e got up early for our 175 km ride from Sam Neua to Phonsavan.  Although the distant wasn’t very far it would take us some time due to the whining mountain roads. Hui had ate something bad the night before and as a result was in the bathroom all night and barely slept – he looked awful, his head literally looked like a skeleton skull.  Having been on the road for the pass 3 weeks, half of our crew has gotten sick – mostly from eating the wrong food.  Riding in the mountains only make matters worst, with many of the crew getting carsick.  The good thing about riding motorcycle is you don’t get motion sickness– your body moves in synch with the bike and do not get thrown around (like riding in a car) while maneuvering through one curve after another. I was still worried about Hui’s condition; however, he insisted he wanted to ride, a stubborn fellow he is.  Also two crewmembers ask if they could ride on the bikes with us, they were tired of getting carsick all the time.  So of we went, this time the four of us.

As always the ride through the Laos Mountains was great. Despite being April the weather was cool and I had to stop to put my scarf on.  I thought to myself I’m definitely coming back in the winter when temperature can get as low as 0 Celsius – to me nothing beats riding through the cold mountain air!  We stopped in Nam Noen for a quick lunch by the temple and arrived in Phonsavan around 5:00 pm.

Here in Laos they also celebrated Songkran – it was kind of fun being shot at with water pistol as we approached the town, however, I did saw 3 motorcycle accident as a result of this.  We checked into our guesthouse and had an early night.  An interesting observation!  I notice the staff at the guesthouse listening to Thai music and watching Thai TV.  While in Laos we only used baht, everyone spoke Thai and the food was basically the same as ours.  They celebrated Songkran as we did.  My conclusion is we’re pretty much the same race of people with just a physical border separating us from them.

Phonsavan is known for two things, the mysterious Plain of Jars and Indochina War relics.  The local also refer to this part of Laos as the Switzerland of Laos – wide open plains with lot of trees.  It was a nice change of scenery after being in the mountains for a while.  The Plain of Jars was extremely tranquil and you couldn’t help being drawn into the mystical atmosphere of the place.  The crew and I spent about 45 minutes doing absolutely nothing, just walking around and taking in the beauty of the place.  Ok, getting back to the Jar thing!  What makes the place unique is through out the grass plains there are ancient Jars of unknown origin scattered all over.  One theory is 2000 years ago they were used as wine fermenters or for rice storage.  Another is that a hero from the 6th century, Khun Jeuam, had the Jars constructed to celebrate his victory.  Some even goes as far to say they were put on earth my Aliens.  Personally, I have no idea what to believe; however, making the journey there was worth the trip just for the surrounding beauty and serenity.

Another thing you can’t miss riding in Phonsavan and around was the remain of war relics – a result of 100 years of war with the Chinese, Vietnamese, American and French.  The locals had infused the remaining war scrap into their architecture. Bomb casings are use for pot for plants, fence posts and stilts for houses.  At our guesthouse they used the remaining war weaponry for ashtrays, candle holder and bedpost – every corner you look you would find these war junks being converted and used for everyday necessity.  Amazing how weapons of destruction, with some ingenuity, can be converted into household items for everyday uses; furthermore, they were also displayed as pieces of art.

The following day was a 220 km ride from Phonsavan to Vang Vieng.  Other than the usual beautiful ride and good weather one thing stuck out in my mind.  At the T-junction connecting highway 13 and 7 lays the former French garrison town of Muang Phu Khoun.  It was there that I encountered a group of bikers unlike non others I had met before.  They were a Vietnamese family consisting of mom, dad, uncles, aunts, sons, daughters and a 76-year-old grandmother.  Now get this! – The whole clan had ridden from Ho Chi Minh City to Luang Prabang on tiny 125cc motorbikes.  With the return trip to Ho Chi Minh City you’re talking nearly 3,400 km in total.  What astonished me the most was the old grand mom clinging on to the back of her son - they even had matching jackets especially made for the trip.  Seeing them got me thinking that I totally disagree with some bikers saying you need this and that to go on a big trip – 1000cc bikes, aluminum luggage, GPS, latest riding gears and accessories, etc… I’m tired of hearing people say, “Sukie can do what he’s doing because of who he is."

This family from Vietnam proves my point that anyone can plan and go on a long bike journey.  All you need is the will to do it.  They had made an impression on me far more than any other group of riders I had encountered on the road.  We spoke for a while, had coffee together and parted ways; each continuing on their journey - me with renew inspiration from the most unlikely group of people.

Next week we ride on to Laos’s capital Vientiane and later cross back into Thailand to visit Hui’s family in Loei.

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