bentonchengdu

Day 37 Sun 0111 - Muang Mai Camp to Muang Khua Doinoubuon Guesthouse

Today dist : 24.8 km Total : 2078.9 km
Today Temp : 24-36 C Sunny
Ride time: 1 hr 38 min
Ave speed : 15.2 kmh Max : 50.5
Ave climb: 4 % Max: 10 %
Trip alti : 214 m Max: 914 m
Today Spend: 150k Kips Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k dong+ 240k kips

After 2 consecutive days of camping,i decided to check into a guesthouse when i arrived at 9.30am in Muang Khua for 70k Kips about Rm45,it has a big rooftop and a good sunlight for cleaning my camping stuffs.The disappointment is the guesthouse has Wifi but the coverage was poor,couldn't even access facebook message let alone updating my blog.The locals here can speak some Thai language,so it make communication easier with my limited Thai.Since entering Laos,I am on their 2E road (AH13) The road is better,wider than Vietnam,the only thing similar is both are equally hilly.

Sunrise

Sea of clouds below the high mountain

Morning ride

The thick morning fog forces me to take a rest

My lunch stop of sticky rice,bananas

Shops in Muang Khua

Approaching Muang Khua

My room in Muang Khua 70k Kips

Spacious balcony to dry my washing

Street view from my room

Doinoubuon guesthouse I stayed 70k Kips

Temple in Muang Khua

There are a few guesthouses and Bank and ATM in Muang Khua

Village houses in Muang Khua

Laos Development Bank in Muang Khua

Day 36 Sat 3110 - Tay Trang Camping to Camping after Muang Mai ( Laos )

Today dist : 51.1 km Total : 2054.1 km
Today Temp : 24-36 C Sunny with afternoon rain
Ride time: 5 hr 06 min
Ave speed : 10.0 kmh Max : 46.5
Ave climb: 5 % Max: 12 %
Trip alti : 1095 m Max: 1119 m
Today Spend: 90 k Kips Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k VND + 90k Kips

Crossing over to Laos today.Thought Tay Trang is the very last Vietnamese town but there is no town but only a Vietnamese International border gate building where i had my passport exit stamped without any problem,the custom officers and a few truck drivers were very friendly and fascinated with my recumbent. The Laos Immigration was some 2-3km further where i had to pay 30k kips for entrance,20k Kips for Tourism Fund and another 5k for Ebola body temperature check, I don't have Kips with me and i do not want to pay in USD either,so they accepted Vietnamese dong and i asked for receipt in which they agreed. I think I had been short changed as i really don't know the exchange rate either from USD or dongs. I can only accept what they offer. What choice did i have? I am in the very remote part of nowhere,No Internet,no wifi,no information.After the Laos Immigration clearance with a 30 days stamp,The terrain is mostly downhill with some rolling ups and downs. Muang Mai is just slightly bigger than a village where i had my lunch for 30k Kips and i saw an ATM machine, so i cashed out 1 million Kips and from the Maybank massage that is equivalent to Rm544, so now i know 1Rm = 1.8k Kips. So my lunch cost me Rm 16.6, and a bottle of Pepsi 5k Kip is Rm 2.8.I saw 2 Guesthouses in town were asking 70-80k Kips but no wifi,so i proceeded but the next town of Muang Khua is 38km too far for me to reach with this snail pace of hilly terrain. I stopped at a local roadside village of just a few wooden houses to camp near a round cement pool of water guess this must be the only source of water for their daily chaos,off course also for me to bathe and cook,the village Laos people are very friendly to invite me to stay with them,but i had to turn them down cos' i am quite comfortable with my already set up tent.From Hello in Vietnam,now i have to greet the Laos with Sabaidee.

Road is getting bad towards the border

Taking a breaker

Road is getting narrower

Always like to stop at every peak for a birdeye view

The yellow patches are the road i just passed

Up...up...up..

Tay Trang International Border Gate

Recumbent never failed to attract

Tay Trang International Border Gate

Friendship poster of Vietnam and Laos

Vietnam border post

Welcome to Laos

Laos Border Post situated 2-3 km from the Vietnam Post

Enjoy the downhill after crossing over to Laos

Lunch in Muang Mai 30k Kips

Muang Khua 31 km

Laos village of Thai ethnic

Village camp after Muang Mai

Free water from a round cement pool

Village camp after Muang Mai

Village huts high above the road

Village camp after Muang Mai

Day 35 Fri 3010 - Dien Bien Phu to Camping on the way to Tay Trang

Today dist : 28.1 km Total : 2003 km
Today Temp : 24-36 C Sunny with afternoon rain
Ride time: 3 hr 26 min
Ave speed : 8.1 kmh Max : 25.5
Ave climb: 4 % Max: 13 %
Trip alti : 452 m Max: 801 m
Today Spend: 10 k dong Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k VND

The ride had to stop with 10km more to Tay Trang cos' i was not in the proper state of mind to continue.To be honest,i was drunk at the road construction kongsi with the workers when i was taking shelter from the rain. When the rain stopped an hour later,i bid goodbye to them and tried to continue the journey,with that few glasses of Vietnamese colourless alcohol slowly getting the better of me,i couldn't control my steering like normal,it keeps swinging left and right,and my vision was getting burr,i knew it was too dangerous to continue in such a high condition. So i just set up my tent beside the road and all i needed most is to lay down flat and sleep now.