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Published: April 4th 2008
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Cycling in Thailand - Laos - Vietnam (1065 km!)
Nong Khai Thailand (border) - Vientiene, Laos - PakLai (via boat) - Vientiene - Vang Vieng - Laung Prabang - Nong Khio (via boat) - Maung Khua (via boat) - Hat Sa (via boat) - Phongsali - Boun Tai - Ban Achang - Maung Khuan - Laos/Vietnam border - Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam
Bob and I finally arrived in Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam on March 18..."just" over the border from Laos (in fact that is "just" up a huge mountain to a pass then back down the other side into Vietnam). We have aborted the rest of our cycling plans to Hanoi (will fly to Hanoi then Bangkok) as Bob needs to get home ASAP as his brother is very ill. Plans can change in a heart beat eh?
The cycling in northern northern Laos was amazing...remote but still enough food and guest houses to make it just barely managable. Hilly...mountainous at times...very rough dirt roads...scattered untouched villages...old growth tropical jungle forests...but then that is what it is all about eh?
And now...for the latest adventure. So, Bob and I have been cycling in Northern North Laos for
Cycling in Style
Boat ride shaves 80km off the road route to Luang Prabang, Laos ! the last 5 days and yesterday was probably the most difficult cyle yet (well...not as difficult as Tibet of course given the ample supply of oxygen). We left Muang Khua, Laos at 8am and arrived in Dien Bien Phu, Vietnam at 8pm (deja vu with Tibet eh...pushing that daylight to the max...although we cycled the last 2 hours without light!)...70km on dirt rocky road UPHILL then over the border and DOWN into DBP for a total of 107km cycled...then had to wander around town looking for a hotel. The bonus of course was the 36km downhill on paved road past the karst hills and through lush green rice fields (too dark to see though...read, bugs flying into headlamp)...we cycled the last1.5 hours in the dark with our headlamps...but were better lit than the locals on bikes! I was exhausted and starving for days after that marathon cycle.
For the last 4 days we had been cycling in the far reaches of northern Laos in Phongsali province...on roads very few foreigners travel. The tribal people here are very shy and run away when they see us coming. They wear beautiful indigo skirts and embroidered head pieces, some with coins on
Hanging Out
Vang Vieng, half way to Luang Prabang, Laos. their headpieces...some of the women still go bare chested. Truly an enchanting and different way to see culture rather than trekking thru steaming jungle in mid-day heat. So with the remote dirt roads and rough travelling comes the intrigue and special experiences seeing and meeting such special people.
Another of my favorite memories will be cycling through very thick, verdant and steamy jungle that I have to assume is virgin given the lushness of it. The vines and trees seemed to be clambering on top of each other to reach the sun. The air was cool as we cycled along the all sorts of sweet smells and fragrances wafted through the air. I could never sort out exactly which tree or flower was giving off these scents. Birds chattered away...although the jungle wasn't as noisy as it should be...
As you know, they eat EVERYTHING here. In the market we see dried rat, flying squirrel, fish etc. In the market here in DBP there is a large assortment of grubs, snakes, geckoes, birds, insects etc. preserved in large glass jars in some sort of nasty coloured liquids. Good thing I am vegetarian in Asia! Sadly, there are very few animals or birds left here. We travelled up the rivers from Luang Prabang for 3 days to get into norther Laos and I only spotted about 10 kingfishers (the bright blue fishing birds on the label of Indian Kingfisher beer)...and heard and saw very few other birds.
On the bike maintenance side of things...after over 3000km in Tibet, Laos and Vietnam I have to replace my back brake pad. Now there is advertising for disc brakes over V Brakes eh?
Getting tired of rice and noodles...want my cheeseburger and fries now now now (yes Dorothy...just click your heels 3 times and you will be in McDonalds...oops, I mean home.)
Cycling in Northern Thailand (a bit of an earlier "side adventure" for me cycling alone)
The cycling was horrific and I have no idea why the guy (Ae) in the Velo Thailand Bangkok bike shop recommended it (Chiang Mai to Mae Sot). I clocked in 200 km in the 4 days...including negotiating death defying Bangkok traffic to get to the train station, navigating my way out of Chiang Mai to spot a dead mushed dog on the road (bad omen I hope not), cycling up hill for 40 km at 3.5 - 5 km/hr with loaded panniers and NO altitude (this road leads to the highest peak in Thailand at 2500m+...guess I should have figured this would be a stiff climb), and cycling up really nasty steep steep hills in blazing heat and slash burning smoke with no water. I was in tears at one point...that doesn't happen very often as you know. I feel lucky I didn't pass out with heat stroke or slit my wrists.
I aborted cycling after 4 full days and hitched a ride to Mae Sariang in the back of a pick up truck...which is a lovely small town with a few backpacker hangouts. The Thais must have felt sorry for me because the 3rd vehicle passing by stopped for me (I didn't even have time to take a pee).
On the good side...I hitchiked to the highest peak in Thailand "Doi Inthanon". Got 3 rides from very kind Thais...one on the back of a motor bike. The ride down was a lucky one with a "famous" Thai actor in a Channel 7 soap opera. He and his brother were in the mountains photographing birds with monster cameras and zoom lenses. Over 1/3 of the bird population in Thailand can be found in the Doi Inthanon national park. Some of the views were beautiful...the people lovely...and the adventure welcomed. Visited a couple of gorgeous tropical waterfalls, saw and stayed "off the beaten track", got the "thumbs up" from a few locals on the steep bits. Oh yeah, I am in great shape now too and stuffed my face with ice-cream for lunch.
Mae Sariang is a great little place which I highly recommend. Very relaxed, layed back, and the people are lovely here too. Trekking, elefant rides and boats along the Burmese border are all possible from here. Great FLAT cycling around here (did about 100km over 2 days) along the rivers and canals and through rice fields. Not many tourists at all. Had a great Thai massage (and have booked another one for tomorrow night). Downside...its a 12 hour bus ride to BGK!
Things I Have Learnt...When Planning a Cycling Trip...
1) NEVER cycle UP a hill if you don't have to
2) ONLY cycle UP a hill if, a) it gets you to somewhere on top wonderfully interesting, b) there are fantastic breathtaking stunning views OR c) is necessary to get from point A to B (i.e., Lhasa - Kathmandu).
3) DON'T cycle in the wrong season...too hot, cold, wet, dry, smokey, ugly etc etc.
4) a "sense of accomplishment" at the end of the day is NOT a good enough reason to cycle a bad route. Plan your route carefully!
I am sure as you read #1-4 you have a vision of me sweating my way up those nasty nasty hills eh...?
That it for now...
Susan
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Christiane
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Your cycling adventure
Admirable! I am exhausted just reading about your trip. Look forward to long evenings on patios and backyards listening to your stories.