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We hired a Tuk Tuk and Driver for three days (11th – 13th Jan for US$76) to show the four of us (Aad, Mike, Vince and myself) around the temples of the Angkor Archaeological Park and Siem Reap Province. These represent the ruins of the ancient Angkorian capital cities of the Khmer Empire (9th – 13th Century AD) and included the most famous and well known Khemer temples, such as  Banteay Srey (11th Jan),  Angkor Wat (12th Jan) and Bayon (on 12th Jan).

Day one (11th Jan) we had breakfast at a nearby cafe….nothing special but cheap and cheerful! Our driver, Sovoeun, collected us at 9.00am for our full day out… starting by a stop off to purchase our three day pass (including photo) for US$40 each. We rode past Angkor Wat enroute (we will go there on day two)…we passed through the South Gate of Angkor Thom, which as very impressive and as we approached we saw elephants giving people a tour of the the area. We passed another temple with a large crane…I think it was Bayon, which we will stop off and see tomorrow. We were headed out of the North Gate on our way to Preah Khan Temple, this was an awesome place and at the entrance there were musicians performing, mostly land mind victims, so Vince and I contributed to the collection pot (an occurence that seemed to be regularly repeated at most of the temples). There were also some stall holders, trying to sell tourist stuff but we were not interested in books, postcards, t-shirts etc…..and although I would not have bought any, I did find the paintings by local artists interesting along with handmade musical instruments, including some drums with what I think was snake skin.

Back in our tut tuk we were taken to a smaller “hospital” temple….origianally called Rajasri, but now called Neak Pean (coiled serpents/nagas)…..showing the four elements within the 4 water pools…..Earth – Human, Wind – Horse, Fire – Lion and Water – Elephant. It was quite a long way out to the Island Temple in the middle of the last baray ( Preah Khan Baray) to be constructed by a Khmer King. The temple is on the axis of a lotus pattern of 8 pools and the water was thought to have healing properties. All four of us had the same thought as we travelled over the wooden bridge…..hope we don’t end up in the water like we did at Inle Lake in Myanmar!

Next we stopped at Ta Som, a small monastic complex like a miniature Ta Prohm, built in the late 12th Century AD by King Jayavarman VII in the Bayon style and it is the most distant temple on the Grand Circuit…lastly we headed 37km North of Siem Reap and visited Banteay Srey, Citadel of Women, from the late 10th Century AD under King Rajendravarman, with some of the most beautiful carvings in Angkor, stopping off on the way for some lunch.

On the return trip we stopped briefly at the Cambodian Landline Museum….which was very emotional….especially reading the stories of the child victims that live at the centre.

We completed our day with a climb up for sunset shots at Pre Rup (Temple Mountain) built by King Rajendravarman II in the late 10th Century AD…..a very busy day! I was very hot, in fact feeling like I was going to pass out by the end of the day……but after we got back to our hotel and freshened up I felt much better. Dinner with the boys was just some burgers at the nearby little place we had breakfast and dinner last night!

Day two (12th Jan) Up at 4.30am to get picked up at 5.00am our driver had us out to Angkor Wat in the dark so we could watch the sunrise over it. It was absolutely jam packed and although well worth the early start to see, I had trouble seeing over the crowds and Vince ended up taking photos over people’s heads and hoping for the best….we weren’t disappointed….you’ve got to love that Olympus TG4….BRILLIANT! We spent quite some time exploring the temple, including making friends with a pig down by the lake….Ankor Wat truly was beautiful. However, the line was so long to go into the inner sanctum that we decided to give that a miss.

Back in our tuk tuk we sped off for the South Gate of Angkor Thom, the Walled City of King Jayavarman VII from the 12th and 13th Century AD built in the Bayon Style. We saw the elephants again on the way through and briefly stopped to take some photos….we were shocked to see their tusks had been removed….they did not look very happy….you would not get me to part with any money (fee was US$20)      for a ride ….it seemed too cruel!

Bayon, the temple of faces at the centre of Angkor Thom, was absolutely fabulous to experience, but again packed with tourists and it was frustrating us to try to get photos because of the crowds. It was getting on to the middle of the day and the sun was unforgiving. I was overheating again and so was Vince, so we decided to just walk along the Terrace of the Leper King towards the parking area near the North Gate, and as we did so we walked past Baphuon (Central Angkor Thom) from the mid 11th Century AD under King Udayadityavarman II, but we didn’t go inside as we were melting, hungry and getting over the crowds. Walking past the Terraces of the Elephants was amazing and the detail was just fantastic.

