One for the sparkies
Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.2
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Monday, 6 February 2012
Leaving Laos and a farewell to Angels
I am writing today with a bit of sadness. It is my last day in Laos and I've been thinking about how I would sum it all up. Firstly I have to say that it has been the best experience so far and I'm pretty sure that it will be best overall. How can one say which has been the best bit? They all have their individual bits that have imprinted on my memory like a photo with attitude. I am sure that like last time I will remember the smells as well as the sights. I can't compare in a rating way the wonders that were Nong Khiaw, Luang Prabang, Phonsavan and the jars or "The Loop" and now to add to these there is Tat Lo and the Boleven and of course the nirvana that is Don Det and the River Garden Guesthouse. Through all of this there has been the constant that is the Angels, Erica, Emily and Sandra. My lovely companions through all the stuff that happened. We would bump into each other as if by Kismet. It all stared with the bus from Sapa where I first met Erica. Then it was the bus from Diem Bien Phu that I gelled with Emily and Sandra. From then on we shared experiences and meals, catching up with our various individual stories. We were together through Nong Khiaw and Luang Prabang and parted when I went to Phonsavan. Together again in Vientiane we planned "the Loop". There was a sad parting in Thakhek and lo and behold I bump into them in Tat Lo! Then we had our final, last meal at my guesthouse on Don Det 2 nights ago. I will always value their company and will never forget our shared time. They are the lovliest most gorgeous women I have met excepting of course for my partner and my children. I feel a bond with them as close as I have had with any of my dearest friends and I wish that I will see them again sometime. I plan to keep in contact thanks so much google!
I think I should also just write out the last few days here around Pakse. I hired a bike for three days and spent one going to Champasak and Wat Phu (see previous blog). The next day I headed into the Boleven. There was a pause on the road to see waterfalls in the grounds of a Thai resort. It was a bit too touristy for me. In addition the tourists were Thai people. As much as i hate to generalise, the rich ones seem to be right arseholes. One silly bugger, as I was crossing a bridge yelled in a very loud voice "Oi you! i take photo of you beside my wife". I said "no mate take your own bloody photos!" and just kept walking past him. he was so shocked that I had not immediately complied. I felt very angry. How dare this prick treat me like an object. i felt that he was incredibly rude and spent the next 5 minutes thinking up suitable epithets and verbal abuse. he of course had passed on to the next photo without thinking. On reflection (an stimulated in this by Erica) I now know how the rest of the lao population must feel when I thrust my telephone in their direction for my own photos. abject lesson Lionel! Moving on I got to tat Lo about lunchtime and lo and behold there were the girls walking up the road as I arrived. after a chat they kept walking and I went across the bridge to find my room and some lunch. The room turned out to be right on the rivers edge beside the bridge looking up river at the first waterfall and down river to an idyllic view with people fishing, swimming and washing clothes and themselves. It was the stuff of a constable painting (if he ever travelled to SEA). That afternoon I went for a walk to the second waterfall up river. It was spectacular and very energising. I spent sometime watching this man with a fishing net squatting on a rock, immobile like a cormorant waiting for a fish to appear. The in a plsah he set the net on his arm and cast it into the maelstrom in front of him. he then dive into the pool to retreve the net and hopefully a fish. He was oblivious to the current and the wind from the falls. Unlucky this time he moved around the pool to another spot to resume his vigil. Fantastic! i felt so privilidged to be there at that time.That night we dined on the varandah in front of my room and talked till late. The next morning I made my farewells and motoered back to Pakse via Paksong. what struck me about the trip was the lack of trees all bombed or poisoned out of existance by the fucking americans. I had lunch at a very spectacular waterfall whose name escapes me at the moment. Back in Pakse I arranged a flight to Siem Reap and accommodation and then caught a bus to the 4 thousand Islands.
