In Hanoi and don't feel like leaving.

Hi Guys, Sorry for deserting you for so long, but sometimes I had no choice. Anyway here I am again and I'll try to fill you up from where I left off. After leaving Vientianne I headed for Pakxan some 100 odd km away but it was quite easy as it was flat most of the way. The road wasn't as good as in Thailand but traffic was light and that helped. Laos is very undeveloped compared to Thailand and some people in the remote parts still live in thatched huts like you find among the 'orang aslis', back home, but one thing we should envy them is that these so called huts enjoy cable TV. Satellite dishes are all over. Pakxan is a small town, like Slim River and has only one hotel.The hotel is well appointed though not well maintained. Towns in Laos seem to have hotels owned or run by Vietnamese. Even the masseurs are Vietnamese. Don't ask me if I have been naughty, you are not going to believe me whatever I tell you anyway.
One thing about Laos I notice, is that, they have vast timber resources and they produce very good wood products - furniture, carvings, etc. Only hope they don't plunder their forests like we do. The other town I spent the night before crossing to Vietnam was Lak Sao and I had the misfortune of being checked into a guest house that was run down and because of the heat,I left all the windows and the door ajar. After a few minutes a herd of goats found their way into the room. And to get to that town must be the hardest ride I had so far . I had to tackle very steep hills something like cycling up Cameron Highlands by Simpang Pulai, but once you reach the top the view is really breathtaking, and way down in such situation, it is always a welcome sight.
The Laotian children are really friendly. They readily pose for photographs esp. with my bicycle. Many are amazed at the number of gears the bike has.
From Lak Sao to the Vietnamese border, is about 30 km, and though it has some hills they are gentle and almost without traffic. After clearing immigration and crossing to the Vietnamese side it was the most pleasant ride because I did not have to paddle for about 25 km. I only came across about 12 vehicles for that distance - amazing. After that it was mostly downhill. Hardly anyone speaks English in this part, so I had problems even asking for directions, and in fact once shown the wrong way. Luckily, it was only a short distance. I was chased by a dog again after crossing the border, border guard dogs, I guess, . I reached Vinh late evening and checked into a nice 2 star hotel and was surprised that it costs only USD10/- while at some hotel of worse conditions I paid USD15/-
I am now in Hanoi and I'll try and write more about Vinh and the ride to Hanoi tomorrow, but just make sure you stay with my blog. I am now staying in a very well appointed Hotel in the tourist area of Hanoi, with two Malaysians, my two brothers -in-law, who flew in the day before. We just came back from a cruise in Halong Bay. I may need to stay longer here, which I don't mind. I have to try for the visa on Monday and that could take some time.
To some of my friends in PACM who are following my blog I hope your training is going well, what with all the runs coming up soon. After a miserable finish at the last KLIM I really need to put in some training to even come in under 6 hrs. I envy guys like YLWan, Hooi. Gary, Kishab who have always been consistent, and Ngae, how about another Sahara marathon. Let me try the S'pore marathon in Dec first.
Blueamoeboa, arz , and Ann ,thanks for all the encouragemant and advice -you guys take care as well. To those who SMS to me, please identify yourself. I'd like to know you. That's all, till tomorrow. Regards.
Adnan