papa go Laos.

[papa al]

I decided to road trip Laos for a few weeks on my 2008 CBR150.

Below is the travelogue for the first 4 days.

Anyone who is offended by my age or method of travel (LL) need not read on.

Laos trip. Days 1-4.

I left Pattaya 0840 Dec. 20, for a few weeks in Laos.

First day run up to Buriram to visit the village people.

Bike ran strong & smooth.

Only problem was one of the 4 bolts securing the rear rack vibrated out, and the my new loud horn went kaput.

Luckily a new shop in Prakhon Chai was open on Sunday to replace both.

Monday was an easy ride to Ubon.

Today (23rd) over to the Chong Mek border x-ing.

(See recent thread in this forum on the crossing procedures.)

Driving on the right side of the road now about 20 minutes into Laos, a oncoming van turned left in from of me, then seeing me coming, stopped in my lane. ??

Execution of a maximum performance braking maneuver avoided contact.

Very close. I left black skid marks on the tarmac and maybe brown skid marks elsewhere.

I’m reporting from a guest house in Pakxe, Laos.

Tomorrow I plan a ~250km loop through the mountains east of here.

I’ll try to update every few days.

Edited December 23, 2014 by papa al

[ktm jeff]

Have a fantastic trip. Good time to avoid the crazyness , this time of year . Im jelous. Keep up the posts when possible , with plenty of photos , and take care.

[Shurup]

Too bad you don't have ABS to prevent black skids. Unfortunately there's no ABS for the brown ones.

[guzzi850m2]

Yes have a nice and safe trip and try avoiding the brownies.

Photos would be great (the scenery and not the brownies).

[wantan]

A few weeks in Laos sounds great. I envy you. Have fun and stay safe. I just took my baby CBR to Phetchabun. Will explore the mountains tomorrow and go back to Bangkok on 26.

[ll2]

Unfortunately read first four lines until you mention me.

Why calling my name?

Age means nothing and made thousands of kms with 125 - 150 cc bikes before.

Still, happy and safe rides.

Edited December 24, 2014 by ll2

[Briggsy]

How many days did Thai Customs and Laos Customs give your bike for temporary import / export. It will probably be 30 days as will your Laos visa. It is worth checking your paperwork as your bike could be on overstay in Laos. I am not joking.

Also how many days' insurance did you buy?

Finally I advise you to drive much more slowly in Laos than in Thailand. I am talking 75 km/h on main roads. Road surfaces are not good and the rules of the road in Laos are little things must get out of the way of bigger things. It is a different way of driving than in Thailand, markedly different.

[Dutchbike]

Have a good and safe trip papa! Keep the reports and ( when possible pics) coming. As you know last May I took a trip into Laos , really loved the country, nice people, stunning scenery.

[taninthai]

A few weeks in Laos sounds great. I envy you. Have fun and stay safe. I just took my baby CBR to Phetchabun. Will explore the mountains tomorrow and go back to Bangkok on 26.

haha 3 of us was up there today and yesterday wantan,saw a few baby cbr wonder if it was you ,blasted back down to bkk today and jumped on a plane back to krabi,we slept up the mountain last night it was cold,make sure you go up tub berk hill....have fun

[AllanB]

Well you just blew the myth about needing more than 200cc to take the bike into Laos, don't quite get what your age has to do with it, or why anyone would be offended by it, or, indeed what you age is, so I will assume that is a private joke.

But anyway good on you for getting up of your arse and doing something, s'what biking is all about, it's not how big it is it is what you do with it, so keep us updated and mind how you go.

I used to travel to France a lot and found day one was easy remembering to drive on the right, after an overnight sleep, day 2 was the problem. 5 or 6 times I drove off on the left until I saw some French <deleted> on the wrong side of the road, coming towards me???

May have a go at a trip to Laos myself now my NV is running okay, so will read on, as you report.

Enjoy your trip mate.

[guzzi850m2]

Comeon guys it's Christmas for crying out loud, can't we be nice to each others at least during that period.

[AllanB]

Comeon guys it's Christmas for crying out loud, can't we be nice to each others at least during that period.

There are 12 whole days of Xmas...Jaysus, you are asking a lot.

Best wishes AllanB xxx

[DILLIGAD]

I look at this thread about a tour to Laos. The rest of this cr@p is unnecessary and not the slightest bit interesting

[Swamp Thing]

Following that, let's hear more of Papa's trip to Laos.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Swamp Thing

[wantan]

OK, as this thread is missing some pictures i will add some from my christmas trip to Petchabun. Some crazy road to the highest mountain of Petchabun. Nice cool weather today. Whats going on in Laos Papa?

[papa al]

Briggsy: Wilco.

Guzzi: I’m an atheist/Buddhist.

I challenge anyone to find, among the 1000+ posts I’ve made in TV forums, an instance where I’ve called anyone a derogatory name, used an ad hominum argument, or made a knowingly false statement.

