Chappy in Laos

South to Si Phan Don (4000 islands)

Hammock time

04.12.2007

Time to give the legs a break, so i hire a motorbike to get down to Si Phan Don, where the Mekong widens and forms thousands of islands...
Takes me a little while to get used to the bike, and in the process have a near run in with a cow. After so much time on a bicycle the brake was not where i expected it..... best swerve i've ever done.
Its all easy highway riding tho to get to Don Khong, biggest of the islands and currently celebrating their boat racing festival.
Mission to drive the bike up ramp/plank onto ferry (2 long canoes with platform strapped on top). Really i am a goose on a motorbike....

Can't find a room so have to pay top dollar at ritzy hotel...$30...crazy...thats like ten times what i normally pay.
Golden buddha-

Good fun at festival.... go to watch some live music, meet some Lao people.....and as usual my old rubber arm takes over and end up having 1 or 2 too many beerlaos. Very funny night...dance floor was on...

Next day: First i take in some boat racing-

With a sore head i decide to make for Don Det, a quieter island further south. I give Keuawl, a girl i met the previous eve a lift down to Don Det where she has family. Funny girl-

Taking directions from my back seat driver (assuming she knows where she is going) we end up going down some dirt roads and past a couple of check points. Normally they're just for vehicles so i just drive straight under the barrier. Until some commotion and yelling "STOP!"
Turning around we realise its the Cambodia border check point, woops!! Oh well i guess i can now say i've been to Cambodia..
Backtrack a little & find the ferry point.
Don Det
The most chilled out place i think i've ever been.
Sun drenched, palm trees, no roads, quiet, hammocks everywhere, good food and beerlao aplenty.

The sandy trails running around the island are perfect for taking a lazy cycle on.

I spent two nights here, a lot of that time hammocked at Mama's rasta cafe guesthouse...