We soon found ourselves in the parking area and made our way to some stalls to get some cool drinks and Vince poured a bottle of cold water all over me to cool me down….which made me feel like I’d wet myself but did work! Back in our tuk tuk we headed East out of the Victory Gate, past some smaller temples (e.g. Ta Keo), but to be honest we were all “templed” out and the heat had just zapped us….so we opted to just head for the Jungle temple, Ta Prohm, that had been filmed in “Tomb Raider”. No Lara Croft today, this Bayon Buddhist style temple built by King Jayavarman VII in the mid 12th – early 13th Century AD had been clearly reclaimed in parts by the jungle! Again, lots of tourists but well worth the visit….I had a little adventure of my own here …..but that’s another story!

We were finished by lunch time, so we got dropped off next to Pub Street, and we had lunch at The Red Tomatoe before walking back to our hotel to cool down and have a bit of a rest. Later in the evening, Vince and I took a walk to Pub Street and had a foot massage (US$7) for a hour in “Pure Vida” for our aching legs and feet….followed by dinner at the “Temple Bar” where we were treated to a display of Aspara Dancing…….very interesting and enjoyable.

Day Three (13th Jan). After a less than stellar breakfast we headed south today at 7.30am to avoid the heat….off to see the Roluos Group, the oldest Khmer Temples and it was the first Angkorian capital city.

First we stopped at Preah Ko, which was the first temple to be built in the 9th Century in the ancient, and now defunct, city of Hariharalaya, by King Indravarman I, some 15 kilometers south-east of the main group of temples at Angkor, Cambodia. It was a relatively small temple with three main buildings. Preach Ko was dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva, and was a funerary temple of the king’s parents, maternal grandparents and the previous King, Jayavarman II and his wife. It is in the Preah Ko style of construction.

Back in our personal tuk tuk we were whisked onwards to Bakong, the largest temple in the group from the early 9th Century AD which was part of the King Indravarman period and also in the style of Preah Ko. It was the first mountain temple, built of sandstone, it resembles a pyramid, guarded by lion guards and elephants….it was very impressive.

Our final visit was to the Lolei Temple….also from the late 9th century AD…it is the northernmost temple of the Roluos group of Hindu temples built as part of Hariharalava, King Yasovarman dedicated it to Shiva and the members of the royal family. Once an island temple, Lolei was located on an island slightly north of centre in the now dry Indratataka braay. Scholars believe that placing the temple on an island in the middle of a body of water served to identify it symbolically with Mt Meru, home of the Hindu Gods, surrounded by oceans.

At both Bakong and Lolei there are contemporary Theravada Buddhist monasteries. At Lolei, Vince spoke with one of the monks, Hun, and explained that his wife was a teacher interested in schools in Cambodia, and suddenly we found ourselves being invited into the school. The school caters for both boys and girls from the local community and is free (funded by donations). They have around 250 students from primary and secondary up to 18 years, including sending some off site to univerisity. We got to see an English class operating, as well as a computer class and the library…..Hun introduced me to the class and I really enjoyed interacting with them….I have never taught in a bilingual class before…..loved it! . We made a small donation and found it a very interesting experience….in fact more interesting than the temple itself which was under renovation.

We decided not to go on to the Floating Villages as Aad was feeling unwell and Vince was hot…..so we got dropped off in town at Swensen’s Ice-cream. After which we went our separate ways….Vince and I shopped for an Angkor Wat charm from my bracelet in the local market, and we were again tempted into a foot massage which was blissful! Lunch was at “Geneviev’s” ….we found out later it is recommended as one of the top 3 restaurants in Siem Reap! It employs people with disabilities and is linked to the Fair Trade Village, which we also popped into look at as they offer employment and skills training for people with disabilities and showcase their wares…I bought a pair of earrings recycled from bullets. Whilst we were there, we met Rick (Access Seim Reap) and he and Vince got to talking motorbikes….one thing led to another and it turns out he has a project in mind to provide cheap transport for people with disabilities, including landmine and UXO survivors who are in wheelchairs…which involves building a custom made sidecar. We would really like to try to help and I contacted our friends in the Perth Motorcycle and Sidecar Riders group (which Vince founded) to see what can be done to assist…..US$800 would buy the bike and make the sidecar….giving a degree of independence and dignity to people in wheelchairs……Craig and the gang are keen to get involved…….I’m very excited about it!

Back at the hotel we had a bit of a rest and then went out for dinner to Pub Street….again to the Temple Bar….this time with Aad and Mike, so they too could see the dancers. Afterwards we walked through the night markets and we tried “snake”…..well Vince and Mike actually ate it…..I tried to bit a bit off but it was rock hard and I was worried I might damage my dental work……so I just licked it a bit instead! They also had spiders….but I passed on those!

 

Breakfast was at MacDonalds….bacon and egg mcmuffins……very conveniently located next door. Then off to the hospital to see the specialist….just a short walk from the lovely Centara Hotel where we are staying.

