Sunday, November 19, 2017 | Michael Göbel | Asia
Day 16 - Pai - Chiang Mai - 210 km
Unfortunately our last riding day. What a ride! It is hard to discribe and I am running out of superlatives. Lets call it rock and roll.
Coming into Chiang Mai was tough, 41 degree Celsius and intense traffic. The group made it with a smile. It is time to say good bye to a wonderful group. Hope to see you again.
Day 15 - Doi Angkhang - Pai - 310 km
The road of the thousand curves to Pai was defenitely the highlight of today. What an incredible road. But beside that, we had also fun to ride some steep single lane jungle tracks and visiting a picturesque waterfall.
Day 14 - Chiang Khong - Doi Angkhang - 310 km
Today we got really into twisties. After the Golden Triangle and a nice temple, we had an unbelivable amount of curves. Up and down the mountains like a rollercoaster ride. Steel climbs in the jungle great views at the top.
What a fantastic day.
Day 13 - Luang Namtha - Chiang Khong - 210 km
It is a little bit sad to say good bye to Laos. The ride to Thailand was fantastic, stunning scenery, twisty roads and nice people along the road. We visited a mountain village with school and got a good introduction into their dayly life. The kids loved us, because of our candies. Having a swim in the hotelpool at the Mekong in the evening was pure pleasure.
Day 12 - Luang Prabang - Luang Namtha - 310 km
We were ready for a long and excellent riding day after we had that great rest day in Luang Prabang. Wonderfull scenery and great roads all day long. Everybody was exhausted but happy arriving at our guesthouse in Luang Namtha. The bootbeer and a slice of pizza tastet great, before we had dinner with a local family. That was also an outstanding experience.
Day 11 - Restday Luang Prabang
After 10 days of intense riding were ready for our restday. And there is propabely no better place to do it than Luang Prabang Prabang. Dan and Richard went for an elefant ride in the morning and Son took us around town to show us the highlights. What a wonderfull city. The French history created a really charming atmosphere.
Day 10 - Vang Vieng - Luang Prabang - 240 km
Now we are in the heart of Laos, mountains mountains and mountains, combined with curvy roads and happy people. The riding was challenging but fun. Even a flat tire and a broken cluch cable could hold us up. Arriving in Luang Prabang, the most beautiful city in Asia at our hotel was very nice. We will Star two nights to relax and enjoy.
Day 9 - Vientiane - Vang Vieng - 205 km
Leaving the capitol in traffic with all the mopeds and scooters around was an experience. Morning coffee break at a beautiful reservoir and twisty roads through the mountains. The afternoon we did not have to ride and could explore Vang Vieng on our own.
Day 8 - Kong Lor - Vientiane - 340 km
Unfortunately we had to leave paradise this morning, but the day was full of highlights.
Visiting an unknown cave on the bikes, a gravel road through great scenery and a breathtaking viewpoint over this area.
In the end we got to Vientiane, the capitol of Laos in intense City traffic, but we made it.
Day 7 Thakek - Kong Lor - 240 km
What a beautiful day. The first day on twisty roads. We had so much fun to ride and the mountain scenery was just breathtaking. The highlight of today was exploring the Kong Lor caves in a longboat and of course our fantastic hotel Spring River Resort with Viki as the General Manager.
Day 6 - Champasak - Thakek - 385 km
The longest riding day, but the group did really well and we had no problem at all. Leaving our super hotel on the Island was a challenge again, because the Mekong has a lot of water right now. The road conditions were good and we could cover some miles in the morning. Crossing animals like cows and goats made the ride somehow interresting.
In the afternoon we visited the village of our local tourguide at the Mekong with some gravel and adventure bridges on the way.
Day 5 - Stung Treng - Champasak - 240 km
Today was Mekong Day. The first part along the Mekong was quite rough, potholes and gravel parts, but fun to ride. The border crossing to Laos was easy and we enjoyed the Mekong Falls right after the border.
The highlight of today was crossing the Mekong on a tiny little ferry to our hotel on an Island. getting on and of the ferry was a little challenge, but everybody made it. The ride to the hotel on a moped track was great and the sunset cruise on the river with beer and snacks was the perfect end of a fantastic day in Southeast Asia.
Day 4 - Siem Reap - Stung Treng - 330 km
No rain today. We went to Koh Ker, another Khmer temple North of Ankor. On a dirt road we could ride through the temple complex, and there were not many other people, that was fun. In the afternoon we met the Mekong and had a bootbeer at the river.
Day 3 - Aranyaprathet-Siem Reap - 165 km
The first adventure, crossing the border to Cambodia in the morning, was quite an experience. A totally different world. And it started to rain. But it was not too bad and we could enjoy the ride to Siem Reap soaking in the scenery and the crazy traffic.
The temple complex of Ankor Wat was just great.
Day 2 - Bangkok-Aranyaprathet - 280 km
After a Shorts night - there was party all night long from the locals - we startet out through city traffic the first hour. then we had a nice ride in the countryside. The highlight was getting into a singing contest with dancing beside the road. We had a lot of fun dancing with the locals, we were the attraction there.
Group picture at a temple
Dave compares his belly with the happy Buddha
The group was blessed by a monk
Party time!!!
Day 1 - arrival in Bang Saen. The group made it to Bangkok/Bang Saen: Alex from Austria, Günter from Germany, Dan, Richard, Dave and Sara from the US.
Everybody is excited about the tour start tomorrow.