Ballooning Vang Vien

Well I had a chance to go Balooning while I was here, WooHoo, the best $65 I've spent on this trip. the views were great, and the pilot so skilled we skimmed the rooftops through town. oh well nearly the end of the trip, just the drive down to Vientiane, then flights home.

Vang Vien

Well I'm at Vang Vien on my way back to Vientiane, mostly good roads from Phonsavan, travelled about 250 km, but only averaged about 30 kph as the road through the mountain passes is so tortuous.

Phonsavan

The plain if jars, its a long drive to see these impressive stone jars dating back over 2000 yrs. There is little explanation of what they are or how they came to be here. They are surrounded by bomb craters from the Vietnam war.

Good road to here up and down through mountains, very windy roads, then into rolling hill country.

Luang Prabang

Well the plans have changed again. At vang vien we heard that a 3rd member of the tour has pulled out and will meet us in Luang Prabang. So we are now 3 in Luang Prabang, end will stay here for 2 nights and see the sights.

North

I've hired a car and am now travelling north with Bill, just arrived at Vang Vieng where we will stay overnight. on to Phonsavan (plain of Jars) tomorrow. the roads are really bad we are travelling on the main highway north and it is full of potholes, the road is deteriorating and little maintenance appears to have been done.

 

after Phonsavan we plan to stop at Luang Prabang the ancient Laos Capital. then decide what to do next, maybe keep heading north before returning to Vientiane on Sat. I'm still pretty sore, find it difficult to lay down and get up, and must have also knocked my right hand badly as it is sore and swollen, but nothing that wont heal. its an interesting experience driving here on the right, you have to keep reminding yourselves that you have to drive on the wrong side, while avoiding potholes, other vehicles swerving all over the place, and animals that could do anything. travelled 190 km today, much of that under 30 km because of the roads.

Back at Vientiene

So as you may have gathered I am no longer riding on the bike. it was decided in the hospital that as they did not know what was wrong and it could have been serious, to pull out of the tour. I was kept in hospital overnight to make sure I was ok, then I was to be Transferred by Ambulance to Vientiane. but in the morning, although I was still really sore, I felt ok, so travelled by car to Vientiane, and booked into a hotel for a couple of nights.

 

Another rider on the tour, Bill, broke a rib on the second day, so I'm here with him weighing up my options. 

Fw: Vientiene 2

13th November 2011

 

Bill, who is nursing a fractured rib after also coming off his bike, and I have booked a car and heading north tomorrow for six days, should be back on sat and meet up with Luke & Mel on sun. Heading to a big lake north of vientiene, then to vang vieng. Then on to phonsavan, plain of jars. Then luang prabang, old city. Then maybe north to luang namtha.

We will take our time and not stress ourselves, and see what happens.

Had to buy a new camera 2,000,000 kip $250.

Not sure of the availability of the communications, and will email or message if I can.

Fw: Vientiene 2

November 12th

 I havent decided yet what to do, I'll rest up tonight and see how I feel tomorrow, I was brought back to Vientiene in a van which cost me $200, and was feeeling prety good all day, and was thinking I could maybe do some day trips out from here, but since then havnt felt so good, so I'll see what tomorrow brings.

 

Vientiene

 yesterday - 11th Nov - was a hard day, started out late due to a breakdown, ok for about 40 k then hit some very rough potholed road, I hit a big hole a bit off line, and fell on my left then flipped onto my right, even broke a piece of my helmet and ripped my watch off, also killed my camera. another rider came up and made sure I was ok, so I continued on for about another 10 km before catching up with the group. the decision was to either go farward or back either way there was still about 50 km off road, and then road to the hotel. I didnt feel too bad so continued on with mel shadowing, we kept stopping and waiting, but the rest never caught up, they had a punture and 1 person went the wrong way, the whole day ended up being about 170km.   

 

it was late when me & Mel got in and the others hadnt arrived so after about 30 mins we decided to go and eat. I was ok up until then, then after wards I said I wasnt feeling too well, sat down on a chair and fainted. the leader decided after that to take me to a hospital, then a bigger one where they had xray, so I was examined, xrayed, and utrasounded, but nothing was found, I have brusing on my right hip, (not sore yet), and brusing on my right side thats not too sore either, the sorest part is under my right rib cage. so as there has been nothing else found must just be bruising.

 

 

Day 2

270 km covered today very rough terrain including some very bad dusty roads covered with driued mud ruts, we also had to back track a considereable distance because the recent floods had destroyed a bridge,  ended up having to load the bikes one at a time into a canoe to get them across with the rider sitting on the bike to steady it. pretty scary stuff, didnt get to hotel until dark.

Day 1

132 k covered today riding from Vientiene through a national park to Longsane. covered every sort of terrain imaginable, rocky climbs and decents, sand mud loose shale and rivers, This is difficult technical riding and extreme offroad riding.

The Ho Chi Minh trail and great Champassak with Jules Classic Adventure

In Laos, everything starts with a "Baci", a traditional blessing ceremony of the tour participants by Buddhist monks at Papaya Spa.

 

We then head due east, entering the Phou Khao Kwai national park with its waterfalls and winding mountain paths, in the heart of Mong country. The tour will take us along the Vietnamese border where the Ho Chi Minh trail starts. The remains of the Vietnam war are still evident everywhere, giant bomb craters turned into fish ponds, carcasses of all types of vehicles littered along the trail and a myriad of trails and paths. A real pleasure, atmosphere guaranteed!

 

We then traverse the Boloven plateau and its coffee plantations to explore Champassak province. Home to the great waterfalls of Khonpapaeng and the Angkor-era temple of Wat Phou, this province is situated on the border with the kingdom of Cambodia.

 

After a rest stop in Pakse we join the mysterious "Route 23" towards Thakhek and the north along the Mekong. We then go through the Phou Khao Kwai national park, where we make our last stop-over before heading back to Vientiane.

Laos - Ho Chi Minh Trail

The latest adventure is to ride down the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos

12 days off road, the planned schedule is.

Day 1     Vientiane-Phou Kao Kwai-Longsane-Paksan

Day 2     Paksan-Pakading-Nahin-Laksao

Day 3     Laksao-Gnomalat-Naden-Bualapa

Day 4     Bualapa-Vilabouly-Sepone-Dong

Day 5     Dong-Nong-Kenglouang(bamboo bridge)-Ta Oy(HCM)-Salavan

Day 6     Salavan-Sekong-Attapeu

Day 7     Attapeu-Paksong-Pakse

Day 8     Pakse-Pakson, waterfalls, etc… rest at Pakse     

Day 9     Pakse-Salavan-Toumlane-RN23-Phin

Day 10   Phin-Mahaxay-Thakek

Day 11   Thakek-Paksan-Muang Huang-Longsane

Day 12   Longsane-Thabok-Mekong side-Vientiane

Phu Ruea

17 Nov, Nong Khai to Phu Ruea - 290 kms
 
We left Nong Khai still heading West along Mekong river rapids into Loei mountains, at Chiang Kan we left
the Mekong behind and turned south into mountainous Phu Ruea National park, winding roads & cooler climate.

This ride of approx 200km along the meekong was fantastic, good views and scenery all the way. With many rural villages and farmlets.

Grilled chicken and sticky rice for lunch from a small roadside grill, very tasty.