DATES: Ex Chiang Mai Sunday 3rd May - .......still going. 
Another day at the office...
A late start & I left Cnx at 4.45PM & took R118 North to Chiang Rai.
In Chiang Rai it was the Nimseeseng Hotel. Link up with the GT Rider webmster Ben Kemp then, a happy hour drink rooftop at the Nimseeseng, eat at the C&C (Cabbages & Condom), plus lengthy drinks at the Sixties (nothing to do with our vintage yet) Pub such that we never made it to the Mom Khon Muang Pub for the planned big night out.
The next day brekky at the webmaster's Godess' place the ABC.
Then hit the road. I took R1 north, & turned right onto R1016 to Chiang Saen, then a right onto 1190 to Chiang Khong. It was stinking hot so there was no bungalow # 7 for me at the Tammila, but a new aircon room # 11 (I think the lucky number is.) 600 baht is the room rate for a nice aircon / UBC TV / Mekong view room.
The next morning a quick run by Customs & Immigration downtown to catch the 1st car ferry over the Mekong.
Customs on the Laos side was S-L-O-W on account of the officer's inability to handle the computer. Someone else had to be called in to assist - after the farang's advice & suggestions were not accepted. Oh well Bor Pen Nyang. But for the first time there was no fee for the Lao Customs Temporary import papers. Only insurance 150 baht for 2 weeks.
After getting my Laos visa downstream at the immigration port I took R3 from Houei Sai. And stayed on R3 for the next 180 kms.
No 7-11s or PTTs or snakes or dogs.
Here's the Don Chai city view 60+ kms out of Houei Xai.
Vieng Phoukha was a quick whistle stop to drop off some GT Rider Laos maps for the LNTA tourism office.
Vieng Phoukha the main street
The road I think is in better condition than it was in Feb 2009. AND Vieng Phoukha - Luang Namtha is an amazing smooth flowing rolling road & ride.
As you can see the weather was hot 'n humid. I arrived in Luang Namtha around 5PM. Just before the rain storm hit out of town.
Luang Namtha the main street at dusk / storm time
The Dokchampa Hotel is the place to stay.
The Manychan is the place to eat.
A possible Slash approved meal at the Manychan
Early evening - 7PM- RobertH turned up on his Chinese 250, somewhat late & Lhasa bound. His 4am start from Chiang Mai did not quite eventuate so our masterplan to jointly conquer & photograph R3 (once again) did not eventuate. :cry:
Fortunately for RobertH, Khun Wut from Cnx also arrived on the scene (from Luang Prabang) & Robert was able to add to his considerable China riding knowledge with many new tips frm Wut, who has done 4 BMW China rides from Chiang Mai + a few in Vietnam & 1 in Myanmar. Wut knows his stuff & is well connected... He is also a bloody good genuine guy, who likes to ride & tour, plus hangs out at the Kafe when in Chiang Mai. The rest of the time he's prospecting in Laos & elsewhere as a geologist. (Wut & I last met at the Windwest Pub in Vientiane, both of us prospecting. )
Wut & Robert outside the Dok Champa in Luang Namtha
Robert H about to head off on his "final" Lhasa attempt.
Late that day I got a SMS from a Chinese mobile number simply saying "I'm in." Good on you Robert.
From Luang Namtha the road is still beautiful to Na Toey & the China border turn off. Turn right at the junction for Oudom Xai & you're on a bumpy crap road for the next 100+ kms.
This is R13 & it runs all the way to the Cambodian border.
The road is not difficult at all (the Snail did Cnx - Luang Prabang in a day on his Ducati), but it is very inconsisent & annoying. You cant carry any speed & never know what surface is around the next blind corner & there are hundreds of blind corners. But to be honest I think the road was again in better condition than Feb 2009.
In Oudom Xai the place to stay is the Oudom Kham HOtel.
Eat at the Keo Moungkhoun, or drink & happy hour at the Ming Khoua.
Oudom Xai the main stret
Now that they have finished fixing the main street of Oudom Xai the town is a lot cleaner & brighter without all the dust.
Nong Khiew was the next stop. I decided to cancel Pak Beng due to very heavy cloud cver & probable rain.
However 25 kms south of Oudom Xai & still on R13 the weather cleared up to be very hot 'n humid.
Check out the road surface above - pretty good, in most places.
But another 25 kms further on up the road it was not looking so good.
The weather & the road..
Although the local riders were enjoying the conditions
This is Song Cha Hmong village, right on the ridgeline & from here on it's all downhill (such is the GT Rider's life some lurkers would say) :lol: to Pak Mong & Nong Khiew. But still R13.
At Pak Mong you turn right to stay on R13 for Luang Prabang. But I managed to overshoot the mark & ended up on R1C for Nong Khiew. A pristine spot on the Nam Ou River & one of Silverhawk's fave places in Laos. I too need to take the HGLGF Singer here for some brownie points one day.
Arriving in Nk it was hot 'n steamy. The sceney from the bridge is inspiring & I always get carried away taking happy snaps. So apologies for some of the following. Ha. Ha.
