Start of the Lao trip.
There are always some ups and downs while you are traveling. First very unpleasant situation in Laos: first night both of us got food poisoning for the first time during this trip (never again places for tourists). The good news is: despite all difficulties and very limited choice, we managed to buy a motorbike. Our freedom cost us 300 USD, considering local situation, it was almost alright deal. All the modifications to the scooter were included.
After couple of days in Sam Nuea we were ready to start our Lao journey. We knew that it can be really tricky and unpredictable with the weather, especially in high altitude. Basically we were starting our days with fog and dribbling rain and after couple of hours it all was magically disappearing. Very quickly we realized that with all our layers we were at the limit in fight with cold and only coffee pit stops were saving us.
Our first stop was at the Sleuay Waterfall. Nice place to stretch your legs and get some coffee… or tea (sometimes it’s hard to decide). Waterfall is quite nice as well: you can climb quite a bit up the stream if you are not afraid to get dirty.
Driving along the rural areas of Laos is already an experience. Surprising local and pristine, with just few sparse villages on the way, it makes huge difference to Vietnamese scenery. While driving through Lao mountains we accidentally ended up at Hintang Archeological Park. Hard to find but nice to visit, only while editing this part of the video and looking for some useful information on the computer, we realise its historical importance for the region.
After more cold and fog in the afternoon, our evening sufferings ended in Muang Knam, where we had overnight stop. Driving after sunset is dangerous and unpleasant (especially when its foggy) so try to avoid it if possible.
Next day it took us only couple of hours to get to Phonsavan, where we were planing to spend couple of days. The main attraction of the region are several sites of Plain of Jars, sparse around the town. The best way to visit them is by renting a motorcycle or getting some organised trip from Phonsavan. It’s not a bad idea to get some information beforehand to have better understanding about the history of the place. First two sites are easy to find and we found them quite touristy. The third one is hidden behind rice fields and it can be even tricky to find, especially when it’s getting dark. All three are worth of visit though!