After our rest day yesterday we decided we were going to get off our arses and explore Nong Khiaw today. We had breakfast at the guest house of omelette, baguette, and all food spelt with double t’s. Then we went out looking for a motorbike.

I say motorbike rather than scooter because in Nong Khiaw automatic scooters are a rarity. We ended up finding a semi-automatic bike. These require gear changes but have an active running clutch meaning we did not need a clutch toggle. Instead we had foot-peddles to navigate up and down gears on the left and a back brake peddle on the right. Being used to multitasking in a manual car the semi was not too hard to operate. We got a wave 100cc which looking back we should of asked for something a little more powerful for two people on the same bike… foreshadowing.

We first went to the Ban Pha Toke community museum. The town has put together an open museum of the munition, explosives, and military equipment left behind or lost during the secret war. We saw bomb craters, shells of bazookas, machine gun amp boxes, knife sheaths, cluster bomb shells, and other military and domestic artifacts. They had a cave there used for hiding during the bombings. We began to venture in but saw a huge bat not even 10m into the cave. Not wanting a rabies shot we decided not to go further.

Next we went to the Phathok caves. This was a huge more open system with information plaques depicting the significance of the caves. There were code breaking areas, police areas, military training areas, recon areas, a governors office, school area, and even a theatre area for entertainment. We tried to find the second section of the cave and ere overwhelmed by leeches. I avoided a bite but Robin was nibbled a little. They were small and thin but still made up get out of the area.

Thus far we have been fortunate with our motorbikes, getting powerful, sturdy, sometimes brand new bikes. The wave 100cc we were on was not the best. It had done over 100,000km and was not very powerful compared to the usual 125/160cc we have been given as two people. On our way back we encountered some thick mud. Even in first gear the bike did not have enough torque to pull us through. The back wheel spun and we came to an abrupt stop in the mud. Robin was less fortunate and being on the back was jerked sideways as the back wheel spun and landed in the mud. Bum covered in mud, hands and feet soaked with mud. Thankfully we were not moving by the time she slid off. Every movement sent Robin deeper into the mud. Now sat over a beer we agree it was type 2 fun. I put my feet in the mud and held the bike up and she brushed off as much of the mud she could and hopped back on. After leaving the mud the bike was fine and we carried on exploring Nong Khiaw. We took a pit stop at our guest house to hose off and change clothes. I currently have a very wet foot in a very wet trainer.

We stopped for lunch and that’s when I noticed the back wheel looking a little funny. We finished lunch and paid. On driving off we were jerking and jolting from side to side. The back wheel was flat. We hopped off and I wheeled the bike back to the shop using 1st gear and the throttle to help. On arriving back the man said it was our responsibility and pulled out a contract. We paid 60,000 for a new tyre (oh no £2 gone), and carried on exploring. Being serious, we were grateful for the repairs being affordable for us.

When we dropped the bike back the man said oh yeah we replaced the tyre 2 days ago too and there was something between the alloy and the tyre so it wasn’t actually your fault. Oh well, £2 to us is insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

We had dinner at the Indian restaurant again; 2 curries, 2 naan, 2 samosas, 2 drinks for £4.20. We went to a pool bar and played a few games and games of cards. Robin met a new kitten friend.

Tomorrow we go back to Luang Prabang.

-M