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Lao People's Democratic Republic/Don Không Round the world trip 2008
1/19/08
A few days ago in Champasak we ran into a couple of New Zealanders turned Aussies. They had built their own sailboat, a 38’ sloop, and sail it with a group of boats to Southeast Asia. They introduced us to a new term they used to refer to themselves: “grotty yachters”.
The ferry landing to Champasak was a pleasant surprise: a car ferry so we could just roll Bici on loaded. We were tired since we started to encounter some long rolling hills and a good strong headwind. We found a newer nice guest house and restaurant: Anouxa with ac, fan and hot water ($15US). Again we were on the bank of the Mekong with a good breeze. It is fun to watch the children swimming and bathing, families tending their bank side gardens as we sat eating our meals.
On our second day. We shared a tuk tuk with the “grotty yachties for a trip out to visit Wat Phou, Angkorian ruins set at the base of a mountain range. These ruins range from the 5th to the 11th centuries. The stunning setting on a mountainside sets this site apart. The temples and associated buildings are known for their elaborately and deeply carved lintels over the doorways.
Champasak itself is a linear town strewn along the Mekong for many kilometers, only one paved street with dirt lanes leading into the fields. On our afternoon explorations we went to see if we could get a cash advance at the one bank in town. We encountered the three employees who had to wake up and start to move in slow motion. This bank could have been an out post in our early western days, only they weren’t wearing eye shades and sleeve garters. As we inquired they all conversed and agreed: No cash advance here. Paxke has an ATM. Guess what? The ATM in Pakxe would lot take our debit card, so we did finally get a cash advance, so now we are set for money. We have found in Laos our ATM pin number will not work. Hopefully, it is not an issue for the rest of our trip. There is a 3% surcharge from the bank! We also found a seamstress with a newer sewing machine who repaired Judee’s riding shorts in a jiffy for $.75.
Pakxe, our next stop, is a bustling river town, the largest so far in Laos with many choices of hotels and guest houses. We looked at newer ones but decided on an older guest house with A/c, cable TV and hot water for $13US (Sala Champa). One thing we have noticed as we check in and out of lodgings is if you ask for a room early in the morning it is likely that they will tell you they are full, no rooms, but if you came in at noon or after they will have a room! Now if we come in early we know to ask “Will you have a room later?” This lovely laid back guest house had a comfortable fan-cooled outdoor patio encouraging reading and card playing. A very decorative Wat, an old Palace converted to a hotel and a market provided a little diversion for a relaxing stay. We spent two days here mailing packages, catching up on the internet, and again giving Art’s sensitive bottom a day off the bike.
It has gotten cooler with strong breezes, actually blowing signs down. Lots of dust is in the air. Indian food is available here, so rotti with eggs or bananas with Laos coffee is served for breakfast. Other meals are a mixture of Lao, Thai, Western, Vietnamese and Indian with a little Chinese thrown in. On the whole good choices are available both on the road and in the towns and cities.
I need to correct one of my first impressions: that is the children not greeting us. Here they are shouting their greetings in Laos, but we don’t hear “What is your name? Where are you going?” Still lots of smiles and thumbs up as people pass us. Bici still gets the most attention!
The Bolaven Plateau was our next destination, where we routed a big loop for the next 5 – 7days. Our first stop was Tad Fane Waterfall and Resort only 38km from Pakxe, up a gentle but steady climb. Tad Fane is the longest waterfall on the Plateau some 100m high and set amidst a lush jungle near the edge of a conservation area. The rustic cabins are located in a semicircle amidst tall trees and lush under growth with the sound of the roaring falls ever present. At $32US p/n this was not a deal in a country of $12-15US rooms with lovely accommodation. Although these bungalow/cabins set into the mountainside were way over priced, we stayed two nights to luxuriate in the cool mountain temperatures and to walk to another waterfall/cascade a few kilometers up the road and through coffee plantations. We slept under blankets last night! Food is good and the view of the falls from the restaurant is a delight to behold.
Readying for the next segment of our Plateau adventure, we began to inquire of other travelers and guides as to the conditions of our proposed route. We had been reading about the Plateau and how the Ho Chi Minh trail had traversed the northern edge, bringing with it the disruption of decades of war. The area is still laden with unexploded mines and it seems many of the roads were destroyed and not replaced as yet. We learned that a couple of the roads, one over 75km, was dirt and in nasty condition. Always flexible, we altered our itinerary and coasted the 38 kms back down to Pakxe (4+ hours up and 1.5 hours down).
