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We took the chance and went for it. The weather was good on the uphill side of the mountains, but as we climbed higher it got mistier and then was lightly raining.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4571/...26a8e6db_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4552/...7fb66f0e_b.jpgFILE3545 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4540/...b385f44e_b.jpgFILE3548 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4583/...02f2eafd_b.jpgFILE3551 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We got to the summit and there was a long line of trucks parked to the right and s we rounded the corner we could see why the road can be closed at times. There is a 300 m section of muddy steep road and when we arrived a minivan was making another failed attempt to get up the hill. Dan went down to see how tricky it was and reported back that it was not too slippery for the downhill and we would be ok once the minivan backed down out of our way. There was an even bigger line of vehicles waiting to get up. It was wet and steep and muddy, but not slippery going down. Once we passed this there was another 2 sections of dirt and now mud of 200 m each to pass, but we did with no trouble.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4583/...7891fcc9_b.jpgFILE3568 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr Then the rain started in earnest and we pulled over for the over suits. We had gotten a bit wet, but we would have been soaked otherwise. We continued on down hill and out of the clouds and rain about 15 minutes later and we could pull over and get the suits off so we could dry out underneath. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/...6821a040_b.jpgFILE3576 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The rest of the ride back down to the 13N was uneventful and then we had 57 km left to go south from Kasi. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4559/...60b0df1a_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-28 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4537/...ded75539_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-29 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4541/...ccacf630_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-30 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Today the forecast is for rain and we have some time to kill anyway and so we will stay another day. Trevor will head south to Vientiane tomorrow and fly to Phenom Pen Cambodia to get our TVIP sorted and we will head north.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4545/...da48d5b7_b.jpgIMG_0533 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4547/...71a7efe6_b.jpgIMG_0534 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr As predicted it poured, but only for an hour and the sun came our in time for us to have a small tour in a long boat up the river. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4555/...b2439bed_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4545/...751fe523_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-36 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4576/...c29ab738_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-37 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4584/...a9b573e7_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4523/...9a057b85_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-40 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr And then some beers! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4580/...a0ac8c70_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4563/...0c13426c_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-41 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4532/...a4acbdaa_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-42 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4524/...4e791e0c_b.jpgLaos Border & Luang Prabang-43 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The team splits up temporarily today as Trevor and the Swede go south and WWR heads north-east. We are going 234 km north and then east to Phonsavan.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4444/...36b4e057_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-10-22 at 16.21.02 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4574/...b69360bf_b.jpgFILE3693 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4544/...ac48c301_b.jpgFILE3708 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4536/...f329d5dd_b.jpgFILE3721 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/...ebcf6bed_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-3 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4529/...54a65200_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-4 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We initially had a 57 km back track to Kasi and then we continued north on the 13N.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4509/...bbb20473_z.jpgScreen Shot 2017-10-22 at 16.21.33 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4576/...7f77988e_b.jpgFILE3738 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4553/...eaa21b55_b.jpgFILE3752 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4563/...023a0b9c_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/...94117c68_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-2 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
This route is all curves and heads up into the clouds and mist over the mountain. At times it was a bit hairy with the wet road, sharp curves, and almost zero visibility. Luckily on the down side the road was dry and the curves continued.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4510/...8c00dd61_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4578/...a1901dc3_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4532/...a3fe2a43_b.jpgFILE3776 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4527/...77b6fa43_b.jpgFILE3799 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4522/...8b7a9bdd_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4551/...006d6ea8_b.jpgFILE3819 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4561/...610b49f8_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-7 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4574/...7d3a5612_b.jpgFILE3835 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4533/...cde4c5ed_b.jpgFILE3840 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We only stopped once for 30 min for a Laos noodle soup lunch and it still took 5 1/2 hours to get to our hotel.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4529/...35e13429_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4540/...a4ee8421_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-6 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr The last 60 km we got some speed up and managed to get out of 3 rd gear. We had booked into a guest house located off the main road and not too far from the “plain of Jars” sites that are the attraction here. Dinner was treat as there is an Italian Chef here with a place 400 m from us and we had very nice red wine and very delicious pasta for dinner. There are very few tourists here and no backpackers. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4523/...20089809_b.jpgIMG_0542 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4569/...e3afefa4_b.jpgIMG_0544 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4535/...55538cdb_b.jpgIMG_0546 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4530/...ac8f18eb_b.jpgIMG_0548 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr There are a lot of reminders of how much this county was bombed. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/...902b8b0c_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-11 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4548/...3eac8132_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4573/...50585904_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-13 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Today the weather in much nicer and we rode the 10 km to the Plain of Jars Site 1 after our banana french toast.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4520/...724dabc5_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr At the site foreigners pay 15000 Kip to enter and 3000 Kip to park. The jars are on one of the most heavily bombed regions of the country. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4482/...1dba027f_z.