Lao Pdr Road Trip!

[technocracy]

Being as part of a business required trip today I returned a 4 day long haul road trip from Vientiane via Phonsavanh to Sam Neua. Well it's one of the most arduous but also rewarding road trips you can do in the Lao PDR and we've just done a return journey in 4 days . . . need to be back in Vientiane for a meeting tomorrow afternoon.

So anyway we packed a bag and headed out from our house at 9am. We made our way out toward the Luang Prabang Road (Route 13) - this is the bit of this journey which bugs me as the chaos on the outskirts of Vientiane on the North R13 seems to multiple as a you go! However once you clear the city limits and get on to the open road of R13 it does become far more enjoyable. I have to say that since I last drove this leg of road between Vientiane and Vang Vieng there has been considerable improvements to the surface. The last time I nearly removed the chassis of the hired Ford Ranger I was using hit car sized pot holes at 100kmph . . but hey hire cars as we all know are indestructible!

All in all it makes things a lot more enjoyable we arrived in Vang Vieng in a shade under 3hrs and made a food stop at the local market. For those who don't know in middle of the Vang Vieng town if you want Lao food you'll have problem - simply as the restaurant and guest houses there are fully 'backpackerised' and serve in general pancakes! However for those in the know if you continue on R13 past the abandoned runway strip and the town about 1/2km up the road on the left is the local market. Go inside toward the back and there is local food stalls and very good food it is as well, albeit you need to know some Lao (or point) since there is no menus.

Anyway fed and watered we got back on the road for the next sector, Vang Vieng to Phou Khone. About 70kms outside of Vang Vieng the road fun really starts! Since there is a large mountain to go up and the roads ain't straight! Cutting its way back a forth up the mountain it's pretty much a non stop climb up to the plateau where Phou Khone sits. Part way along this road we got flagged down by a hitchhiking soldier to go to Phou Khone, this is a regularly occurance! Well it seems to me for at least anyway as it happened last time I did the time also .. .. so if your in a pickup and suddenly a soldier runs out waving you down . . . don't worry just pull over he'll jump in the back and off you go! This road really does have some stunning views down over the limestones karst that surround Vang Vieng. At Phou Khone we pulled over and the soldier hopped off and we made a right turn at the junction. It isn't signed posted (like lots of things in the Lao PDR!) but basically if you keep going straight you'll arrive in Luang Prabang but hang a right and it leads to Phonsavanh also know as Xieng Khouang.

Now the road to Phonsavah (Rte 7) I have only travelled by bus previously never driven it so for this point on it was a totally new driving experience. Now I have to say I've driven many 'driving' road as being a biker we kind of hunt them down for what is fun! But I have to say this road to a driver is absolute driving heaven!!! However my 7 1/2 month pregnant wife in the passenger seat wasn't as impressed!! Basically the first 60 or so kms of this road is made up of snaking, 90 degree turns, 180 degree hairpins and a couple of 270 degreers thrown in! Add to it undulates up and down and wraps itself around mountains throwing in stunning views to boot! If I'd of been on my old trusty ZX7R I'd of been in absolutely heaven! Oh yeah I forget to mention the road surfaces are in general on Rte7 excellent also the vast majority of corners you have full visibility (obviously not on hairpins!) to you can take the 'racing' line add to that in the 60 or so kms you'll probably pass or see about 5 other cars! With the wifes comfort in mind I reeled in the cornering speed and just drove smoothly . . but I give have a bit of go . . . well as much as you can in a Mitsu L200. Which on the mention of which this was the first time real chance I'd had since having it to give it a cornering workout and to be honest I was quite surprised at the cornering ability you could have the tyres squealing and it didn't feel out of shape. So a thumbs up there!

After the fun twisty bit the road straights out somewhat and leads itself out in Phonsavanh - in which we arrived 376km (if I remember rightly) from our house in Vientiane at 5pm. So with a hour or so stopping it took us 7 hours of driving. We turned in the at a hotel in Phonsavanh for the night ready for the next leg up to Sam Neua.

Before hitting the road we called in at the local market for more of the local food - which I have to say Phonsavanh isn't a known food place!! Well lets put it bluntly in general it was bloody awful. The meal the evening meal we had in a restaurant was equally as dire! The noodle soup water they 'made' at the local market seemed to just be water and pepper - no boiled bones or even knorr in sight! Not somewhere to go if you want good Lao food that's for sure!!

Anyway our hunger was in check and we headed out on wards to Sam Neua. Again I've done this journey previously in the back of a pick up so had a general idea of what was ahead. Now Sam Neua for those who aren't fully aware is basically in the very north east of the country a 100km or so from Vietnam. Heading out the first 50 or so kms the road is good open and straight so you can get up some speed. At Muang Kham the road forks - straight on leading to Vietnam or right leading to Sam Neua again NOT signposted . . . and I managed to go sailing past the junction! A quick U turn and we were back enroute!

This particular road I will say now is not one I will ever want to drive again! It's an incredibly twisty, turny, tight small road often with sheer dropped to one side with regular 10%+ gradients ups and downs. You are constantly up and down the gearbox and it's impossible to drive smoothly. Because the road is tight if a bus is coming around the same blind corner you have to stop since you both can make it - not a nice experience keeping the sheer drops in mind!!! Adding to this they are currently resurfacing bits parts of the road with the spray on bitumen and gravel which just adds to skidding ability it's a far far far from enjoyable drive! There is some great views I will admit but as a driver you need 100% concentration to drive this road otherwise this could be a mess!

We had to stop for 30 minutes at one point as they had blocked the road for the road works. Fortunately the ever prepared wife had bought sticky rice and red pork at Phonsavanh so we took this break as a lunch stop.

Phonsavanh itself is around 4000ft above sea level and you go up and down from this - it hard to tell exactly but a couple of the climbs I am sure you surpass this. Sam Neua is also at around 4000ft above sea level so the climate is fair bit cooler that down in Vientiane.

666km(!) later we arrived in Sam Neua and in the back of my mind all I was thinking is 'jeez I've got to do that road again tomorrow!!!'.

Anyway a night in Sam Neua then the return journey to Phonsavanh - with more bad food but a trip to the plain for jars for my wife - then we made it back today in Vientiane earlier today.

Certainly an interesting journey for numerous reasons! A few things anyone should be well aware of when making any trips into the heart of Northern Laos.

1) If you hit any animals you will have to pay compensation. These are peoples food and livelihood even though they might be wandering across the road over a blind hill crest!

2) You are in hill tribe country so if you stop don't expect them to know Thai or even Lao (in some places). If you stop and take pictures - make sure it is ok to do so. They have there own religions and traditional which you will not in anyway comprehend!

3) In the middle of nowhere and you are running low on fuel? Not a problem keep an eye out in nearly all villages there will be a hut with 2 large drums with diesel and petrol with manual pumps. You order by the litre.

4) Obvious really but don't expect services, toilets or other such creature comforts you really are heading into remote places and you might not see another car or motorbike for several hours.

All in all it was arduous and I am thoroughly knackered (just about go bed 8:30pm!) but the sights makes me realise why I fell in with this country in the first place.