Don Det was very interesting. It seemed to me that there was 2 distinct parts. One I characterise as "babylon" after Bob Marley. Full of the detritus of Vang Vieng, stoned out idiots careless of the values of the Lao that they were trampling with thier obnoxious behavior. The other side was an earthly version of Nirvana. I was lucky I found a guesthouse in Nirvana and spent most of my time swying in a hammock on the varandah of my hut swilling on a steady run of banana and lemon shakes. I worked out that if you sip from the top of the glass it is full of ice and is very cold - instant headache! It was so peaceful and relaxed and laid back. you did not need the aid of drugs to feel totally out of it but in a respectful way. On my third day I managed to stir enough to go over to Don Khone and visit the rapids that bar the Mekong at this point and to check out the disused railway built by the French to avaoid the rapids and estalish their power in Indochine. I went for a swim in a lovely little cove just down from the rapids and away from the current. It was ideal.
I had a last meal with the Angels at the guesthouse on my last night. We had a meal that couldn't be beat. Steamed fish with lemon and vegetables with cocnut milk. It was steamed in banana leaves and came out in a mouse like form. It was delicious, deleicate flavours of fish and kaffir lime with overtones of coconut milk. The next day it waws pakse and here I am. It is 10:35 and I have to be at the airportat11:30 so I will have to close now. I close my time in laos with a kind of sadness that has a certainty that I will be back. It is a strange and lovely place. The people I have met have been friendly, kind and helpful when they can be. Thank you laos and thank you angels.
I think I should also just write out the last few days here around Pakse. I hired a bike for three days and spent one going to Champasak and Wat Phu (see previous blog). The next day I headed into the Boleven. There was a pause on the road to see waterfalls in the grounds of a Thai resort. It was a bit too touristy for me. In addition the tourists were Thai people. As much as i hate to generalise, the rich ones seem to be right arseholes. One silly bugger, as I was crossing a bridge yelled in a very loud voice "Oi you! i take photo of you beside my wife". I said "no mate take your own bloody photos!" and just kept walking past him. he was so shocked that I had not immediately complied. I felt very angry. How dare this prick treat me like an object. i felt that he was incredibly rude and spent the next 5 minutes thinking up suitable epithets and verbal abuse. he of course had passed on to the next photo without thinking. On reflection (an stimulated in this by Erica) I now know how the rest of the lao population must feel when I thrust my telephone in their direction for my own photos. abject lesson Lionel! Moving on I got to tat Lo about lunchtime and lo and behold there were the girls walking up the road as I arrived. after a chat they kept walking and I went across the bridge to find my room and some lunch. The room turned out to be right on the rivers edge beside the bridge looking up river at the first waterfall and down river to an idyllic view with people fishing, swimming and washing clothes and themselves. It was the stuff of a constable painting (if he ever travelled to SEA). That afternoon I went for a walk to the second waterfall up river. It was spectacular and very energising. I spent sometime watching this man with a fishing net squatting on a rock, immobile like a cormorant waiting for a fish to appear. The in a plsah he set the net on his arm and cast it into the maelstrom in front of him. he then dive into the pool to retreve the net and hopefully a fish. He was oblivious to the current and the wind from the falls. Unlucky this time he moved around the pool to another spot to resume his vigil. Fantastic! i felt so privilidged to be there at that time.That night we dined on the varandah in front of my room and talked till late. The next morning I made my farewells and motoered back to Pakse via Paksong. what struck me about the trip was the lack of trees all bombed or poisoned out of existance by the fucking americans. I had lunch at a very spectacular waterfall whose name escapes me at the moment. Back in Pakse I arranged a flight to Siem Reap and accommodation and then caught a bus to the 4 thousand Islands.
Don Det was very interesting. It seemed to me that there was 2 distinct parts. One I characterise as "babylon" after Bob Marley. Full of the detritus of Vang Vieng, stoned out idiots careless of the values of the Lao that they were trampling with thier obnoxious behavior. The other side was an earthly version of Nirvana. I was lucky I found a guesthouse in Nirvana and spent most of my time swying in a hammock on the varandah of my hut swilling on a steady run of banana and lemon shakes. I worked out that if you sip from the top of the glass it is full of ice and is very cold - instant headache! It was so peaceful and relaxed and laid back. you did not need the aid of drugs to feel totally out of it but in a respectful way. On my third day I managed to stir enough to go over to Don Khone and visit the rapids that bar the Mekong at this point and to check out the disused railway built by the French to avaoid the rapids and estalish their power in Indochine. I went for a swim in a lovely little cove just down from the rapids and away from the current. It was ideal.
