Vientiane to Chomcheng border point

[bsacbob]

Day 11 Vientiane to Chomcheng border point


212 Km 8 hours



GpxViewer


After the last few lacklustre days, it was good to get back on the road, today would take me along the Mekong to the Chomcheng border point or Friendship Bridge 1







Amazing how just a short distance from the affluence of Vientiane poverty is in plain sight and the old wooden houses prevail.


This road like so many in Laos is in the middle of major remodelling and starts off smooth tarmac and quickly to graded






Then the usual red dust













Some of the more beautiful Wats along this route









This unusual Wat was like fantasy garden with so many Buddha’s and effigies on display



















A large meditation centre on the Thai side













More images from the Wat

























Back on the road and newly paved section









The Mekong shrouded in haze









Cute smile









Another old Wat









Dragon boat shelter









Example of the rapid change, old and new









And again










This route is a real mixed bag of all surfaces











More Wats





















Soon after i was flagged by a group of friendly ladies making a collection for yet another Wat















I gave them a small donation










Armed with my lucky lucky string i was good to go









Haze slowly lifting









Another new GH development









One of the few older bridges









But as usual a water crossing was available for the heavier trucks









My favourite picture of the trip, these guy’s wanted to drown me, but in exchange for a picture they let me pass









Like i said a mixed bag of surfaces



















Arriving at the ferry point a nice new ferry waiting, but the old lady in the bamboo hut hailed a more modest form of crossing transportation











Here’’s my ride, always a welcome sight when you see a double canoe ferry the singles can be a little unsettling

















He had an ingenious roll on roll off barrier system









Back to dirt



















Very nice stretch until a truck comes along















Arriving in Chomcheng, looking for a GH, several in town and a few restaurants












Since i was making good time, grabbed some noodles and thought to push on to Paklay, leaving town a huge thunder storm was approaching and stopped within yards of the edge of the rain, i decided to turn back and wait out the storm in this abandoned restaurant





















As the storm hit i contemplated pitching camp inside but half the roof was missing and i had seen some pretty nice GH’s in town so i sat waiting for it to ease off and check out a room for the night. Headed back to the Ivee GH 80k kip for a nice relaxing evening

















Day 12 Elephant day to follow

 

[Lone Rider]

Day 11 Vientiane to Chomcheng border point



Some of the more beautiful Wats along this route

This unusual Wat was like fantasy garden with so many Buddha’s and effigies on display

Some villa perhaps on the Thai side

The wat on the Lao side is Wat Tham Pha just past Ban Houay Hom on Rd 11 (11C) and the villa on the Thai side is not a villa but is a temple called Wat Hin Mak Peng. This is an important temple and "home" of Phra Ajaan Thate Desaransi, (Ajaan Thate) (Phra Rajanirodharangsee) (Luangpu Thet Thetrangsi) (Phra Desarangsee) (1902–1994) who was one of the most famous masters of Theravada Buddhist meditation known as the Thai Forest Tradition.

More info here: Ajahn Thate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and here Mut Mee - Wat Hin Maak Peng

 

[bsacbob]

Thanks Auke I knew you would fill in the gaps ☺

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[svenivan]

great report and very good photos

thanks

- - - Updated - - -


great report and very good photos

thanks