Cycling Nothern Laos (5)

Hualompong Train Station, Bangkok

Sunday (March 01, 2006)

Arrived in BANGKOK around 8am… still HUALOMPONG STATION is busy like we left it few days ago. Packed our things and cycle around BANGKOK before our departure to BUTTERWORTH on 2:45pm.

Cycle towards the city and hangout at SIAM PARAGON for awhile… spent a little more time there because of a JAZZ band playing at one of the complex foyer. Zul and I have this thing going on a live band… it seems catch our attention always.

At 1pm we cycle back towards HUALOMPONG TRAIN STATION.
Buy few snacks and instant noodle again for our 24 hour journey… and head of to our coach. But before that put our bicycle in the compartment coach. It’s where we meet DAN, also a touring cyclist and a special force fire fighter. We didn’t talk that much… until we reach BUTTERWORTH.

When the train starts its journey, I start to review back our trip. We miss Vietnam and Cambodia, because of New Year and time is very limited. However, there are a lot of memories back cycling up north LAOS. The pleasure of exhaustion, stranded in a village and a spectacular view of mountains, river, gorge and green forest… a friendly and helpful LAO people is something we would remember for a long time.

And zul blabbering about having NASI LEMAK once we reach the border… :P

Monday (March 02, 2006)
We reach PADANG BESAR around 11am…
After stamp our passport… transfers our bicycle to our seats because the compartment coach stops only at PADANG BESAR.

We arrived at BUTTERWORTH 4 hours after.
While I’m try to call Andy for our bus tickets, Dan meet us and ask about our idea to cycle along the PENANG bridge. Hmmm… tell you the truth I don’t know it possible or not. J I just create the story to make cycling in PENANG is something you can’t miss when you travel to MALAYSIA… hehe. Well, we start cycle to SEBERANG PRAI… the three of us. And hope that we can do it… hoping the authority will allow us to cycle through the PENANG bridge…

Considered we’re NOT lucky enough to make our dream a reality… the bridge authority give us a lot of reasons NOT to cross the bridge. Disappointed, and we don’t want to cycle back BUTTERWORTH to catch ferry to PENANG… begging the authority for an option and he help us to ask for a lorry driver to bring us across the bridge.

Thank god one lorry agrees… without any fees.
We hope in at the back of the lorry with our bicycles and a bunch of chickens… even though its sounds funny, I bet how many people experience PENANG bridge from a chicken lorry perspective. Very few… very few. Considered us the lucky ones.

Have our lunch at the GURNEY DRIVE, before 7pm we cycle back towards BUTTERWORTH via ferry. And meet Andy there.

Since its Chinese New Year, the bus station is jammed pack with people. Getting tickets during the day surely limited and expensive. Lucky Andy buys our ticket upfront.

At 9pm, cramp our bicycle with other stuff in the bus carrier and departed to JOHOR BAHRU.

Tuesday (March 03, 2006)
Arrived at LARKIN bus station around 5am… we cycle back to PASIR GUDANG using via PERMAS JAYA bridge. Having breakfast at one of mamak stalls around permas and again reviews our journey and experience.

It’s a memorable journey; we hope that our next plan will be much more exciting then this. We continue cycle to PASIR GUDANG and reaches home and family before afternoon.

And the memory remains still.

Cycling Nothern Laos (4)

Wednesday (February 26, 2006)
Morning!
Breakfast? Don’t mention about it. We didn’t have anything…
Our SongTheaw having a gear shift problem. So, the driver arranges our transport and pay everything transfer us to another SongTheaw that headed to SAM NEUA this morning. Since, we pay a lot and there’s a lot of locals onboard, plus 2 pigs on top of the SongTheaw roof… I urge the driver to place us at the front seat with the new driver. We have to fight for the seat since the driver wife follows. Problem solves with the driver, driver wife and zul with a comfortable seat and I folding my leg behind zul with our luggage. J plus 8 hours ride to SAM NEUA.