The hospital in Udon Thani seemed a bit more dated than the one in Chaing Mai but none the less quite efficient and we didn’t have to wait too long…..a nurse escorting us to each of the various sections we needed to go and passing paperwork on. Despite Chiang Mai assurances they would forward my records no one had any X-rays or reports so that was a bit of a concern, but it was all good news at the hospital ….the orthopaedic specialist says it’s about 60% healed….X-ray shows implants all in good position and alignment….. so they took the cast off….they now have the horrible smelly thing…. although Vince did suggest I gift it to our friend Mike who had wanted to draw on it for me (haha)! Better off in the bin I think!

I have been given 4 different drugs to take for pain, inflammation, muscle relaxation and calcium for healing…….now I will really rattle! The drugs are because the Dr says the Physio will make the arm very painful….I had an hour session today with the people from the rehabilitation unit and yep……pretty painful! So I have to put hot and cold packs on and some special exercises to do each day for an hour….as many times a day as I can manage. The Dr wanted us to come back in 6 weeks for more X-rays and checks but we told him we expect to be back in Aust by then….so he agreed we can get it checked then, as he’s not worried. He reckons it will be three months before the bone will be fully healed …..so no heavy lifting or push ups on it (I couldn’t put that kind of pressure on it anyway at the moment it’s very weak….and anyone who knows me will know push ups aren’t even in my vocabulary!)

We have decided to stay another night here, and after considering the hassle of crossing the border another two times to go through Laos to Cambodia we have opted to just start to head south through Thailand and go to Cambodia that way instead.

We had a short ride to do today so a leisurely breakfast and packing of the bike had us on the road from the S Park Design Hotel (US$63 per night) by around 9.00am

The GPS was playing up trying to send us on a route over 300km when we really only needed to travel around 80km. But Vince in his intrepid style “winged” it as we could see the Friendship Bridge with Thailand on the other side of the Mekong River. The Laos side of th borde was a little haphazard with not a lot showing in English to assist us, but we managed with some officials pointing us towards the correct windows to get our passports stamped as well as the paperwork for exporting the ANIMAL out of Laos……I wouldn’t say it was an easy or streamlined process but in the scheme of things not too bad. Unfortunately, the Thai side was nothing short of a dog’s breakfast. There were signs in English but not a lot of it made sense. There were many windows numbered up to 10, with some including A’s and B’s etc……they didn’t run in sequence and there were several saying “Visa on Arrival”……very confusing! After unsuccessfully lining up a couple of times, and having to let some locals know just exactly where the end of the que was (as many thought it ok to just push to the front) we eventually found our way to No 7 were we had to get forms to fill in along with a form for the importation of the ANIMAL…we we’re then told to go to No 6 and then to 5. After lining up at 6 we were told NO…..we had to go to 5 first…so off we went. Vince got through ok but when it was my turn the officer demanded money (which we didn’t have in THB) ….I asked what the fee was for but it was never explained. I told her we had no Thai money, only Kip, which she made clear she didn’t want….. so Vince went to find an ATM. She told me to stand aside and I refused, as she still had my passport! She told me that I couldn’t have it back until I paid the money, and I said that was fine but as there was no signage with fees or rates and I had no money at this point…… I was still not moving aside until I had my passport…..other westerners in the line start had also asking about the reason for the money as well….suddenly I found myself being handed back my passport, fully stamped, and she waved me away! I caught up with Vince and we still went to the ATM so we had some local money anyway. I am not sure if the fee was legitimate or a scam……we certainly got scammed at the last border crossing from Thailand……corruption is very evident at times….no explanation, or if one is given it doesn’t make sense, no formal evidence of a fee scale etc and certainly no receipts or paperwork for the transactions!

We road into Thailand and were stopped at two different police checkpoints …..Vince was teasing me that we were boarder runners and their must be an APB out on me…..which of course was all nonsense and we passed through them without any problems at all.

Vince had organised for us to stay at the Centara Hotel, right next to the Central Plaza shopping centre and walking distance to Bangkok Hospital Udont Thani ….the hotel was lovely and on special only A$53 per night…..the lap of luxury….I could get used to this! We had lunch in the shopping centre at Santa Fae Steakhouse…..no match for the one we had in Le Vendome in Vientiane! We also booked our tickets to see Star Wars The Force Awakens at the cinema at 8.10pm.

I had a wander around the shops and Vince gave me a belated Christmas gift of a bottle of perfume……feeling very spoilt! We bought 3 external hard drives …. as our laptop is almost full and we need to back things up and post them home….a time consuming job over the next few days!

Dinner was at the Pizza Company and then we went to catch the movie….all very civilised! Star Wars was good to see on the big screen…true to the original Star Wars!

On Saturday (2nd Jan) we had planned to ride just from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng – actually just a few km south of Vang Vieng -but we couldn’t locate the guest house there that Aad and Mike had booked – and when we checked with some guys at a nearby petrol station they rang the owner and he said he was 30km south – we rode down there but still couldn’t find it, so we tried to push on to Vientiane but the road was bad with many potholes and roadworks and it was getting late, so we stopped short.

