5. Clumsy Canadian. We saw him riding up from over the horizon and to our horror fall once again. We zipped over on our bikes to make sure he was ok. Whilst group mum lucy tended to his gravel rash on his elbow which was bleeding heavily, group dad Rich tended to the bike. He rides one back home so we let him take over the reigns of bike maintainance and instructor on the trip. After shaken Ben manages to get back on the bike, we start the road home to our first sleeping location, Sabaidee Guest House. We were told that once we get to the bridge, we will find Sabaidee Guest house.

Another two hours drive through illegal logging areas on uncomfortable roads we near our destination. It´s getting dark and after getting the 2k left nod from a local, we turn a bend and i see the bridge, long, flat and beautiful, just yearning for me to give it some welly on a decent surfice after the shit we had just drove through. So I do, the wind in my hair, looking for the sabaidee guest house sign. I see no sign, and see that the road ahead is back to gravel in 60 or so metres so I slow. Im about to leave at a conservative speed but I see a collossal fucking pothole at the very very end of the bridge and very start of the road. Totally hidden in other words. Obviously I go. Down. Hard. The bike faired well but my elbow didnt. With gravel cuts matching bens and a hurting shoulder I get up and see 5 Laos lads, all about my age, having a good old giggle . I ride off joining in on the laughing, begrudgingly. The guesthouse was before the bridge. Wanker.

At the guesthouse is Markus. He joins us in the bar and with a big ´hello zer!´ he waves at the group. He notices bens injuries and then mine, and like a mother hen takes it upon himself to ´get you boys better´. Patched up and with our wounds stinging after iodine solution we started the eating and drinking. Mr Sabaidee proved to be very helpful and an extremely good host. After I demolished Markus and Ben with the help from a local at a game of platanque (Markus proving to be a very sore loser ´no zis is not right, zis is so unfiar. Ok ve go virst next time´) we head inside from the fireside to join the locals for a drink. They too seemed to enjoy our company and brought us a bottle of laos laos. They soon left (can you blame them, they all start drinking in the morning) and we were left on our own with an iPod, 4 englishmen, 2 icelandics, one canadian, one gay austrian and a microphone. All of them drunk. Hotel California, Dont Stop Believing, Wonderwall, power cut, glad host, bed.

Markus had left in the morning, an early riser. We departed in the midday sun. The road again was bumpy. We had been warned from the beginning but didnt think that it really got this bad. At a agonising 10kmph we trolled through the Laos jungle. It was dense forestry either side of us a dry mudpath for a road. With a few pitstops throughout the day, taking photographs or buying snacks, we continued, and with 15k left we eventually were able to get up some pace on the peds. We arrived in Lok Sao, high up in the mountains. High enough that it was cold when it got to evening time. Cold! Would you believe it? It was a nice respite from the boiling heat I have enjoyed for the last 6 weeks. A hotel was found at a reasonable price and after a shower we looked for a restaurant. We headed into the market first where the locals really did look suprised to see us. I had a young girl stop when she walked past me and go ´oooh´ whilst pointing. It was odd.

We left the market and somehow stumbled on what looked like an old village hall, with sofas and big HD tele at one end and table and chairs at the other. They asked if we wanted to eat but there we no menus. We sat down and decided we would have whatever they brought us. Rich and Lucy pointed out that in Vietnam they had hot pot, which is burning coal in a bucket, covered with a grill and you cook your own meat (the meat they put in front of you!). The tables infront of us had huge holes in the middle so it made perfect sense. And of course it was hot pot, and of course it was nice.

Day three was the day. Day three was the day of the trip. It was what everybody had been waiting for. It is also, the whole reason for the trip. Ladies and gentleman I am talking about Konglor Cave. It runs for 7km under a mountain before an exit at the other side. I takes one hour when you travel by boat. It was roughly another 80k away so we had a couple of hours riding ahead of us. The posse departed early.

We stopped for lunch after once again more beautiful scenes and mountain roadsides,more dangerous laos and canadian driving. The restaurant was again roadside, and again it was Fo food, a noodle soup dish. The owner thought that because some Farang had just arrived, Karaoke would be needed when it definitely wasnt. MORE hotel california, this time from the hotel owner. 1pm, lunch, karaokoe. Brilliant.

