Crazy Motorbikes
Trip Start
Sep 20, 2004
1
79
89
Trip End
Mar 30, 2005
Vang Vieng,
Lao Peoples Dem Rep
Monday, February 28, 2005
Huge Limestone formations
Gigantic Caves
Motorbikes
Bamboo Bridges
great hotel....
We arrived by crazy bus down from Luang Prabang. We were on the 'tourist bus'...hmmmm. I'd have taken the mini-bus for the same price that was faster, more comfortable, and picked you up from your hotel. But we got the experience...hmmmm. Questionable.
Was actually not too bad, but there was a heated debate going on
Bob coming off the bamboo bridge
!Got dropped off at an abandoned airstrip that -- we walked across it and decided that it would be the perfect place to practice on motorbikes. Took a Tuk-Tuk to a great guesthouse with amazing bungalows that overlooked the river and the fantastic limestone foundations. We immediately decided to stay for a few days!
The next day we actually hired motorbikes. We were a bit nervous and I know I was giving it the big 'well this is the throttle, stomp on this to change gears'....and so on. I racked my brain to the days when I used to ride around on Jon's tiny little motorbike ... two decades ago...! After pleading ignorance, the guy showed us how to go and stop. He didn't seem worried...I mean everyone knows how to ride a motorbike.
I managed to stay upright (my logic was if I go fast, I'll probably not fall) while Lisa had a few wobbles and stalls. But really, she was great! We headed to the airstrip over very bumpy dirty tracks. Somehow they weren't so bumpy in the Tuk-Tuk. I'm pretty sure that I hit every stone, branch, dip, and a few cocky roosters along the way!
Bob giving gas man a ride (with son)
Once we got on the airstrip, things were fine -- took turns leading cruising up and down and having a blast. Lots of teeth and smiles.
Then, being experts, we decided to go to one of the limestone caves in the area. It was only about 10k away, but over a bamboo bridge. We had seen this bridge from our bungalow, but I did see a local girl go over it pretty handily.
As we approached it, I thought it would be about the dumbest thing in the world to drive over it. This thing was in two sections, with a toll both (chic bambo shack) smack in the middle. It was a meter wide and 150m long -- with a shabby bamboo pole on one side. Clever boy. I said to Lisa that we need to push it over instead of trying to ride. She said 'no way can I push this thing over', and promptly headed up the ramp (about 35 degree slant). I thought about pushing, but realized that I would never hear the end of it.
Once we got over -- with only one small near leg breaking incident, we opened the bikes up and scooted along taking in the stunning limestone mountains that jutted up into the air
Cave Buddha
. The road was dirt, but wide and very nice.Then another bridge...shorter, but much more rickety. No sweat. Pros! Then a wrong turn which ended us up on yet another one! Crossed over (paid the toll) and Lisa promptly laid the bike right down in front of the 'toll booth' with an old lady and a toddler. It was all in super slow motion. Lisa pulled up, turned right, and then slowly, slowly let the bike drop to the right.
The woman was in tears giggling! I was desperately trying to stop on the bridge before i stared to go down the steep ramp. The toddler looked at us like we were idiots. AND we finally figured out that we didn't even need to go over that bridge. Lisa was mad at me for not asking before we crossed over. I had to try really hard not to just start laughing again!
Made it to the cave and then Lisa got huffy because I was giving her a hard time because she still couldn't get the kickstand down (it was a bit broken actually) which made me laugh and then roll my eyes. Sometimes I just ask for trouble!
The cave was a 250m hike nearly straight up
Final small bridge
. And what an amazing cave! In the huge open cavern there was a golden Reclining Buddha (aka snoozing fat boy) which actaully quite moving. Lisa managed to climb down a hole and cut herself (I encouraged her to go down a small hole I found) not too badly but enough to have a bit of tissue paper trailing from her elbow for awhile. The cave was huge and stunning and the best part was that we basically had it to ourselves. We then climbed down and had some soup and watch the other 5 people there swimming about in a blue lagoon. There was a rope swing and everything...and a big tree to climb up and jump from. Very relaxing!
On the way back, after extensive starting issues (I couldn't get mine going -- I thought Lisa put sugar in the tank). We took some pictures and then mine stopped. Like it was out of gas. The indicator said it had 3/4 of a tank but I sent Lisa to go see if they...
