Nam Phao to Vientiane - Vientiane to Vang Vieng - Vang Vieng to Vientiane
'Sa Bai Dee!' After a varied experience in Vietnam; cycling roads big and small (mostly big), busy and quiet (mostly busy) and growing accustom to local vegetarian cuisine (mostly instant noodles and little veg)... we were ready if not a little eager to cross the Cau Treo border cycling into Laos.
Post Author ChristinaIn Laos we were expecting mountains, heat and were hoping for a more varied assortment of veggy food, along with the laid back happy and relaxed attitude the Laos people are famous for, and we were not disappointed.
As Hattie mentioned in our previous post - the border point itself was at the top of a 20km climb in the Annamite Mountain range, getting to it was quite tough but crossing it was a reward in itself.
Laos border crossing Cau Treo/Nam PhaoThere was a notable difference between the way we were treated by officials on either country's side. The Vietnamese officials made us pay a fee that I am sure they invented on our approach, and were intimidating, and rude.
When we crossed over to Laos, we were greeted by friendly Laos officials who were smiley, welcoming and intrigued, but incredibly polite when asking about our trip ahead. 'Veeeeeery mountainous' one man exclaimed as we pointed to the road in front of us. At which point Hattie may have lost a bit of colour.
Nam Phao to Lak Sao
The route from then on was pretty easy however. When compared to how the day had been up until that point, the ups were small and easy, and usually were following a steep descent. It was a great way to start a country - with what was on the most part, a massive winding beautiful descent out of the mountains.
We glided down, and down, and down, with the road twisting against the mountains edge - it was only after a short while however that we realised we had no idea if in Laos traffic was on the left or right. The next few moments left us nervous as the desolate landscape would reveal new road ahead only intermittently. We were relieved to soon after spot a bus at a safe distance on the right hand side, confirming we were actually on the correct side, but it was quite nerve racking given our downhill speed at the time of panic.
After the drop from what Hattie and I have agreed is the most beautiful part of our trip so far, with the area feeling so untouched it was as though we were in the jungle, and with views so stunning they scarcely seemed real... we joined the Nam Nyuang for some flatter river side cycling, which although was not as breathtaking - was still pretty amazing to take in.
Lak SaoThe day was hot at a steady 36 degrees, so reaching Lak Sao was brilliant. We had a small clean room with air con and a bathroom, and most importantly for Hattie - a TV. Whilst I unwound with my Kindle Hattie got stuck into HBO.
With the hotel so nice, and the town so friendly we decided to stay for a rest day - although given the rain that poured from the sky the next day we probably would have ended staying either way.
There was little to do in the town, and the Lonely Planet section for this place was not entirely complimentary regarding the range of activities available, so we were pleased to awake to a beautiful morning the next day for loading our bikes up for the road again.
Na HinOur six o'clock start was in good steed as it turned out to be another scorcher at 36 degrees. Na Hin was our next stop which was at the bottom of a giant mountain we spent a good deal of the day climbing. The roads were steep but again rewarding for the panoramic views, and when we arrived we managed to find a nice basic guest house with a terrace of newly built bungalows, in which we were sneaky enough to manage to squeeze our bikes safely into yet again.
Set in a sunny small village tucked under the mountains with drinks stalls, small shops, restaurants and beer Loas bars with hammocks. There were a few tourists, not many - but it was clear that the town was developing towards tourism; and that the development of the place was partially funded at least, by a power plant which had taken over a small area at the edge of the town, and had provided some pretty swish looking workers accommodation near by.
'Steep incline ahead'
Getting out of Na Hin was - as expected - as difficult if not more so than getting in. With Na Hin being wedged between two mountains, we were faced with a mountain of similar proportions getting out of the town to the one coming in, except it was a less gradual incline and shortly into our cycling we were faced with a sign that read 'Steep incline ahead'.