It’s getting colder and colder as we reach SAM NEUA.
Again after 8 hours of an awkward sitting position and a bumpy ride we reach dusty and freezing SAM NEUA. Another 70km towards NA MEAW the VIETNAM border. Looking for any info crossing the border, we cycle towards maybe the only tourist info center. Unfortunately buses crossing border towards HUA BINH (VIETNAM) from SAM NEUA only on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday morning 7am. L

Another option is to cycle through the border through HUA BINH… since we’re starving and exhausted, staying a night at SAM NEUA is a must.

After having our 4pm lunch + dinner, I stalked over a Dutchman for additional info of NA MEAW and HUA BINH. Luckily he and his girlfriend cycle from VIETNAM and reached SAM NEUA this morning. We printed his map and info about the pavement and roads conditions, foods and he even have info about the stops and the hill climb degree to plan his cycle forward, talk about well prepared… huh (actually I’m looking for the same book “CYCLE TOWARDS INDOCHINA by LONELY PLANET” before the journey but it’s out of stock).

At night in SAM NEUA we can’t even walk around the town because it’s too cold. However, info about crossing the border and the village after the border is vital for tomorrow. In front our guesthouse there’s a print shop, lucky us the owner can speak English well.

He insist us to cross the border tomorrow because on February 27 Vietnamese people celebrating their New Year. Usually the transportation will be jam packed, limited and there’s cases they stop their transportation nearly 2 weeks for the celebration. Unless if we want to cycle 1800km down south to HO CHI MINH CITY, then it’s another case.

Well we don’t have that much of time. It seems that return back to VIENTIANE is more relevant then crossing the border. The owner of the guesthouse suggest that we depart tomorrow because buses going to VENTIANE moves only on Friday morning at 9am.

Spending the night with the guesthouse family celebrating the incoming Vietnam holiday is a memorable night.
The guesthouse owner invited us to join them gathering around an open charcoals to heat our body. It’s too freezing that night cover our body with a light sleeping bag and a pile of mattresses is NOT enough. We didn’t consume food that much since we arrived at SAM NEUA… it’s nice to have (UBI) heated on charcoals with special Vietnam tea (without sugar). We talked about MALAYSIA and they talked about LAOS very much. Even though there’s a lot of ahhs.. and ohhhss, the language barrier seems to get us along.

Then it’s time for the special food for the night.
It smells very good, it was sticky rice… inside it have a brownish sugar gravy. Zul & I feel that this is our lucky day… J before zul stretch his fingers to have a bite I have to ask one question first.
“Inside PORK… MEAT or FISH…”
They reply…
“No… No PORK… no PORK… FOX, FOX inside”
Hahaha… I’ve to pass…

It generally swept our appetite away…
Politely we decline and tell them that we as MUSLIMS can’t eat FOX…
They understand and one of them starts to tell a story about his two Malaysians friends. Both muslims.

One of them follows the rules and everything… however, one of them eat everything on the plate and drink everything in his glass… well, the explanations going on and on through the night to make them understands.

Friday (February 27, 2006)
Wake up early this morning. Didn’t want to miss that once in a while bus trip to VIENTIANE. J
It’s obvious since we arrived at LUANG PRABANG the water temperature is extremely cold, can’t afford that hot shower guesthouse for this journey. I only take shower once throughout our journey till SAM NEUA… and I don’t think this water temperature is suitable for bath.

Checkout early, before 7am we arrived at the bus station… our bus already start his engine. Again lift our bicycle on top of the bus and I take a comfortable seat inside. While zul wondering near the station for breakfast. He come back with a bread and an small Oveltine. Hmm… breakfast. Not forgetting both DUTCH couple we meet yesterday also join lift their bicycle on top of the bus and planned to stop at NAM NOEN.

I just wait in the bus till 9am and it starts and epic 20 hours ride towards VIENTIANE.

We arrived at NAM NOEN around 11am… it’s a nice small town with a very limited small restaurant. The bus stops around an hour for lunch I guess. Zul successful found fruits and I walked towards the river while munching our bread reserves. J

Along the way from NONG KHIAW to SAM NEUA up NOTHERN LAOS… every village has it own river. White, clear fresh water depth average around hip and width around 10 meters minimum. No electricity, very basic way of life… have a fair share of mountains and not forgetting a spectacular scenery.

