I am now in Luang Prabang. I left Vientiane on 8th Nov. for Vang Viang and I am glad to be able to blog again. The road from Vientiane is hellish to say the least. The distance to Lg. Prabang is about 400km. I don't have adequate vocabulary to describe the conditions. The first 60km or so is quite flat but horror of horrors the surface is not paved all the way and has potholes in the thousands.Every few hundred meters the surface is unpaved and it is repeated all the way to Vang Vieng, and the dust kicked up by the passing vehicles is unbelievable. Then you have the hills to tackle which is normal for seasoned cyclists, but when you have to avoid the countless number of potholes the difficulty is multiplied many times over.The only consolation is the small number of vehicles plying the route.
With Shi Heng Chong from Singapore
Shi Heng Chong's partner
The bicycle sleeps with me sometimes
Vang Vieng as a perfect place to rest your tired body and the if you have the time and energy, the things you can do here need a few days to enjoy. The place can be compared to Gua Musang in Kelantan with its rugged limestone hills, the difference being, it is more spectacular here. It is a heaven for rock climbing, kayaking, tubing,caving, trekking, etc. Such being the case, most of the visitors here are 'kwai loh' youngsters seeking thrills and adventure. The little town is dusty when dry and muddy after it rains. The main street is not paved and there are no street lights at night. One thing I find interesting is that 80 percent of schoolchildren cycle to school. It is also normal to see cyclists or motorcyclists riding with umbrellas, which is rarely seen on our roads. I spent a night here at a guesthouse by the river and in the morning while having breakfast able to see the kayaks passing by, going under a bamboo bridge across the river, a beautiful sight indeed.
It is about 200km from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang and a minimum 2days of hard riding is needed.The road conditions is slightly better than previously described but to give you an idea of the terrain, it is going up and down Cameron Highlands two days in a row. While Luang Prabang is only about 700meters from sea level the route goes up and down endlessly passing several little settlements along the way until finally down to Luang Prabang. Unlike the road to Cameron Highlands, the surrounding hills are mostly devoid of thick jungles, probably extensively logged during the French presence here. And there's not much agricultural activity evident. I only saw four touring cyclists along the way but did not speak with them as they were riding fast downhill as we passed.
A local admirer by the Mekong in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is really a beautiful place nestled in a valley with the mighty Mekong flowing through it. The French legacy is obvious in the many buildings that are very beautifully restored and occupied as government offices, hotels, restaurants and guesthouses. There must be hundreds of guesthouses here and some are very basic with bathrooms outside that go for as low as USD4/- a night. Of course there also the 5star outfits.The Mekong waterfront is about 1km long dotted with restaurants, cafes and guesthouses. Many people who planned a day stay here end up spending a week instead. Beside visits to the Wats and museums, the other activities include river cruise, the waterfalls, cycle tour, the elephant sanctuary where you can take a 'mahout' course, cooking course ,etc.,or just laze around drinking beer ,like what many westerners do. The place is cool and ideal for walking without sweating or the heat.
By the Mekong with a Lao friend
At the same Guesthouse I met Sarah from Canada and she is trying to circle the globe overland, meaning without flying if that is possible.She is giving herself a year to do it and she is also travelling alone. She is here after spending some time in Malaysia and Thailand. She was in KL, Melaka and Cameron Highlands. All my best wishes to her.
Sarah from Canada is circling the Globe
Food is slightly more expensive here than Vientiane as all the ingredients have to be transported from there. Nasi Bryani that cost Kip25,000 in Vientiane is Kip 28,000 here. I shall try to blog again tomorrow before I leave because after this I am not sure when I can do the same.I am told that I cannot blog in China as it is blocked by the govt. ,and after leaving here I may not have easy excess to the Internet. So, be prepared for a lull for many days. However I can still be reached through SMS that I cannot afford to reply to all , but they are much appreciated. I thank all those who wished me Happy Birthday on the 7th of November. I am now only 69 and not 70 as some people perceived. InsyaAllah I shall survive way beyond 70.
Orlando from Switzerland
I am not able to take many pictures because of the absence of my camera,but when convenient I use the IPad. Trouble is, I don't take the IPad everywhere I go and it is cumbersome to use it in public. I also don't want to attract too much with attention with it.That's the only valuable thing left with me with all the stored images since I left PJ. Well, maybe some kind soul may want to sponsor another camera? .Wishful thinking .I shall take more pictures and post it in my next blog , but you may have to excuse the awkward positions of the pictures in the blog as I am still struggling with its functions. Taking pictures with the iPad is awkward sometimes, because the images can be upside down when you touch the 'click' button. This is the outcome of guys of my generation who refuse to learn to use the computer . Yes, you don't stop learning till the day you die. God Bless All Of You.
That takes many years to achieve this
A handsome house in Luang Prabang
A guesthouse at the Mekong riverfront
Building a bamboo bridge on the Nam Khan river
A stunning view - Vang. Vieng
Tourists boarding the boat for the river cruise
2 comments:
wow abang nan u get to see many beautiful places, houses,budhist temples, wow great man.wish u luck.deen from j.b. bye.
Thank you Deen for all your positive comments it keeps me going.
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