It already looks like a standard ritual that John brings us to the airport, we are lucky to have a friend like him. Also the presence of Els, to wave Jeroen goodbye, we appreciate. After checking in it is time to say goodbye and start shopping for the last necessities. With the China adventure of two years ago in his mind Marcel tells that the food we will eat the next weeks will acquire only some minor adjustments but it is absolute necessary to import the tobacco from Holland and so avoid the local brands, so we head for the tax-free shop.
Then into the plane, for Jeroen a big moment because it is the first time he flies. The flight is OK but very long so we were happy to finally see the lights of Bangkok in the early morning. At Don Muang airport we are surprised to see that the bikes are already at the luggage belt. So we grab them and move on. In the arrival hall we see Kees immediately because that shiny white (or was it already red) head one can be spot from a great distance.
We left our bikes at the left luggage depot and grabbed a bus heading into Bangkok. Although it is Saturday morning 6.30 all 14 million inhabitants seem to be wide awake. And Jeroen looks in astonishment to the city and all that people. We head for the Weekend Market where we meet Veow & Meow. Soon it is clear that Thai woman like shopping even more then their counterparts, so we men just follow the big (1.50 meter) bosses. Luckily for us cyclist there is a lot to see even when it is impossible to buy anything because we have to travel light the next weeks. But we are ordered to eat everything that is bought for us, even Marcel has to give in to that order. After we are tired of strolling around we head for a shopping mall to ... eat. But this time Marcel refuses, not a single grain of rice he eats, his comment is that he is full !!
At the end of the day we say goodbye to our Thai guides and go back to the airport to assemble our bikes. Contrary to our China adventure everything is complete, except for a spoke magnet on the bicycle of Kees that Rob has forgotten to put on when he installed the brand new bicycle computer (grrr).
After that we enjoy a few hours rest before our train to Nong Khai (at the border with Laos) leaves the train station at Don Muang Airport. After mounting the train we have a quarrel with the self proclaimed "boss" of the train because he refuses to check in our bikes, but can we help it that they did not give us the special bicycle tickets when we asked for tickets to Nong Khai. After a lively discussion we can pay the fee and go to sleep after a hectic day full of impressions.

At 5.30 the jetlag, in combination with the chilling temperature (20 degrees) got hold of us and we are wide awake. So we grab our sweaters and enjoy the view from the train.
According to schedule we arrive in Nong Khai and without having to worry about the taxi/samlor Mafia we cycle to town to get a breakfast at the market.
After that we head to the Friendshipbridge that forms the border between Thailand and Laos. We pass numerous counters where we fill in an endless number of forms and of course pay the accompanying fees, but finally we are in Laos. Time for a relaxed ride to Vientiane and, after arrival, the probably first of numerous cola's this holiday.
From the cafe we call Nut and Joost (friends of Kees) and it appears that we are lucky. The expat community in Laos has a party that day and we have to visited it to tell everbody about our strange plan to cycle to Cambodia. Nut picks us up by car. We throw the bags in the trunk of the car and follow her in what looks like a time trail through Vientiane. According to Jeroen there were some traffic lights along the way but Kees and Marcel did not notice them, trying to keep up with the car with an average of 40 kilometers an hour.
When we arrive at the party Joost instantly offers us a couple of beers telling tell us that red heads like we have are not healthy and need to be cooled down. After we meet the Dutch detachment (where the beer of our Russian friends is appreciated) we decide to go to the house of Joost and Nut to take a shower to wash away the first sweat of our journey. After enjoying the cool water the driver of Nut and Joost makes a Laos style curry for us. Of course with the Lao staple food sticky rice, a delicious meal

A slow start our first day in a Laos. A fantastic Dutch breakfast (we could borrow the Nutella of Julie and Corry, the daughters of Joost and Nut) and after that into town to look for an internet cafe, arrange our visas at the Cambodian embassy and visit the highlights of this metropool. We can tell what we discovered but it is probably better if you take a look at the photogallery (submenu Laos-Cambodia, Photo's Vientiane).

