What will the relics and ruins of our world be in a thousand years?  As humanity drifts towards mega conurbations perhaps it will be the mosaic of mystical roundabouts in Milton Keynes or the distant legend of the M25, an artery clogged fossil fuelled ring road. It’s a thought which crossed our minds as we wove amongst the audacious ruins of the fallen Khmer Kings of Angkor.  Todays equivalent structures built on ego or as a facilitator of modern life, we’re sure will become as ancient and unbelievable with the ravages and relentlessness of time.

Our last week in Laos dished up a delightful portrait of the country.  Our night bus on from Vientiane was heaven compared to our last encounter with such a chariot from the foothills of the Himalayas, care of the Indian government (a memory which still has us reaching for the gag bag). Clean beds, a deep sleep and we were off, bikes kitted up and set down on the banks of the lower Mekong.

Having started our encounters with the river at the Northern Thailand border, we were now rolling down the edges of a giant. As the mass of water took over our view the high mountains of the North faded to form vast plateaus along the horizon. 

Morning routines above the Mekong

Mammoth Mekong

This part of the country is famous for it’s coffee from the Bolaven Plateau.  There are adverts we remember from our childhood and for me one such masterpiece is this one by Maxwell House (click here).  The female star, and acting owner, takes a big sniff of the beans at a plantation before buying the lot.  More than just fuelling my lifelong love for Alpha women it conjured in me a view of coffee drinking as a bridge to foreign and exotic lands.  Perhaps Maxwell House didn’t deliver on this magic but the Bolaven Coffee does just that.  Such a unique flavour that the taste instantly takes your mind somewhere exotic. Mist clad hills, hessian bags of coffee beans and roasting aromas abducting your senses.  A very memorable and highly recommended cup of coffee indeed!

Keeping to the sandy shores of the Mekong and with a tailwind helping us along we arrived in the town of Champasak which until 30 years ago was the seat of the Royal Family. With it’s peaceful ambience and river side setting surrounded by the flattened peaks, it was clear to see why.

Sandy Mekong shores

Laos had been a bit on the expensive side for the budget traveller so we’d decided to get back in the tent.  Pitching up in gardens of guesthouses and washing down with hosepipes off the back porch. It was great to feel the freedom seep back into our day to day.

Being on the flats meant the heat was notching up. An early morning start and only a few km down the road we visited the temple ruins of Vat Phou.  Built in the shadow of a mountain atop’d by a naturally occurring Linga Shiva, a phalic symbol of Shiva. There isn’t much in the way of ruins but huge Frangipani trees border the crumbling and twisted stairways to the main temple setting an evocative air. Their hypnotic scent fills your nose as you ascend through what feels like a scene from Pans Labyrinth.

A Pans Labyrinth ascent at Vat Phou

Vat Phou from the summit, Frangipani trees in white bloom

As mentioned in our last post our onward goal was to reach the 4000 islands of the lower Mekong.  With the river fracturing massive islands now started to form as we meandered South.  Boat and island life beginning to infuse the sense of the local people with a more relaxed air. 

From the mainland we took our first ferry to the island of Don Khong.  Finding another guesthouse to pitch our tent and getting the trusty stove out to cook up a storm.  A peaceful nights kip wasn’t to be had as we were sniffed out by a pack of stray dogs who took umbrage and barked to high heaven inches from our tarpaulin caravan in the early hours.  We can but hope the locals were in a deep enough slumber to miss the naked, bleary eye’d white man hurling rocks to fend off the baying crowd.

The trusty stove is out again

From Don Khong we hopped to Muang Khong before arriving on Don Khon, the roads now only scooter and bike friendly.  Two way dirt tracks skirting paddy fields and makeshift towns continued to bring the rhythm down to a chilled island pace.

Two lane dirt tracks of the Mekongs islands

Exploring the archipelago and it’s treasures was a perfect excuse to amble in the saddles for a few days.  The spectacular Khone Falls running the width of the river and bisecting her islands were the countries saving grace from French colonisation.  Unable to navigate upstream to China and with failed attempts at installing a steam railway on Don Khon to bypass the falls, the remnants of which litter the land, our French friends gave up the ghost.

Impassable Khone Falls on Don Khon

Magic scenes off the beaten trail. The bamboo ramp in the river is an inventive way for catching fish

A more welcome resident however in this part of the river are the Irrawaddy Dolphins.  There’s a pod that congregate in a deep pool south of the island. For a princely sum of £6 we boarded a wobbly thin boat and were mesmerised by these moon faced, friendly creatures breaching the water and puffing their blowholes.

It was a ferry then to the mainland for our cycle to the Cambodian border.  A very flat, bleak, hot road took us to our first stop of Siem Reap.  A city which is seeing it’s tourist numbers increase by 20% year on year. With over 2 million people coming in 2015.  Visitors arrive by the coach load to take in the Unesco Heritage Angkor Archaeological Park.

The site is spread over a 400km² so we opted for a 3 day pass.  The crowds come thick and fast with Chinese tours moving en mass behind their flag toting guides. The breadth of buildings is astounding from temples, cities, monuments and the sites most famous star, Angkor Wat.

Chinese tours en mass at Angkor

Cycling through the huge 23m high gates of Angkor Thom (the districts biggest working city, home at one point to over 1 million residents), adorned with enigmatic giant faces.  Marvelling at the innumerable yet intricate stone carvings of Angkor Wat, which took 300,000 people over 30 years to build. Spellbound by the ruins of Ta Prohm, made famous by the film Tomb Raider, witnessing natures dance amidst the rubble to gain back her rightful home. In the throng of such wonder the accompanying crowds took a back seat and we filled our minds and days with some incredible memories.

Angkor Thom’s giant smiling gateways

Spot the smiling faces on the pillars of Bayon temple

Intricate wall carvings at Angkor Watt

Nature Vs Ruins at Ta Prohm

From the extremes of our last post it feels like the sun is shining again and we’re making hay! Our ride will continue Southwest to the Cambodian coast before we start our U-bend up through Southern Vietnam.  Being such a well trodden trail we’ve met some fantastic people in SE Asia.  These encounters have appeased our longing for far reaching paths and plains. Sharing stories and meeting fellow travellers surfing the wave of wanderlust is a privilege all of it’s own.

The 6 Nations has started so Brian’s happy, we’ve had a jam-packed fortnight of wonderment and life is good.  We’re sure there will be rainy days, stray dogs and challenges ahead but for now we’re clocking off and onward in a  new rhythm of life on the road.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Until the next time…