A long weekend and time to give the 701 another run. First a stop at Prasat Mueang Sing Historical Park. Then continue on to Saiyok Yai. Park the pickup at a friends place and load up the 701 and head to the border with Burma. Pilok A good run up here following the 323 before heading up the 3272….
GPS Coordinates:- 14.65461, 98.40242 Songkran April 2019 My third time to Somsak Mining. After reading on the Somsak Mining Facebook page that the home stay will close end of 2019 because of Auntie Glenn’s age and health. Decided to visit one more time. It won’t be the same riding down closed or someone else running Somsak Mine home stay….
Houay Xai, Pak Tha, Doi Pha Tang, Phu Chi Duen, Phu Chi Fa – Hong Sa in the dark. Friendship Bridge Chiang Khong – Houy Xai YouTube:- Crossing the Friendship Bridge Bridge Crossing Update – Nov 2018:- This is one of the most hassle free crossings you can make from Thailand to Laos. Ever since mid 2018. There have…
After crossing at Houy Xai, riding solo to Hong Sa and on to Luang Prabang. Time to meet up with Chris. As Chris can’t take time off to ride together in the high season. I tag along until Phonsavan with his group. Helping out where I can and make a video of the trip along the way. A mixture…
Time to get out of Bangkok for the weekend. Thursday afternoon book a cheap ticket with Nok Air and on the plane Saturday. The KLX is currently sitting at a friends place in Nong Khai waiting for me. 4:00 am wake up and 5.50 flight to Udon and on the road around 10 am by the time pump up…
Introduction Lima Site 85 (LS-85 alphanumeric code of the phonetic 1st letter used to conceal this covert operation) was a clandestine, military installation in the Royal Kingdom of Laos guarded by the Hmong “Secret Army“, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the United States Air Force used for Vietnam War covert operations against communist targets in ostensibly neutral Laos under…
The largest bomb crater site in the province. Located at Baan Khai approximately 33 kilometres from Phonsavan. The bombs were dropped back in the second Indochina war by B 52 Bombers. In many cases indiscriminately on the way back from a bombing run or part of the carpet bombing of the Plain of Jars as both sides fought over…
Phou Keng or Keng Mountain is one of the largest quarry sites. The jars once completed were moved to Jars Site 1. Ten kilometres away. Keng Mountain is 1400 metres above sea level. There are 1250 steps to the top. Big steps too. If normal size, easily 2000 steps. I made it 3/4 of the way up and had…
What to do next? In Phonsavan and Hmong New Year is still a few days away. Thinking what to see and do next? Over beers started chatting with some Australian archaeologists from James Cook University that are here checking out various Jars sites. They highly recommended heading out to Site 52. It is approx 27 km out of town…
Xiang Khoung province was one of the most heavily bombed areas during the second Indochina war and is littered with millions of UXOs. Bomb crater scars are visible from the road in front of the houses. The locals we spoke with buy the scrap UXO from others and then melt it down in a kiln to make spoons and…