Today our cycling adventure is really going to start !
After a few days travelling by plane and train, a lot of paperwork (e.g. at the border and our Cambodian visa) and above all the fantastic days in Vientiane with Nut and Joost we will head of for our first, 150 kilometers long, day on the road.
At 7 O'clock we leave Vientiane, being waved goodbye by Nut, Corry and Julie. The scenery along the road is not that spectacular. But with some many people on the road the first part of the trip there is always something to look at so the first hours go rather smootly.
After 120 kilometer we relax at one of the foodstalls along the road and we are being told to look at the road because 2 other western cyclist approached. Two Germans that were on a 5 month journey, starting in Vietnam and through Laos and Thailand to end in Malaysia. Something to we are jealous about. When we talked further it appeared that they had a different cycling rhythm then we. Starting about 9 and then taking it easy whole day. While we intend to get up at sunrise to avoid the hottest part of the day and be able to stroll around the placed we would stay in the afternoon. After this cyclist talk they started about football and the conversation stocked because on their question who Germany did beat last week, Jeroen answered the truth and that was that they lost from Holland. A pity that it was the end of a nice conversation.
So we mounted our bikes for the last 30 kilometer. After a whole day on the bike we were very happy to reach Paxsan and we checked into the first hotel we saw. A quick shower and then some sightseeing in Paxsan. They had a nice market and especially for Jeroen it all was very new and interesting. After a stroll around the market we asked around for a restaurant. All the fingers pointed to one restaurant. And they were right; it was delicious
Then back to our hotel to hit the deck. But our hotel happened to be also a brothel . We decided to wait until the number of customers (and with it the rumour) was a little less. But do not worry we had a quiet and good night rest.

So after a good night rest we got up when it was still dark and hit the road at the break of dawn. Yesterday it proved to be a good strategy. After some 30 kilometers we pulled the breaks for breakfast. Only Jeroen did not enjoy the break. When he saw what he ordered he first smelled it, got a pale face and took a few bites to make us believe that it was nice. But when we proposed to hit the road again he jumped off his chair and paddled away, leaving us behind with the order to pay. We had to go deep to catch up with him.
During breakfast we all agreed that the surrounding was not that beautiful the past hour and that it would probably be like this most of the day. Only the next 20 kilometers it might be possible we would have a nice view of the limestone range to the east.
Then Marcel had his first flat tire of the trip and while we were fixing it the bus to Savannaket stopped right in front of us. Kees told the others to quickly put the bikes on the roof and hop into the bus. Jeroen did not know what was happening and asked why the rush. Marcel said it was a good move and boared the bus a quickly as possible. The result is that a few hours later we where in Savannaket, some 250 kilometers down South.
In Savannaket we strolled around, enjoying the terraces and views at the boulevard along the Mekong. Then off to find a guesthouse. We ended up in a nice gueshouse where the main activity of the guests was sleeping so going to bed early would be a possibility. But before going to sleep we decided to have dinner in a by the LP recommended restaurant and to look for an internet cafe to get this travelogue up to date. The food was not what we cyclist needed to prepare us for another day on the road and the internet cafe was so crowded and the connection so slow that we did not succed. So both actions were not that successful and when Kees told the others he had enough of it and would go to bed the others agreed.

Today we happened to have the same recipe as yesterday: first a little bikeride and after that the bus. After some 70 kilometers we arrived in the new district town of Pakson. It had been a hot and boring day so far along the endless highway No 13. We found a nice spot with a lot off people around to look at and to talk to. After sitting and talking for more then one hour we cycled around town to discover 2 guesthouses but nothing to do. So we looked each other in the eyes (thinking about the hot days ahead we would have if we would bike all the way to Pakse) and decided to catch a bus. This would give us the opportunity to skip the remainder of Highway No 13 and to discover the Bolaven Plateau instead. The locals could tell us the bus would arrive around 4 O'clock so we headed out again and cycled some 40 kilometers more before we waved a bus down that was going in the right direction.
We arrived in Pakse after sunset. At the busstation they could tell us it was another 8 kilomters to downtown Pakse. So a cateye in the front and one at the back and in record speed we reached the centre of Pakse. Pakse turned out to be very touristic and we had to try several hotels before we found some vacant rooms. Then a good dinner at the local chinese. During dinner we concluded we had made the right decision to get on the bus because the scenery along highway No 13 to Pakse was not that nice. We hope that tomorrow the ride to and on the Bolaven Plateau would be more interesting and the temeratures are not that hot.