I had a last meal with the Angels at the guesthouse on my last night. We had a meal that couldn't be beat. Steamed fish with lemon and vegetables with cocnut milk. It was steamed in banana leaves and came out in a mouse like form. It was delicious, deleicate flavours of fish and kaffir lime with overtones of coconut milk. The next day it waws pakse and here I am. It is 10:35 and I have to be at the airportat11:30 so I will have to close now. I close my time in laos with a kind of sadness that has a certainty that I will be back. It is a strange and lovely place. The people I have met have been friendly, kind and helpful when they can be. Thank you laos and thank you angels.
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Way down south Paxse way
The bus trip to Paxse from Thakhek to Paxse was a cruel joke played by the cosmic clown on me. I had thought I was going in air conditioned luxury. This turned out to be a shagged out local bus with broken seats and no leg room at all. Apparently the VIP bus was broken. If it was broken then I'm not sure what could have happened to it because the replacement was in a parlous state. I think it must have burnt to the ground to qualify for "broken". Anyway I prefer to put these little trials behind me and focus on the good things.
Paxse is a great base for exploring the south. My hotel is good. My first night was in the VIP suite due to a booking cock up. I had a discounted price and enjoyed Air con and huge TV all night. In the morning I moved into a small airless Fan room that was much cheaper (60,000 kip). I also hired a bike for three days and headed off to Champasak and Wat Phu ( pronounced "Poo") . The trip to involved a "ferry" ride across the Mekong. This was quite spectacular in that the ferry was two canoes joined in the center by a sort of deck and powered by the ubiquitous Honda standing motor and a bloody long screw. The motor bike and I perched on the deck like a pimple on a childs face.
Champasak is a totally lovely town spread out along the river like a thin coating of butter. Tranquil guesthouses nestle on the river bank with the occasional resteraunt and temple or school. There are a couple of very impressive french mansions that loom over everything around them and suggest of luxury in days gone past. All in all a place to revisit and chill for a while.
Wat Phu is my first Khmer temple and it is very impressive in an understated way. It is very old (5th century) and its location is magnificent. The views from the temple itself are boggling. The temple is the understated bit in that it is not overly large. The whole site however is huge as only Khmer sites can be. It climbs up the foothills of a large mountain (in English it translates as Penis mountain after the natural Lingam on the summit) to an altitude of 100m above the plain. On the plain are two huge Barays, large water reservoirs. They represent the oceans and the mountain represents the sacred mountain. On top where the temple is, there is a sacred spring that provides water for the temple Lingam. I put my head in the flow of the water and "bathed" in the sacred waters. I don't feel any more sacred! But certainly I felt cooler. The whole experience was great for me. I'm looking forward to Angkor.
Back in Pakse I had a massage that really hurt! If someone recommends a Lao massage either run away or hit them with a large piece of wood. They do not wish you well. I'm hoping that it will do me good in the long run. It's a bit like bashing your head against a brick wall. It feels really good when you stop!
I ate dinner tonight at the Indian resteraunt across the road from my hotel. I've eaten there ever since I arrived and have enjoyed each meal. This mornings Masala Dosa was the first I have had in 37 years and it did not disappoint. If only they did Murtabaks. Tonight is was a Rogan Gosh, a butter Naan and a fruit and veg curry. Delicious.
Tomorrow I go to the Boleven Plateau for 2 days and then it's the 4 thousand islands. Things are picking up speed as I hurtle toward the end of this sojourn. I wonder how I'll feel at the finish?
Paxse is a great base for exploring the south. My hotel is good. My first night was in the VIP suite due to a booking cock up. I had a discounted price and enjoyed Air con and huge TV all night. In the morning I moved into a small airless Fan room that was much cheaper (60,000 kip). I also hired a bike for three days and headed off to Champasak and Wat Phu ( pronounced "Poo") . The trip to involved a "ferry" ride across the Mekong. This was quite spectacular in that the ferry was two canoes joined in the center by a sort of deck and powered by the ubiquitous Honda standing motor and a bloody long screw. The motor bike and I perched on the deck like a pimple on a childs face.
