Le Tour de l'Indochine: Where Moon River meets the Mekong

9 March 2013
Pakse to Khong Chiam

Today was the fastest ride of the trip. Leaving the hotel before 7am, after a quick cup of coffee.  We joined what seemed to be a mass exodus across the Mekong bridge.  Fortunately, they all turned left up the hill to a wat.  There is obviously a Buddhist festival.  The hotel is full this weekend with very smartly dressed ladies in white traditional dress.

Made good progress to the border.  Had a breakfast on the Thai side.  Excellent road, partly under construction.  10km after the border, we turned towards route 2173 which took us to the village of Khong Chiam, which sits on the confluence of the Mekong and Moon Rivers.

Lunch was taken in a small restaurant on the bank of the river, looking back towards Laos!  We are staying the night in a simple guesthouse.  The bikes have been cleaned and washed, ready to go on the last leg to Ubon Ratchathani.
Total distance: 73km

The brown Mekong meets .....

....the green Moon River

Le Tour de l'Indochine: Freewheeling to Pakse

8 March 2013
Actually, the first 25km was slightly uphill, about 4km of which was under construction.  After Paksong, it was largely downhill in light traffic conditions until about 15km outside Pakse.  As we descended, villages, helpfully named after their distance from Pakse, kept us in touch with the distance we had covered.
We arrived hot and covered in red dust at noon at the Athena.  We are now all brushed up and cleaned up and preparing for an early start back to Thailand.
Total distance: 76km

Drying coffee beans

Wet feet

Le Tour de l'Indochine: In search of Laotian coffee

7 March 2013
The Bolaven Plateau which lies at 1,020m of altitude and is about 70km from Pakse, is the centre of coffee production in Laos.  We had an invitation to spend a night on the farm belonging to the Bolaven Coffee Company.  They were kind enough to put our bikes on the back of an truck and in the sunshine, we set off up the hill.
At the present, the estate covers 67 hectares and is producing organic arabica coffee which is the highest grade and more difficult to grow than robusta.  We spent time with Roy and Gil, both Filipinos, looking at the plants and studying the system.  They explained the training scheme which teaches poor Laotians organic methods for growing coffee, contracting with them to buy their produce at a fair price, and helping them towards ownership of their own farm and house.
Of particular interest to us was the method the farm used in producing its own organic fertiliser.  Rice husks (which are normally thrown away) are carbonized, to which micro-organisms are introduced.  These micro-organisms serve to decompose the rice husks which are mixed with cow and pig manure.  The fertiliser is then dug into the earth around the trees, leaving the active micro-organisms to continue their work of decomposition.  We must admit that the young plants looked extremely healthy.
The arabica needs very fine soil and cannot take a cover crop, unlike the robusta.  The main risk is from leaf disease, which can wipe out a plantation.
The majority of the farmers on the plateau who supply to big companies like Dao have a heavy dependence on chemical fertilisers.  Bolaven Coffee has been certified organic and it is good to see that top companies like Illy of Italy are supporting them in this venture.
The final green coffee bean output is only 20% of harvested tonnage.  Like olives, they should be processed as soon as possible and Bolaven move the cherries to the hot plains around Pakse to be dried.
Roy's wife, Anita, runs the community projects for the farm which include teaching the children English, computer and other skills.
We stayed in a typical wooden farm dwelling and slept under a mosquito tent.  It did get very cold at night, reflecting the altitude we were in.  All in all, it was a really enjoyable and educational visit.

Irene showing her purchases at the market

Improvised watering cans

En route to the coffee farm

Carbonisation in process

The plantation

Coffee cherries

Gil describing the process

The homestead

With Roy, at breakfast

Le Tour de l'Indochine: Adventures in Pakse

6 March 2013
Finding a folding tyre in Laos is not possible.  In fact, finding a 26" is difficult in Pakse.  The Schwalbe Marathon Supreme is considered to be the top of the range.  It has a specially armed lining which has been used in aircraft manufacturing, armament protection and is rated stronger than steel.  But it is no match for Laotian roads under construction.

After much searching,  we found a garage with a small wooden press, linked to an old electric iron, a bit of glue, a patch which the mechanic vulcanised the interior of the tyre to cover the cut.  Job done for 5,000 kip (€0.50)!