Today the first day that we will cycle one of the rides mentioned in the Lonly Planet guide "Cycling Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia". The one from Pakse to the Bolaven Plateau. A 45 kilometer easy ride one could say. They tell you to cycle to the busstation at 8 kilometers from downtown Pakse. So we headed to the busstation where we arrived yesterday and passed it. After some 10 kilometers we started to get an uneasy feeling; it did not fit the given description. At 15 kilometers we really got nervous; we had the idea we where going in the wrong direction and at 18 kilometers we hit the breaks and after looking at the description in detail we decided to go back because we were definitely going wrong. We had to head for the busterminal South of Pakse while we passed the one North of town. So at 10 O'clock we arrived in Pakse again for a good breakfast after which the ride could start again. The nice thing was that by now the legs were in great condition; all the stiffness of yesterdays ride was gone.
After we set of in the opposite direction soon we realised that this route fitted the description better. Especially the fact that we were going slowly uphill as the LP wrote. Mountains are Marcel favourite terrain. So whenever somebody pushed him, he could hold on to a truck or a small shower was falling he would embrace this excuse to hold still his legs.
During a break caused by a shower we were asked by a Chinese travelling salesman if we were interested to change US 20 $ for the equivalent in Laos kip. And why not, especially when it is weekend and all banks are closed while you have a lack off local money. So we made a good deal and we had money to go shopping in the next town. On the way to our destination Paksong we stopped at the beautiful Tad Fan waterfall. After having enjoyed the good view and a local cup of coffee we took of for the last few kilometers. We arrived at the guesthouse in Paksong at dusk, after cycling 85 kilometers..... Today was not such an easy day if we had expected.

Yesterday proofed that it is better to decide about the route yourself. So at the first junction we asked a taxidriver where all roads would go. The sealed road and the one straight ahead both ended up in Attapeu. The new sealed one was 130 kilometers, while the old dirttrack was 90 (later it appeared that he was right only that his estimate was 30 kilomters short in both cases). We looked around, thought about all the tarmac we had been eating for the last week and with the sign Attapeu straight ahead the choice was easy. Today we take the old dirtroad to Attapeu.
It is the right choice. The first kilometers on the plateau are not that beautiful but the nice dirtroad is a joy to ride on. After starting the descend from the plateau trees appear along the road and it definitely is of the most beautiful rides this holiday. Luckily we are going downhill so we can enjoy it, going up would have been a different story.
Halfway we paid 5000 kip at a checkpoint. First we did not want to pay but after we had run out of arguments and a small friend with a very big gun joined the cashier we paid the 5000 kip the guard asked for.
Then the descend ended and we turned left to Attapeu. The dirtroad is immediatelly replaced by a road that, by the looks of its condition, was probably bombed into oblivion in the seventies of the last century. This would be the first one of several bombed away road we would ride on this holiday. Our bottoms were black and blue in no time and our legs also hurt like hell after a while so we were happy that, some 26 kilometers, before Attapeu the road was upgraded into a tarmac road.
When we arrived in Attapu it appeared that today is the National day and that tonight there are celebrations in town. So a quick shower and off to join the party. Suddenly Marcel pulled the brakes and started talking to a Scotsman. Bill, as he was called, saw our bikes and told us that he also was cycling around Laos. Bill had the idea of going to Champasak over national Highway No 18 the next day, the same route we will take. He told us that according to the local people it was impossible to go that way because it was not used the last 20 years. So we immediately decided to go that way and try it, so did Bill and we said goodbye knowing we would see him tomorrow.

