Yesterday evening I learned from my new friends I made in Pakxe about a village called Tadlo which surrounding area was supposed to be very pretty with a few waterfalls in a walkable distance. They were going there and I decided to check it out as well. Other people decided to join soon after so in the end there were 7 of us about to spend a day or two together.

So today morning they jumped on a local bus and I rode my motorbike to get to this place. When I arrived I found a nice place to stay in, which almost could not be easier. So now I, Craig and Nachom are staying in Tim Restaurant & Guesthouse (N15.53274 E106.27451) for 20000 Kip for a pretty bungalow per night. Since they have only two bungalows there (as most of the other cheap places) the two girls and two remaining boys are staying in the guesthouse just next door from us for only 15000 Kip a night.

We spent the afternoon playing with two monkeys, which are one of the guesthouse’s attractions, and generally having fun. Later that afternoon we only went to have a swim (and especially me and Craig to have a little photo session as well) to the first of three waterfalls on the river - the first being just few hundred meters from our guesthouse.

The next morning we set off to see the other two waterfalls and a couple of small villages along the path. A dog who doesn’t let us go anywhere without him was our guide. Really, he was amazing! If we were walking on a paved road and were supposed to turn into the forest on a narrow footpath overgrown by the vegetation he would turn and stayed there until we got the message and followed him.

In the villages every second child asks for a pen or something to eat. It is quite hard to see that they might be hungry. However, Tim – the guesthouse owner, as well as government issued brochure ask not to give anything to the children or any money to the adults as this practice only encourages begging. Guys however did share a couple of pens with the children. It is hard not to give them a worthless pen when you can see that it would make them happy for the moment.

One is supposed to ask people if he or she can take their photo. I don’t like asking however, since it makes the shot unnatural and also since I am a man and man don’t like asking… ;-) Fortunately in most cases I can solve this problem with my telephoto lens J so I did take a few photos of lovely looking children.

To reach the third and biggest (in fact only highest, not really big by the amount of falling water) waterfall we had to climb over numerous big rocks in the channel. It was quite dangerous and hard at places. Many times we thought that we reached a point where the “guide” dog would be left behind but he was amazing and climbed the same rocks we did with ease. If a rock was really steep and high the doggie would always find another way. Only once he fell and was in pain for a while.

When we reached the waterfall (N15.50175 E106.27369) the guys had a swim and few slides on the slippery rock surface by the waterfall while I again didn’t feel like changing into my swimmers and going into the natural pool. Am I that old already?…

This place was really beautiful and we relaxed too long for the guys to catch their buss back to Pakxe still today. That meant that they were staying and therefore me too as I didn’t want to walk back aloneWhen we all went it was too late to start riding again.

We all stayed another night and left the next morning. I was going north to reach “Plain Of Jars” and all the rest except Nachom who was staying a few more days went back to Pakxe with the plan to catch an overnight bus to almost 1000 kilometers distant capital of Laos – Vientiene. Maybe we’ll meet again in Luangphrabang.

I took the shortest way to get to the main highway – Highway 13. This shortcut was a dirt road. The road was getting worse and worse as far as potholes and mud go so I had a few unpleasant moments with my wheels sliding and my pants being sprayed with mud whose texture was reminding me strongly of freshly prepared mushy plaster, only it was brown instead of white. Eventually it started to rain. At one point the clay road was so slippery that I did 180 with the bike while going really slow. With the help of also heavily sliding motorbike rider sliding towards me in the opposite direction on his typical 125cc Honda I got the bike back on its wheels and continued using my feet as skies to support the bike at each side. I thought about the rest of the guys how they were having fun together on a comparably comfortable bus. I genuinely missed them. (It is strange how one can grow to a group in two days when he has been traveling alone for already over two months. Or is it because they were great and fun to be with people?.. J ) It took me almost 3 hours to ride these 100km.

After riding 443 kilometers I ended up half way to my destination at Thakhek (or something like that ;) ). A guesthouse at the beginning of the city seemed best suitable for me and my bike with its big backyard right in front of my window. Three bucks was the deal. (N17.38672 E104.83467)

For dinner I went to a local bus station restaurant where I was invited to join couple of nice Laotians and a couple of Thais and tried the Laotian rice whisky. Apparently you can have a liter of it for about 50 cents!!

(580km)