papa go Laos.

[AllanB]

Hard copy maps of Thailand (and I guess other countries too) are crap, if anyone knows different please advise.....and digressing slightly. How can you have 3 roads leaving one town in 3 different directions, all named 201, as in Loei? Other places too, I change roads 5 or 6 times and still ended up on the 201.

[papa al]

Hard copy maps of Thailand (and I guess other countries too) are crap, if anyone knows different please advise.....and digressing slightly. How can you have 3 roads leaving one town in 3 different directions, all named 201, as in Loei? Other places too, I change roads 5 or 6 times and still ended up on the 201.

It's not the fault of the map.

I run into this a lot of places.

For example, 331 runs hundreds of kms. from Prechin Buri province all the way down to southern Chonburi province.

As a bonus, there is a spur some 20-30 km shooting west to Laem Chabaeng!

[AllanB]

Hard copy maps of Thailand (and I guess other countries too) are crap, if anyone knows different please advise.....and digressing slightly. How can you have 3 roads leaving one town in 3 different directions, all named 201, as in Loei? Other places too, I change roads 5 or 6 times and still ended up on the 201.

It's not the fault of the map.

I run into this a lot of places.

For example, 331 runs hundreds of kms. from Prechin Buri province all the way down to southern Chonburi province.

As a bonus, there is a spur some 20-30 km shooting west to Laem Chabaeng!

No, the maps get that right, but the rest is rubbish, they are inaccurate, rarely match the signposts and don't depict the appropriate size of the road, so you can't make the best choice of route to take.

Unless you know one that is good..........

[papa al]

LTB Dec 29 AM

Suvannakhet is a slightly charming pretty shabby river-town/ border-crossing.

I’m told by the inn keep that bikes are not allowed across the bridge.

Perviously, border-runners were required to pick up paperwork the next day, but not anymore.

A bad hit for the local economy.

Couldn’t find a car wash but the Lao massage was cruel yet effective.

Bought a new memory card so camera is back.

Cute multilingual clerk.

I was able to withdraw LEK1,000,000 with my Visa bankcard @ ATM.

Breakfast, then on the road again.

Looks like < 200km today.

[Briggsy]

Latest reports suggest bikes may leave Laos via the Friendship Bridge at Savannakhet but not enter Laos here. The same applies at Nakorn Phanom - Tha Kek. The situation is not definite and can change.

Safe travels.

[ktm jeff]

Photo is no good papa al , we need phone numbers man - - NUMBERS !!. .Sounds a great trip , thanks for posting the details.

[Dutchbike]

Latest reports suggest bikes may leave Laos via the Friendship Bridge at Savannakhet but not enter Laos here. The same applies at Nakorn Phanom - Tha Kek. The situation is not definite and can change.

Safe travels.

Last May we ( 2 bikes) had a troublefree re-entry into Thailand over the friendshipsbridge @ Savannakhet. That trip started with entering over the friendship bridge at Nong Khai/Vientienne.

Red before bikes are not allowed entering Laos @ Mukdahan/Savannkhet. But this may depend on the "mood" of the day of the Immigration officers.

[papa al]

xxslowconnectionbutpapastillrubbersidedownandwillfilephotosandanecdotesasap

[DILLIGAD]

xxslowconnectionbutpapastillrubbersidedownandwillfilephotosandanecdotesasap

Are you in Wales now, Papa ??????

[seedy]

xxslowconnectionbutpapastillrubbersidedownandwillfilephotosandanecdotesasap

Are you in Wales now, Papa ??????

Or on one !

[speedthrills]

Great journey man really interesting I am enviuos for sure.Ride safety.

[papa al]

RE post 38...I was going for Thai style.

LTB Dec 29 1400hrs.

Stopping for lunch at a little place 12km shy my day’s destination, ThaLang.

For the last 30km, I have been riding through some pretty dramatic, craggy limestone features.

A bit hazy but otherwise the weather is banner.

Between Savannakhet and Thakhet I noticed a PTT station with a Cafe’ Amazon, so I swung in.

A Verseys and a Phantom were parked there.

I talked to the two German couples who were on tour, starting from CM.

They had just come from where I was heading, so I was able to get some good beta.

Tomorrow I’m expecting 50 km of some rough dusty road.

The Germans did it 2-up so I should be okay.

The one guy told me he had ridden from Alaska down through South America previously.

Yesterday in S. I did see 3 PCXs and an er6.

When breaking my fast this AM at a little shack restaurant I bought a couple of hard boiled eggs.

Inside were half developed chick embryos.

I'll eat the bugs, but this was too weird for papa!

I case any of you were wondering what papa looks like:

[papa al]

LTB DEC 30, 1600hrs.

Okay.

Rented a cabin at lake village of ThaLang.

Clean fan room with good mosquito netting @200baht.

Other guests were on rental scooters from Thaket, some 110km west of here.

An interesting bunch, French, German, Danish.

GH provided a chain link lock-up for the bikes.

Big BeerLao 45baht.

Papa got a little mau.

