…This was not our experience for the few days of cycling between Savannakhet and Pakse. On our last blog entry, we wrote about many of our favourite Laos experiences and sights but we feel it’s important to also highlight some of the challenges we’ve faced. We have found it difficult to maintain nutrition from food that’s available in rural Laos, particularly in remote villages along the Mekong. Although the pho (noodle soup) can be quite good, it’s difficult to take when it’s the only option for breakfast, lunch and dinner and when we’re cycling full days in extreme heat (35 degrees +). We’ve both had some GI issues, some longer lasting than others (although this is something we expected when we started out). Fortunately neither of us are too proud to admit when our bodies are weakened and need a rest. We ended up taking a local sangthaew so that we could get to some comfort and amenities in Pakse. The good news is that pharmacists in Laos, much like in Thailand offer good advice and prescribe numerous medications over the counter at a tiny fraction of western prices.
One positive that has come out of taking local transport has been to travel with locals. The locals that we shared a sangthaew with were not only fascinated by us farang and our bikes but they were also quirky in their own ways. Their curiosity, friendliness and enthusiasm to chat (attempt to chat with us) made the trip go relatively quickly. One downside, albeit an interesting downside, was when we travelled with some obvious wildlife smugglers (obvious = a bag of lizards and numerous juvenile birds stuffed into a handbag). Although against both of our conservation ideals, it was nonetheless fascinating to see this type of trade at its origin when we’ve seen it at its selling point in markets in Thailand.
Our last few days have been more in tune with the title of this post. Once we were feeling better we left Pakse and cycled to the very southern tip of Laos to the 4,000 Islands (Si Phan Don). Although we weren’t that excited when we arrived onto the “partypacker” (Kieran’s new term) island of Don Det (where you can make anything “happy” for about $1….not the kind of happiness we are seeking on this trip), the island of Don Khon was just what we are looking for. The community-based tourim feel of this island was fantastic, we were able to easily explore the island on foot, enjoy some incredible and cooling swims in the fresh water of the Mekong and eat some amazing and nourishing local food.
We’re now excited for the last part of our Laos trip into the Bolaven plateau. More photos and a post to come before we enter Vietnam in about a week.
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