Thai/Lao Border - Vang Tao to Champasak 42.5 Miles
Champasak to Son Pot’s Temple 30.75
Son Pot’s Temple to Muang Khong 33.25
Muang Khong to southern end of Don Det Island 15
Don Det to Cambodian Border by riding the length of Don Khon then a boat to Veun Kham and a short ride to the border 8.5
Total Miles Biked in Laos Part 2 130
Number of squashed snakes on the road 18
First live snake seen. It was awful too. It was a small snake in the dry path on Don Det Island. When I saw the snake it was already to do much to prevent hitting it. I slammed on my brakes just as the snake went under my front tire which meant that the tire came to a stop right on top of the snake. It was trying to bite the attacker, the tire, and I was trying to exit off the rear of my bike! The snake slithered away but it had been injured. As much as I dislike snakes I don’t like hurting them. It was a bad first sighting of a live snake.
Cheapest bananas 50 - Short but fat ones for $1 - Champasak
Cheapest guest house - Monk Son Pot’s Buddha Bar Crashpad - Free
Cheapest real guest house - Don Det - $5
Most Expensive guest house - Muang Khong - $9
Papayas - $.50
Champasak has wonderful old untouched buildings. It's so surprising tourism hasn't begun to happen there considering the World Heritage Site of Wat Phu only ten kilometers away. The same funky dilapidated guest house we stayed in six years ago is where we ended up again and the place hasn't had any repairs done in the meantime.
It's easy to see why this particular mountain was honored with a temple ascending it's eastern slope. The life-giving waters of many springs keep it spring green year-round and fill the barays (ponds) at its base.
Wat Phu is one of my favorite ancient Khmer temples because it's a dedication to nature. The stairway up the mountain proceeds through various levels which can be taken symbolically in many different ways. The temple on top is modestly small with the natural springs behind it receiving just as much attention.
Wat Phu. Considering its World Heritage status, one would think that a couple of local guys wouldn't be allowed to go ten feet into the surrounding forest to steal teak trees. These guys waited and waited for me to go away because they did NOT want their photo taken. Laos is so corrupt that possibly the director of Wat Phu himself ordered these workers to cut the tree for him. I would not at all be surprised.
Enjoying sunset with our new friends Oded (Israel) and Selma (Spain) from Mr. Toh's Restaurant on Don Det Island. Long-term travelers, Oded and Selma met in Varanasi, India. I know that dying in Varanasi means eternal paradise for its believers. I'm not sure what meeting there means.
The Four Thousand Islands area of southern Laos. Who would ever think that the entire five mile width of the Mekong River does this, making navigation impossible! The entire area should be preserved, untouched, but the Lao government is in the process of building a dam just downstream and it's largely unknown to anyone what will happen to this entire area. This is the way the Lao government always operates. This view is from Don Khon Island looking north.