At NAM NOEN the locals just used ROTAN to whip fishes passing by and lift it to their basket, simple and easy. Our DUTCH friend stops here and starts cycling towards west… towards NONG KHIAW.

Then the journeys start again… we arrived at PHONSAVAN in XIENG KHUANG province around 5pm to drop few passengers and gain few more. PHONSAVAN is a small city with electricity… famous for its PLAIN OF JARS. PHONSAVAN is nearly flat compare to village up north. It’s like a football field all around, with a few hills here and there and a mountains background.

By the time we reach MUANG PHU KHOUN its dark already. It’s a small city and a junction between LUANG PRABANG and VIENTIANE. It’s where route 7 meets route 13.

We reach VANG VIENG around midnight and the bus stops for supper. VANG VIENG is a popular spots for driver or stops since it has 24 hours restaurant and a proper toilet. Zul and I eat our remaining bread, and use this opportunity to used toilet. Still its freezing… everybody seems to enjoy their late night meals as for us we enjoy our late night cigarette. J

Saturday (February 28, 2006)
The bus still moving, but every time it moves my mood switch to sleeping mode. J We arrived at VIENTIANE early around 4pm… and the first thing we do is replacing zul bicycle tubes. Other then that sleeps at the uncomfortable seats in the bus station waiting for the sunrise.

We have to wait the money changer to open because we have very few LAO kip and without BATH there’s no way for us to booked train to BANGKOK at NONG KAI. We don’t have any info about any money changer in NONG KHAI… and its Saturday we can’t confirm to arrive there before afternoon. But, the main reason is we don’t want to miss our last chance to have breakfast at NAZIM restaurant for its delicious MUTTON BRIYANI… hehe.

After breakfast, we cycled towards NONG KHAI… it took us about 2 hours again to reach the train station. Purchase our 7pm trip to BANGKOK and hangout at my Singaporean friend restaurant for a cold drink just across the road. I meet him on my previous travel to LAOS with Hafizan. His name is ROBERT.

We cycle towards a superstore in NONG KHAI for snacks and instant noodle for our 12 hour journey to BANGKOK.

Decided this is the end of our journey and booked our train ticket from BANGKOK to BUTTERWORTH before the 7pm departure. Purchase our bicycle ticket and put safely our bicycle at the compartment area and we slept along the way.

Cycling Nothern Laos (3)

Tuesday (February 24, 2006)
Before sunrise we woke up and packed our bags for the 6:30am bus to LUANG PRABANG. We have to wake the guesthouse owner in order to open the door for us. The morning was unpleasantly cold because we don’t bring any jacket. Plus cycling just gives us enough grieve as our bodies are extremely freezing. The morning was so quite as anybody is still in their beds but when we reach the NOTHERN BUS STATION the situation varies. Surprisingly the station is a little bit busy and the stalls are open… few western traveler sleeps at the corner of the station.

Unlike in MALAYSIA everybody is friendly and helpful. Not even within local and foreigners but among themselves. Buses are one of the most important transports in LAO… they can bring anything along their journey. On top of our bus, there’s few bags of padi grain, vegetables, small animals, motorcycle and a full size refrigerator to name a few… J if you plan to travel by bicycle to LAO, you won’t find any problem if you’re tired, or lazy to cycle or just want to show of your modern, expensive soft tail mountain bike… you can always put your bicycle on top of their vehicle.

11 hours to go. J Imagine traveling using non-VIP bus in Malaysia… there’s no 24-seater in their book of bus dictionary. What can I say… plus you can bring anything along that you can imagine sitting on top of a bus. The journey was quite an experience… if driving through MALAYSIA PLUS North-South highway you don’t even have to raise your hand and pee at the bushes, even worst doing a serious business. But, here in LAOS is a MECCA for I-bet-I-can-do-it-anywhere-I-want…

Before 11pm the bus stops at KASI village for 30 minutes lunch. We just eat biscuits and fruits we found on one of the stalls at KASI. We spend our lunchtime with a crazy Frenchmen, who is super friendly but we can’t understand a bit what he’s saying. But, before we get back to our bus he shouts really2 loud “I’m GAY!!... YEAY!!!” and catch everybody attention. And to make the story a little more interesting he sits besides me until we reach LUANG PRABANG, true luck huh… and ZUL sits beside beautiful LAO girl with a baby that he always talk about even when we return to MALAYSIA. The roads getting rougher and stiffer after KASI… but the good news is the view-to-die-for getting more and more impressive. And this is what does excite me most.