Sit back and shiver reading the travelogue of one of the most harsh and beautiful rides of this holiday. It has all a good story needs: suffering, bad luck, even worse roads but also beautiful surroundings, friendly people and a happy end
We started the day with a good cup of coffee, the first one after Vientiane. But while enjoying breakfast we forgot the time, so we hit the road around 7 O'clock and that is to late. First we had to ask around several times to be sure that we took the right road to Champasak: Highway no 18 (one time the wrong way in Pakse had learned us to be careful). The people we talked to told us that the road was definitely impassible by car, certainly by motorbike but maybe one could try it by bicylce, but their body language showed that they did not believe it. Only after telling them we would go and see anyway they reluctantly would point the way.
The first 40 kilometers were nice, a good dirtroad making is easy to maintain a high speed. In combination with the food stables along the road, with scores of people that were interested in our bikes and our goal of today, it was a nice morning. Around 9 O'clock Bill the Scotsman we met yesterday in Attapeu did catch up with us.The rest of the day we would ride with the four of us.
After the first river we turned left and immediately the road turned bad. The once proud highway No 18 got narrower and narrower, a few hundred meters later Highway No 18 was not much more then a miserable footpath. Trees were lying over the path and big mudholes made that we had to carry our bicycles often. In combination with the big streams we had to cross several times made that our average speed was reduced drastically. But luckily for us the lush jungle cover made it cool and fantastic to look around. But one can also look around to much, that happened to Kees who cycled into a mudhole and was launched into the mud. One local who just came out of the forest literally fell down laughing seeing the cycling hero covered with mud like a pig and gasping for breath like a fish.
Then it was Bill his turn; a branch hit his back wheel and several spokes were pulled out of the rim. The damage was beyond to repair, but he could still cycle, so he had to continue with a shaking bike. We passed some villages along the road and stopped to talk a little with the villagers who told us that we where still on Highway No 18 but that it was abandoned some 25/30 years ago and that they did not see falang for years and years.
At noon we finished our last bottle of water and looked at each other and asked who had some left. But after cycling in Laos on the beaten track for a week or so we had forgotten that there are also places were the foods tables are not that numerous....
We continued slowly and our stops got shorter and shorter and the streches on the bike longer and longer when we realised that we where still in the middle of nowhere. We had to cross a big river that forced us to carry the bags and bikes to the other site one by one and when Jeroen slipped away he had to swim to the shore. After we crossed we all took a bath in the crystal clear and cool water. We did not drink it although we were quite thirsty. When we wanted to go on it appeared that Marcel had (again) a flat tire so another precious quarter was lost.
Suddenly there was a food stable just before the last river we had to cross. We bought water and it tasted almost better then beer Lao. They told us it was another 15 kilometers or so to Ban Pha Pho, where they had elephants and a guesthouse. We crossed the last river and found ourselves on a broad dirtroad again so we decided to cycle on before the night would fall and that would be within half an hour. Whenever we had the chance we asked people if we were still on the right road, they all told us to head for the elephants but the distance to Ban Pha Pho got longer and longer. Then suddenly it was dark. Jeroen took a flash light out of his luggage and the others followed his instructions. After one hour in the dark and 27 kilometers from the last river we reached Ban Pha Pho. We asked around for the elephants and were pointed in the right direction. When we knocked the door of the guesthouse there was no response. It was 8 O'clock and they went to bed already. One of the neighbours woke the owner up and he prepared our rooms and dinner. Sticky rice with fried egg and warm beer Lao with ice. But it tasted great after a hard day on the road.
Certainly one of the most beautiful rides of this holiday.