Laos travelblog #2

I set out from Pekse yesterday morning with the intent to circumnavigate the roughly circular Bolaven Plateau in a clockwise direction.

Please refer to a(n online) map to follow.

Roads 16, 11, 18.

Pakxon, Thateng, Sekong, Attapeu, Pekse.

Pekse is at about 9 o’clock on the circle.

The road is paved around to about the 5 o’clock position at beginning of route 18 @ Attapeu.

The hotel manager warned me that the 18 was gravel road and not good.

The paved portion was surprisingly smooth, free of heaves and pot-holes.

No paved shoulders for bikes like we see in Thailandia though.

Fortunately the traffic is light, maybe 5% of what would be of Thai highways.

I’m used to seeing cows grazing near roads in T but in L the cows walk around on the road a lot.

Also goats and those funny little asian pigs...

…dogs, people, bikes too.

Anyway driving fast is not feasible usually.

The posted speed limit is 60 km/hr.

I was able to go 100 some and 120 on a couple of stretches.

Hardly any road signage for navigation, so it’s difficult to verify what road you are on, what town you are in, or which way to turn to the next town.

I would usually stop at an intersection and try to ask someone which way...

saying the name of the town and pointing questioningly right & left.

(Papa no hab GPS.

GPS for wussies.)

When I got to the 18, I realized it was too rough and I retreated to a guest house @ Attapeu for the night.

The first half of the ride was bland (to Sekong), but the 2nd half was hilly & curvy…nice.

BeerLao=good.

This AM I reversed course to head back to Pekse but took a scenic shortcut over the mountains on route 16A.

This road was 90% paved, 5% decent gravel, 5% rough.

I left Attapeu at 8:20 and rolled back into Pekse a little after 11.

About 450km these last 2 days. Sabai, sabai.

Some general impression of Laos:

Friendly. Females wear long skirts/wraps.

Some wear jeans but rarely short pants 'r skirts.

Many words are the same as Thai: Ban, sabai, sawadee, nam, check bin, noi.

Country is growing. Big new bank buildings in the towns.

Bikes: 99% Waves, Chinese clones, Finos, etc.

Surprisingly, saw no Nouvos.

I saw (4) CBR150i and a new Yamaha R15.

A few dirt bikes.

Old 2-strokes with side-carts.

That’s it.

Heading north 2mor…Xepon?

Photos next time.

Happy Festivus!!

(A holiday for the rest of us)

Edited December 25, 2014 by papa al

[papa al]

The kit,

the call of the open road,

and vistas.

The guest house come day's end.

Banks are bullish on Laos.

Conservative country, so papa ain't gonna be gettin' any for a while.

[papa al]

My wish for ASEAN 2115:

Open Viet Nam & Burma to bikes from Thailand.

So many women roads,

such little time.

[Jai Dee]

Topic closed pending moderation.

/Closed

/Edit - this thread has been purged of troll comments and personal insults... now re=opened for further discussion.

Please keep it civil or warnings and suspensions may result.

[Shurup]

My wish for ASEAN 2115:

Open Viet Nam & Burma to bikes from Thailand.

So many women roads,

such little time.

2115??? Wow you sure there's a point wishing/planning that far ahead? 555

[papa al]

OOPS!

Laos travelblog #3 Dec.26, Boxing Day

So, 400km Pakxe==>Xepon today.

Whats in Sepon?

Not much, but nice ride; felt really good.

You know, when feel you as one with the machine; as one with the road; maybe as 0.9 with the universe?

The bikes likes real gasoline compared to the 91 gasohol I feed @home.

The route was north on rt. 13 then east on #9 to Sepon/Xepon.

Nothing special for terrain; reminiscent of Issan.

Overall the road was 90% smooth; 10% pretty bad.

Left P @ 0820.

There are a lot of small villages along the way on 13 which required slowness but in between, 120.

Stopped at the 13/9 junction for fuel, snack and a break.

I pulled under a shade tree in front of a Laos home.

Granny was grillin some meat chunks on the brazier.

The guy was real nice; brought me a chair & a liter of cold water & a glass.

I ate some grapes, an orange and an apple I had.

I left the remaining 1/2 kilo of grapes for them.

When I started off I heard granny shriek.

Probably first time ever that she tried grapes. 5 5.

Very few cars or pick-up trucks on the road.

Maybe 1% of what you’d see in Thailand.

Just some overloaded trucks, tractors, & scooters.

I felt like king of the road as I zoomed by on my mighty CBR.

I realized that there are no PCXs around either.

Seems they still sell new 100cc Waves here. Carbed.

Tomorrow I plan to ride 40km up to the Vietnam border for a look, then retrace and stay in Savanaket.

I think it is the 2nd largest city in Laos.

Opposite the Mekong from Mukdahan, Thailand.

Out.