This big lake depicted on the map was not that at all, rather a buch of small lakes/lagoons among forest.

Heading north this AM had 50km unpaved; 8km narrow and rough.

The rest wide and pretty smooth, recently improved.

Rode west on rt. 8 to regain rt. 13 through some pretty impressive scenery.

The photos don’t really do it justice.

[uploads failed???will try later]

Took a room at Paksan in a nice GH @240 baht.

Not too far to Vientien, so I’ll shoot up there tomorrow for Happy New Year.

Thanks to those PM-ing encouraging comments.

[guzzi850m2]

Excellent papa al keep them coming.

When are you heading back to Thailand or no firm plans, just ride as you pleases?

[papa al]

Another week to 10, but flexible.

I haven't shaved this last week.

Going for the Chuck Norris look I guess.

[ktm jeff]

papa al , in the photo of you on the bike , it looks as if one side of your visor is detached. Great trip , but wheres your riding boots .

[Shurup]

Pictures' date is still off one year.

[ll2]

Pictures' date is still off one year.

And no boots. But at least shoes look strong.

[papa al]

KTM: Good eye. Mechanical snafu. Attached with medical tape now.

Shurup: anal.

LL: Steel-toed work shoes.

[Shurup]

KTM: Good eye. Mechanical snafu. Attached with medical tape now.

Shurup: anal.

LL: Steel-toed work shoes.

You're confusing me with JT, I don't do anal.

Nice trip review papa, it's something I always wanted to do, take a trip from Thailand through Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and back to Thai, but the unavailability of 95 octane fuel (at least in Laos) is something that would hold me back now, unless I want to ride one of my older bikes, which I don't want.

[papa al]

I figured how to upload again.

Here is the bike lock up from night before last:

Here is what the large lake really looks like:

Here is the scenery from yesterday.

Here is the guest house at Pakxan

200km over to Vientiane, capitol Laos PDR.

Some nice straight smooth undeveloped stretches.

130kph

Arrived V. @1100 and stopped at Honda showroom for oil change.

75% of offerings were 100cc Waves, the old style plastic and carbs.

Made in Viet Nam.

With drum brakes, 44Kbaht; disk 47K.

Imported from Thailand 110Fi Waves @ 63Kbaht with e-start.

Scoopy, Zoomer, Click too.

No 125cc Waves. ??

Heading north tomorrow.

Hi Craig.

Edited December 31, 2014 by papa al

[moe666]

Nie post papa, I would love to go to the Plain of Jars

[guzzi850m2]

It looks awesome man.

It looks like the bikes are locked heavily, are many stolen?

[papa al]

guzzi: just a small padlock on the chain-link.

I could break in easily with a good pliers.

Not sure but I'm thinking theft is not a big issue.

I have one of those disc locks with battery and movement audio alarm.

Also carry a cable & padlock but haven't deployed it.

A couple of guest houses have brought my bike into lobby at night.

I came across this:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Laos

[papa al]

I guess these limestone features are called karsks.

[craig49]

Happy New Year

[pokerkid]

I guess these limestone features are called karsks.

limestone karsks.png

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karst

[Sirpia]

Thanks for the inspiration.

[papa al]

Dec1 late.

So, Happy NY @ Vientiane

Korean Restaurant/Bakery/Coffee/Western, Kings Table for clean good grub, big portions.

Souvenir/clothing/etc. special event vendors were set up along the riverfront.

I added a nice big blue silk scarf to the costume, but thread dangles on the ends are interfering with my zippers, so scissors time.

Midnight @ a bar/restaurant along the Mekong with guitars & singers.

I enjoyed the dispersed aerial fireworks across the rio in Thailand.

Crack of noon start.

Forgot to remove the alarm lock, so when I started her the alarm went off,

much to the amusement of the falang couple on a cub. 5 5

Slow going. Many villages spread out along 13 north of V.

Rt.13 very modest but smooth 99%.

!!! the 1% !!!

I guess I’ll mosey up 13 to return down the 2 or 3 roads south west to Thailand.

How long will this take?

I’m @ Thalat tonight.

Try for Luang Prabang 2mor; #1 tourist town.

Looks like it’s a lot of squiggly road.

Papa had the feeling of being in a time warp or in a movie or something while riding today.

[papa al]

Dec 3

Heading north on the 13 yesterday bound for Luang Probang I reached a Y in the road with the lesser road bearing right.

I asked a couple of lads “Luang Pronang??” pointing left or right.

They both pointed left saying something LP but also pointed right saying something LP.

Left took me on a nice highway, new, the nicest I’d seen in country...

rt 8, then 4 to LP is 3 hrs vs. 5hrs on rt 13 it seems.

A really nice ride high over mountains, scant traffic & few villages, …aahhhh.

Pricey LP Hotels near the river full, but good availability farther back.

Found clean 400baht GH with iffy wifi.

Tonite staying at nicer nearby 600baht place…big spender.

It’s quite cool.

I’m riding with 3 shirts under my mesh MC jacket.