18th June
to
20th June

Days 271 - 273

From Vangvieng we have a dry day and a ride of 86km down into PhoneHong the main staging point between VangVieng and Vietniane. It seems to be plenty big enough to warrant a hotel - but in the darkness we wander around the town only to be told that there is no hotel. Eventually we are pointed in the direction of the Residential Agricultural School - where we are warmly received.

Our last day into Vientiane is a simple flat 70km - and we take it nice and easy. We pass through the interestingly named 'Village of 52km' - which lies approximately 52km to the North of the capital city. The weather takes a turn for the worse for our last hour and a half of cycling - the monsoon hits us with a vengeance. The heavens open and the water tumbles down, and washes across the road in heavy waves. The locals try to put a brave face on - some continuing their routine - but many shelter away from the wet and watch from beneath their straw roofs - the rain dripping from the eves. I feel streams of water running all over me - especially large volumes running down my face once again. Strangely the drops seem to climb up into my nose - and so to avoid swallowing the water that has partly come from the spray from the road - I am forced to blow my nose every couple of minutes. Gladly the rain lifts before we hit the city limits and our ride amongst the slightly busier city traffic is at least a dry one.

Both Andrew and I feel a little tense - the thought of seeing Mum and Dad after 9 months on the road is a strange one - we're both excited. With barely enough time to gather our thoughts we have entered the city, arrived at the Novotel - our meeting point - and have met up with Mum and Dad. No time for nerves - not even time for a quick wash and brush up. A couple of nervous stuttering sentences pop out but its not long and we settle down into the serious business of catching up on the last 9 months - yap, yap, yap.

Mum and Dad have also brought with them some new provisions equipment to help us on our way - and they will also be helping us out by taking back some of the cold weather equipment that was so necessary for Tibet - but is now sitting idly in our panniers.

As a special treat we all stay in the Novotel Vientiane. Happily though through an expert piece of negotiation we bring the price down to well below half the normal price. Swimming is a luxury that I don't think I have experienced since capsizing in the English Channel - and the pool here is clean and a perfect temperature. The beds are so comfortable and the shower and bath are just what we need for washing our mud caked pannier bags!!! However the 'piece de la resistance' which deserves special mention has to be the buffet breakfast - which for 2 hungry cyclists is a veritable 'Heaven on Earth'. Each morning whilst we stay here we stay until we are asked to leave - cramming in toast, croissants, cereals, creme caramels, bacon, eggs, tomato, mushrooms and cream eclairs - oh, oh, oh!!!! Well what do you expect - we haven't seen scenes like these since we left good old England!!!

We have been trying to grab the headlines here in Laos - both the English Language title 'Vientiane Times' and the French 'Le Renovateur' are running articles in this week's edition - watch this space - we'll try and get copies back on to the website!

Next stop Thailand - just 16km and The Friendship Bridge away - but we hear on the grape vine that no-one is allowed to cross the bridge by 'Human Power'. The Bridge authorities insist that everyone must take the bus - as a security precaution........fingers crossed we don't have to make a long detour!