Day 40 Wed 0411 - Oudomxai to Lak ha sip Village Camp

Today dist : 50.9 km        Total : 2231.5 km
Today Temp : 24-30 C    Cloudy with night rain
Ride time: 5 hr 57 min
Ave speed : 8.5 kmh    Max : 48.5
Ave climb: 4 %  Max: 11 %
Trip alti : 1195 m    Max: 1204 m
Today Spend:  60k Kips   Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k dong+ 485k kips

The highlight for today is surprisingly met a young couple of Malaysian tourer after 12km from Oudomxai.They were fixing a puncture in the hut,they recognised me when they saw we.it's good to meet fellow Malaysian tourers on the road,What a small world!!! This couple Hong and his girl friend Coey already on the road for 7 months on their Asia Tour,they will continue to ride till Vientiane which is the same direction as me.They did not mind to ride together.Our pace about the same when climbing but I was faster on the downhill,the road NH13 is mostly under reconstruction of digging the old gravel stone to lay a new layer, so it's a bumpy ride most of the time with dust all over. We had a rather expensive good lunch in Namkuoat for 110k Kips,and then continued the uphill pumpy ride.the sky didn't look good and threatening to rain any time, but it's hard to find a really clean campsite along this stoney and dusty road, until we saw a village and a place to bathe, we were just in time to set up our tents before the rain hit us.

Oudomxai morning view from my room

Oudomxai morning view from my room

Many Chinese restaurants in Oudomxai,this is Chinese breakfast

Oudomxai bus station

Riding out from Oudomxai

Road still under repair

Laos workers working for the Chinese contractor

View at a high point to the road I passed

The red earth cliff wall looks very solid

The Chinese tractor working 

Newly laid tarmac

Met fellow Malaysian on the way to Pak Mong

With fellow Malaysian tourers Hong and Coey

This is Coey Chan,pint size but bags lots of power

End of a unpaved road to a paved one

Good lunch but rather expensive

Hong and Coey

Many sections of road still unpaved 

Hong and Coey

Traditional Laos village house

Traditional Laos village house

Many sections of road still unpaved 

Ohpoooo....what happens

You are the man...Hong

Road temporary closed 

Tractors are working on the whole road

But we got green light to cross by the side

 Lak ha sip Village Camp

 Lak ha sip Village Camp,the morning after

Day 39 Tue 0311 - Roadside Hut Camp to Oudomxai Visian Guesthouse

Today dist : 14.2 km        Total : 2180.6 km
Today Temp : 24-30 C    Cloudy
Ride time: 1 hr 16 min
Ave speed : 11.2 kmh    Max : 54.5
Ave climb: 4 %  Max: 11 %
Trip alti : 215 m    Max: 690 m
Today Spend:  130k Kips   Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k dong+ 410k kips

The decision to camp last night was right as the last 14 km to Oudomxai which i rode today have tough climb if i were to continue last night.But when you had enough rest and start fresh,it was quite relax and enjoyable. This was my 2nd visit to Oudomxai both occasions on cycling. The 1st was cycling down from Luang Namtha and this time from Dien Bien Phu. Not much had changed,i still could remember some of the building and streets,maybe now have more shops and guesthouses.Checked into Visian Guesthouse ( 60k Kips) and making very sure there is WiFi available. Met a German super bike tourer with final destination of New Zealand.The advantage of checking early is you have time to go for a walking sightseeing tour around town.

Tough climb on the way to Oudomxai

Like Vietnam,Laos also like to display their national flags

Nice road to Oudomxai

Riding into Oudomxai

Riding into Oudomxai

My next desination Luang Prabang is 194km 

Mr Toni from Germany using a battery operated pump for his punctured tire 

Visian Guesthouse in Oudomxai

Traditional Laos foods

Square in Oudomxai

Now Oudomxai have 5 stars hotel

Now Oudomxai have 5 stars hotel

My room for 60k Kips

Dinner of sticky rice and the bbq 

Day 38 Mon 0211 - Muang Khua to Paknamnoi to Muang La to Roadside Hut Camp

Today dist : 87.5 km        Total : 2166.4 km
Today Temp : 24-32 C    Cloudy
Ride time: 6 hr 07 min
Ave speed : 14.2 kmh    Max : 55.5
Ave climb: 3 %  Max: 13 %
Trip alti : 811 m    Max: 638 m
Today Spend:  40k Kips   Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k dong+ 280k kips

Early start at 7 today trying my best to do a 100km to Oudomxai,the plan looks achievable with no big climbs.At 10.30am i already clocked 45km for early lunch in Paknamnoi and 63km in Muang La for drink stop. The weather was cloudy and the rolling terrain that follows a river, with altitude gradually up from 300m to 600m over.However at 3pm and another 13 km from my targeted desination,I was attracted by a roadside hut with a bamboo raise floor,and a small running stream from the paddie field, I was in 2 minds whether to continue or to stay. Thinking that not worth to check in a guesthouse in Oudomxai late,might as well camp tonight, ride to town early tomorrow morning and check in a guesthouse with Wifi to update my blog.

Rolling ups and downs between 300-600m height

Empty Laos huts by the roadside "where is everybody?"

On the way to Oudomxai

Sure i did and thanks for the good hilly ride

Leaving Phongsaly to Oudomxai District

Rolling ups and downs between 300-600m height

Rolling ups and downs between 300-600m height

20km to Oudomxai or Muang Xai

Empty Laos huts by the roadside "where is everybody?"

The plan of not setting up my tent spoiled by the mozzies and sandflies

Best place to lay down after 87km

Roof top of the hut

With a view of Paddie field

Couldn't resist to spend a night in this bamboo hut

Couldn't resist to spend a night in this bamboo hut