Then on Sunday morning (3rd Jan) we did the last stretch into Vientiane…staying a the lovely S Park Design hotel (A$80 per night) and a welcome return to normality for me…..everything is clean, everything works, the hot water and shower is to die for, there are crisp white sheets, four pillows on the double bed, bedside tables, toilet paper ( even a spare roll) and toiletries in the bathroom, a TV, Mini Bar, Wifi, there is room service, and we got all our washing done! I’m in “Heaven”! I do think traveling overland and roughing it is much harder for girls than it is for boys…..they seem to be able to cope better with a lack of hygiene and creature comfort facilities…..although I must say Vince is very good in that he does plan a little indulgence now and then to keep me going…..not sure I could survive without that! Even Adventure Girl still needs the odd bit of pampering and girl stuff!

We’ve parted ways with out travelling companions, Aad and Mike, for the moment – they headed towards Vientiane with us but stopped on the outskirts of the city and changed their minds regarding their plans – they were fed up with the bad roads and some bad drivers so they decided to skip Vientiane and southern Laos and instead they went straight into Thailand where everything is a bit more civilised and orderly. We said brief goodbyes …. Well not really goodbye just ’till we meet again I’m sure. I know they didn’t want a big emotional thing so I tried very hard not to cry….and managed……they have become like our family on the road…they ones you choose for yourself! We’ve had a great time with them and I’m sure we’ll cross paths again soon – possibly when it comes time to transport the bikes back to Australia.

Our first night in Vientiane was really just getting showered and sorting our our dirty washing as things are desperate…we are BOTH on commando underwear mode now and I love Vince but I can’t stand to be too close to him in his riding gear…he PONKS BADLY! Dinner was in the Musso Resturant attached to our hotel and this was a very unusual place…..featuring motorbikes and superhero memorabilia in an environment so dimly lit you could hardly read the menu or see your food….which was tasty but very expensive. The alcohol was only sold by the bottle (including spirits) so we opts for soft drink…and even that was served strangely….with the can put aside on a separate area and when I finished my glass is was quickly whisked away with vulture like accuracy and replaced without my knowledge and in doing so ended up being two cans used instead of the one….very crafty…..there were so many staff they grossly outnumbered the patrons and consequently we felt most uncomfortable as our every move was watched and pounced on.

On Mon 4th Jan we awoke fresher after a great sleep in a comfortable bed….although I awoke to a bad allergy and had to take some steroids to calm it…interestingly Vince said he had a bit of bother breathing during his curry last night…..I wonder if our meals were loaded with MSG…..hmmmmm…..’Tis a puzzlement! Breakfast was at the hotel and was unremarkable.

We got a taxi into town but the driver dropped us far away from our destination so we walked for miles to go to the post office …..I am not really into exercise and I am sure marrying a personal trainer it was probably on the cards he would try to work on my fitness….I begrudgingly chunter and complain the whole way….but I do do it! It was a long way and the GPS was less than helpful at times but at least it was open (unlike our unsuccessful attempt in Luang Prabang. We had a bit of a mission and a huge cost (508,000 Kip/LAK) for just 2.5kg and we didn’t end up posting our pr virus anniversary painting back as they didn’t have cardboard tubes and the brown paper on offer just wasn’t going to offer any protection. We will try again from Thailand.

After the most office we had another long trek in the heat in search of the MAG Office. We stopped off in a cafe for a drink and some noodles before facing the heat again. We were intrigued by the names of streets and businesses……French, Swiss, German, Korean and a lot of Vietnamese. MAG was very interesting, we looked around a ND watched some videos…..not as emoji ally shocking as our experience in the UXO Survivor Centre in Phonsovan, but non the less confronting. We spoke with Noy (Information Officer) and Bethan (Program Officer). Bethan had just arrived from their HQ in Manchester, England and will now manage programs in Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. We bought some t-shirts for Vince and his brother, Ken (our No 1 support team in Australia) and a DVD – so whatever space we reclaimed by sending stuff back this morning we’ve subsequently filled again.

We managed to get a tuk tuk back to our hotel…..quite expensive here (60,000 Kip/LAK on average) and the heavy traffic jams didn’t help our journey. For dinner we had a special treat….Vince had been promising me a great pepper steak and chocolate shuffle at a French restaurant, Ven Dome, he had gone to on his last visit, near his previous accommodation. It was vu romantic and the food and carafe of red wine was just the ticket. Coincidently, we met up with Andrai and Ingrid….a couple from Tasmania we ran into several times in Phonsovan (Plain of Jars, UXO Survivor Centre and Nisha’s Indian Restaurant). They too had come for the great food. Vince told me that during the war this place was frequented by the CIA spooks and journalists and I could picture them here in that time warp.

A fantastic and memorable day!