We had cycled some pretty crazy hills and mountians in Laos and at the Vietnam border, and even on our toughest days... never had we seen a sign that warned us of an incline, surly it was expected that there would be inclines ahead? To have such a bold large yellow warning sign in an obviously mountainous area either indicated; that this area liked road signs... or it was going to be a very dramatic climb, it was the latter.
Even the few buses and trucks that passed us on the empty road struggled. The road side was lined with advertisements for a local tow truck company that no doubt got a lot of business from this tremendous ascent.
We were climbing for about an hour, and we got about four miles in total. It was pretty ridiculous. The heat was exhausting even at nine in the morning. I slowly came to a stop after setting myself a goal ahead in the shade, after grinding slowly through the gears for what seemed like hours; I practically stumbled off of my bike and waited for recovery until I could see Hattie's bike crawling into sight over the horizon, with her looking how I felt, struggling to make it to the shade.
We were not sure how much higher we could possibly get, but dared not be too hopeful. It turned out however that we were merely a few hundred yards from the view point (which interestingly was funded by the power station) and so we took the opportunity to stop again for some photos and a pat on the back.
Cycling to Ban LaoOur ride out to what was originally going to be Pakkading soon turned into a trip to Ban Lao. The cycling was in the searing heat along mountainous terrain, and so after it being tougher than expected, we ended up capping the miles at a mere 25 after meeting a French couple at lunch.
Vincent de Lavenere and family
The couple were regular visitors of Laos who live in the south of France for nearly half of their time, and then tour Laos for their remainder recording music with locals and continuing a project that the woman (who's name I did not catch) started on their PHD.
Whilst the woman is a musician and mother to their two children that accompanied them on the road, the father is a juggler and performer video artist who uses her music recording as a part of his work. They were a very interesting couple and their work sounded brilliant too, although sadly I did not get an online address for the music recording project, the husbands French website is http://www.vincentdelavenere.com/ and his performances are on You Tube, and he even has a French Wikipedia page.
The Ban Lao Town
The town was small, with little to do but we happily whiled away the hours relaxing in the sun and taking in the Laos culture within this true to Laos area; void of commercial tourism restaurants and bars.
The villages and towns along this route are never completely untouched by tourists though, however desolate it might seem - there is a semi-popular motorcycle route that takes this road, and we did see the odd westerner pass, but strangely not one cyclist; although in fairness we were yet to see another western cyclist on the road at all at this point.
PaksanWe arrived around midday in Paksan after a morning of cycling against the wind on a - thankfully - not too hot day, where we seemed to be chasing a rain cloud that we narrowly avoided. The mountains were behind us as we followed the Mekong river north, and the road was undulating at most, although the wind did keep things interesting to say the least.
We stayed at a lovely guest house (BK Guesthouse) with a cottage like feel and ate dinner at a restaurant looking out to Thailand across the Mekong river.
Ban NaBan Na is a small village offering a home stay which we decided last minute to look into. I should have took the forewarning in Hattie's response to my enthusiasm, and maybe asked a little more before we turned off onto the dirt road.
'I think it would be really interesting' she said. 'Interesting' being the key word here.We were as it turned out paying roughly three times more than we had been for any 24hours of late, to have 24hours of village living... which was basic to say the least.
Ban Na home stay
As charming as the family was, and as welcoming as the village was also... I could not help but feel that we were getting a slightly raw deal. Effectively paying the odds to be a poor person for the day.
If we had time for some of the activities sold on the site - trekking to the elephant tower - it may have been more worth our while.
Had I expected camping here, I would have been pleasantly surprised, instead - naively in my tourist arrogance - I was expecting to stay in a house as I knew a house to be; with four walls, furniture and beds, this we did not get.
The idea of the home stay is to show the realities of Laos family life, which is tough, and I suppose moving from guest house to guest house you forget this, and are never really exposed to the reality of living in Laos as your average family.
