Modes of transportation: Bike.
Places visited: Kiewkacham (puke-a-cham), Bor-Nam-Oon, Vang Vieng, Ponghong.
Costs of things: Beer ( $1), Meals ($2 to $6), hotel ($4 - $7)
From Luang Phrabang, we decided to cycle 390 km to Vientiane through some of the most remote mountainous regions in all of Laos. We cycled down route 13, once considered a dangerous road as some tourists were kidnapped and killed in bus attacks on this highway. However, we were more likely to die from a bus accident than from any attacks and felt much safer on our bikes.
On the first day out, we decided to try and ride 130kms to the closest town we thought had accommodation. However, by 11:30 am, we had only cycled 35 kms and were already exhausted from the uphill ride. Were told by an expat living in the mountains with his Laotian wife that there was no way we would reach that destination in one day- and told us of another closer
destination, called Kiewkacham (although, as you will soon see why, I call it puke-a-cham) that we may be able to reach that day. So off we went, and after numerous exhausting climbs, including a 25km 10% grade straight uphill climb, we finally reached Kiewkacham with 30 minutes of daylight left - both Adam and I crying with joy. The town was nothing but a string of restaurants catering to bus travellers and a few shacks for homes. Our room was basically a cell, with shared squat toilets and a rotting head of a goat as the only ornament. As luck would have it, I got the most sick yet on this trip - spending the most of my time alternating between squatting on the toilet or looking down into it's dark ominous abyss - hours later finally collapsing on the hard bed exhausted. We ended up having to stay one extra night as I needed to recover my strength for the next day's ride. The one saving grace was the children we spent time with. We had bought some Laotian books and colouring books which attracted quite a crowd of screeching happy children.
The ride to Bor-Nam-Oon was one of the hardest and best rides of my life. My legs felt like jello, I could barely move, and we had one 5km climb and another 10 km climb to do. The scenery however made it all worth it. We rode very slowly through some of the most amazing jungles and remote tribal villages. People literally build their houses on overhanging cliffs with steep drops, sitting on stilts sometimes as high as 10 feet. The people were soooo friendly, coming out to greet us and calling "Sabaidee!!!" (hello). After a gruelling 12% grade climb for 2 kms, we finally
stumbled upon a paradise in the mountains. Bor-Nam-Oon is a little tourist getaway with five cute little, very clean, bungalows looking over a hot spring in the shadow of an immense karst. It is very new and almost all tourists who stop there are cyclists. Adam and I bathed in the hot spring (literally a shallow stream running out of the mountains) for 2 hours while sipping on Beer Lao. Then we had a delicious dinner at the only restaurant with some very nice local people.
With regret, the next morning we set out for Vang Vieng - a nice mostly downhill and flat ride into town. We were sad to be leaving the mountains although looking forward to some warmer weather. Vang Vieng is a small town surrounded by karst mountains and rivers, catering to stoner backpackers. It has many western comf
orts such as pizza, nightly movies and showings of Friends and best of all - shepherd's pie! The first night Adam and I gorged ourselves on these western delicacies - especially watching movies. After days being in remote northern villages, it was nice to have these comforts. We went rock climbing outdoors the next day and met tons of tourists as they travelled down the river on their rented tubes. We left two days later by kayak to Ponghong - another small town. The next morning we cycled an easy flat ride to Vientiane - ready for our 
next adventure.
Places visited: Kiewkacham (puke-a-cham), Bor-Nam-Oon, Vang Vieng, Ponghong.
Costs of things: Beer ( $1), Meals ($2 to $6), hotel ($4 - $7)
From Luang Phrabang, we decided to cycle 390 km to Vientiane through some of the most remote mountainous regions in all of Laos. We cycled down route 13, once considered a dangerous road as some tourists were kidnapped and killed in bus attacks on this highway. However, we were more likely to die from a bus accident than from any attacks and felt much safer on our bikes.
On the first day out, we decided to try and ride 130kms to the closest town we thought had accommodation. However, by 11:30 am, we had only cycled 35 kms and were already exhausted from the uphill ride. Were told by an expat living in the mountains with his Laotian wife that there was no way we would reach that destination in one day- and told us of another closer
destination, called Kiewkacham (although, as you will soon see why, I call it puke-a-cham) that we may be able to reach that day. So off we went, and after numerous exhausting climbs, including a 25km 10% grade straight uphill climb, we finally reached Kiewkacham with 30 minutes of daylight left - both Adam and I crying with joy. The town was nothing but a string of restaurants catering to bus travellers and a few shacks for homes. Our room was basically a cell, with shared squat toilets and a rotting head of a goat as the only ornament. As luck would have it, I got the most sick yet on this trip - spending the most of my time alternating between squatting on the toilet or looking down into it's dark ominous abyss - hours later finally collapsing on the hard bed exhausted. We ended up having to stay one extra night as I needed to recover my strength for the next day's ride. The one saving grace was the children we spent time with. We had bought some Laotian books and colouring books which attracted quite a crowd of screeching happy children.The ride to Bor-Nam-Oon was one of the hardest and best rides of my life. My legs felt like jello, I could barely move, and we had one 5km climb and another 10 km climb to do. The scenery however made it all worth it. We rode very slowly through some of the most amazing jungles and remote tribal villages. People literally build their houses on overhanging cliffs with steep drops, sitting on stilts sometimes as high as 10 feet. The people were soooo friendly, coming out to greet us and calling "Sabaidee!!!" (hello). After a gruelling 12% grade climb for 2 kms, we finally
stumbled upon a paradise in the mountains. Bor-Nam-Oon is a little tourist getaway with five cute little, very clean, bungalows looking over a hot spring in the shadow of an immense karst. It is very new and almost all tourists who stop there are cyclists. Adam and I bathed in the hot spring (literally a shallow stream running out of the mountains) for 2 hours while sipping on Beer Lao. Then we had a delicious dinner at the only restaurant with some very nice local people.
With regret, the next morning we set out for Vang Vieng - a nice mostly downhill and flat ride into town. We were sad to be leaving the mountains although looking forward to some warmer weather. Vang Vieng is a small town surrounded by karst mountains and rivers, catering to stoner backpackers. It has many western comf
orts such as pizza, nightly movies and showings of Friends and best of all - shepherd's pie! The first night Adam and I gorged ourselves on these western delicacies - especially watching movies. After days being in remote northern villages, it was nice to have these comforts. We went rock climbing outdoors the next day and met tons of tourists as they travelled down the river on their rented tubes. We left two days later by kayak to Ponghong - another small town. The next morning we cycled an easy flat ride to Vientiane - ready for our 
next adventure.
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