On 5th Jan we went to visit the COPE Visitor Centre where they make prosthetic limbs for UXO victims  – and that was supposed to be quite an inspiring place to visit from what we’ve read – http://www.copelaos.org/visit.php but I found it very depressing and in fact it made me angry to see the carnage of civilian casualties, especially children. The US has a lot to answer for and really needs to take responsibility for the clean up required…..very disappointing that they do not appear to have stepped up to this!

We went for a walk around and intended to visit the World Trade Centre…but found it is still under construction. We had late lunch at the Billabong Sports Bar and Grill, we had tried to go back to Le Vendome but it was closed. As we walked towards the river to see the sunset over the Mekong, we stopped off at a little handicraft shop, Saoban, which sells handmade items from women exiting prostitution by providing safe work environments and alternative income….we wanted to support this in some small way….so we purchased a silk scarf for 200,000 Kip/LAK. There are so many worthy causes here  we wish we could give more, but we are quickly running out of money options ourselves as we enter the final few months of our trip.

Tomorrow we head for Udon Thani, Thailand so I can make my orthopaedic specialist appointment at the hospital and hopefully get rid of this cast and start Physio. There’s a cinema next to our hotel in Udon Thani, so we are hoping to catch the new Star Wars.

Although we knew it was the 31st Dec, last day of our 2015 adventures….it somehow didn’t seem much like NYE in Luang Prabang, Loas. People were gearing up with lights and signs, so unlike Christmas they do celebrate it here….but it just didn’t have the same feel to it…..not that we are party animals in any case….we generally don’t even see in the New Year….tucked up in bed asleep it just seamlessly passes us by.

The four of us walked into town (quite a way as in most places the cheap accommodation is always out of town) and after getting some money out of the ATM we stopped in at a little place called “Merry 2” for breakfast…..nothing to write home about but sustaining none the less. The waitress gifted us 4 mandarins for New Year.

We then continued our walk through town…and Vince and I stopped and looked at small Art Gallery, where we were impressed with the local artist’s work and considered purchasing one as a gift to each other for our first wedding anniversary tomorrow. The boys waited outside as “they don’t do art” according to young Mike. Walking a bit further down we saw the way up to Mt Phousi. Vince had been to the top on his previous visit and wanted to show me….so we climbed Mt Phousi (I know he loves me but sometimes I think he’s trying to kill me!) On the way up I was tempted to hit the gong but managed to restrain myself. We passed a lady with flower offerings and small bamboo cages holding pairs of birds…..these she indicated were offerings for good luck. Whilst we didn’t really want to encourage trapping birds and selling them I did want to do something (I hate seeing birds in cages) so we purchased a pair for 20,000 kip/LAK and I later freed them in the bush. At the top we had a bit of a rest and enjoyed the great view over that town. The Temple was similar to many others we have seen before. On the way down the other side of the mountain it was much easier and near the bottom there were many replicas of the woman we had seen going up….all selling the same flowers and cages with 2 small birds inside. Aad and Mike elected not to climb the mountain so they were waiting for us when we came down and we all went across the road to the National Museum.

I was overheating and had guzzled down a bottle of water….which made me feel ill, so I sat in the shade in the National Museum grounds whilst the others took their photos. The gates were being closed for lunch time and we found ourselves trapped as I watched patron after patron being redirected way over to the other side of the grounds….the people on the gate then let a group of Asian tourist through so that was it ….we were going though that gate….my mind was set…..they boys were reluctant to take on the challenge but I was determined……so off I went and when they tried to redirect me I directly questioned them as to why they let the others through and not us…….suddenly locks were being undone and we were being let through!

We all took a stroll down to the river, passing the accommodation where Vince had stayed at previously…..cute bungalows. There we cafes and restaurants all along the river and we watched a ferry coming from the other side of the Mekong. Vince wanted to stop for a coffee but the boys wanted to push on, so we parted ways agreeing to meet up at the Belgian Beer Garden (which we had spotted opposite the little art gallery) for lunch.

The coffee place, Saffron, uses locally grown beans…..a replacement crop for the opium poppies now illegal for the hill tribes. Vince really enjoyed it and I had a nice cup of tea before sharing a chocolate muffin with my husband. The walk along the streets was filled with interest with all sorts going on, mostly daily life but immensely entertaining none the less. We saw all sorts of I amazing vehicles along the way including a little monkey bike that Vince though we should get for me!

We arrived a little before the others at the Belgian Beer Garden so we went back over the road for another look at the art work and eventually we settled on one…..but the price had shot up from the 700,000kip/LAK …..we were originally told they were all the same price, to 850,000kip/LAK ……so we said we would think about it.

Back at the lunch spot we had just got our drinks…..a beer for Vince and a special treat for me….a glass of red wine! Wine and spirits are extremely expensive here due to taxes so I often just have a soft drink….Vince insists I need to learn to like drinking beer as he never misses out…..it’s true….even on tiny roadside stalls where you can’t get water but you can always get beer! Sitting outside we soon spotted the boys who quickly joined us and we all enjoyed a leisurely and delicious lunch. After a second round of drinks, I decided to try to barter for the painting (not something I like doing)….Vince was all for it so off we went and I offered 600,000 this was refused but countered at 700,000 (A$116) so we agreed. They took it out of the frame for us and rolled it up I a bamboo tube….we will have to replace this to get it though Australian customs I’m sure.