In the bus the conductor starts to spread small plastic bags to every passenger. My curiosity ended when most of the passenger starts to have a vomiting party. Well let’s party!.

We arrived in LUANG PRABANG around 5pm… it was quite a journey. Packed our bags and get our bicycle from top of the bus. While workout our panniers and ZUL pump his puncture tire, a man approach us for accommodation. Bargaining started and we closed deal on USD5 per-night at his guesthouse. Fairly it was located near the MEKONG RIVER. It was cozy with a wooden style house and a shared bathroom. By the way his name is SAI’.

Wat Xieng Thong

Well we spend our day in LUANG PRABANG by cycling around the temples and palace using the peninsular road. Compared to MEKONG RIVER at VIENTIANE, here in LUANG PRABANG is much more breathtaking.

Lucky us we find our favorite restaurant NAZIM for an early dinner… J hehehe MUTTON BRIYANI.

At night we almost can’t cycle… it was too damn cold. Since we decide it was our last day in LUANG PRABANG cycling in a chill-to-the-bone weather wasn’t an excuse. At the center of LUANG PRABANG city there was a night market. You can find a wide range of local handicraft especially LAO mountain people… and little stuff from china.

Luang Prabang Night Market

After a cup of NESCAFE at the one of the café… we cycle back to our guesthouse to relax and plan for tomorrow.

Wednesday (February 24, 2006)

Wake up early to catch our SongTheaw to NONG KHIAW. The first plan is to cycle there, however, by SongTheaw we can reach NONG KHAI in the afternoon. After that we will decide whether we want to stay there or continue crossing Nothern LAOS to VIETNAM border.

Sai’ our guesthouse host waiting downstairs to bring us to the northern bus station. We follow Sai’ with our bicycles through busy LUANG PRABANG morning. We even cycle along the steel bridge crossing MEKONG RIVER. Sai’ pointing out the SongTheaw that supposed going to NONG KHIAW. I’m pretty excited since SongTheaw is just a Lorry with roof and long bench stretch along its back carrier. And we have to sit inside there 5 hours until reach NONG KHIAW. J Arrived early isn’t a good idea because sitting in front of the row going to make you freeze to death, unless you bring a nice warm sweater. Us? Just sleeveless t-shirt… can’t you imagine the idiocy. And nobody cares.

Preparing to Vieng Kham

Arrived at NONG KHIAW 5 hours later. It was too cold to handle, and dusty journey. However, the view is something you can’t imagine. It certainly payoff our uncomfortable journey. While others travelers waiting for boat to MUANG NGOI… we checked our bicycle conditions and pump a few air to Zul tyres, packed our bags to our panniers and cycle towards VIENG KHAM(nearly 100km from NONG KHIAW). Our eagerness and stupidity eats our guts off. We forget to buy some food, or even take lunch… or any fruits, and even forget to buy or top up our water reserves.

Mountain Village

The roads conditions is to tough to handle. Even the view is spectacular… climbing steep roads along the way without water and food is NOT possible. Even everybody can’t do it I think. Hehehe. After nearly 4 hours cycling + several 15 minutes nap in between cycling and 2 bottles of of water not more then a liter we pray for SongTheaw to pass by.

Thank god we’re saved after that.

Before 7pm we reach Vieng Kham.
Unfortunately there’s only one guesthouse, and there’s no transportation over 200km towards VIENG THONG. For us crossing the boarder as fast as we can is our target. They’re one Swedish couple stranded at the village over 2 days. Locals said that once in a while there’s bus going through the village towards SAM NEUAbut nobody no the schedule.

We make a deal with one of the villagers (sorry I don’t now to spell his name) to bring us to SAM NEUA (15 hours by SongTheaw), he charge us US dollar 100 per person. By our power of bargain and persuasion, we manage to get 40 per person. J But the deal is over night at VIENG THONG (paid by the driver) and early morning tomorrow continues towards Sam Neua.