Le Tour de l'Indochine: To the 35-km Village and Beyond

3-5 March 2013
Savannakhet to Pakse

We had planned to cover the distance to Pakse in a 3-night trip, but managed it in two.  The first day to Pakxong was into a strong headwind. It was hard work.  There wasn't much to see en route.  We did stop at a local market which was for the benefit of small enterprises inside a large open-sided building.  The photographs show the range of produce being sold.

That night, we stayed at the Wat Tha Na Guesthouse, which was being managed by two young ladies, one whose husband works on an offshore rig in Vietnam.  She had lived in the UK and thought it was too cold.  The guesthouse was not a huge financial success and it was up for sale.

After a very comfortable night's sleep, we awoke to a dramatic overcast sky.  Fearing rain, we pushed off at 6 am.  At 25km, we reached a town, which is close to the border with Thailand.  There was a lone soldier with his AK-47 walking the bridge.  We had breakfast with a granny and her ducks.  At 44 km, we met a French cycle tourist heading north on his bike with a trailer.  We had a long chat.

Although there was a spot or two of drizzle, the conditions were very good and we had a side wind, not a headwind.  This allowed us to make the 105-km journey to Muang Khongxedon.  We spent the night at the Sengdeun Sengmany Hotel, a very rustic guesthouse.  During the course of the evening, more locals arrived, some setting up camp and fire, killed their duck for their supper.

It was going to be hot today, so we belted the last 67km into Pakse.  Having arrived two days earlier than planned, we are grateful that the Athena Hotel agreed to take us in.  After guest housing for the past few days, we are treated to a first-class establishment.

Total distance: 250km

Provincial Tourism Department map

Pet shop at the local market

Natas de coco

TV operating instructions on the wall

We have made contact with the manager of the Bolaven Coffee Company and will go and visit their farm on the Bolaven Plateau on Thursday.  We had our first puncture yesterday.  David's rear tyre had a gash.  Tomorrow we have a free day in Pakse, during which we will see whether we can get the tyre repaired or buy a new spare.

Le Tour de l'Indochine: Sleepy Savannakhet

2 March 2013

The only things which move quickly in this town are the territorial dogs who spring to life when the sun goes down and chase anything.

There are remnants of French architecture; most properties are based on the traditional Chinese dwelling.  The standard 20-foot width with deceptive depth, sometimes taking up a whole block.  The    town is laid out in a grid formation.

We enjoyed some Lao coffee at Lin's Cafe, took lunch at a French restaurant which made a change from the usual pho, and sticky rice offering.  Being Saturday, the tourist office was closed.  At Lin's Cafe, we were able to do some planning for the trip ahead.  The owner of the cafe was honoured for his services to medical health, and given the building by the State on his retirement.

Remnants of French heritage

Le Tour de l'Indochine: Sabaidee!

28 Feb - 1 Mar 2013
Khe Sanh to Savannakhet

It was a fresh, misty and early start from the Thai Ninh Hotel.  The road was mainly downhill to the border.  We made good time, but the border formalities on both side were sluggish, and we lost 1 1/2 hours there.  David paid the standard $35 for his visa plus a $1 stamping! fee.

What a contrast a border makes.  On the Lao side, towns were noticeably simpler, traffic quieter, less verdant, dusty and hot.  We were in the area of the Ho Chi Minh Trail which ran mostly through Laos and Cambodia.  The Americans were unable to find it then, but today would have an easier job since the prime forests are gone and replaced by banana plantations.

After the initial 90 or so km, the road conditions deteriorated rapidly.  Perhaps we should have studied the map more carefully since the Nelles map did show the road to be in a bad state.

The ride was no fun as temperatures soared to 38C with no shade.  We could not even stop for breaks because the roadworks, which went on for more than 60km made the surrounding areas very dusty.

It was a relief to arrive in Savannakhet.  We found a room at the Hoongthip Hotel and took a few beers alongside the Mekong, watching the sunset and the Savannakhet bicycle passeggiata.

Commemorating the Battle of Khe Sanh

Wild fowl and civet cat?

Goats do roam; sometimes they take the bus

Provincial Tourism Department map

Total distance: 265km