Far south...

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It's amazing how much thinking you can do while puttering along on a motorbike. I'd composed line upon line of enthralling, witty, prose about our travels - all in my head. But when I come to put finger to keyboard (how romantic does that sound?) it all floats away....

Never mind.

We're in Pakse. The past few days have again been spent on motocycles touring around. We managed to get a reasonable price on hiring them and having endured two 7+hour trips on buses for only about 350km each trip, we decided we'd lash out and enjoy the independence that the bikes could provide.

Leaving Pakse, we began climbing the road that would take us out to the Bolaven Plataeu - an area known for it's rich soil, coffee plantations and beautiful waterfalls. Ended up spending 2 nights at TadLo (Tat Lo) a small village with the same name as the waterfall that it sits beside. We had a very basic bungalow by the river and could see and hear the falls from our little bamboo hut. It was lovely, really serene and relaxing after the noise of the bigger cities. When say that though, I again have to clarify that "big" city is about the size of Sale in Gippsland - if that.

We spent a couple days just relaxing and visiting waterfalls. On our way back to Pakse from the Plateau we took a few backraods and when we stopped to checkout what we suspected was a few coffee trees, we were suddenly surrounded by Locals keen to try and show us the coffee bean and have some sort of basic communication with us. It was great. And it's been like that in so many places. we stop on our bikes, look lost or curious and suddenly there are people around us, children calling "sabai-dii" and people pointing directions for us.

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Photos

Early Morning in Pakse
View from our hotel balcony. The haze is due partly to the coolness of the morning air and partly due to the burning techniques used to clear old crops and prepare for the next season. You can see the French influence in the architecture.

On the bikes
Looking for our next waterfall on the Bolaven Plateau

Tat Lo
Shame we can't add sound

Language lessons
Some girls found us at the local restaurant in Tat Lo and I tried some basic lessons with them.

Tat Soung
Some local boys found us (not vice versa) to show us to the bottom of these falls. A combination of the dry season and the upriver hydro dam has reduced the waterflow to a trickle. Still spectaular though.

Coffee drying
Most of the villagers in the Plateau have beans drying outside their homes - in abundance.

One for Asha
They seem to love their dogs here.
It's interesting to see humans, dogs, pigs, cows, goats and chooks all living in harmony.

Tat Lo VIllage
A fairly typical looking rural Lao village.

Comments

[Kathy A]

Great photos!
Hi Priscilla and Sam What adventurers you are - you'll have to ride a bike to work when you get home - less greenhouse gases! The countryside looks amazing and your photos are great. So different to the mundane life we are leading here at work. Enjoy! Kathy

[waz]

Internet and English
No problems finding internet in these places for updating the blog? How about communication with the locals, do many people speak English? Warren.