Chiang Mai to Hongsa, Laos & dirt trails north to the Mekong River

[KTMphil]

A KTM 950 Super Enduro, 3 pickups and loads of donated goods to give away headed from Chiang Mai to the Laos border.


Ian got a rear flat from a spoke end exposed on the rim, 30 minutes & he had it going again (note the bike stand - SE has no center stand)

 

[KTMphil]

We took an "unusual" route from Chiang Mai to the Huay Khon international border crossing with Laos, the southern route on the below map






At the Huay Khon border crossing, the customs office is finally finished and now operating for vehicle clearance out of Thailand, no more portacabin

Thai Immigration is still at the bottom of the hill, while we were there the road was being resurfaced

Wasn't a problem for these adventure riders that had ridden up from Phuket for a Laos tour

 

[KTMphil]

Once all cleared out Thailand, then the 1 KM over to the the Muan Ngeun Laos border checkpoint. They are now making you park 300 meters from the Government administration office and you have to walk the rest.

A long way if you forget some paperwork

Bill had forgotten a passport photo for his Laos immigration visa, he told the immigration official and he said no problem, good to know!

 

[KTMphil]

Once through the Laos formalities, off eastwards to Hongsa, we had rooms at the Jumbo GH, 120,000 kip (below):

& at the Souphaphone GH, behind the market 100,000 kip

 

[KTMphil]

A few Beer Lao's

Dinner

Massage

The guy nearest had come all the way from the Solomon Islands

 

[KTMphil]

0630am off to the Hongsa morning market

 

[KTMphil]

River shell fish

 

[KTMphil]

Sad to see the bush meat

 

[KTMphil]

Tobacconist at the Hongsa market

 

[KTMphil]

Then off north of Hongsa on some dirt trails towards the Mekong River



Copyright LaosGPSMap.com - Permission to copy required

 

[KTMphil]

An interesting look at the newly constructed, lignite powered, power generation plant just west of Hongsa, the chimney, that has just finished construction, poking through the morning rising moisture

 

[KTMphil]

First stop was out towards Ban Huay Lai, on the NE corner of the map above, passing Ban Nam Tup village

A bit of morning mist on the way

 

[KTMphil]

Ian helping the firewood collector back to base


- He's been trying to get new boots but his feet are too big, nowhere has his size locally

 

[KTMphil]

Finally out to Ban Huay Lai village

Most of the dogs looked pretty healthy, always a good indication of what the people are like in the village

Some real interesting faces

Having a smoke

Draggin the fence

 

[Just Bob]

Phil you take great photos. Looks like a great trip with a good cause.

Before I got to the explanation about Bigfella's boots I was thinking of starting a new thread asking for donations for the poor little guy.

I may be back before the end of the year.

 

[KTMphil]

Backtracking south away from the Mekong to pick up a new trail to another village

Passed the village of Ban Kiosala

Then back north towards the Mekong River to look for a boat

 

[KTMphil]

Didn't look like any boats were immediately available at Ban Thaxeun, so we were told the new road to Ban Huay Xong was passable


Only in some places, irrigation pipes being installed while we were there

Then one more further along

Pretty wild trail

 

[KTMphil]

My 2wd vigo got stuck in a muddy rut, it wasn't coming out unassisted

Lone Rider, who does this stuff a lot, had his winch to hand, amazing the torque it had to pull me out, this wasn't a toy

Luckily, only 500 meters from Ban Huay Xong on the Mekong River, so walked the rest

 

[KTMphil]

Finally into Ban Huay Xong, which must be one of the most beautiful, self sufficient villages ive seen in Loas

Amazing old lady

 

[KTMphil]

Some more photo's of the Ban Huay Xong village. In rainy season, they are cut off by road and have to use boats along the Mekong to get to road access to Hongsa for hospitals etc.....

DIY aircon

Traditional house

 

[KTMphil]

It was obvious they hadn't seen many foreigners, they were shy but their curiosity was uncontrollable

 

[KTMphil]

"Laos High" (not Laos Khow), made from fermented/ cooked sticky rice, sure to give you a wicked headache

It's consumed through these long communal straws

 

[KTMphil]

A very successful trip & a full charity report to come - the fascinating children photo's will be in the charity report.


Here on the way back to Thailand west of Hongsa

 

[KTMphil]

Thanks Bob - saving all the best photo's (kids) for the Charity report

Phil you take great photos. Looks like a great trip with a good cause.

Before I got to the explanation about Bigfella's boots I was thinking of starting a new thread asking for donations for the poor little guy.

I may be back before the end of the year.

 

[KTMphil]

Mr Sallows chatting up the locals








A local with a wooden leg






Bigfella showing how big he really is

 

[KTMphil]

A few photo's from Monica

 

[KTMphil]

Ban Huay Xong

 

[MastaMax]

Looks like an amazing trip, hope I can make it the next one.

 

[KTMphil]

A few more from Monica of the Jumbo GH in Hongsa, Laos.



Bigfella getting the knots out

Looking back towards Hongsa from the trails, you can see the power station chimney on the right

Great views

Tooled up

Stuck

Dealing with a sugar-low

 

[KTMphil]

Lone Rider

Inside Lone Rider's explorer

 

[2wheels]

Well done guys.
Some superb images there Phil, especially portraits.
Thanks for the info on the border crossing; my next ride!
Looking forward to the Charity Report.

 

[The Bigfella]

I've got a few of my photos from this trip sorted out now.

Here's the view from the school at the second village we dropped gear at

Same village... the headman making a record of who got blankets.

Its a tough life there

This is Mon, the woman we took to hospital.

I know I shouldn't... but I can't help thinking of Debbie Does Dallas....

Um, serious now... she wasn't exactly a big lady

Not that any of them were

Damn bloodthirsty lot though

When we got Mon into hospital in Hongsa, the nurses took over. In Oz, this would have been done by a surgeon, in theatre. They chopped away all the dead flesh - quite a bit of it... and cleansed the wound. Mon spent the next week on IV antibiotics and has just gone back to the village.

I discovered how the locals stop the hubby slipping the tongue... or anything else in....

The only sign of aid I noticed in this village was the two water stations... and perhaps the hydro genset down at the creek

 

[KTMphil]

Beautiful photo's Ian

 

[Just Bob]

Just spent another hour looking at these photos and maps again. More ride ideas. Thanks to all for sharing.

 

[yempaul]

My Favourite potrait ...

 

[KTMphil]

Some photo's of children in the villages from this trip that i'd been saving. The first photo might be my favorite photo i've ever taken (Nikon D90 28mm-70mm f2.8).

Stop pulling my hair

 

[KTMphil]

 

[KTMphil]

 

[KTMphil]

 

[KTMphil]