January 21 Lao People's Democratic Republic/Pakxe >
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January 12 Lao People's Democratic Republic/Don
A few days ago in Champasak we ran into a couple of New Zealanders turned Aussies. They had built their own sailboat, a 38’ sloop, and sail it with a group of boats to Southeast Asia. They introduced us to a new term they used to refer to themselves: “grotty yachters”.
The ferry landing to Champasak was a pleasant surprise: a car ferry so we could just roll Bici on loaded. We were tired since we started to encounter some long rolling hills and a good strong headwind. We found a newer nice guest house and restaurant: Anouxa with ac, fan and hot water ($15US). Again we were on the bank of the Mekong with a good breeze. It is fun to watch the children swimming and bathing, families tending their bank side gardens as we sat eating our meals.
On our second day. We shared a tuk tuk with the “grotty yachties for a trip out to visit Wat Phou, Angkorian ruins set at the base of a mountain range. These ruins range from the 5th to the 11th centuries. The stunning setting on a mountainside sets this site apart. The temples and associated buildings are known for their elaborately and deeply carved lintels over the doorways.
Champasak itself is a linear town strewn along the Mekong for many kilometers, only one paved street with dirt lanes leading into the fields. On our afternoon explorations we went to see if we could get a cash advance at the one bank in town. We encountered the three employees who had to wake up and start to move in slow motion. This bank could have been an out post in our early western days, only they weren’t wearing eye shades and sleeve garters. As we inquired they all conversed and agreed: No cash advance here. Paxke has an ATM. Guess what? The ATM in Pakxe would lot take our debit card, so we did finally get a cash advance, so now we are set for money. We have found in Laos our ATM pin number will not work. Hopefully, it is not an issue for the rest of our trip. There is a 3% surcharge from the bank! We also found a seamstress with a newer sewing machine who repaired Judee’s riding shorts in a jiffy for $.75.
Pakxe, our next stop, is a bustling river town, the largest so far in Laos with many choices of hotels and guest houses. We looked at newer ones but decided on an older guest house with A/c, cable TV and hot water for $13US (Sala Champa). One thing we have noticed as we check in and out of lodgings is if you ask for a room early in the morning it is likely that they will tell you they are full, no rooms, but if you came in at noon or after they will have a room! Now if we come in early we know to ask “Will you have a room later?” This lovely laid back guest house had a comfortable fan-cooled outdoor patio encouraging reading and card playing. A very decorative Wat, an old Palace converted to a hotel and a market provided a little diversion for a relaxing stay. We spent two days here mailing packages, catching up on the internet, and again giving Art’s sensitive bottom a day off the bike.
It has gotten cooler with strong breezes, actually blowing signs down. Lots of dust is in the air. Indian food is available here, so rotti with eggs or bananas with Laos coffee is served for breakfast. Other meals are a mixture of Lao, Thai, Western, Vietnamese and Indian with a little Chinese thrown in. On the whole good choices are available both on the road and in the towns and cities.
I need to correct one of my first impressions: that is the children not greeting us. Here they are shouting their greetings in Laos, but we don’t hear “What is your name? Where are you going?” Still lots of smiles and thumbs up as people pass us. Bici still gets the most attention!
The Bolaven Plateau was our next destination, where we routed a big loop for the next 5 – 7days. Our first stop was Tad Fane Waterfall and Resort only 38km from Pakxe, up a gentle but steady climb. Tad Fane is the longest waterfall on the Plateau some 100m high and set amidst a lush jungle near the edge of a conservation area. The rustic cabins are located in a semicircle amidst tall trees and lush under growth with the sound of the roaring falls ever present. At $32US p/n this was not a deal in a country of $12-15US rooms with lovely accommodation. Although these bungalow/cabins set into the mountainside were way over priced, we stayed two nights to luxuriate in the cool mountain temperatures and to walk to another waterfall/cascade a few kilometers up the road and through coffee plantations. We slept under blankets last night! Food is good and the view of the falls from the restaurant is a delight to behold.
Readying for the next segment of our Plateau adventure, we began to inquire of other travelers and guides as to the conditions of our proposed route. We had been reading about the Plateau and how the Ho Chi Minh trail had traversed the northern edge, bringing with it the disruption of decades of war. The area is still laden with unexploded mines and it seems many of the roads were destroyed and not replaced as yet. We learned that a couple of the roads, one over 75km, was dirt and in nasty condition. Always flexible, we altered our itinerary and coasted the 38 kms back down to Pakxe (4+ hours up and 1.5 hours down).