Fixed both our bicycle beside the SongTheaw, say bye and good luck to the Swedish couple and we off to VIENG THONG. No wonder it’s so expensive (but I think local pay less), we have to go through roads without proper pavement, mountains, cold, thick forest and it’s too dark because the trees is so tall, even the moonlight can’t get through.

Trying to stay put because my bicycle tightens behind me, the paddles hitting my hip every time we have a bumpy ride (giving me rash too). After blistering night, fighting with zul for his comfy and warm sleeping bag we arrived at cold and quite VIENG THONG. It was 12:49am.
Hopeless looking for food as we didn’t eat since we depart from LUANG PRABANG. Ask the driver for PA’ (fish in LAOs), he went to few houses but NO chance, only pork and meat. Well at leas we’re half way.

Cycling Nothern Laos (2)

Sunday (February 22, 2006)
This 24 hours train trip is so comfortable it gives me the rest that I need and a great morning to start with. Starts my day with a stick of MILD SEVEN… watching sunrise by long scenic PADI fields from the coach door while ZUL still snoring. What we going to have for breakfast… hmmm bread. But have to wait ZUL to wake up… DARN.

Arrived in busy and dusty BANGKOK around 11:00am… HUALOMPONG TRAIN STATION. Purchase our ticket to NONGKAI. The departure time was 8:45pm. So, we cycle around BANGKOK for lunch… taking free map at the nearest MRT station to guide us trough the city.

Indian Streets, Bangkok & Zhou with CHAO PHRAYA RIVER background

Hourly cycle along busy CHAROEN KRUNG ROAD towards GRAND PALACE, cross CHAO PHRAYA RIVER and cycle back towards city using SAPHAN PHUT Memorial Bridge surely makes our skin burn, but every thing we came across is a worth experience. Not forgetting cycle along RAMA IV road towards the city, and any other road I can’t spell or remember… end up at McDonalds for Fillet at one of BANGKOK superstore.

Before 7pm we cycle back towards HUALOMPONG TRAIN STATION to catch our train to NONG KAI. At the station we write postcards to our office mates and buy TOMYAM cup noodle and water for our 12-hour trip. Buying tickets for our bicycle and 8:45pm went off to NONG KAI. It’s a night train… we wash out our exhaustion by sleep along the journey. North East Thailand connects Thai and Lao by Friendship Bridge build on 1994.

Me at Hualompong Railway

Monday (February 23, 2006)

Around 11am we arrived at small town NONG KAI. It was quiet, dry and quite chilly… we didn’t plan to spent that much time in NONGKAI so we head off towards LAOS cycling. Form the train station it took us about 15 minutes to reach the Thailand Immigration Complex cycling. The complex is a little bit busy as is was the main road for Thai or Lao people to cross border. However the traffic was 10x better then Singapore-Malaysia coast way. After leaving THAILAND we have to cycle again 1170 meter along the Friendship Bridge.

Thai Lao Friendship bridge

As we arrived at LAO border there’s a lot of western traveler at the entrance as they wait their turn to approve or validate their visas. In our case we automatic get 14 days free travel visa because MALAYSIA is part of ASEAN country. Nice eh… we just fill up our immigration form and off we go cycle towards LAO capital called Vientiane.

After 2 hours cycling we reach VIENTIANE, a KOTA BHARU (MALAYSIA) look a like city. We haven’t take shower ever since we starts our travel. So, finding a decent and cheap guesthouse should be a priority. I have been to VIENTIANE before so finding one is not a problem. So, we stop by MIXAY guesthouse… it’s very basic and comfortable. The main point staying at MIXAY because it’s very near to MEKONG RIVER. There’s a lot of good restaurant nearby and one of our favorite serve Indian cuisine called NAZIM HALAL Restaurant.

After lunch we cycled around VIENTIANE. VIENTIANE is so small we barely covered all area until 9pm. We even cycle towards the airport that is quite far from the city, and try to locate the NOTHERN BUS STATION for tomorrow traveling towards LUANG PRABANG

. After that we went to one of the most interesting place and highest building in VIENTIANE called PATUXAY. From a closer distance, it appears ever less impressive, like a monster concrete. Nowadays this place is used as leisure ground for the people in VIENTIANE and seventh floor on top of the building serves an excellent viewpoint over the city.