I would certainly recommend the experience, but maybe not whilst you are on a cycle tour, unless you know what's ahead. Washing with collected water using a bowl, and eating basic foods (with your hands) is all the norm here, and we found ourselves staying in a 'house' that had windows with no glass, was missing walls on the ground floor, and had no furniture or flooring.
I can't say I did not value the experience or find it eye opening, but I think it would have been better received if we were mentally prepared, and did not arrive exhausted and caked in mud.
Although not cheap, the money presumably does all go towards the village who face these standards of living every day, so this did at least provide comfort when we handed over twenty four pound to sleep on the floor and wash from a bucket, (bearing in mind we paid eight pounds for an air con room, hot shower, HBO and comfortable bed only a few nights before).
VientianeThe ride from Ban Na to Vientiane was a speedy one, we made a good average due to the smooth roads and the flat terrain. It was almost as though the last 15miles cycled themselves, and when finally in the city we raced to the 'Patuxai' (Vientiane's version of the Arc De Triomphe) and our Laos destination; where Hattie collapsed on a bench and I wolfed down an icecream as a well earned reward.
Vientiane is a city that is small by any capitals standards, but big for Laos, although - as Hattie remarked before we arrived - it is slightly crazy that it is a capital city... it is friendly, relaxed and quiet. There are many places to eat and Vientiane is heavily influenced by the French so there is an abundance of good French food, and lots of French tourists.
Pi Mai - Buddhist New Year
The city is hot with the concrete, traffic and buildings trapping the heat in, however for the duration of our stay it was Pi Mai, which is the Buddhist new year - a three day water fight which kept us cool to our relief and amusement.
The water fight starts each day relatively tame, but by the afternoon it is impossible to remain dry, and by the evening it is expected that you will be soaked to the bone whether you are stepping out of your building for a moment, or walking to the shop. Buckets are emptied, hoses are extended and water bombs are thrown.
I enjoyed Pai Mi much more than expected, having anticipated tiring of the soaking quickly I was surprised to find I didn't. It was a great way to be welcomed to Vientiane, and we really felt a part of the city life and celebrations, and we actually found that after it was over we were at odds of what to do to fill the time. We stayed for a total of five days before heading out to Vang Vieng.
Our loop between Vientiane and Vang ViengNam Lik Eco Village
Nam Lik Eco Village is 7km down a dirt track road off of the main highway and is set in beautiful surroundings next to the Nam Lik river just before the mountians leading up to Vang Vieng.
The area is peaceful, tranquil and the perfect nature retreat. We decided to stay for a rest day here to make best use of the facilities. We did a brief spot of kayaking, explored the surrounding woodland area taking us to the next village, and had a go on their adventure playground, which includes a zip line and climbing wall - and as it turns out is actually for children.
The French man who runs the place is an eccentric character, and prides himself on playing the host of the establishment. Married to one of the locals, he and his wife cooked us a delightful assortment of dishes over the course of our stay, including a breakfast on our rest day with bread he baked himself, marmalade he made himself, and homemade butter and local eggs.
I would recomend the centre to travellers or cycle tourers passing the area, or even those who aren't - it is tranquil, beautiful and friendly.
Tha HuaCycling out to Tha Hua was tough with the heat now reaching 38 degrees as standard. It was not quite as mountainous as expected although the roads were terrible, which did slow us down a lot.
We were very saddle sore by the time we reached Tha Hua in the Vang Vieng district, a mere 15 miles from the infamous town itself. After an ice cold drink we looked around and found the only guest house available.
As hot as hell
The room we were given was a concreate southfacing room that was hotboxed from the heat of the day. We left the door open all afternoon (as it was cooler outside than in, despite the 38 degree weather outside and fan inside) but our attempts to cool the room were in vain, and by the time the mozzies took to the air we had no choice but to shut the door and hope for the best.
I was feeling ill most of the afternoon - after cycling fine in the morning I went progressively downhill as the day went on.
I was so hot when I awoke the next morning I had to crawl outside for air, and used the balcony table as a cooler alternative to our bed, and as I lay on the cold tiles sweating I spent a good deal of the sunrise looking out onto the river throwing up into a bag.