The view upstream
The view downstream
Another day at the office...
A late start & I left Cnx at 4.45PM & took R118 North to Chiang Rai.
In Chiang Rai it was the Nimseeseng Hotel. Link up with the GT Rider webmster Ben Kemp then, a happy hour drink rooftop at the Nimseeseng, eat at the C&C (Cabbages & Condom), plus lengthy drinks at the Sixties (nothing to do with our vintage yet) Pub such that we never made it to the Mom Khon Muang Pub for the planned big night out.
The next day brekky at the webmaster's Godess' place the ABC.
Then hit the road. I took R1 north, & turned right onto R1016 to Chiang Saen, then a right onto 1190 to Chiang Khong. It was stinking hot so there was no bungalow # 7 for me at the Tammila, but a new aircon room # 11 (I think the lucky number is.) 600 baht is the room rate for a nice aircon / UBC TV / Mekong view room.
The next morning a quick run by Customs & Immigration downtown to catch the 1st car ferry over the Mekong.
Customs on the Laos side was S-L-O-W on account of the officer's inability to handle the computer. Someone else had to be called in to assist - after the farang's advice & suggestions were not accepted. Oh well Bor Pen Nyang. But for the first time there was no fee for the Lao Customs Temporary import papers. Only insurance 150 baht for 2 weeks.
After getting my Laos visa downstream at the immigration port I took R3 from Houei Sai. And stayed on R3 for the next 180 kms.
No 7-11s or PTTs or snakes or dogs.
Here's the Don Chai city view 60+ kms out of Houei Xai.
Vieng Phoukha was a quick whistle stop to drop off some GT Rider Laos maps for the LNTA tourism office.
Vieng Phoukha the main street
The road I think is in better condition than it was in Feb 2009. AND Vieng Phoukha - Luang Namtha is an amazing smooth flowing rolling road & ride.
As you can see the weather was hot 'n humid. I arrived in Luang Namtha around 5PM. Just before the rain storm hit out of town.
Luang Namtha the main street at dusk / storm time
The Dokchampa Hotel is the place to stay.
The Manychan is the place to eat.
A possible Slash approved meal at the Manychan
Early evening - 7PM- RobertH turned up on his Chinese 250, somewhat late & Lhasa bound. His 4am start from Chiang Mai did not quite eventuate so our masterplan to jointly conquer & photograph R3 (once again) did not eventuate. :cry:
Fortunately for RobertH, Khun Wut from Cnx also arrived on the scene (from Luang Prabang) & Robert was able to add to his considerable China riding knowledge with many new tips frm Wut, who has done 4 BMW China rides from Chiang Mai + a few in Vietnam & 1 in Myanmar. Wut knows his stuff & is well connected... He is also a bloody good genuine guy, who likes to ride & tour, plus hangs out at the Kafe when in Chiang Mai. The rest of the time he's prospecting in Laos & elsewhere as a geologist. (Wut & I last met at the Windwest Pub in Vientiane, both of us prospecting.
)Wut & Robert outside the Dok Champa in Luang Namtha
Robert H about to head off on his "final" Lhasa attempt.
Late that day I got a SMS from a Chinese mobile number simply saying "I'm in." Good on you Robert.
From Luang Namtha the road is still beautiful to Na Toey & the China border turn off. Turn right at the junction for Oudom Xai & you're on a bumpy crap road for the next 100+ kms.
This is R13 & it runs all the way to the Cambodian border.
The road is not difficult at all (the Snail did Cnx - Luang Prabang in a day on his Ducati), but it is very inconsisent & annoying. You cant carry any speed & never know what surface is around the next blind corner & there are hundreds of blind corners. But to be honest I think the road was again in better condition than Feb 2009.
In Oudom Xai the place to stay is the Oudom Kham HOtel.
Eat at the Keo Moungkhoun, or drink & happy hour at the Ming Khoua.
Oudom Xai the main stret
Now that they have finished fixing the main street of Oudom Xai the town is a lot cleaner & brighter without all the dust.
Nong Khiew was the next stop. I decided to cancel Pak Beng due to very heavy cloud cver & probable rain.
However 25 kms south of Oudom Xai & still on R13 the weather cleared up to be very hot 'n humid.
Check out the road surface above - pretty good, in most places.
But another 25 kms further on up the road it was not looking so good.
The weather & the road..
Although the local riders were enjoying the conditions
This is Song Cha Hmong village, right on the ridgeline & from here on it's all downhill (such is the GT Rider's life some lurkers would say) :lol: to Pak Mong & Nong Khiew. But still R13.
At Pak Mong you turn right to stay on R13 for Luang Prabang. But I managed to overshoot the mark & ended up on R1C for Nong Khiew. A pristine spot on the Nam Ou River & one of Silverhawk's fave places in Laos. I too need to take the HGLGF Singer here for some brownie points one day.
Arriving in Nk it was hot 'n steamy. The sceney from the bridge is inspiring & I always get carried away taking happy snaps. So apologies for some of the following. Ha. Ha.
The view upstream
The view downstream