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/...aa1d23eb_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4528/...46be456f_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4539/...6446bbc9_b.jpgIMG_0563 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4567/...3841df03_b.jpgIMG_0564 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/...791110df_b.jpgIMG_0565 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4530/...7a4aab04_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4555/...a5e5c686_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-15 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4515/...43b6d1cc_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-16 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4517/...c2c5f09a_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/...10d44fc0_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-19 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4546/...a4b4e7a1_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-20 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4566/...eda07e70_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4559/...1dff5d3c_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4556/...17af6503_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/...5e4b9cfb_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr We also did a bit of a ride around the city and found a nice local place for a noodle soup lunch (note more ditch weeds). Fingers crossed Trevor is at the ministry of transport in Phenom Pen today to try to get our authorization letter to enter Cambodia with the bikes. This will be a major problem for us if we can not get them this week. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/...27412925_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4576/...d71c1408_b.jpgLaos Phonsavan-25 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
Today we have no fixed plan it but to head south and west to be in striking distance to meet with Trevor and Orvar and hopefully pick up our Cambodian TVIP in 2 days time. The road today is again mostly curves for the first 120 km on the 1D and that took about 2 1/2 hours.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4478/...844f2c00_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-10-28 at 10.03.55 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4525/...d11c1fa5_b.jpgFILE3884 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4559/...df92e6f9_b.jpgFILE3903 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4580/...b957c6b1_b.jpgFILE3948 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4544/...413e60e7_b.jpgFILE4004 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We stopped for a Laos noodle soup about 1030. We love the Asian soups and the bowls of “ditch weeds” they always serve along side to add some flavors.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/...21fc39ca_b.jpgIMG_0591 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr This is THE main road, but there is almost no traffic. Several times we thought the road might be closed as we had not seen another vehicle for over an hour. After “breakfast” the road is straighter and we made better time. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4562/...a3d82e34_b.jpgFILE4007 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4522/...a4832dc7_b.jpgFILE4022 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4530/...0ca2c79d_b.jpg |
After 320 km we were just passed Na Hin (which has a lot of guest houses, but is not a nice place) and we stopped for fuel. There was a sign here for a resort near the Konglor cave in 45 km and so we decided to see how the road was (mostly paved).
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4448/...87c0e735_b.jpgScreen Shot 2017-10-28 at 10.05.34 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/...1a8d652a_b.jpgFILE4048 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4572/...2f9f3920_b.jpgFILE4055 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/...1e8cc469_b.jpgFILE4066 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4555/...c8a0726d_b.jpgFILE4068 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4566/...422e693d_b.jpgFILE4077 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/...2d7fd8a0_b.jpgFILE4078 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4558/...245c1fac_b.jpgFILE4099 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
We had though to come here when we were discussing what to do yesterday, but as it had rained and it is an in and out we did not care for a mud road as on these tires as it would be tragic. We were greeted warmly my the owner Vicki and settled into our little garden cabin for 15$. The noise from the Cicadas was amazing, but suddenly stopped after dark.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4571/...57c4921d_b.jpgFILE4109 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4548/...8d49890f_b.jpgFILE4113 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4530/...0b0e33bf_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4517/...c68e088b_b.jpgLaos-8 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4552/...433db5c5_b.jpgLaos-40 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4585/...1ca561fe_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4687/...4790f00e_b.jpgLaos-9 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The attraction here is being on the river, paddling up into the lagoon, and to visit the Konglor cave. This is a huge pitch black cave where you ride on a long boat 7.5 km thru the cave twisting and turning guided by the driver using spot lights. We opted to also take a 45 min long boat ride from the resort up the river to the cave entrance.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/...fdc1a7b5_b.jpgIMG_0598 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4583/...98542da6_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4515/...7477dafc_b.jpgLaos-14 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4691/...968dd73e_b.jpgLaos-15 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4683/...73a63ebb_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4640/...84e1f15f_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4589/...4ba92dab_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4735/...f51c056e_b.jpg At Konglor park headquarters you buy your cave ticket and the driver takes you across the river as it is a 200 m walk to the navigable entrance to the cave. 100 m inside the cave itself you step into one of the boats moored there. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4687/...bde56ba6_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4596/...5b4f73b8_b.jpg https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4634/...8ced6c93_b.jpg You ride about 5 min and then get out for a short hike thru the lighted area with stalactites and stalagmites. You meet your boat on the other side of the short hike and continue the journey on the river. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4576/...c4c5f519_b.jpgLaos-21 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4583/...b25a2c53_b.jpgLaos-22 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4582/...9b3a44ae_b.jpgLaos-23 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4554/...b646ee7c_b.jpgLaos-24 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4737/...e248fa89_b.jpgLaos-25 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr There are some rapids at the far end that you must walk up, but get to ride down on the way back! The ticket is for the return ride as well. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/...f09afa36_b.jpgLaos-27 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4684/...e464cd56_b.jpgLaos-31 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
The next day we lazed about all day until Vicki told us we really needed to do something! So we borrowed a canoe from the hotel and paddled up the “spring”. This is the smaller waterway that joins the river and starts deep in a cave that is now collapsed, but you can see the water welling up at the entrance.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4517/...7d059113_b.jpgLaos-46 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4564/...855aa45c_b.jpgLaos-38 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4560/...580457bb_b.jpgLaos-44 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4729/...49e95211_b.jpgLaos-10 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4566/...a677d03e_b.jpgLaos-12 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4684/...8f005b61_b.jpgLaos-35 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4594/...4df4cdd3_b.jpgLaos-36 by Sara & Daniel Pedersen, on Flickr |
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