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Published: January 12th 2010
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So, Vientiene was not my kind of place but there was a really good motorbike rental company there...........................
Jules Classic Rentals.
Spent a day or two sorting things out with Uli as we were going to do a 5 day cross country tour of central Laos together. Starting in Vientiane we hired two similar bikes and headed in the direction of the Phu Khoa National park.
First day we aim to get to Ban Na Hin, via the Tat Zeuk waterfall, where there is a fantastic lookout ( The Sala) we finally arrived in the late afternoon. After riding on the best road that we will see for our journey, route 13, then onto the 8 en route to the Vietnam border cross at Nam Phao. We turn off long before there though onto the 8b for some offroading! Day two and we start to see what we've got ourselves into. The roads are very dusty, forcing me to buy a pashmina to cover my nose and mouth. First stop that day are the limestone caves at Lak sao with lights running through it is possible to walk all the way through the cave and see limestone formations
dropping from the ceiling up to 6m long. After the cave we head south towards Nyomalat where we are not far from the town of Mahaxai where we plan to spend Christmas eve. We arrive and check into the guesthouse and after all the riding off road (about 6 hrs) are both absolutely knackered so for Christmas eve this year, instead of the annual pilgrimage to the pub we buy a bottle of beer each a bag of crisps and some cookies and are fast asleep by 2130. Day three (Christmas Day 2009) and we hit our first true rural village life. Passing through all the little villages everyone was friendly, happy to gives directions and in the case of the direction master we sat with him and his family in their cafe for around forty minutes after just stopping for a quick drink. Talking to him in my most broken Laos language and his non existent English the guidebook language section came in very handy. The roads here were great fun often sliding on the sand or having to jump the bike over a big hole as you go, the highlight had to be with my ipod on shuffle
and listening every now and then to a christmas track whilst riding in the hottest dustiest place ever thinking of all you lot at home freezing in the snow! We found ourselves riding through rice fields, streams, small villages and dirt tracks most of the day. So, Christmas Day night, lets try and find a nice place to have a western dinner i say to Uli. With not a Christmas tree, decoration or Santa outfit in sight we eventually find our Christmas dinner. Fried rice, vegetables and chicken legs (not the nice meaty bit at the top of the leg either). Washed down with a beer Lao though it just about does it! Day four we ride to Muang Phin and towards the Prince Sophanounongs Bridge that was destroyed, we think in the late 60's. We were told that it may be possible to cross the river when its the dry season. It isn't. So after 20 mins thinking about whether to do it or not we load the bikes onto a boat and cross the river with them! Very skillful captains these Laos people... After this we take what we later decided must've been the wrong way. We are
trying to stay on the road to Salavan but after a short distance we must've taken a wrong turn somewhere as we were now in the middle of the National park that leads to the HO Chi Minh trail. We passed a couple of spots which had obviously been landmines at some point as there was now just a hole in the ground with a black ring round the top from the blast - the track was used though - so we decided to carry on and after getting stuck in some bogs and having some fun negotiating the rocky pathways and stream crossings we eventually make it to civilization and fill the tanks at one of the village petrol stations. From here its just another few km to Salavan and mainly the end of our off roading until we find another river with a blown up bridge but with another ferry crossing we are saved and after an exhausting day we get to Salavan and crash out. The final day of the ride we have a journey along a dust road from Salavan to Khong Sedon where I, after all the streams, rocks, wooden bridges and generally bad surfaces
encountered along the way pick up a puncture from a screw. Luckily though we are right next to a town and for the princely sum of one pound fifty the pit team spends an hour and gets me back on the road again. It wouldn't have taken so long but the main guy had to make the key to remove the wheel as they don't usually work on big bikes so didn't have the right tool. He soon managed to make one with his trusty angle grinder though. From here we jump back on the 13 and head north for a few hours back to Salavan where we are due to give the bikes back tomorrow morning. An awesome way to spend Christmas and a really great part of Laos to visit...
Now though, i have to think of something more outrageous to do, hmmmmm?.............
bye for now.......
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