Champasak is a totally lovely town spread out along the river like a thin coating of butter. Tranquil guesthouses nestle on the river bank with the occasional resteraunt and temple or school. There are a couple of very impressive french mansions that loom over everything around them and suggest of luxury in days gone past. All in all a place to revisit and chill for a while.
Wat Phu is my first Khmer temple and it is very impressive in an understated way. It is very old (5th century) and its location is magnificent. The views from the temple itself are boggling. The temple is the understated bit in that it is not overly large. The whole site however is huge as only Khmer sites can be. It climbs up the foothills of a large mountain (in English it translates as Penis mountain after the natural Lingam on the summit) to an altitude of 100m above the plain. On the plain are two huge Barays, large water reservoirs. They represent the oceans and the mountain represents the sacred mountain. On top where the temple is, there is a sacred spring that provides water for the temple Lingam. I put my head in the flow of the water and "bathed" in the sacred waters. I don't feel any more sacred! But certainly I felt cooler. The whole experience was great for me. I'm looking forward to Angkor.
Back in Pakse I had a massage that really hurt! If someone recommends a Lao massage either run away or hit them with a large piece of wood. They do not wish you well. I'm hoping that it will do me good in the long run. It's a bit like bashing your head against a brick wall. It feels really good when you stop!
I ate dinner tonight at the Indian resteraunt across the road from my hotel. I've eaten there ever since I arrived and have enjoyed each meal. This mornings Masala Dosa was the first I have had in 37 years and it did not disappoint. If only they did Murtabaks. Tonight is was a Rogan Gosh, a butter Naan and a fruit and veg curry. Delicious.
Tomorrow I go to the Boleven Plateau for 2 days and then it's the 4 thousand islands. Things are picking up speed as I hurtle toward the end of this sojourn. I wonder how I'll feel at the finish?
Saturday, 28 January 2012
Looping the Loop
Wow I have just come back from three days of extreme experiences. I and the three women I had met up north (Emily, Erica and Sandra) with a fourth bloke from Uruguay (Pablo) traveled by hire Motorbike around a route known to the backpacker world as "The Loop". It was fantastic. It tested all the senses, particularly those around your butt, the flabby bits that is. The emphasis being the more you have the less painful it will be. I have quite a lot but I still hurt at the end. It is the kind of stiffness that you don't mind though as a shower removes most of the worst and the sights you see on the way more than make up for any inconvenience.
The journey started with a short blast out of Thakhek to the first cave (elephant cave). This was accessed by a short dirt road to a tiny village and then a bit of rough work across a creek and through some sandy bits. The cave was OK but not overwhelming in a "far out" way. The Elephant was not overly impressive. The surrounds and the school kids more than made up for it.
Back on the road we made another short Blast and then to the next cave (Tham Xieng Lieb cave) which was much more impressive. Here we had an eager Dad and two young boys who directed us along a well marked trail to a cave with a river flowing out of it. We were able to clamber into the cave mouth where Erica and Emily who were more eager took off their boots and donned thongs for a wade through the river to the other side of the cave with a beautiful beach and very nice scenes of forest and "jungle".
Back again on the road we made a long run to Nakai some 40 odd Kms along the road . The views on either side of Kharst mountains was arresting to say the least. Many a time I had to correct myself as I drifted across the road mesmerised by the sights in my perifery. We ate lunch (at about 2pm) at Nakai and then headed off for our night stop at Tha Long. The road at this point took a turn for the worse. It went from bitumen to dirt and quite bad dirt at that. Speed was cut to about 10 to 15kph. The best bit of the road being right on the side where usually people walk. Pot holes were a usual occurrence. The scenery changed dramatically to one of desolation on each side. The building of a dam had created a huge freshwater sea flooding a drowning the forest. On either side were views of dead trees standing in the water like shy swimmers waiting for the water to become warm enough to dive into. It was strangely beautiful in a weird sort of way.
