Free-bee

A long bus journey into Pakse from Dong Det, left very little of a day to play with. Once we were dropped off in town, after the usual bus shuffle. The first place we looked at staying at was booked out. We wondered the streets for a while looking fir something around 40,000 Kip basically R40. The cheapest thing in town we could find was 85,000 Kip, but not to bad as that was split two ways between Kailey and myself.

It was a super little hotel soft clean sheets, cable TV and a Indian restaurant down stairs. With better Indian food than that I have had in India. The manager was also pretty friendly.

The plan was to buy a dirt bike in town, to ride through Lao and sell it at the end. Similar to Vietnam but a better bike this time round. I had bumped into a French couple at the border, and then again in the 4000 islands. They were on a touring Honda in they got in Cambodia, not these scooter chink bikes. They managed to get hold of it for $700, kinda where my budget was aimed at. But after speaking with another expat in Lao and canvasing the town, all my plans went sour. I could get a Honda Baja for $3600 if I wanted, not your traveling budget bike at all ey. Feeling like my plans had been drop kicked out the window, things were pretty glum. But as a constellation pries, I was going to rent a scooter and tour the plateau.

Next morning we handed our washing in and asked them to keep our bags, for a few days. Camera, scarf and a pair of bordies in hand we set off. Thank god I had the scarf, as it was bloody frigged in parts.

Up a 1000 meters in elevation we road, through tea and coffee plantations, villages, sand to tar roads. Kailey looked the part with a face full of dust. She did bloody well only here second time ever on a bike.

Arriving at Tadlo falls, I spotted this picture perfect waterfall through the trees upon rounding a corner. So we pulled into to grab something to eat. The food we got was not what we ordered but hey this is Lao.

Kailey vanished off to the bathroom, upon returning she said that we had been invited to join another table. So off we went to mingle and score free booze with a Thai professor and the retort owner. That's who she managed to 'bump into', I was not complaining fee-bee's are always welcome. Especially if it's free Johny Walker Reserve Gold Label! Then the food started arriving. I don't know who to put it into words but it's the closest thing to a home cooked meal.

Let's face it the Lao food has been pretty shit.. Even the stuff we ordered here before. Here we were sipping Johny while devouring this divine pepper dear stew, that could have come out of my mothers kitchen.

Not to long after that had hit my tum tum, did another bowl arrive. Wha-hoo jack pot, how this stuff is not on the menu only boggles my mind. They could make a mint off that stuff. Then the professor family started arriving. Sister and husband, three young girls, a monk and his wife (a doctor). Then more food, I was stuffed so I only tasted the fresh fish.

The sun had now vanished and the Johny was still flowing. We were not to keen to throw money away so we played as banker and dealer. I still don't have a clue as to the rules, no card game I had ever seen. That carried on late into the night. The older Thai dude still flirting away with Kailey wife or no wife, amazing what a par of breasts can get you. Through out the gambling he was offering to pay for our room. We looked at each other and really wanted to accept but could not bring our selves to accept. All this free food, drink and entertainment it would be to much. Though it was not my breasts getting the googly eyes.

Then the cards stopped and they piled into a van, well after midnight. We still had not checked into a room, but once the owner arrived he showed us to one. Awww it was heaven so clean, a hot shower, soft silky sheets and the sound of the falls.

The next morning going to check out and hit the bikes again. We find out that no the room has been paid for. Wow I think my jaw hit the floor. It's not every day that happens, what lucky fools we were. We then picked a waterfall on the hand drawn map to head for. But some where along the line we missed the turn off. With the sun now disappearing behind the mountains. I decided it was pointless trying to find this place in the dark, with the cold air setting in rapidly we headed for Attapeu another 50km away. Racing for the warmth only a bed could provide.

The last day on the plateau, I was determined not to stuff this last leg up. Although last evening was good fun in the end. Still with a nip in the air we were aiming for a dirt road, some where in the distance that would short cut us back to Pakse. Of which there were many dirt road finding the right one was key. But today my compass gods were my friends again.

It would be one rather scenic ride through the hills, mountains, valleys, forest and little villages. Lao really is a beautiful place, with so much forest is hard to believe something like 60% has been hacked down. After 4hrs riding I stopped where the road had forked. Some where in the forest to wait up for Kailey, so she did not take a different turn. Just at the corner was a family with a tiny road side stall. When she arrived all she saw was noodles and so we got two bowls. They had just caught a bush pig and were cutting it up, just behind the bush we were eating in front of. More riding ensued, had had one moment on the road where it looked like a sluit of some sort, had been cut across the road. I spotted it at the last few seconds, hammering the break with the bike trying to show me it sexy ass. Turned out to have a wooden bridge across it, only it was hidden from view while approaching. Near the end of the dirt road we were passing pot holes that could swallow a bike. Finally back to some tar and void of pot holes, we stopped at a coffee plantation for a quick brew. Good stuff but the Vietnames coffee is still way better.

Back in Pakse we wondered town with the bikes, as we made it in good time. After that we trotted off to book a night bus to Vientien, collect our bags and laundry and stuff our faces with some good Indian food.

After striking two of the three items off the list. We went to get our packs and laundry. Kailey decided to repack her bag and in doing so found that all her washing came back pink. She bought a pair of tie-died fisherman pants that had stained everything else.

Oh boy did this turn into a scene and did she let rip. She is already a loud Canadian girl as tempers flared so it got louder. The hotel uses some out side locals to do the washing they had been summoned. Here she was yelling and performing about what the hell she was to wear? The poor old Indian man who who owns the place was playing mediator. I could see here side but these people washing the clothes only made $20 a week. She was demanding money off them to replace the clothes, fair enough only so by cheap replacements at the markets. I don't know just in that moment I thought to my self. It's good to be you if this was happening to you I'd nit ask for any money. Gosh they would probably go hungry for a week.

After that we walked to and border the sleeper bus to Vientien, an elaborately painted, neon light glowing thing.