Laos Entries The Neither Authoritative Nor Concise Guide to Riding Bikes in Southeast Asia G Saturday, April 30th, 2011 A few weeks ago, Tara and I had the pleasure of meeting Melanie Swanson, a cycle tourist from Washington on a one-year, 'round-the-world bicycle tour. When we met in the lobby of our guesthouse, sh... Bussing to Bangkok G Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 Before heading out of town this morning, we stop at Natalie's Kitchen to have one last meal with Unit and Lemon. After breakfast and snuggling session with a warm, sleepy, sweet-smelling, brown-eyed... Lemon and Unit G Monday, March 7th, 2011 For the last few months, we've been eschewing some of our culinary exploration in favor of the comfort and normalcy of a routine. When we take more than one or two rest days in a row, we tend to fin... Photos from Savannakhet G Sunday, March 6th, 2011 Savannakhet is a sleepy city, with a historic center of crumbling old French Colonial buildings. There isn't much to it really; the place feels a bit vacant, but we're enjoying walking around, admir... The Last Ride G Saturday, March 5th, 2011 We leave our bungalow this morning, at peace with the fact that we're embarking on the last real riding day of this adventure. Though I've already learned my lesson, I still find myself thinking tha... Happily Nearing the End G Friday, March 4th, 2011 I'm feeling quiet and introspective as we prepare to leave, on this, our second-to-last day of cycling. It is a morning like any other, filled with tasks we've performed hundreds of times. As I men... Lao Fruit Smoothies G Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 Tara is obsessed with juice. Here in Laos, her addiction has taken the form of blended ice-and-fruit(flavored)-smoothies. In every village we pass through, no matter what the size, she usually mana... Thakek G Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 We're taking a rest day in Thakek. While the pictures don't really convey it, this town has a weird, almost haunted air about it. We thought it was all in our heads, until we read our guidebook's e... Race Against the Sun G Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 The world is cloaked in quiet darkness as we roll out of bed at 4AM. I haven't been up this early since my bakery days! While the rest of humanity sleeps, we wheel our bikes into the entryway of ou... It Burns Us! G Monday, February 28th, 2011 Tyler: In order to avoid the overpowering, all-consuming Southeast Asian heat, we've taken to rising much earlier. It's 7AM when we pedal out of our hotel this morning—the sun is beginning to ... Fishy Snacks & Bumper Cars G Sunday, February 27th, 2011 Tara: The sun is back this morning as we take to the road, following the Mekong along the sleepy roads of Laos. Though the fiery orb overhead is out in full force today, our ride is breezy, flat, an... Flat & Quiet G Saturday, February 26th, 2011 Cool grey skies greet us this early morning in Vientiane. It is five thirty AM and all is quiet save for the occasional person on the street sweeping, or preparing their food stall for business. Fo... Taking it for Granted G Friday, February 25th, 2011 A couple of days ago, our friends left Laos, heading back to Thailand to prepare for their journey home. Today, an email arrived in our inboxes from Natasha, telling us how much they miss it here. ... Homeward Bound: Part Four G Thursday, February 24th, 2011 I used to imagine the end of this trip would have some kind of finish line, some banner that read "The End!" When we crossed under it, I would feel elated, ecstatic and prouder than I've ever felt. ... Homeward Bound: Part Three G Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011 As we reflect on recent weeks, we've come to realize that (except during our time with Pete and Natasha), our overwhelming sensation has been one of fatigue. We've found it telling to recall that, q... Homeward Bound: Part Two G Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 For the last several years, both as we prepared and traveled, when we felt down or wanted to quit, we've been encouraged by one of Tyler's favorite mottos: Life is not about what you want now, it is ... Homeward Bound: Part One G Sunday, February 20th, 2011 It seems that the nearer we draw to the close of this trip, the harder we're finding it to stay positive about the normal ebb and flow of traveling. We are aware of our shortening patience, so we've... Life in Vientiane G Saturday, February 19th, 2011 Vientiane feels more like a slightly large and modern village than a nation's capital. In spite of it's sizable (relatively speaking, here) population of two hundred some thousand inhabitants, the c... To Vientiane G Friday, February 18th, 2011 It's a flat day of riding, a quick and easy 70 kilometer jaunt to the capital of Laos. Gone are the mountains that once stood in our way, but unfortunately so too are the little villages that beguil... Tarred PG-13 Thursday, February 17th, 2011 Tyler: I'm still feeling sick this morning, but we're carrying on anyway, eager to meet Pete and Natasha in Vientiane in two-day's time. Today's route is a winding, hilly affair, and because we've a... It Takes a Village G Wednesday, February 16th, 2011 Below are excerpts of our friend Natasha's heartwarming journal entry about meeting Lao children. I feel as though I am missing that maternalistic gene that most women my age seem to possess. ... Working in Vang Vieng G Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 Today, we watched a guy fall out of a tuk-tuk because he was so high and/or wasted he couldn't control his body. Then, some of his friends (in a similar stupor) staggeringly dragged him and themselv... Downhill All the Way G Monday, February 14th, 2011 Tyler: As we exuberantly freewheel down the mountain we've spent the last two days climbing, we spot a cyclist on the other side of the road, huffing and puffing his way up in the opposite direction... Misty Morning G Monday, February 14th, 2011 A chill wind whips through the streets this morning, carrying with it a white mist that swirls and eddies about our feet like the slinking of a cat. Overnight, the dusty market town of Phou Koun has... Up, Up and Out G Sunday, February 13th, 2011 After a fried rice and fried noodle breakfast this morning, during which a very pregnant mama kitty yowls non-stop at us for food (we obliged), we hop on our bikes to ride out of town. Just like it ... Samson Zoom H4n: Review & Repair G Saturday, February 12th, 2011 In January of 2010, I bought my first sound recorder: a Samson Zoom H4n. At the time, I knew essentially nothing about field recording—I selected the device based on the recommendation of seve... The Big Climb: Part Three G Friday, February 11th, 2011 7:30 PM / Tara » 73km ridden » 1955m climbed » 1325m elevation The velvet black sky above us is strewn liberally with stars, all twinkling and dancing like diamonds around a brillia... The Big Climb: Part Two G Friday, February 11th, 2011 3:00 PM / Tara » 60km ridden » 1230m climbed » 600m elevation Every second of this climb is full and rich with experience. My emotions swing wildly from pure joy at the slightest b... The Big Climb: Part One G Friday, February 11th, 2011 4:30 AM / Tyler » 0km ridden » 0m climbed » 300m elevation The alarm sounds, it's shrill, infernal beeps rending my cocoon of sleep asunder. As the pitch black of early morning see... Climbing Prep G Thursday, February 10th, 2011 A few days ago, we rode motorcycles north from Phou Khoun to Luang Prabang. The mountainous north/south highway we took is also on our cycling route. Tomorrow, we'll be retracing some of our steps,... Morning Kitty G Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 Yesterday, we said goodbye to Pete and Natasha; but not forever. As it should happen, they'll arrive in Vientiane around the same time we do. We have one more rendezvous left! In their absence, th... Luang Prabang, A Few Photos G Monday, February 7th, 2011 Back in Luang Prabang after a whirlwind week of motorcycling, we're spending some time resting, journaling, and hanging out with Pete & Natasha before we part ways. Here are some from photos from ou... The End of the Road G Sunday, February 6th, 2011 Today, as we pack our motorcycle one last time, ready to embark on a final day of adventuring with Pete and Natasha, I'm feeling quiet and introspective. As we ride, I'm appreciating the beautiful m... Dinner on the Wild Side G Saturday, February 5th, 2011 It is much later in the evening when we venture into town for dinner. It seems we've waited a bit too long, as everything is closed—except one dimly lit wooden shack. While inspecting the buf... Riding With Flags & Walking With Machetes G Saturday, February 5th, 2011 When I was a kid, we would go on camping trips every summer with my Dad. We'd leave for a week or two at a time, and we'd pull our kit on an over-loaded snowmobile trailer behind a maroon Nissan Max... Big Old Jars G Saturday, February 5th, 2011 After my riding lesson yesterday, Tyler took the helm, and we kicked it down all the way to the large-ish town of Phonsavan, which is famous for its Plain of Jars. If the description in our guideboo... Learning to Ride a Motorcycle in Laos G Friday, February 4th, 2011 With a twist of the wrist, I jolt suddenly backwards, certain that the motorcycle beneath me is about to go screaming forward, throwing me off like a bucking bronco. Terrified, I release the throttl... A Thousand Villages G Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 The longer we spend in the cool, verdant mountains of northern Laos, the more deeply in love with them I fall. I relish the twists of