We get to Konglore after another 30km on a flat bendy road, which provided us the with the chance to see what our babies had under the hood. 90km top speed – sweet.
So at the base is a clear pool, with a dark circular opening at the bottom of the mountain. Its 2 to a boat, so Ryan, Canada and I get into one whilst the couples get theirs. We moved off into he dark in some very precarious boats, a grass strimmer for a propeller and 3 sets of headlights. It is huge. I had imagined a piddly little space for the boats to move in for most of the journey, but throughout there were huge caverns and the boatmen always had at least 20 metres across for the boats to manouvre. It often became shallow and we would have to get out and help lift the boat across the shingle. But this didnt take away from the immensity of a place like this. Stalignites and staligmites had joined to form columns, 30ft in the air. A well lit walkway had pronounced the little caverns and cast spooky shadows across the floor. Andrei was the only one of us equipped with a camera to get a good clear photo of our surroundings in this light so when he throws them up on facebook ill add them to the blog.

After another half hour of riding in the dark and looking around using only our headlamps, there was a bight glow in the distance. As we exited the light was blinding and it was surreal to look up from the base of a mountain to the top. We stopped off for a beer and crisps, and after being charged to use the toilets by locals we headed back into the cave agin for the return journey. This cave is home to the largest spider ever discovered, the bird eating spider. It can reach to over 30cm in length but unfortunately (fortunately Andrei would tell you) we didnt see it. The return journey was quicker and almost pitch black this time, we were the last tour and they had turned the guide lights off which was nice of them.

Back outside and very much feeling like this had been money well spent we were offered homestay by one of the locals who worked at Konglore. Deciding that it seemed like a fun experience we followed the gent for about 3km to him home village. REAL rural. We were the only Farang there and we greeted with plenty of ´Sabaidee!´´s from the children. We pulled up outside our accomodation, 2 separate wooden houses with two separate familys. The houses are raised on wooden stilts, infact the whole building is made from wood. The stilts provide respite from the creepy crawleys on terra firma and also shade during the hot sun. Me, Ben and Ryan went into Mr. Songs with his wife, 4 sons and young daughter. They prepared for us plenty of sticky rice and egg soup, some spicy shit and vinegaretted leaves. Whilst that was cooking, I gave the boys my iPhone (RIP phone, call me if you get the chance) and let them loose with it. They were enthralled by the games and camera, both providing all of their evenings entertainment. We played with the baby puppies that they had, about 5 of them. Gorgeous little things they were. Dinner was ready and whilst we ate (suprisingly nice) the locals just watched us. It was the same story at bed time. Whilst we three scrambled in under the mosquito nets and got our heads down, the family sat there watching us intently for at least 20 mins. Weird but funny.

Up at the crack of dawn. The cockerals and early sunrise dont allow for sleeping in. It was day 4 and our final day of the road trip. We had already covered 320km and there was at least another 90 left. We took off after a quick fill up on petrol and got back on the road. We took it easy, all in file riding back to HQ. This was a moment for us to reflect on the last couple of days and take in more beautiful scenery. It had been epic and contained some of the best days of our travels so far. We were on the home straight with around 20km left when we crossed a bridge. I was heading things up when a goat stumbled on to the road, followed by a little lad. I beeped obviously to get them both of and i turned three seconds later to see the goat get absolutely mullered by a bus. Dinner was sorted for that Laos family.

We get back to Thakek and feel very proud of ourselves. 3 crashes, 3 caves, 3 great nights and countless memories to talk about and new friendships formed. We eat and start the drinking games, eventally ending up crashing a Laos wedding at about 11pm. Macarena with the bridesmaids went down like a house on fire.

Now we are all in VangVieng, been partying up here for a couple of days now and its messy. But thats next weeks blog :P
Big Love people!

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Comments

[Tom]

The Thanet Loop..!!!
What can I say at first I was worried that you went on the Thanet Loop!!( I think it goes from canterbury/thanet/back again? ) you would see a cave at margate and lots of schoolkids bunking off!!..lol. but I think the locals are not as friendly but im sure they would nick ya camera's..lol. Glad you are having sooo much fun. If you ever decide to chip back dont forget that pint you owe me!!!