Some more pics from Luang Prabang

Pic 1 - Sabai dee old fart LOL
Pic 2-4 Different boats on the Mekong river
Pic 5 - A bamboo bridge in the dark

Day 15 - Riding from Luang Prabang to Xayabouli

So one of my goals with this Laos trip was to visit some of the places I already have been to but of course also to visit places I havent been to before. So I decided to head for the town of Xayabouly. It was only ~ 120 kms from Luang Prabang and the road was mostly in good shape to be in Laos.

Just a few words about Google maps in Laos. Its for the most part absolutely useless! Google maps hardly have the very main roads in Laos correct. For example for this stretch between Luang Prabang and Xayabouly it told me to take a detour of around 300 kms! Where the R4 cross Mekong river there is now build a bridge and I think the bridge was ready for use in 2015. However Google maps havent got that little fact right and showed me to do a 300 km detour... Even today Google havent got this bridge on their map. Gee Google...:thumbdown:

Pic 1+2 - This bridge doesnt exist according to Google maps
Pic 3 - The Mekong river is really wide here
Pic 4 - I love the smell of fried brakepads in the morning...
Pic 5 - My truck (is) was loaded with bananas....

Day 16 - Checking out Xayabouli

Xayabouli is the provincial capital of the province with the same name. The town has only around 16 000 people but the whole province has almost 400 000 inhabitants. Its maybe not so much to see in Xayabouly town but I have heard rumours about an elephant festival taking place there and I hoped to be lucky enough to get to participate in some elephant action. I had both some luck and some bad luck, there was indeed an elephant festival taking place in Xayabouli town, but it was to start the next weekend. The good thing was that some of the elephants and mahouts were already in town and had started to show these magnificent creatures to the public and I got to participte in some interaction with elephants.

Pic 1 - The poster of the elephant festival in Xayabouli
Pic 2-5 Some more elephant pics

Day 16 - Elephant interaction in Xayabouli

Then it was time for this old fella to take part in some elephant interaction...LOL
Some really magnificent animals! And it was nice to ride something else for a change and I have to admit it had more torque than my Crf...

Day 16 - Checking out Xayabouli town

As I mentioned earlier in this thread - I always find it interesting to have a walk through the local markets and Xayabouli was no different.

Pic 1-2 Buffalo skin for sale, I wonder for what use?
Pic 3 - Home made meat sausages
Pic 4 - Some strange fruit/berry
Pic 5 - Duck eggs and chicken eggs

Day 16 - Enjoying Xayabouli

Welcome to Xayabouli - the elephant capital of Laos

Day 17 - Riding from Xayabouli, via Vang Vieng to Long Tieng (the secret airbase)

This was a long days ride and the distance was approx 320 kms. The first leg included the socalled Kasi bypassroad, a really scenic ride albeit both very steep and winding. Its not a problem on a motorbike but for big trucks it must be a challenge. After Kasi it was no drama pottering down to Vang Vieng where I had some lunch and then started the second leg to Long Tieng - the secret airbase. As Google maps is absolutely useless in Laos I used Mapsme to find the way for me. A few kms south of Vang Vieng Mapsme told me to take off from the main road and so I did. It was a gravel road and it soon detoriorated into a very rough partly deep sand, partly big rocks. And through some steep mountains and very winding. Actually it was so demanding that I considered turning back. It was steep sandy mountain sides road where I barely could crawl up in first gear. And then it was downhill in deep sand on the other side of the mountain too of coutse. But after 3-4 hours on this demanding track I came to a junction and a roadsign that said Long Tieng and the road was asphalt again. And voila - the last 20-30 kms into Long Tieng was done in a blast.

Again I didnt take many photos this day but heres a few of those I took that day, these first 5 are from the socalled Kasi bypass road.

Day 17 Vang Vieng to Long Tieng

A few photos from the last stretch this day, the mostly rough gravel and sand road from Vang Vieng to Long Tieng

Brilliant
 

Great trip and pics.

Day 18 - Checking out Long Tieng (The secret US airbase)

So this was maybe my #1 goal with this trip, namely to check out Long Tieng - the secret airbase that in its heydays during the Vietnam war held 40 000 people active there.
Situated deep into Laos’ jungles amongst karst mountains and rolling hills, faaar away from any other major towns lies the little village of Long Tieng (also spelled Long Cheng/Chaeng etc) During the Vietnam war US airforces build an airbase here, all done very secretly. In fact it was called the most secret place in the world. Even most US Air Force pilots that flew planes in the Vietnam war didnt know much this place.
You can read more about Long Tieng here: https://www.airspacemag.com/military...-tieng-284722/
And here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Tieng

Today however the place is nothing more than a sleepy village but there are a few remains of the airbase and if you know what to look for there are several things to check out. The most obvious is of course the airstrip itself. Its readily visible and I think with maybe some maintainance it would be operational today.

Long Tieng wasnt opend for foreigners until a few years back and even today I have read reports that foreign travellers are turned back. However I met only one checkpoint going there and the soldiers there were friendly and asked me where I was going and when I said Long Tieng they just pointed further up the road.

There are only one place to stay and that is Mr Saysomones Guesthouse. And I got myself a primitive room there with bathroom outside, but the price was only 60 000 kip (~6 €/7,5 $).

Some pics from upon entering Long Tieng...

Pic 1-2 - Nice scenery close to entering Long Tieng
Pic 3 - Welcome to Mr Saysombones Guesthouse
Pic 4 - Some Lao Army shelters
Pic 5 - Not many food options in town, it was «Pho» or pho or maybe pho....

Day 18 - Checking out Long Tieng

The airstrip itself lies almost in the middle of town and paralell to the main road. Both cars and mopeds used the runway and some cows were relaxing along the strip.

Some Long Tieng airstrip photos...

Day 18 - Checking out Long Tieng

Just some more photos from Long Tieng and the airstrip there

Day 18 - Checking out Long Tieng

Some other photos from Long Tieng

Pics 1-3 The house of the Hmong general Wang Pao
Pic 4-5 - Some other buildings in Long Tieng

Day 18 - Checking out Long Tieng

Yes - some mandatory photos of me and my bike on the Long Tieng airstrip, once the most secret place in the world! :clap:

Thanks mate! Still more to come...bier