Whether I was ill from something I ate, or heat exhaustion I am not sure - but there was no way I could go back into that room, and there was nowhere else to stay until Vang Vieng.
As Hattie comforted me and went through our options, I was barely capable of responding, but it was obvious I was not going to be cycling, and it was clear we could not spend another moment in that room either.
I am very proud and very stubborn and under normal circumstances we would have just cycled the next day... but this was not an option with the room being about 40 degrees (at least) and the fan only shifting hot air around. I did not even try to protest hitching a lift the small remaining leg of our journey to the town, and instead worried how I was even going to leave the spot where I had been safely huddeled for the past hour.
Vang ViengWe arrived safely in Vang Vieng town after our 15mi Sawngthaew journey on a road so bumpy that it would lift us inches off our seats regularly.
By the time we managaed to get our stuff together and flag down a Sawngthaew I was feeling much better, still not great - and although we got up at 5, after hours of being immobile, it was now 11 and far to late to head off by bike given the heat - and Hattie was kind enough to remind me that I looked terrible and there was no way I was going to cycle.
Our lift took about an hour (not too dissimilar to if we had cycled) and the road although very badly surfaced did not seem too hilly. We took the day pretty easy and found a lovely guest house in a quiet area. We stayed in Vang Vieng a total of three days, did a day of tubing in a cave, and kayaking, and were able to take in the beautiful mountain air.
The river is quite polluted and not always beautiful, but some areas are stunning. The city is a tourist hot spot and many of the watersports do seem to be centered around drinking.
Hattie's token phrase 'It was nothing like this when I was last here' was rife in Vang Vieng. In fairness it must have been an interesting contrast to Hattie's gap year visit in 2004, where she may have been more susceptible to the 'booze Britain abroad' feel this place had to offer. But instead then it was quiet, peaceful and relatively untouched; even our kayaking guide was quick to tell us just how rapid the 'development' had reformed the beautiful riverside area in the past few years.
Phon HongCycling out to Phon Hong was an eventful morning. We had a good few ups and downs (in both senses), and the surface condition of the road was terrible. Mostly the road would give you 100ft of good road, then 100ft of bad - throwing you up and down, left to right and at points struggling to stay on, until you reach the 100ft of good road again.
The road alternated between good, bad, good, bad road all day, and at one point we were caught off guard when the road turned bad out of sync, and unexpectedly part way down a giant descent.
Hattie went all over the place and then was thrown off, and caught under her bike... and I managed to stop safely but had a classic SPD moment of being unable to click out, so was also left flandering under my bike.
We were both helped by passing motorists that came soon after, and whilst we cleaned up were moved by the amount of local people slowing to see if we were ok. We were both a little bloody, and very muddy - but mostly Hattie was shaken up, and had sustained many grazes and a mark to her helmet, but nothing serious.
We patched ourselves back up after using some of the large amounts of drinking water I was luckily carry to clean off. One of Hattie's panniers was ripped clear off in the fall and the other damaged. I distributed everything from the written off panier into mine, and we did all we could for the other.
We had to leave behind a few items for it all to fit with one pannier down - somebody will be very happy to find a free pair of newly washed Ralph Lauren jeans - and I was not thrilled with the extra weight; but we were able to get onto the road again pretty quick, and the only real tragedy of it all was my Snickers bar that rolled onto the road side and was squashed by a passing truck.
Bumping into an old friend
A few short miles later we spotted a bike turned on its head in obvious repair... and after noting the trailer to match recognised it to be Robbie - our musical cyclist friend we met in Kunming China. We all agreed the road was terrible and set off again... we soon left Robbie behind after he suggested we go on ahead - Robbie was carrying more weight than both of us put together on his trailer and was also limited to taking bumps slowly because of a dodgy bottom bracket.