Tha Long was a tiny village with 2 guesthouses. Ours was really sweet with stunning views of the lake. Emily and I went for a walk out onto the bridge for a Beer Lao and the sunset. Very nice but not as good as Luang Prabang. The guesthouse had a fire to sit around in the evening and this we did until dinner was ready. It was nice to sit and share stories with my companions.
The next morning we set off for the 60Km run to Lak Sao, At this point the road began to deteriorate at an alarming rate, to the point of almost ridiculousness. By the time we reached the jungle section it had become a series of enormous pot holes that you bounced into and out of like a demented roller coaster. Even the side of the road became the same as the middle as the pot holes straddled the entire road. One could quite easily disappear into one for some while before re-emerging like a breaching submarine. The fact that we could only go at snails pace was OK though because the view on either side was amazing. Thick dense jungle, impenetrable unless you followed an animal trail, not that you'd want to here because there are wild animals that can eat you.
After the jungle section the road got worse! I thought the bikes would not cope with the strain. The punishment being extreme. In addition to the Bumps was the dust. It was enveloping and my beard felt like it was made of hessian sacking. Lak Sao was a pleasing if unattractive respite. A rough frontier town populated with what seemed to be Vietnamese mafia, we stayed long enough to have a lovely lunch in a huge Resteraunt oddly named "the Only Resteraunt".
Back on the road it was a significant relief to be on tar again. We buzzed along at a dizzying rate of 80 Kph. Top speed for these little bikes. The scenery on either side was back to Kharst mountains of awesome proportions. We made very good time and roared into Na Hin or Khoun Kham just before sunset. This allowed us to blast along the road to Kong Lor with the last rays of sun. It was incredible to roar along a very straight road between impossible mountains with shapes out of some science fiction novel. I wouldn't say inspiring, but don't have any other words that come to mind. Our accommodation was again a very nice even intimate guest house. We were all so exhausted that we had a couple of glasses of Beer Lao and crawled off to our various beds. I had a very nice double bed that was as hard as I have had so far. I was so stiff I think it did me good.
Next day we were up very early and off to the Kong Lor cave at sparrows fart. The cave is amazing. It is 7.5 Km long and has a river flowing right through it that is navigable by flat bottomed boat. Locals from the village on the other side of the mountain use it for transport. Of course so do the tourists. After negotiating the tickets and our obligatory life jackets we boarded long thin boats inside the mouth of the cave and set off into the darkness. The darkness it should be said is complete. There is no source of light except from the torches of the boatman and his assistant up front. I had a head light but it was paltry by comparison. We stopped for a walk around a section of the cave that was interesting but not spectacular. There were some stalactites and stalagmites but they were no match to Jenolan caves so I kept quiet. Back on the boat the next 5 km was fantastic. The shadows cast by the boatman's lights were surreal. At one point our shadows were thrown upon a wall, it looked like ghosts following us. I would get glimpses of rock formations that were mind boggling. Huge galleries, vaulted roofs. I felt I was in a chapter of Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit. It was almost as if Gollem was watching from a ledge high above and the ghosts of Moria everywhere!
After about 45 minutes we came out of the cave and into the sunlight. The boat pulled into a landing and we got out while the boatman emptied out the boat. It was quite full of water! We had gone over a couple of places where we had to get out and drag the boat over pebbled banks and little (tiny) waterfalls. This must take a toll on the bottom of the boats. It clearly did to ours as it was trying bravely to sink under us. We sat around at the landing for about 15 minutes until the boatman realised we were not going to buy anything at the myriad of stalls there in the forest and then it was back into the boat and back into the cave for the run back. Just as awe inspiring as before we motored through the darkness getting wetter from the constant bailing by the boatman. Scrabbling out to get over the various obstacles, finally we were back to the start. I loved it.
In front of the cave the river formed a very large pool that was crystal clear and very inviting. I got into my swimmers and went in. Ah the serenity! It was the best thing since sliced bread. I was in heaven. The only thing that was missing was Meri my partner. Of the rest of the gang the only other swimmer was Emily who also enjoyed the peace of it all. We dried off and I had a noodle soup for lunch.
