Day two on the Loop and we woke up at Sabaidee guesthouse. A tough day lay ahead on sand-and-stone tracks — or so we guessed from the map, which estimated 5 to 6 hours for the first 40 kilometres.
That day confirmed my view that two people on a Chinese motorbike on those roads is a terrible idea. Controlling the bike was a constant battle and there was no rest for my hands or our backsides. Half-metre potholes, rocks the size of our wheels, cows wandering across the track, goats launching themselves out of the bushes.
By the time we'd covered the first 40 kilometres I was a bit worn out from wrestling the bike. Ilze, meanwhile, was absolutely done in from the pounding her seat was giving her.
Refuelling at one of the roadside stands dotted along the route
The landscape was drier than the first day, but still worth it
Red dust coated the vegetation in some areas
Others were suffering the dusty track in even worse conditions
Near the end of the rough section, just before joining the "proper" road, we found our route blocked. Blocked for safety reasons. Blocked because of landmines. Turns out they'd discovered a new anti-personnel mine from the Second Indochina War and were about to detonate it.
Road closed: landmines
Eventually, after getting through that interminable stretch, we reached road 8b — a more-or-less conventional mountain road. Our map showed several guesthouses at the start of it, but we decided to push on hoping to find something more interesting to stay.
This section was quite good fun — constant bends and views — but that little bike could barely cope with the two of us, let alone take corners properly.
Some lovely views along the route
Taken from the same spot. The colour contrast between the left and right sides of the track.
Ilze had been pleading for a guesthouse to stop at, but then we spotted a sign to a waterfall and took the detour. After several kilometres of sand, the bike sliding and skidding constantly, we realised there was no waterfall. No idea why, but we were too tired to think about it — we just turned around and got back on the road.
From one of the viewpoints we found along the route
As we approached the turning for Konglor Cave, we came across a guesthouse. Exhaustion won. We hunted around the village for someone with a key since there was nobody near the building who seemed to be in charge. It was an extremely basic place — not even a shower — but tiredness and uncertainty about where the next guesthouse might be had the final say and we stayed.
After paying and picking up the keys, the guy told me I should bring the motorbike inside the room. My face said everything. But since the hire contract made me personally responsible for any theft, I agreed to his suggestion — which is how that night three of us slept in that small room: Ilze, the motorbike, and me.
In that tiny village we exchanged smiles and sabaidis (the local greeting) with the locals, managed to track down a tasty Lao noodle soup, and somehow scrounged together something to eat for breakfast the next morning.
Some local girls greeted us and posed for a photo
The remaining distance to Konglor was a breeze — just 60 kilometres to the great Konglor Cave and the road was far better than expected. So by midday on the following day (day three of the Loop), we were already parking the bike and getting ready for the next chapter of our adventure.
Other posts about the Loop you might find useful:
