It's another early start, Dons heading of on his own today and I'm calling it a day my poor old body has had enough and I really have punished my damaged hand to far. After some breakfast Don heads of and I'm left there thinking about the last couple of weeks, it's been amazing but has certainly taken it's toll on me, my thumb although getting X rays in Thailand is still giving me problems and my big toe nail has just fell of, I'm reminded of this trip everyday of the week.
After a breakfast and a shower I'm feeling much better I still have another 10 days in Asia should I head to Thailand and grab some R&R? Or stay in Laos. I start looking through my waypoints in my trustee GPS, jeez there is so much I haven't seen yet.
Damn it's only 8.30 am I'm feeling great big change of plan I'm going to ride another day, I just don't know when to stop
I decide a quick hop down to Attapue to see the Sam missiles, stay there overnight and see what happens in the morning....
It's a beautiful morning in Pakse and this looks like an easy day with lots of tarmac, how wrong I was
Here is the route in black
Suns shining
I head south for a about 50k's then it's a quick left onto the 18a, it's not long before I've encounter the worst road I've ever ridden, broken tarmac, thick dust and great big craters, the dust is like fog and there is a lot of traffic.
A little further up the traffic clears and the forest starts as does the water crossings.
Not much to worry about here I've had 2 weeks training on the Hochi Minh trail, it starts to get more remote but I'm still up beat. Lots of little villages but I'm not stopping today I want to get to my destination quickly and have a relaxing evening with a few
![beer](https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/images/smilies/beer.gif)
s, it's at this point that the day changes.
This is deep fast and super slippery and the ferryboat is not there
I walked it and decided it was to much, the rocks where like ice the water up to my jewels in places with a really strong current I could not do this on my own, one slip and I'm in real trouble. Contemplating my future a guy comes over and says he will show me the way, so I watch him walk it and remember his route, that's him in the middle, my turn
I ask a couple of kids to walk either side at the back and help the guide was upfront showing me the way, in we go and its got a few things puckering up.
I made it, gave the kids a few kip, the guide would take no money so I pressed on
Onwards up the trail and more water.
I have to wait until the tractors pass, the slop is so slippery I have to help them push, in return one of the guys walks back across showing me which way to go, this is one is the deepest with the water half way up the barrel, power it trough praying I make it, then it's up the slope sliding all over the place.... made it
View from the other side
Further up the trail and the mud is like poured concrete, I'm getting stuck and it's tough going, I'm covered in mud and having a ball, but it's hard
And more water
Then I get stuck big time, it's like glue, I have to lay the bike down here and plan my escape, the bike will not move....
It would take me 30 mins to wrestle the bike out, I had drunk all my water and was really hot next village I would have to re supply. It's getting harder and the fatigue is coming back, I'm thinking I should have stayed in Pakse.
I carry on and then hit a deep river, I cannot cross here and there is nobody here to help, before I even think about taking a picture I decide to turn back, I know what to expect, so the plans changed both sides of the travelling alone coin in a instance.
The first village I get to I stock up, once again the village turns out to see the Ting Tong Falang.
At was at this point I checked my phone, I had got 2 messages, 1st from Don at 9am saying 'get outta bed and ride', if only he knew, 2nd was from Sam he was still in Pakse and wondered what I was doing, he did not bother going down to Kong island with the others and had relaxed for a few days, so here we go again with a plan change....