The afternoon was taken up with a headlong dash back to Thakhek for sunset which we missed by all of 5 minutes. All in all it was a journey not to be missed. If one is traveling in this area you would be mad and a danger to yourself to miss this experience. I thoroughly recommend every inch. One memory fast in my mind is of a lookout after Kong Lor on the way to highway 13 along route 8. It was of these amazing kharsts. It looked like someone had broken the earth like a bottle. Extremely jagged peaks lay in front of us as far as the eye could see. It was fantastic.
I am now in Thakhek waiting for the bus to Paxse tomorrow at 8:30. My washing is being done and I've nothing else to do except go and see a few sights before I leave. I have just said good bye to the most wonderful of friends I have met in a long while. I have shared my life with them for the last couple of weeks and I am a bit/very sad to have seen them go. I hope I will see them again before I leave. I know I will see them again sometime in my life (maybe in Australia). I still miss them though and I will be sad for a little more when I remember our times shared. Love you angels all.
Back to the road Lionel. One more adventure, another day. It is Sunday the 29th of January today. I have 14 days left to get to Paxse, the Boleven plateau, Champasak, 4 thousand Islands (Si Phan Don) and Siem Reap before I board that silver bird to Australia and home.
The journey started with a short blast out of Thakhek to the first cave (elephant cave). This was accessed by a short dirt road to a tiny village and then a bit of rough work across a creek and through some sandy bits. The cave was OK but not overwhelming in a "far out" way. The Elephant was not overly impressive. The surrounds and the school kids more than made up for it.
Back on the road we made another short Blast and then to the next cave (Tham Xieng Lieb cave) which was much more impressive. Here we had an eager Dad and two young boys who directed us along a well marked trail to a cave with a river flowing out of it. We were able to clamber into the cave mouth where Erica and Emily who were more eager took off their boots and donned thongs for a wade through the river to the other side of the cave with a beautiful beach and very nice scenes of forest and "jungle".
Back again on the road we made a long run to Nakai some 40 odd Kms along the road . The views on either side of Kharst mountains was arresting to say the least. Many a time I had to correct myself as I drifted across the road mesmerised by the sights in my perifery. We ate lunch (at about 2pm) at Nakai and then headed off for our night stop at Tha Long. The road at this point took a turn for the worse. It went from bitumen to dirt and quite bad dirt at that. Speed was cut to about 10 to 15kph. The best bit of the road being right on the side where usually people walk. Pot holes were a usual occurrence. The scenery changed dramatically to one of desolation on each side. The building of a dam had created a huge freshwater sea flooding a drowning the forest. On either side were views of dead trees standing in the water like shy swimmers waiting for the water to become warm enough to dive into. It was strangely beautiful in a weird sort of way.
Tha Long was a tiny village with 2 guesthouses. Ours was really sweet with stunning views of the lake. Emily and I went for a walk out onto the bridge for a Beer Lao and the sunset. Very nice but not as good as Luang Prabang. The guesthouse had a fire to sit around in the evening and this we did until dinner was ready. It was nice to sit and share stories with my companions.
The next morning we set off for the 60Km run to Lak Sao, At this point the road began to deteriorate at an alarming rate, to the point of almost ridiculousness. By the time we reached the jungle section it had become a series of enormous pot holes that you bounced into and out of like a demented roller coaster. Even the side of the road became the same as the middle as the pot holes straddled the entire road. One could quite easily disappear into one for some while before re-emerging like a breaching submarine. The fact that we could only go at snails pace was OK though because the view on either side was amazing. Thick dense jungle, impenetrable unless you followed an animal trail, not that you'd want to here because there are wild animals that can eat you.
After the jungle section the road got worse! I thought the bikes would not cope with the strain. The punishment being extreme. In addition to the Bumps was the dust. It was enveloping and my beard felt like it was made of hessian sacking. Lak Sao was a pleasing if unattractive respite. A rough frontier town populated with what seemed to be Vietnamese mafia, we stayed long enough to have a lovely lunch in a huge Resteraunt oddly named "the Only Resteraunt".