We walked back to our hotel and just pottered about for the evening….we didn’t bother with any dinner as we were still full from our late lunch…..true to form we were in bed by 8.30pm….Happy New Year!

We woke up late on 1st Jan – Our First Wedding Anniversary! We had a few plans ….but the day was filled with a comedy of errors….walked miles….post office closed and we were staying at the “Faulty Towers hotel” ……no water yesterday now whaling pipes all night long! We did manage a nice, although expensive, brunch at the Indigo Terrace and a reasonable dinner at Belgian Beer Garden…..our dessert even had a sparkler in it!

Although our surroundings were pristine and magnificent, it was a less than stellar night’s sleep with the constant rush of the waterfall, lights left on in the restaurant and dining area all night and local people coming at all hours of the night and morning chatting and checking out our tent as they passed and disappeared into the Forrest.

We only had a short ride today into Luang Prabang, so we wanted a late start to the day….but any real attempt at a lay in was relatively short lived, and we found ourselves up and about by 8.00am. Between the 4 of us (Mike, Aad, Vince and I) we had a cooked breakfast of creamed rice (Mike) and fried bananas (Me) and Vince boiled water for the drinks of Ovaltine, Coffee and my last lone tea bag…or was it Diet Coke (called Coke Light here)?

We were finishing the remnants of breakfast when a couple came out of the Forrest and rested a short distance away from us, at the bottom of the hill ( this seemed to be a natural stop for all the foragers as they descended). I made eye contact with the the woman and she returned my smile. I sang out the local greeting to her which she also returned….so I grabbed my camera and headed over for some closer interaction. She spoke no English but it was soon made clear she wanted me to try out lifting her basket…very heavy! In fact with the head strap in place I couldn’t lift it, if I just used the arm straps I could but it was filled with turnip looking vegetables and very heavy! Vince and Aad tried in turn and had the same difficulty….in fact Vince looked like he was going to blow a fluffer valve and Aad looked like he was fixing to give birth…..so that made me feel much better about my poor attempts! We have seen many people all over Asia carrying these baskets….they start them young….children really…so I guess their neck muscles must be very well developed. We all praised the woman’s strength…flexing our biceps at her and she just laughed. The man with her joined in the interaction and it was very special to share with them.

We slowly started to dismantle our camp and drya out the inevitable condensation and dew from out tent and fly…thankfully all I broke this time was a nail not an arm!

Before we knew it lunch time had arrived and we ordered the same meals as last night…..we thought it safe as at least we knew what to expect….the menu board was in Laotian with only a few items in English and some of these simply said “Fried”…. No indication of what! Can’t remember what dinner/lunch cost us but it was reasonable…maybe 30,000 Kip/LAK.

There were quite reasonable toilets available but no showers or hot water. Vince had stayed in some cabins last time but these were not available so we just camped this time.

We finished the last few bits of packing on our bikes and were all soon back on the road after lunch for the 40km journey to Luang Prabang. The trip there was picturesque some of the way and a bit hectic in traffic at others…..just on the road into the town a scooter from a side road wasn’t watching and just shot out directly at us …….almost crashing into our right hand side but Vince managed to avoid him and I did a bit of vocalising and shaking my camera at him in disgust. Mike led us via the GPS to our original accommodation but it was fully booked out….Aad and I checked out two others nearby but they were also booked out! Vince took us to the Luang Prabang Bakery, just around the corner from where he stayed last time he was here, to use their Wifi. It had moved upmarket and was now very expensive …a Coke was 15,000 kip (usually 5,000)….but at least it let us use their wifi to try to find alternative accommodation….Vince and Mike walked to where Vince had stayed last time, but it too was booked out. We eventually found somewhere and headed a few Km out of town……it was difficult to find even from the coordinates we had…..we saw another place and stopped to check it out….they had rooms available but it was more expensive and very basic….we decided to backtrack down the road again in search of somewhere and eventually found the right one (120,000 kip/LAK per night).

After unpacking the bikes we freshened up with a hot shower…..pressure not great but it’s the first proper hot water we have had in weeks! Vince even helped me wash my hair! We even had sheets that we could use…..for weeks we have had to use our sleeping bags as the hotels have either not had sheets or towels or they have been too disgusting to use.

Dinner was at the Indian place…we road the bikes due to the distance and the traffic was manic…it reminded us of being in India…as Vince parked the bike he broke my minion but it was only his leg so we can glue that back on. It was very stressful having dinner….people kept touching the bike even after we asked them not to….again like India….we decided won’t ride in again…..both Vince and I had a really bad feeling on the road that night but luckily we were all OK.

