Thakhek Loop...Day 4! Nutters.

This morning we got up nice and early. The sun was shining so we hit the road. Crossing dirt roads and fields of peanuts. They were hung up in every town drying. Today was potentially the day we were warned about being muddy and a bit dodgy....my were we misinformed.

Roadworks!!!.

It didn't seem so bad at first...so we crossed and kept going.

Back through secluded villages.

Splendid hillsides for about 40 km.Then...

Nuts..This went on for about 300 metres. We tried to get through but just ended up getting stuck. Thank god the workers were around. We ended up paying them to get the bikes through. It was to late in the loop to now turn around and head back!.

We were deeply stuck in mud. Almost lost my shoes at one point...But we conquered!.

We got to the other side...covered in mud...Nutters!

But it was totally worth what was waiting for us ahead...

A beautiful road surrounded by spectacular flooded land.

It went on for miles!.

This puzzled me a bit.

The dead trees made it look like a massive bog.

We crossed over.

Parked up...mine is the really muddy one! Why?!.

Checked into our guesthouse.

And were starving for lunch after that nut cracking affair.

Delicious local fish and chips!.

With a view of the bridge...were we would later clean our bikes.

I think the mud camouflaged our bikes the cow didn't notice them at all.

We settled in.

Really quaint.

Then went for a stroll around the river side.

Peaceful.

Bliss.

Cute garden.

Petanque.

Followed by a evening of chilling by the river, watching the beautiful rainbow and landscape.

Thakhek Loop...Day 3!...It's rainy!.

So, last night we stayed in a home-stay in a small village by Konglor cave...Oh it was eye opening. The kids were adorable.We spoke broken Lao with them, counting to ten, asked their names.They practiced their English, played a rubber band game with us and then we made paper hawks with them.We were invited to feast on a local Laos meal with the whole family. The grandmother cooked the whole meal over a fire as the gran-dad and kids conversed with us.Then, when the working father and mother of the children arrived we all sat around a low table on the flour and ate dinner out of the same plates. It consisted of spicy fish soup, fried bamboo shoots, lotus leaves and sticky rice. Dipping the sticky rice and spooning out the soup we ate as they watched us and we copied them. It was delicious. I wish I spoke more Laos as there was a bit of a language barrier between us all.

We then all watched TV and then retired to bed.I don't think i slept that night. The village was very loud. The trucks and bikes were coming and going most of the night, voices screaming, kids laughing and then about 3 am the rain kicked in. The tin ruff roared as we lay on a mat in the main room under a  mosquito net, bugs jumping all over me as I itched. Gran-dad under a net next to us was snoring away. I tossed and turned waiting for morning to come. Then, about 5 am the village awoke. Families were up, cooking, cleaning and getting ready for work. Roosters crowing. I just lay there, amazed at this lifestyle. I'm sure if I lived here I wouldn't be wondering about the lack of sleep, it would just be part of my everyday. So 6:30 am came and we got up. Breakfast awaiting us. A omelette over fried rice. The mother and father of the kids were getting ready to go to work. We thanked them and gave them a offering and said our goodbyes. The rain was still persistent but we had to make tracks...so on our bikes we got.     

Back down the same road and then to Lak Sao.

Slowly along the wet roads.

Through the wild Laos jungle. Till we arrived in Lak Sao..a bordering city to Vietnam. The market was huge.

Veggie galore...

Meat for the carnivores...

Fresh water fish...Carp for my dad!.

Thakhek Loop...Day 2!..to Konglor cave we ride.

From Kuon Karn to Konglor Cave...along a river.

Through villages...

Over bridges...

Along a long straight road...

Passing spectacular cliffs.

Ducks get out of the way...we're in Konglor and it's lunch time!!.

Veggie Gruel...filled me right up!

Konglor cave here we come...

A river runs through this cave for about 7 km...boat ride time!.

Life jacket on....where's my head torch?!...It's going to be dark!.

And we're away...

Giving a lot of trust to the boatman right now...

And about a 10 minute ride we are on our feet deep inside.

Wow!!! But wait...

aahhhh...

Oohhlala...

It's massive!!!!.....that's what she said! ;-).

I'm in a massive cave!.

The ceiling patterns were buzzing me out...

I'm really stunned...

This must have taken centuries to form...back on board the boat we go...

Into the darkness for another 10 minutes and out the other side...

Back into the light...my eyes are adjusting...so is the camera...

It's natural...

Buffalo soldier...

Gorgeous riverside...

Breaktime...

Abandoned...

Buffalo's...i confess i had a Buffalo burger in Luang Prabang...and it was delicious!!!

Why are yo walking away from me?!!...Is it something I said or did?...

Oh well, I'm a carnivore...And back we go...

I'm the beast and this hill's the beauty...

Approaching the darkness...

Entering the massive river cave...

I'm ready to zone out in the dark...why does the boatman look worried?..his hands on his head?!.

Oooohh it's dark and we are so close to the side...15-20 minutes later...

I can see the light!!...we have survived!!.

The light is shining the way...

We are back at the caves gate...

Engines await the next contenders...

And so do the boats...

Konglor cave...thank you for letting us penetrate you in the dark...

It was amazingly fun...I'm breathless..I hope to enter you again...but for now, It's time to day goodbye...I know you'll have plenty of visitors to mesmerize...