Back on the road it was a significant relief to be on tar again. We buzzed along at a dizzying rate of 80 Kph. Top speed for these little bikes. The scenery on either side was back to Kharst mountains of awesome proportions. We made very good time and roared into Na Hin or Khoun Kham just before sunset. This allowed us to blast along the road to Kong Lor with the last rays of sun. It was incredible to roar along a very straight road between impossible mountains with shapes out of some science fiction novel. I wouldn't say inspiring, but don't have any other words that come to mind. Our accommodation was again a very nice even intimate guest house. We were all so exhausted that we had a couple of glasses of Beer Lao and crawled off to our various beds. I had a very nice double bed that was as hard as I have had so far. I was so stiff I think it did me good.
Next day we were up very early and off to the Kong Lor cave at sparrows fart. The cave is amazing. It is 7.5 Km long and has a river flowing right through it that is navigable by flat bottomed boat. Locals from the village on the other side of the mountain use it for transport. Of course so do the tourists. After negotiating the tickets and our obligatory life jackets we boarded long thin boats inside the mouth of the cave and set off into the darkness. The darkness it should be said is complete. There is no source of light except from the torches of the boatman and his assistant up front. I had a head light but it was paltry by comparison. We stopped for a walk around a section of the cave that was interesting but not spectacular. There were some stalactites and stalagmites but they were no match to Jenolan caves so I kept quiet. Back on the boat the next 5 km was fantastic. The shadows cast by the boatman's lights were surreal. At one point our shadows were thrown upon a wall, it looked like ghosts following us. I would get glimpses of rock formations that were mind boggling. Huge galleries, vaulted roofs. I felt I was in a chapter of Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit. It was almost as if Gollem was watching from a ledge high above and the ghosts of Moria everywhere!
After about 45 minutes we came out of the cave and into the sunlight. The boat pulled into a landing and we got out while the boatman emptied out the boat. It was quite full of water! We had gone over a couple of places where we had to get out and drag the boat over pebbled banks and little (tiny) waterfalls. This must take a toll on the bottom of the boats. It clearly did to ours as it was trying bravely to sink under us. We sat around at the landing for about 15 minutes until the boatman realised we were not going to buy anything at the myriad of stalls there in the forest and then it was back into the boat and back into the cave for the run back. Just as awe inspiring as before we motored through the darkness getting wetter from the constant bailing by the boatman. Scrabbling out to get over the various obstacles, finally we were back to the start. I loved it.
In front of the cave the river formed a very large pool that was crystal clear and very inviting. I got into my swimmers and went in. Ah the serenity! It was the best thing since sliced bread. I was in heaven. The only thing that was missing was Meri my partner. Of the rest of the gang the only other swimmer was Emily who also enjoyed the peace of it all. We dried off and I had a noodle soup for lunch.
The afternoon was taken up with a headlong dash back to Thakhek for sunset which we missed by all of 5 minutes. All in all it was a journey not to be missed. If one is traveling in this area you would be mad and a danger to yourself to miss this experience. I thoroughly recommend every inch. One memory fast in my mind is of a lookout after Kong Lor on the way to highway 13 along route 8. It was of these amazing kharsts. It looked like someone had broken the earth like a bottle. Extremely jagged peaks lay in front of us as far as the eye could see. It was fantastic.
I am now in Thakhek waiting for the bus to Paxse tomorrow at 8:30. My washing is being done and I've nothing else to do except go and see a few sights before I leave. I have just said good bye to the most wonderful of friends I have met in a long while. I have shared my life with them for the last couple of weeks and I am a bit/very sad to have seen them go. I hope I will see them again before I leave. I know I will see them again sometime in my life (maybe in Australia). I still miss them though and I will be sad for a little more when I remember our times shared. Love you angels all.
Back to the road Lionel. One more adventure, another day. It is Sunday the 29th of January today. I have 14 days left to get to Paxse, the Boleven plateau, Champasak, 4 thousand Islands (Si Phan Don) and Siem Reap before I board that silver bird to Australia and home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)