the curvy mountain roads, and I savor the feel of my body hugged... Riding on the Rooftops of Indochina G Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 If I only had one week to spend in Southeast Asia, it would be here, in the mountains of northern Laos on a motorcycle. If someone asked me a month ago what I thought about riding here, I wouldn't h... Life & Death PG Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011 Yesterday, just as we arrived off the boat from Nong Kiaw, we watched wide-eyed as three little piglets were being slaughtered. They lay on the ground, their throats slit, warm blood pooling rapidly... Down the River G Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011 A cacophony of cock-a-doodle-doos rouse me from my slumber at 7AM this morning. While everyone else is sleeping through the racket, I throw on some clothes to go for a walk, heading towards the pier... Cave Hunting Again: Success! G Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 While Natasha and Tara are hanging out in town, Pete and I have walked to the end of the village's only dirt road, and turned off into the the fields in search of a nearby cave. After numerous faile... Afternoon in Muang Ngoi G Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 After lazing in our hammocks and editing photos for a few hours, we're all hungry, ready to set off down Muang Ngoi's lone dirt road in search of food. There are plenty of options, as it turns out t... Boat To Muang Ngoi G Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 Bisected by a clear blue river and a smattering of colorful boats, flanked on either size by resplendent emerald mountains, Nong Khiaw boasts some of the most striking landscapes we've seen anywhere.... Cold Start G Monday, January 31st, 2011 Tyler gently shakes me awake when the skies are light enough to ride by. He and Pete have been up tending to our fire—without which sleeping would have been impossible. It's bright and early,... Freezing in a Bamboo Shack G Sunday, January 30th, 2011 Tara: "Tyler," I whisper, trying not to wake our friends. "I can't feel my toes. Let me in!" I'm trying to squirm my way under his legs for warmth, but he's enviably asleep and his leaden body ref... Wild Camping With Friends G Sunday, January 30th, 2011 A golden sun is sinking fast behind the mountains, urging us onwards in our futile attempt to reach the highway before dark. At the crossroads we're looking for, where dirt meets pavement, there is ... Dirt Tracks to Nowhere G Sunday, January 30th, 2011 Tara: Brilliant blue skies stretch out above us, more heavenly than any magnificent cathedral's dome. The scent of woodsmoke (one of my favorite smells) drifts through the air, and I am filled with... Motorized, Again G Sunday, January 30th, 2011 I had trouble falling asleep last night. I must have lain in bed for three hours staring at the ceiling, thinking about riding motorcycles, feeling for all the world like a kid on Christmas Eve. I ... Resting in Luang Prabang, Sort Of G Saturday, January 29th, 2011 The last three days have been intense. They kicked off with a truly awful ride through Hanoi, which lead directly into a nauseating and exhausting twenty-eight hour bus trek through the mountains ... Welcome to Laos, Part Three: Music & Petang G Friday, January 28th, 2011 Tyler: After the goat feast, the festivities continue with music and games. Behind our table is a long strip of dirt where men gather for a petang match, one of Lao's favorite past-times. It's a ho... Welcome to Laos, Part Two: The Goat Feast G Friday, January 28th, 2011 When the soccer game is over, it's time for the feast! This party is special because our hosts are serving numerous traditional but rarely eaten dishes, all made from a single, freshly-slaughtered g... Welcome to Laos, Part One: A Soccer Game G Friday, January 28th, 2011 Tyler: Bleary eyed and delirious with fatigue, after a full day (and then some) of bus riding, with barely a night's sleep between us, we carve ourselves out of bed this morning to join our friends. ... A Very Long Bus Ride: Part Four G Thursday, January 27th, 2011 4:45 PM / Tara I feel like Frankenstein's monster, stumbling around groaning as I leave the bus during one of our many rest stops. My brain hurts and my stomach feels like death, but I find hope in... A Very Long Bus Ride: Part Three G Thursday, January 27th, 2011 10:00 AM Our trek through Laos begins with a stop at a roadside restaurant for a noodle soup breakfast. Back in the open kitchen where we place our order, a woman and a girl dish bowls of the de-fa... A Very Long Bus Ride: Part Two G Thursday, January 27th, 2011 7:00 AM A dull light hits my eyelids, rousing me from my restless sleep. One night down, one day to go. Outside, the world is all steely grey skies and foggy mountain villages. For a brief moment...