After the ordeal of yesterday we decided to take it easy. We asked the owner if it was possible to make a ride by elephant (yesterday on the road everybody we asked the way to Ban Pha Phu told us that there were elephants in that village). The man with the guesthouse also turned out to be the proud owner of a number of elephants (nice to tell is that because he had elephants he was ordered by the local police to open a guesthouse in order to promote tourism in the area). Jeroen and Marcel wanted to make a ride on one of the elephants. Kees told that he already enjoyed a trip by elephant before and that he would clean the bicycles in the meantime. When Marcel and Jeroen were asked of they wanted a 1 hour or 2 hour ride Kees suggested to them that 2 hours would be fine and more even better. They did not trust it and decided to go for one hour. After the ride they concluded that one hours was enough to enjoy the ride and not to long for the already black and blue bottoms to hurt even more.
At noon we took off for the ride to Champasak. We said goodbye to Bill who went to Pakse by pickup truck to get a new wheel for his bicycle. And although it was only 47 kilometers it was another hard day. Leaving at the hottest part of the day and with legs still hurting from yesterday. A nice slow ride the first 27 kilometers, on a smooth dirtroad so time enough recover. After we joined Highway 13 Kees got a flat tire. After almost three days with terrible roads and no flat tires for him and now 150 meter on the best road of the country and immediately a flat tire. It is clear where one can bike best.
We crossed the Mekong and took a ferry to Champasak. Here we selected a hotel at the riverfront and spent the rest of the day washing knowing that tomorrow we would have a rest day and our clothes had one extra day to dry.

For the first time in two weeks the sound of an alarmclock does not wake us. Wat a treat !! Especially when it turns out to be a very hot day we praise ourselves lucky we are not on the road.
Around 9 we decide to risk a heat stroke and cycle like three old men to the attraction of Champasak: Wat Phu; a Khmer temple from the 6th century. Marcel sits down at the first pile of old stones situated in the shade, he looks around sees a modern toilet and tells the others he will not leave this spot. Maybe only to relieve him of the concert that is going on inside this belly.
Jeroen and Kees do a great job looking around and photographing the temple from all possible sides. And after bringing an offer to the Buddha on top of the mountain they head down to tell Marcel how beautiful the temple and the view are. But Marcel is not convinced and the only way heb can be persuaded to leave his place in the shade is by telling him we cycle back to the hotel for a siesta.
After the break we go into town to change dollars. But that turns out to be very difficult. They do not accept bills with the smallest scratch or other irregularity. Finally one bill meets their standards and we got a pile of dirty and torn Lao kip. When we leave the "bank" we are almost run over by our Scotch friend Bill who arrives from Ban Pha Phu. He tells us he did not succeed in finding a good wheel in Pakse so he will head for Thailand. That night we celebrate our friendship and have a good time telling bike adventure stories.

With the break of dawn we take the boat from Champasak to go back to Highway No 13. During the first few kilometers we buy some bread with a Vietnamese salesman that on his way to Champasak to sell it. Although it is nice cool when we leave it is soon clear that today no presents are being given (although 5 December is the day of Sinterklaas) and soon it is hot, very hot above the tarmac surface we are riding on. We are lucky Jeroen has a very good day and most of the time he takes the lead. The heat and long boring road are getting to much for Marcel around kilometer 80. He starts shouting: "Take care, take care, check of your steer is still working danger ahead !!". Kees and Jeroen looked around and do not see anything. So Marcel pointed at the sign we pass where is warned for a curve in the road. The first one in 75 kilometers !!
The goal of today is Koh Kong but at the junction to the island is a nice temple. We decide to take a look and cycle up the mountain. When we stroll around the temple complex we are invited by a group of pilgrims from Vientiane and the USA. We talk with them and are invited to join them for lunch. Jeroen does not hesitated for a moment and immediately accepts the offer and starts to eat the grilled birds on the table. Marcel is looking with horror at his friend, the animal lover, and can not understand that somebody so fond of wild birds can eat them. But probably that is what a hard day on the road will do to you. After lunch we head for the ferry to Koh Kong Island. It appears that there is a kind of boat mafia established and we are appointed a boat. On the way to us the owner of the boat tells his fellow boatsmen that he will triple the standard price for that stupid farang. When we hear this we tell him that the normal price would do just fine. But when he refuses we tell him in our best Lao to go to hell and that we do not want to do business with people like them and that we will cycle on.
So another 20 kilometers to reach Don Det, another island in the Mekong. Here we are treated normally and ferried to the island. We explored the island by bicylce and find a guesthouse on the other end off the island. The owner is surprised that Kees can talk a little Lao and the rest of the day she makes useful use of Kees and appoints him the task of translator. We on our turn take advantage of the same fact and ask her what nice dishes she has on the menu and order them, but with the question if it is possible to make some minor adjustments to the ingredients. It appears to be no problem so we order a handful of small dices. That turns out to be a good idea because a little later there are so many people showing up for dinner that we have to wait 2 hours before it is possible to order dinner.
After a delicious dinner we go to bed like three well-fed piglets.

Cambodia here we come !
Always nice to go to another country. So today we will leave Laos and cycle to its neighbour.
But first we take a look at the Irrawady dolphins that can be spotted near Don Det island along the border. So another early start to spot the dolphins at dawn. We are lucky that the dolphins are also awake at this early hour; it really paid off to come out of our beds. Also the boat ride too and from the dolphins is very nice. The Mekong is beautiful here, with all the islands, the trees in the river and the countless number of birds that can be seen.
After that back to the guesthouse and by boat to highway number 13 again. Our first goal is to spot the waterfall a little further South. We just have a little money to pay the enterance fees, but they recently raised the prices so we send in Jeroen to take the pictures for the website. Marcel and Kees in the meanwhile have a nice chat with the guards.
Then finally off to the border. Voeng Kam at the border is still about 20 kilometers away and we will get there around noon. At the point where the highway ends and is replaced by a dirtroad we are told to go right (which will lead you to the most common used route: the boats to Stung Treng). When we arrive at the Mekong river bank and tell the border guards we want to bike and not take the boat we are sent back to route 13 and told to go straight on as seen from the highway. So we have made a detour of about 10 kilometers that took us precious time.
After reaching route 13 again the road turns into a stone littered path. Where Jeroen immediately has a flat tire. After some 5 kilometers we reach the Lao checkpoint. Here we have to pay US$ 5 to get our passports stamped. Although we take some time to talk with the border guards in order to get the price down we do not succeed. They even do not stamp our pasports until they receive the money. Probably our attempt fails due to the position of the desk. It is in front of the barracks and all the other border guards are also watching so giving in will most likely mean losing face by the guard on duty.
The guard tells us that only a few people pass this land crossing. With regard to foreigners: in the dry season only about 5 a month on a motorcycle and maybe 2 on a bicycle. So today they have a good day. A total of 3 Westerners stupid enough to come here by bicycle.
After leaving Laos a 100 meters on our right is the Cambodian border checkpoint where we manage to bargain the fee down to ten US dollars for three people on a bicycle (here you are sent into an office with only the highest ranking officer, so it was more easy to talk the fee down). Then we head South on Cambodian road No 7 hoping to reach the ferry near Strung Treng before dusk. The fact that we cross the border late and that they do not sell water here (what we expected) made it a though 57 kilometer long time trail. So we are happy when we reach the ferry just after 5 O'clock and can jump on it right away. The boy who collecting the fares jumps to his feet and demands one dollar of each of us. We say we want to pay in riel but that is impossible according to him, so we give him 5 dollars with the message to give us dollars back. When we where on the other side it takes him some while to give our change back but after a few attempts (he tries to give us back riel at a terrible rate) he succeeds to get the change.
Being very tired we check in at on of the first guesthouses and finish 3 bottles of water each before we decide to take a shower. In the evening we send an email to the home front telling that we finally reached Cambodia and take some extra of those delicious bottles of drinking water to our room to celebrate it.