Thursday, November 12, 2015

Day 48 Thu 1211 - Camp at Bannonkham Primary School to Vangvieng


Today dist : 41.2 km        Total : 2641.2 km
Today Temp : 23-36 C     Hot and Sunny
Ride time: 2 hr 23 min
Ave speed : 17.2 kmh    Max : 55.0
Ave climb: 3 %  Max: 8 %
Trip alti : 260 m    Max: 632 m
Today Spend:  138k Kips   Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k dong+ 988k kips

Day 48  Thu  1211 - Camp at Bannonkham Primary School to Vangvieng
Today dist : 41.2 km        Total : 2641.2 km
Today Temp : 23-36 C     Hot and Sunny
Ride time: 2 hr 23 min
Ave speed : 17.2 kmh    Max : 55.0
Ave climb: 3 %  Max: 8 %
Trip alti : 260 m    Max: 632 m
Today Spend:  144k Kips   Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k dong+ 994k kips

The Laos people did keep to their promise to bring us the sticky rice with fried egg at 6.30am in time for our breakfast.We felt sad and i am sure they have the same feeling too knowing that we are leaving soon,the final word from him is "pls do not forget me when you back to your country"How touching and sentimental is the warmth and friendly Laos people especially from this village of Bannonkham.We have a final group picture before we have to say goodbye to continue our ride towards Vangvieng. With only 40km of mostly flat terrain,I clocked an impressive 17.2 kmh average speed to arrive in Vangviang by 10.30am under very hot sun.Vangvieng is only a very small town of rock mountains and river,but made famous by Lonely Planet to attract many backpackers especially the Koreans as many restaurants and guesthouses have Korean language,convenience store with Korean products.We checked in The Sengaloun Guesthouse for 100k kips. We took a walk to the riverside and have a miserable fried rice with pork for 10k kips and a coconut shake for 5k kips.The fried rice was so small portion that hardly could keep our stomach satisfied,we top up up with another roadside stall of french long bread of ham and egg 10k kips.We decided to cook our own dinner at the guesthouse rather than eating outside.


The morning fog and the school children going to school by bicycles



The road to Vangvieng

Hong leading the way to Vangvieng town

Checking out the guesthouses in Vangvieng

5 stars hotel in Vangvieng

Backyard street where the backpackers hangout

K-market selling mostly Korean products

Wooden plank bridge across the Nam Song river where many resorts and chalets located

Nam Song River 

Wooden plank bridge across the Nam Song river where many resorts and chalets located

The Laos kids is riding his bike rolled down from the top direct to the river for fun

Resorts and Chalets across the river


Temple in Vangvieng

Sengaloun guesthouse 100k kips


Day 47 Wed 1111 - Camp after Viengkham Village to Kasi and Camp at Bannonkham Primary School


Today dist : 56.5 km        Total : 2600 km
Today Temp : 23-36 C     Hot and Sunny
Ride time: 3 hr 47 min
Ave speed : 14.9 kmh    Max : 47.5
Ave climb: 4 %  Max: 14 %
Trip alti : 506 m    Max: 1053 m
Today Spend:  47k Kips   Total: 2710 Rmb+1948k dong+ 850k kips

Today's ride started with a long 15km downhill with a great mountain view,Hong and Coey were waiting for me at the end of the downhill,from here we met some very steep roller coaster  climbs until Kasi where we had lunch in a restaurant 15k Kips for a plate of mixed rice. The heat was at its hottest hour where we continued to ride towards Viengvang ,but we are not targetting to reach there late of the day,so our plan is to camp before Vangvieng. Suddenly Coey suggested to camp in the school where she just passed.So they went to enquire while i wait for their signal. This is a primary school with just a row of simple classroom in a small village of Bannonkham, a school sponsored by Swisziland. Green light was given so we wheel our bikes into the school field with so many school children to greet us,seems like the 1st time a foreigner or they called Farang coming to stay in the school. Myself and Coey had a real busy time to entertain them cos' they are so keen to learn to speak English. They questions they asked the most are: "What's your name?","How many people in your family?" and so on...feeling a little annoyed at the repeated questions though,we did not want to disappoint them and at the end they were satisfied to say goodnight to allow us to rest. But they promised to bring sticky rice tomorrow morning before we leave. Let's see they will keep their promise.

Good to start the morning ride with a long downhill

View point restaurant

View point restaurant

View point restaurant

View point restaurant




The downhill continues...

The downhill continues...

The downhill continues...

The downhill continues...

The downhill continues...

Hong and Coey waited for me at the end of the downhill 

Now the start of a new climb

Surprise discovery of a hotspring

Namkene village Resort


Hotspring flowing down from the mountain

Into a big pool closed to the road

Time to enjoy a warm dip for free


Time to enjoy a warm dip for free



Time to enjoy a warm dip for free

Time to enjoy a warm dip for free

Time to enjoy a warm dip for free




Farmers havesting the peddies

Now we are back to the lowland 

Quite a numbers of Chinese restaurants and Guesthouses along the road

School in Laos





Bannonkham primary school sponsored by Swistziland

School children welcoming our arrival

School children welcoming our arrival


School children welcoming our arrival

1...2...3....Sabaidee!!!!!

Our tent inside one of the classroom