We started this morning with breakfast at “Craters”…a local cafe we had dinner at last night, that has bombs and other war stuff as decoration. However, breakfast was expensive (78,000kip) and COLD! Not wanting to make a fuss we ate up our luke warm eggs, cold bacon, and not even and attempt to heat up baked beans, and were on our way. Today was a very special one, Vince took me to see the Plain of Jars.

Along the way we saw the usual animal life of chickens, goats, cows and water buffalo. Mike and Aad had skipped breakfast and gone ahead and when the ANIMAL pulled into the Plain of Jars site 1, we were surprised to see their bikes still there. We paid our 15,000 kip each entry fee and a little golf cart took us out to the bottom of the hill leading up to the Plain of Jars.

Plain of Jars Site 1 covers 25 hectares. It has 334 jars with the biggest (Kings Cup) having a diameter of 2.5m and being 2.57m high. The area had been cleared by MAG (Mines Advisory Group) removing 127 UXO (unexploded ordnances) from the site, including bombs, rockets, artillery shells and mortars. They also removed 31,184 scrap pieces.

Laos was heavily bombed with a mission every 8 minutes, 24hrs per day for 9 years by the Americans. 580,000 bombing missions with 2 million tons, of mainly anti personnel cluster bombs were dropped on Laos. Over 270 million “bombies” were dropped, up to 30% failed to detonate so over 80 million live bombs remain undetonated. Each cluster bomb shell contained hundreds of individual bomblets or “bombies” the size of a tennis ball. There was a cluster bomb on display in the Visitor Centre and I had a hold of one of the “bombies” ….a very somber experience. Vince had told me previously that today many children pick these up and play “catch and throw” with them thinking they are a ball and then it goes off!!!!!!!!!! Tragic!

Site 1 is the most investigated of the 33 sites (only 3 have been cleared by MAG). Archaeological evidence from Neolithic to 19th Century has been uncovered. Inside the jars they found bones and teeth, and around the jars, charcoal and glass beads. Burial pits are also around each jar containing bones, teeth, metal objects, glass beads, stone and pottery. There could be in excess of 2500 burials at this site. The large white stones (quartz) serve as gravestones. It is thought that cremated remains were put into the jars, and a second option was for whole bodies to be put inside and left until just bones remained and these were then removed and buried. Lids were thought to have been of perishable material such as bamboo. The stone discs on site are not lids, but another type of grave marker. Over 2000 years of history leaves questions?

Phukeng Mountain is the sandstone and conglomerate quarry used for the stone jars. The site was a strategic military post during the 1964-1974 War and the hill still has trenches and foxholes as well as bomb craters. The Plain of Jars was thought to be a cross roads for trade. French Archaeologist, Madeleine Colani, investigated the cave in the hill and found evidence of cremation. Some people think it was a kiln to bake the stones instead. However, the evidence suggests the jars were actually carved out of stone, not made and baked.

Only one jar has a decoration….the same decoration as two stone discs in Xiang Khouang and another in Assam (India). The jars of Laos are not the only ones of this kind found…similar sites are recorded in Indonesia and North East India.

We met up with Aad and Mike, who were waiting to resolve a traffic situation, but that’s a whole other story! So all 4 of us set off together for site 2…..yet another hill climb but into a forest this time….very picturesque and tranquil. MAG cleared 17,390 sqm and cleared 26 items, with 11,770 scrap pieces found.

We went back to Phonsavan for lunch…..at a local cafe……with the exception of Vince, none of us thought much of our food…..bland, tasteless and not what we ordered!

Mike and Aad went off to do some food shopping whilst Vince and I went to the UXO Survivor Information Centre….we were going to see the MAG Centre but it was closed until 1.1.2016. Whilst we were there we met Chansemone, who is the Administrator for the Quality of Life Association (QLA). The Not for Profit organisation was established in 2011 and provides support to UXO Victims, their families and UXO affected communities, it operates only in Xieng Khouang province in northern Laos. We watched a video titled “Surviving Cluster Bombs in Laos”. It was very moving, and I have to say a bit distressing for me to watch. Vince and I decided we wanted to offer support in the form of making a purchase of a handcrafted item (they provided training in embroidery and weaving silk) of which 30% goes to the victim or their family. We chose a beautiful woven silk tablecloth. We also decided to make a donation which helps in any of the following ways: Annual education supplies for primary school, Grant for primary school including uniform, backpack and bike, Grant for secondary school, Annual cost to attend university in Vientiane, Costs to study weaving at the Laos Disabled Women’s Development Centre, Costs for medical care, Costs for children’s discussion group (psychosocial support), Livestock (chickens, pigs, goats etc) and Vaccines for Livestock (training is given).

In addition we purchased a copy of the DVD, which I want to share with the Perth Motorbike and Sidecar Meetup Group….in the hope to raise some funds for the association when I get back home. More people need to be made aware of how UXO are affecting innocent people’s lives, especially children (40% of all casualties in the past decade are children).

