(no subject)
Hi all!
Laos! One of the best countries yet! We rolled up to the Vietnamese-Lao border crossing at Na Meo in the late afternoon. The only other visible person at the crossing was a guard sitting half asleep by the bamboo stick that constituted a road block. As we biked up, he came over, asked for our passports, and called to the other border guards, who came filing out of the two small bamboo shacks by the road. A series of officials spoke to us in turn - I'm pretty sure they also took turns with the official coat, as each would go into the "office" without one, and emerge dressed as a border guard. After they realized that our visas expired that very day, they ushered us into the office to discuss the situation. Concerned for us because there was no town on the Laos side, the official was explaining that they were going to do all in their power to allow us to stay in their homeland overnight. As the border guard quietly and solemnly explained the predicament and then launched into politics, we saw one of the border guards fly by the window on Jut's bike. This was followed by a persistent beeping of the horn and a lot of vocal hoopla.
"What did you think of Vietnam before you come?"
(beep beep)
"Well, umm, we had heard it is very beautiful..."
(beeeeeeeeeeeeeep, loud laughter)
"Because, you know, our country have many problem before,"
(my bicycle zooms by the window followed by running border guards)
"Yes, well, ummm.... that was before we were born..."
We tried our best to keep our faces as straight as the official's as our bicycles went for joyrides outside. Despite our inability to do so, they allowed us an extra day, and we crossed early the next day without paying a fine.
As soon as we crossed into Laos we had a beautiful empty road through gorgeous mountains and jungle. The first few villages we passed were composed of thatched stilt houses and myriads of small waving children. Compared to China and Vietnam, Laos is extremely unpopulated, and we've ridden for hours without seeing anyone, including other traffic.
From the border we rode to Viengxai, where the Pathet Lao had their headquarters in the 60's and 70's, when the US was bombing them. From there to Sam Neua, where we spent Thanksgiving, and then made our way through various small towns to Phonsavan. There we rode out to the Plain of Jars, which is an historic mystery on the level of Stonehenge - hundreds of enormous jars carved out of boulders. It's doubly interesting for all the bomb craters amidst the jars, relics of American bombing. 1/2 ton of bombs were dropped for every man woman and child in Laos. It's hard to believe until you see the area's premier decoration motif - old casings and unexploded bombs are used as fence posts, benches, flower pots, house supports, and even gas tanks (scary, if you ask me.) Sadly, there are a lot of live unexploded ordinances all over - hundreds of people are still killed every year. After visiting the Plain of Jars, we headed to Vang Vieng - a strange tourist town with a largely spring break-esque party crowd. Besides the dubious company, the town has some beautiful scenery, including a cave that we had to swim into, and the largest cave I've ever been into. All unlit and ready to be discovered by flashlight. As we rode, we routinely spent the mornings climbing above, and then plunging down through, giant cloudbanks. There's nothing like climbing a mountain to survey a sea of clouds with mountaintop islands poking through, and then cooling off by swimming back down through them. We left the mountains only half regretfully, to ride the pancake that is Vientiane province, arriving in the city itself three days ago.
The city isn't much really, but after weeks without peanut butter, it's somewhat exciting. It was Jut's birthday, and we celebrated with an Indian dinner and a beer by the river. Yesterday my friend Nick (from Reed,) met up with us, equipped with bike and panniers, and ready to ride. Tomorrow the three of us set off to the south.
Happy Holidays to everyone!
love,
Livi
Laos! One of the best countries yet! We rolled up to the Vietnamese-Lao border crossing at Na Meo in the late afternoon. The only other visible person at the crossing was a guard sitting half asleep by the bamboo stick that constituted a road block. As we biked up, he came over, asked for our passports, and called to the other border guards, who came filing out of the two small bamboo shacks by the road. A series of officials spoke to us in turn - I'm pretty sure they also took turns with the official coat, as each would go into the "office" without one, and emerge dressed as a border guard. After they realized that our visas expired that very day, they ushered us into the office to discuss the situation. Concerned for us because there was no town on the Laos side, the official was explaining that they were going to do all in their power to allow us to stay in their homeland overnight. As the border guard quietly and solemnly explained the predicament and then launched into politics, we saw one of the border guards fly by the window on Jut's bike. This was followed by a persistent beeping of the horn and a lot of vocal hoopla.
"What did you think of Vietnam before you come?"
(beep beep)
"Well, umm, we had heard it is very beautiful..."
(beeeeeeeeeeeeeep, loud laughter)
"Because, you know, our country have many problem before,"
(my bicycle zooms by the window followed by running border guards)
"Yes, well, ummm.... that was before we were born..."
We tried our best to keep our faces as straight as the official's as our bicycles went for joyrides outside. Despite our inability to do so, they allowed us an extra day, and we crossed early the next day without paying a fine.
As soon as we crossed into Laos we had a beautiful empty road through gorgeous mountains and jungle. The first few villages we passed were composed of thatched stilt houses and myriads of small waving children. Compared to China and Vietnam, Laos is extremely unpopulated, and we've ridden for hours without seeing anyone, including other traffic.
From the border we rode to Viengxai, where the Pathet Lao had their headquarters in the 60's and 70's, when the US was bombing them. From there to Sam Neua, where we spent Thanksgiving, and then made our way through various small towns to Phonsavan. There we rode out to the Plain of Jars, which is an historic mystery on the level of Stonehenge - hundreds of enormous jars carved out of boulders. It's doubly interesting for all the bomb craters amidst the jars, relics of American bombing. 1/2 ton of bombs were dropped for every man woman and child in Laos. It's hard to believe until you see the area's premier decoration motif - old casings and unexploded bombs are used as fence posts, benches, flower pots, house supports, and even gas tanks (scary, if you ask me.) Sadly, there are a lot of live unexploded ordinances all over - hundreds of people are still killed every year. After visiting the Plain of Jars, we headed to Vang Vieng - a strange tourist town with a largely spring break-esque party crowd. Besides the dubious company, the town has some beautiful scenery, including a cave that we had to swim into, and the largest cave I've ever been into. All unlit and ready to be discovered by flashlight. As we rode, we routinely spent the mornings climbing above, and then plunging down through, giant cloudbanks. There's nothing like climbing a mountain to survey a sea of clouds with mountaintop islands poking through, and then cooling off by swimming back down through them. We left the mountains only half regretfully, to ride the pancake that is Vientiane province, arriving in the city itself three days ago.
The city isn't much really, but after weeks without peanut butter, it's somewhat exciting. It was Jut's birthday, and we celebrated with an Indian dinner and a beer by the river. Yesterday my friend Nick (from Reed,) met up with us, equipped with bike and panniers, and ready to ride. Tomorrow the three of us set off to the south.
Happy Holidays to everyone!
love,
Livi