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We leave Emmet for his solo adventures in Vientiane while Phil, Paddy, Blair and myself head off to "Thats Crap" to do whats become known as the loop. Basically its hire some decent scrambler bikes and head off into the unknown Laos countryside. So we go to the guesthouse with the best information apparantly....They only have 4 scooters and we try and get them while 2 others are looking to do the same. Wet season means scooters are no good and at $10 a day they can keep their scooters. The guy with the information has buggered off on holiday so we may as well have stayed with Emmet. We walk 2-3km to find another guesthouse/hotel while everyone we pass almost crashes at the sight of 4 white men in town - I bet we made the local newspaper!!

Tha Khaek renamed

Gareth Penpraze
2007-04-20 22:41:13

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We leave Emmet for his solo adventures in Vientiane while Phil, Paddy, Blair and myself head off to "Thats Crap" to do whats become known as the loop. Basically its hire some decent scrambler bikes and head off into the unknown Laos countryside. So we go to the guesthouse with the best information apparantly....They only have 4 scooters and we try and get them while 2 others are looking to do the same. Wet season means scooters are no good and at $10 a day they can keep their scooters. The guy with the information has buggered off on holiday so we may as well have stayed with Emmet. We walk 2-3km to find another guesthouse/hotel while everyone we pass almost crashes at the sight of 4 white men in town - I bet we made the local newspaper!!

There really is nothing to do here except get the bus on to Pakse, but we still manage to stay a night in a hotel run by the Laos Army aparantly!! The only thing we can think to do is drink!! We're walking down the "main street", even quieter than Larne's (my backward home town for everyone lucky enough not to ever have been there), and we're called over by some family sitting outside their house drinking. We're tempted over by some Laos Laos whiskey so we sit down and try and communicate using the guys Laos - English dictionary. We tell them what we wanted to do and they offer us their 4x4 for a day. We ponder the idea until someone comes along and gets into the car and dissappears - obviously not for hire then!! What was definitely for hire or for life, was the family daughter, but we all know what the punishment is for sleeping with a Laos girl before marriage or written consent from the Laos government - your lucky if your deported cos the max. fine is around $5000. (Who ever said paying for sex works out cheaper in the long run!!) They also give us some food, little meat parcels wrapped in banana leaf. Its all very tasty until you chomp right through a chilli and garlic clove in one foul swoop. Its not until after we finish that we're told to remove the chilli and we figure out the surprise is raw beef!! At least the guts will be cleaned out in the morning.

So its a lesson learned kids - If you ever hear someone mention "the loop" and "Tha Kaek" in the same sentence, laugh at them and definitely don't get off the bus with them. Oh yeah there isn't any photos for here cos the town isn't worth 1000 words.

The relation for Pakse won't be published until a later date when the Laos government has discussed content with the relevant authorities. We apologise for any inconvienence caused..

Gareth Penpraze
http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/ASBO-Holidays/