Back at our hotel we ran into an Irishman called Mick (44yrs), who gave us good “Crack” on the courting procedures in Laos (apparently that is what the traditional dress and ball throwing we have seen is all about) as well as his recent engagement to a girl from Laos (a whirlwind romance of just 2 months), she can’t speak English and is only 20 years old….best of luck to them.

Aad and Mike joined us for dinner at Nisha’s (Indian), where Vince had eaten on his previous trip and could highly recommend it, and then we went to the ATM…. as we had spent most of our money today and need to sort out our accommodation bill in the morning before we move on….

Viengxay Cave Tour

Today Aad and Mike have decided not to join us in a tour of the local caves….they will head South instead and we will catch up with them in the next few days.

So after a breakfast of banana pancakes at the Indian place where we had dinner last night, Vince and I walked back to the hotel to see the boys off….including the three sided kiss goodbye they do in the Netherlands! We quickly got ready in our bike gear and headed off to the Cave Visitor Centre in time for the 9.00am tour (the next one isn’t until 1.00pm).

It was raining so we got a bit damp but most of the time we were inside the caves. We had to be careful as there were sloppy muddy inclines as well as thick slippery moss to content with. The audio guide was very informative and included testimonies from people who were actually involved at the time. I found it very sad but a unique opportunity to share an essential part of the history of Laos.

Viengxay is a small town located in the northern part of Laos, just 52km from the Vietnamese border. Houaphanh province hosts magnificent limestone mountains which include natural caves that were extended by hand and dynamite for people to hide inside during the bombing of Laos. From 1964 to 1973, over 400 caves sheltered more than 20,000 Lao nationalists offering protection from the heaviest bombing ever carried out in history. More bombs were dropped on Laos by the Americans than were dropped on all of Europe in WWII, at a cost of 2 million dollars per day! The Pathet Lao people developed an underground city complete with a hospital, school, shops, government offices, a bakery, a printshop, radio station and even a theatre. It is considered the birthplace and spiritual home of the Lao PDR.

Today, Viengxay is a small remote town frequented by many Western bicycle or motorbike riders, there are hot springs close by as well as many small villages with differing ethnic groups (Tai daeng, Yao, Kamu, Hmong) and some of the finest silk and cotton weaving you will ever see!

The cave tour we took today is part of a joint project by the Laos Government with European donor assistance to bring development to this very poor and remote region through sensitive tourism development. The audio tour was developed and managed by a private Australian company  and ends with these words:

“The war is still having its effect on children born decades after the conflict ended. UXO – unexploded ordnance (that didn’t detonate when fired or dropped) – contaminates the whole country and prevents people from using land. UXO might be hidden under a school playing field or a house, or in fields…. When they are disturbed, by digging or often by children picking them up and playing with them, they explode.” It is estimated that UXO kills and injures one person a day, every day in Laos and that it will take another 20 years to clear them.”

The price we paid (60,000 Kip each, A$10) for our tour funds guide training, research and conservation of the caves and the artefacts. This directly contributes to the historical conservation of the site, and helps get the people of Houaphanh out of poverty. So we were happy to have helped out just a little bit!

What can I say….we are in Laos, a Buddhist country……so Christmas is literally a non event here……I tried to download a Christmas Movie from iTunes to watch last night but the wifi is useless so that was no good! Apart from a few messages on our Facebook and our quick telephone calls to family in Australia today….we wouldn’t even know it was Christmas. We just spent a quiet day in the hotel…..as it poured with rain, was freezing cold…….so nothing much going on here!

We had a late lay in ….sleeping last night was difficult in this disgusting room (it hadn’t been cleaned, bathroom was filthy with cigarette butts in the shower, and we found a condom in our bed – thankfully unused but no less offensive….GROSS…..we had three people try to come into our room after midnight……so we had very interrupted sleep and were very tired!

We had a late breakfast of scrambled eggs and beans cooked on our Dragonfly, we skipped lunch and dinner was with Aad and Mike at a local Indian place…the only restaurant we have found here.

Just another day in paradise!

Nong Khiaw Downday

Vince and I started the morning with a walk to the bridge to see the early morning light on the mountain…followed by a latte and hot chocolate at a little cafe called Delilah’s. The had some eclectic furnishings and interesting offerings….such as Lao Lao Whiskey (which I have still yet to try) with added benefits of centipede and scorpion or if you prefer snake!

I took some nice shots of the Nong Khiaw Resort (the nice place with four poster beds where Vince said last time…..we had hoped to stay there but it was booked out) from the bridge. There was the odd bit of boat traffic on the river but most of the action was in the local wildlife…a cat on a motorbike and a very vocal Cockerel!

We had a very quiet day and just had lunch at our hotel….we went back to the bridge in the early evening to try and get some good sunset shots. Dinner was at a local Indian place and was very tasty!