We said goodbye to Robbie and were surprised to make it all the way to Phon Hong in good time, despite our incident on the road. We found a guest house that was newly built and ran by an incredibly friendly, and very proud woman who was excited to show us her brand new shiney rooms.
The place looked spotless and we may have even been the first to stay in our room, it was lovely to share what was obviously a very happy time for her starting her business, and made our stay even more enjoyable. The rooms were so new that there was plastic still on the light switches, everything was sparkling - the air con amazing, and the TV was even a flat screen with sky. It was bliss.
We had a delicious Thai curry in the town, and an early night in our beautiful room, ready for another sunrise start.
Back to Vientiane and ready for ThailandWe left again at 6, and I found the extra weight a little more noticeable that morning as the majority of the hills (small though they were in comparisons to the mountains) dragged a little more than I had hoped, but the ride got easier as the day went on, and we reached Vientiane at about 11.15 - about forty-five minutes after Robbie who did a really long day previously, camping a mere 40km outside of the center that evening.
We have spent our time in Vientiane living out a similar routine to our (non-Pi Mai) days here, before Vang Vieng. We have been to dinner with Robbie twice which was lovely, but he has set off now towards Malaysia and it is unlikely we will see him again on our trip.
We have found a few very good restaurants to which we have become regulars, and have become regular internet cafe users updating our blog and photos. We have also done the odd 'Little Art' drop offs too whilst here.
The COPE exhibition
Yesterday we went to the - very moving - 'COPE' exhibition, displaying a collection of prosthetic limbs, and information detailing the many tragedies of cluster bombs all over the world, and locally; alongside touching stories and accounts of how the charity changes lives and empowers those with a new start that could not otherwise afford it.
They offer new limbs, a physio programme, and further new limbs as needed for children as they grow out of the ones originally provided. They also treat club foot, leprosy and other disfigurements due to accident or disease.
The amount of deaths and serious injuries caused by land mines are astounding, and knowing that all these victims are by no means the last - with at least 78 million in Lao left unexploded - the horrific truth is evident, and brought to light by this incredibly well put together exhibition that left tears in my eyes.
I showed the Laos tour guide (with exceptional spoken English) the Just Giving site, and he said he would look into it. They have a website that you can donate - and I do encourage anyone to do so if they can, as I cannot think of a more worthy cause here in Laos - and I shall be keeping an eye out for a Just Giving page to pop up, so I can do a sponsored event on my return.
The website where you can donate or read about the cause is http://www.copelaos.org/
Summing up Our time in LaosWe are collecting our Thai visas this afternoon after a two working day processing time, and then tomorrow we will set off and cross over to Nong Khai, after truly exhausting Vientiane and its eating establishments.
All in all we have absolutely loved Laos and would come again in an instant if ever given the opportunity, it has been our favourite country so far, and best for cycling too, although we are still very excited to move onto Thailand where the culture is very similar.
The mountains have been amazing - although the roads pretty dire conditions between Vientiane and Vang Vieng - the landscapes stunning, the people lovely, and the food delicious.
The weather has been hot beyond belief and the hottest recorded in ten years, even for summer here, but the blue skies have been a welcome change to the overcast ones of Hanoi and the smog of China.
Seeing the monks on their early morning rounds, and catching many a sunrise at dawn to beat the heat, has really helped us feel a part of this country, and I can't think of a better way to explore it than by bike.
What's to come in ThailandThailand is more developed than Laos so the roads will be smoother. The cities will be bigger meaning a more delicious variety of foods yet again, clean rooms... and after Bangkok we should be seeing plenty of sunny beaches from whichever island we choose to visit for our remainder time away.
We have ten cycle days to Bangkok for our last 400mi out of our 1200mi cycle, but will probably take a leisurely two weeks or so to really take in the sites with rest days between, and then make our way to the nearest island or two.
Our next post will most likely be our last blog post on the road. In five weeks from now our trip will sadly be coming to an end. We'll be sure to fill the next five weeks with as much fun and adventure as possible.