Before 11pm we cycle back to our guesthouse as its door closed on 11pm.

Patuxay (Victory Monument)

"The Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge (Thai Saphan Mittaphap Thai-Lao) is a bridge over the river Mekong, connecting the provinces of Nong Khai (city of Nong Khai) in Thailand and Vientiane in Laos. Opened on April 8, 1994, it was the first bridge crossing the lower Mekong, and the second on the full course of the Mekong.

The bridge spans a total length of 1170 m. The total cost of the bridge was about 30 million US dollars, funded by the Australian government as development aid for Laos. The bridge was built by Australian companies as a demonstration of the capabilities of their ability to complete major infrastructural projects in southeast Asia. This mixing of development aid with commercial interests was criticized by some NGOs.

Traffic on the bridge drives on the left, as it does in Thailand, while traffic in Laos drives on the right: the changeover is controlled by traffic lights at the Lao end."

"LUANG PRABANG is an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the European colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique, remarkably well-preserved townscape illustrates a key stage in the blending of these two distinct cultural traditions."

"PATUXAY is a huge structure resembling the ARC DE TRIOMPHE. However, the other name for it is VICTORY GATE OF VIENTIANE. It was built in 1962, but never complete due to the country turbulent history."

Cycling Nothern Laos (1)

Friday (February 20, 2006)
I’ve already purchase bus ticket from JOHOR BAHRU to BUTTERWORTH days before departure. Since we bring along our bicycle together we’ve to arrived 30 minutes early to arrange our bicycles in the bus carrier. Since we don’t have much time we carry our bicycle in my father MPV (Hope he don’t mind… L, since he’s NOT around doing HAJ in MECCA) to LARKIN BUS STATION in the heart of JOHOR BAHRU.

Arrived at the bus station as we expected and prepared to ditch our bike to the bus compartment. It’s not that easy however we manage J. Say bye to everybody, then the bus depart and our interesting journey began.


Saturday (February 21, 2006)
Arrived in BUTTERWORTH bus station around 5:00am… cycle towards the train station which is just beside the bus station. Purchase our ticket to BANGKOK and wait 9 hours to depart.

Me and ZUL at PRA BUDDHA CHAIYA MONGKOL (Sleeping BUDDHA)

In between I manage to meet my friend Andy and hang out. After that cycle around PENANG sights seeing. Went to BURMESE BUDDHIST TEMPLE called DHANMIKARMA and THAI BUDDHIST TEMPLE/THE SLEEPING BUDDHA called PRA BUDDHA CHAIYA MONGKOL… cycle along GURNEY DRIVE and discovered how’s unique PENANG is even though we just spent a few hours there. Lucky us Andy sponsored our breakfast and lunch… kekekekeh.

Back to BUTTERWORTH and catch our train 2:20pm after cutoff our hair as an official kickoff before we start our journey leaving Malaysia. Say bye to Andy and hopefully our next trip he can tag along. KERETAPI TANAH MELAYU doesn’t have any carrier to put our bicycle… so, we have to dismantle our bicycle and lock it beside our chair. But, the coach attendant is unhappy about it, since he’s THAI we didn’t understand what he’s blabbering about us… and we don’t care less.

Thought Of Having One

Writing? Story? I’ve bee doing this previously, but I’ve nothing to say. Been thinking of putting my entire travel journal in one website but I’m to busy creating one. This is not a usual blog since I might NOT blubber about my lifestyle and life story.

I’ve been to places, alone… with friends and most importantly with my beloved, cute and most understanding wife in the world. J It’s a waste if it just in my head or writings in a word document of a piece of paper. Sharing the experience maybe will attract YOU to be in my world.

There’s no such thing of low class or high class people… you’ll appreciate others by knowing their culture and life style. Pack you backpacks and venture to other country and you’ll know what I’m talk about.

Check in my Blog… as time to time I’ll post my previous travel journal and current one as well.

Sign Out… nas