Gordon: Our second organized foray into the park was as enjoyable as the first. We went for a swim in a clear natural stream, visited an open air market (far from a new experience), and then went to a cave full of bats. The cave itself had some nice formations, and there were dozens of bats hanging and fluttering about. They were quite small, perhaps ...
The blue gaiters are leech socksGordon: Yesterday, on a whim, we took the unusual step of joining an organized tour. I don't generally enjoy being herded around by someone else at great expense, but this full day outing in Khao Yai National Park was actually a great experience. We met eight other travellers from Germany, France, Austria and Italy, and we had a the benefit ...
Ruth: This morning we said goodbye to Laos and cycled across the Friendship Bridge into Thailand. The transition from right side driving to left happened just as we headed onto the bridge and now I am so mixed up that before every turn I shoulder check in every direction. We caught a train at Nong Khai heading south to Nakhon Ratchasima. Our third class train is ...
Ruth: Vientiane is a world away from rural Laos. On our approach to town we stopped at a shopping mall that was more like a western suburban mall than any other place in Laos. For a communist people's republic, wealth distribution has slid decidedly towards Vientiane and away from the rural areas we've visited. Vientiane is also, however, the base for a number of NGOs ...
Gordon: Now that we are only 22 kms from crossing the border into Thailand, I think it is time to discuss road safety in Laos. It is certainly something that we talk about a great deal.The time that we have spent in Laos has been one of our best travel experiences, but Laos does build an excellent case for defensive cycling. The Lao are amongst ...
Picturesque, but the dugout in the foreground is probably a bomb craterRuth: Today's ride made up for all the climbing we did on the way to Phonsavan, with a 22 km descent back down to the jungle and rice paddies.It is the final day of the New Year's parties and we wandered down to the watch the festivities in Tha Vieng. An older woman immediately ...
Ruth: Happy New Year! We are enjoying the first rainy day of our trip by sitting around the fire at our guest house. The fire pit is made from the casing of a US cluster bomb dropped on Laos in their Secret War on the country. As the fire starts to heat up, our host tells us more about the War and its continuing aftermath ...
Gordon: The regional capital of Phonsavan, where we are spending three nights, is well-known for two things: the Plain of Jars, and unexploded ordinance (UXO).The Plain of Jars is an area with clusters of carved stone vessels. Although little is known about the culture that created them, they are believed to date to the Iron Age (3rd century B.C. to 3rd century A.D.) They come ...
Ruth: Overnight the Hmong villages in the mountains between Phoukoun and Nong Tiang were transformed into a colourful display. It was the first day of their multi-day New Year celebration, and we were lucky enough to be passing through. Everyone was wearing their very best outfits with no two alike. Hmong are the third largest recognized ethnic group in Laos. The majority of Hmong follow both ...
Ruth: Even if we had wifi or cell yesterday, which we didn't, I had no leftover energy to blog a single word. We have set a new personal record for vertical climbing in a single day: 1900 meters! Fortunately the road was well graded and stunning. By the time I rolled into the guesthouse at Kiewkacham, stuffed my face with noodles and soup I could barely ...