[papa al]

http://www.newchipxeng.com/price.html

[AllanB]

This is obviously an on going report, how are doing it from internet cafes, or do you have your own gear?

What gear did you take for this trip?

[papa al]

MacBook Air @ guesthouse wifis.

[Briggsy]

Have you noticed the lack of birds compared to Thailand? They've all been netted and stuck in the cooking pot.

Are you still sticking with your plan to cross back at Nakhon Phanom?

Savannakhet is nice. Plenty of places to stay on the riverfront.

[hansgruber]

Fix your time stamp on your camera.

It's coming up 12/24/2013.

Great trip. I'm envious.

[papa al]

Hans: Ya, ya.

Briggs: Just arrived. Mekong Restaurant Hotel, 360bht.

I'll try to be more aware of the bird thing, but now that you mention it, ya yes.

NP was never the plan.

Can't remember the name of the crossing I plan but north of Nan I think.

Allan B: See post 17, pic 4

LTB:

Rode 40km up to VN border this AM.

Up in the mountains a bit. Brisk.

Tried to get photo of gate with bike in front but some corpulent corporal ran me off.??

Having trouble with the camera or memory card.

Will try to figure out.

Banner weather for bike riding.

Bike is dirty but hummin'.

I’ll share some general info on Laos.

This is a communist country but aside from a few hammer & sickle flags, it doesn’t show much.

The monetary unit for Laos People's Democratic Republic (PDR) is the Kip,

aka LAK…LAos Kip, I guess.

1U$D=~8000LAK

1THB=~250.

Hey, I’m a millionaire now.

Last night real nice hotel in Xepon ran 200,000kip.

=750baht.

That town is very quiet.

Probably nearly 100 rooms in the hotel, and only one other vehicle.

Ouch.

No gasohol in Laos.

Most stations offer just diesel, and regular 91-octane @~9300kip/L.

A few stations also offer 95-octane.

I don’t know a lot of Thai, maybe a couple hundred words, but they seem to understand.

The written alphabet seems close and listening to them speak sounds same same to my ear.

Seems to be a lot of Vietnamese influence, especially in commerce.

Laovietnam Petroleum Co.

Vietlao Development Bank, that kind of thing.

Guest houses seem VN owned, managed.

Unlike in LOS, the guys like to come talk to you, practice their English.

Friendly: ‘Uncle come sit with us. Have some eat, drink a beer.”

No 7-11 nor KFC etc.

It is possible to walk down a sidewalk here.

No vendors appropriating the public right-of-way.

It is illegal for a foreigner to have sex with a Laos lady unless he is married to her.

;’-(

No evdence of a tea-money shakedown racket.

Food seems a bit more expensive, but better prepared.

The French influence I guess.

Tourists seem French, mostly.

I think I heard a little Russian being spoken.

Ganja, √. Cheaper buzz than beer for the farmers. Cops don’t care.

The USA dropped 500,000,000 (yep, 8 zeros) bombs on neutral Laos during the American-Vietnamese war.

A lot were duds.

Unexploded ordinance maims many farmers, children, elephants, etc. every year.

Off-track hiking…not recommended.

Out.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Nice report and details. I'm signed up for more, pap al.

[Briggsy]

Great report.

For exit points, there is one in Nan (Muang Ngeun), which is straightforward. There is only one above Nan and that is Huay Xai / Chiang Khorng in Thailand's Chiang Rai province. Latest reports are you will need to pay 1000 B "bridge toll escort fee" for a motorbike to leave at this point. But the situation is not definite. Nan exit is no cost.

Did you check your import/export forms yet to see how many days they gave you? Hopefully both sides gave you 30 days which is the full whack.

Edited December 27, 2014 by Briggsy

[papa al]

LTB Dec 28.

Reporting From Suvannakhet.

For high season, town seems very slow.

Papa gonna hang today.

Clean Ceeber.

Try to get camera functioning.

Lao massage.

√-out a few local attractions.

Planning for tomorrow ride north on the 13, 100km to Thakhet, thence NW ~50K to a sizable lake depicted on the maps, Nam Theun.

Likely it is two lakes separated by a low isthmus.

Take lodging there if available else continue N to Lak Xao.

Unclear if this stretch is paved or not.

Papa reluctant for much off-pavement riding.

Laos Maps:

I guess in the age of GPS & online everything hard copy maps are not as important as previously.

Papa old school so he ordered from GT-riders The Laos Guide Map. 5th edition, 2012.

Scale is 1:1,650,000

Nice thick plasticized paper.

Insets for 14 towns, &

inset altitude profiles of '10 great motorcycle roads' in the mountainous north.

Pretty handy. THB250

In Pakxe I also bought a 1:600.000 scale map published by Reiss Know-How.

And they do. (know how to put out a good map).

Around $15.

Lighter gauge plasticized and larger sheet.

Much more detail.

Topographic lines…yes!!

German company…ya!