Explore.Dream.Discover 2012

Motorcycle Diaries 19th April

Today was a great day, one of those to look back on with a smile. Last night we arrived at Tha Kalaek, about 6 hours south from Vientiane, and that was following a 12 hour overnight bus, so we were knackered but knew it would be best as we gained a day and travelled from the north to central in less than 24 hours. That puts us only 2 days from the southern tip where we will cross into Cambodia. 

The travel lodge we were staying in is where loads of travellers do a four hundred kilometre motorbike  trip into the bowels of Laos, seeing caves, forests and villages. We couldn't resist and so I went to an amazing guy called Mr Ku. He is the motorbike man, and one of the nicest guys I've met in Laos.  I quickly warmed to him and after only a few minutes he randomly asked me if this swelling on his face (which i had noticed but thought nothing of) was anything I had seen in England before.  I smiled and asked him some questions, and although I was reluctant,  I told him I was doctor.  The poor guys eyes almost popped out with excitement (he and his family are too poor to afford a doctor), so I did the duty of examining him and prescribed him some antibiotics.  He had a fever, couldn't open his mouth because of pain, had two swellings the size of golf balls, and yet he was still working with a smile dealing with gringos like me.  A legend. 

Well this morning he was delighted to tell me he was better and could eat for the first time in days.  It brought a tear to my eye.

We set off with our motorbike and backpack that would be our means of survival for 4 days.  It was a manual bike but I  soon got the hang of clicking the gears back and forth, albeit in a clumsy fashion, that was obviously amusing to the locals.  

Our journey took us east and to an amazing cave called the Buddha cave.  This cave is about 20m up a 300m cliff face. In 2006 some guy stumbled upon this cave  whilst climbing a vine looking for food.  Inside he found 229 buddha statues all facing the entrance which had  been undiscovered for over 600 years!! Now it is a spiritual place for monks and a whole village has emerged from this discovery. Truly amazing!!

We went to another cave that was massive and after that stopped for some noodle soup.  We chatted with the locals, a 25 year old law student with polio from Laos, his parents, and another punter who probably had throat cancer... I felt like I was back in medical school!  - more advice given! Soup was good.

We set off and quickly ascended into the mountains covered by forest.  We also saw the devastation left behind by a dam that burst and refugee villages that were set up following this.  We continued north again along dusty dirt tracks and waving to the smiling locals.... True Laos without a gringo in site... Apart from the little monkey on my back - Sophie.

We finally arrived just before sunset to a remote guest house overlooking a small lake left behind by the floods, and the decimated forest in the background.  With the sun setting, and the sky glowing orange, it could not have been more perfect.... Until a local fisherman came with his fly rod and canoe! Heaven!!

We quickly made friends, he taught me to fly fish, and we shared a beer.  I was also recruited to pull in a boat that was half sunken by one of the fisherman's friends and by this time Sophie had joined the party and helped as well!

We didn't catch anything - of course- but the fisherman who ironically was called 'I', said he would meet me in the morning at 6am for fishing. With a beaming smile I said I'd be waiting for him with a beer. 

That's why today was amazing.  

The last 3 days of this motorcycle 'loop' have been great.  

The first day began with the 530am rendezvous with the local fisherman 'I'.  I was there before him with two Laobeers, and shortly afterwards 'I' arrived with two fly fishing rods and a water bottle full of petrol.  He manually lifted a whole engine from a small canoe to a larger one to fit us both comfortably, all whilst balancing on a boat less stable than the titanic in its final moments (yes we still read sky news occasionally).  He took us across the flood plains and we conversed briefly, mainly through smiles and basic English words.  I understood that when the damn flooded his village was wiped out, and from then he has been fishing.  It was amazing to see massive trees 3m deep in water, it seems a lake has been born.  The sunrise was amazing and I practiced my fly fishing once more - of course no fish again.  By 0715 we were back and we said our goodbyes.  A great guy.  

I woke Sophie up (she declined the 0530 start) and we then set off onto a very rugged mountain road, passing through thick forest that took us 5 hours to travel 50km.   I kept thinking that this would have been a great  trail on a descent mountain bike!.. On a motorbike however it was pain in the arse - in the literal sense!   However the scenery was spectacular.  By lunch time we arrived, had a quick noodle soup and pressed onto a location on a map noted as 'cool springs'.  We really weren't sure what to expect, however as we ventured onto a track bearly passable, heading towards the mountains, we soon realised this was going to be special.  We approached the area and found a few locals drinking beer and starting a fire.  A few meters further on and we saw what all the fuss was about.  A large pool of tranquil pure green water, surrounded by rocks and trees.  An oasis.  We couldn't wait to get in!  In the middle was a canoe that the locals were messing about on, making it sink and float in a repetitive cycle that we just couldn't help but join in with... bundles of fun and laughter!  We then watched the locals prepare dinner by plucking three live ducks, then slicing their chest open to bleed them out halal style.  At least the poor things were eventually put out of their misery.  The local kids poored us glasses of beer and we were made to try local wine out of a coconut shell.  We declined a dinner offer as we still had some miles to cover, of course being careful not to offend them by not staying to eat. 

The following day involved travelling to Konglor, a 7km river that passes through a mountain, another of God's amazing creations.  We hired a canoe and a guide and passed through where we saw countless stalagmite and stalagtite formations, a giant centipede, but fortunately no 25cm spiders!  It was incredible. 

We then had a bite - I tried chicken foot - less than impressive, and headed to a room for the night. 

Soon off further south....