Wait! What happened to days 5 and 6 you ask? Well those were remote working days so I won’t enthral you with my work!

Day 7 was the journey from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. Highway/road 13 north from VV was a nightmare and I collided with more than one pothole that couldn’t be avoided. The road is suitable for trucks, 4WDs, and motorbikes – but not cars. Cars will bottom out and get wrecked. Most of the sections have no road surface at all. It is as close to off roading as you can get without actually doing so.

My first time with a bit of fuel nervousness as I got down to my last 50km in the tank. But I need not have worried and found a nice fuel stop.

The road was so bad I decided to swing a left at Kasi to take the mountain crossing. The road was mostly much better and northbound there are no trucks because they cannot manage the ascent gradient. On the downside it has a high ascent gradient LOL.

It was a great decision and the changing views were incredible, Slightly earlier in the season (Dec/Jan) would have had even better visibility, without the dust and smoke haze. Still the views were amazing.

There is a beautiful Kasi Mountain View lookout point which is worth the visit alone. Some tricky roadworks just before were there to test hill start skills of bikes and small buses alike. Rocks were left roadside to chock wheels of heavier vehicles. My rear brake could not hold the bike, only my front could. Makes for an interesting hill start for those who know bikes!

After the view point the mountain opens up to a spectacular valley. It is just crying out for a movie to be made there. A secret lair in Middle Earth for certain!

The way down the mountain was fine, just impatient southbound traffic to be wary of. Still amazing views that way also.

Easily one of the best rides so far in Laos.

The road joins road 4, and eventually back onto road 13. You are in no doubt when you rejoin 13, still in awful condition.

Thankfully very close to Luang Prabang at that stage so not long to endure it.

I was happy to shower and to briefly explore Luang Prabang. Very old architecture everywhere and a very pretty town.

Busy at night (but it was still Chinese and Vietnamese New Year), and it has a typical SEA night market for tourist stuff.

A night a well earned rest. 165km, 5hrs riding but it took me 7 in total with photo breaks! 33km/hr average tells you a lot about the challenges on these roads.

Adventurer