Phonsavan To Long Cheng The Long Way

Having arrived in Phonsavan from Sam Neua, the weather was unkind so we had a lay over as the storm blew over.

After an entertaining night in the DuangMala Gh (you will have to stay to know what i mean). 

Today was to be an enjoyable jaunt to Long Cheng and taking in a few sights along the way. It became more of a test of perseverance  as you will see.

Only 247 km covered today but we packed a lot in.

Popped into town for some breakfast at the Simlay then it was to Jar site 2 for some pictures.

Then only a couple of km away the old tank (its now has a gated fence around it now and the sign has gone).

Making great time it was onto the spoon village at this rate we expected to be in Long Cheng by noon, but that plan came to a dead end when we got stopped by the police at the bridge in Phaxay. I tried my usually line of bullshit but the refused us entry saying the road was too difficult for motorcycles, i eventually got them to agree to let us to the spoon village so long as we returned within one hour.

The guy in the spoon village was doing  good trade at 10k kip a piece of so called war scrap spoons which in reality are just bits of aluminium bought from the local scrap yard.

I did contemplate just firing off from here to Sam Thong but thought better of it and we proceeded back to the nice policeman at the checkpoint.

It was clear we had two options, either anti clockwise towards 13N and head South or clockwise to Khoune, I recalled Auke had mentioned a new road to Saysomboune that would get us to Phu Bia then head North. It was a no brainer so Khoune it was, armed with the co ords of the turn from Auke.

Some early Hmong new festivities along the way.

The 1D is very well paved these days so progress was quick.

Another new power station on route.

Try before you buy.

This was a huge logging area not to long ago, now the log mills lay silent and there are dozens of logging trucks and bulldozers laid rotting away.

Very chewy looking pig or buffalo skin.

Making the turn it didn’t look much like a new road, a local guy who spoke perfect English confirm this was indeed the new road.

Old suspension bridge along side a nice new concrete one going in.

Log bridge for trucks, not sure if this guy was stuck or just washing up.

Once past this point it starts as fairly graded then becomes bloody rocky.

lovely clean water.

Off into the hills now.

First signs of any real work being done, we had already passed by several small villages that are now abandoned.

Beautiful waterfall at the road side, i hope they can retain this.

Nicely graded out.

Some of the highest elevations of the trip on this trail.

We eventually descended down into the plateau that was once Lima 22.

We stopped in Ban Om for a drink, my chicken got lots of attention.

From here the surface improves and is very well graded all the way.

Great views too.

We reached Anouvong as the local band practised under the watchful eye of the not so impressed teacher.

Phu Bia way off in the distance was a welcome sight.

To cut a long story short we made it up to the army check point at N18.97149° E102.92419° and i rode round it to the screams of the soldiers. 

Rather than be shot in the back i went back to have a chat, the conversation went around us not being allowed to go to Long Cheng. Spinning as much bullshit as i could muster i told them i was to visit a friend in Long Cheng ( which was true) and we would turn back the next day and come back the same route. 

For whatever reason heading north to Sam Thong was not going to happen, so after they searched our bags and we had a laugh and a beer (fortunately they were all pretty pissed) they agree to let us pass.

Onwards to the now regular photo spot.

Lots of roadworks along this section, noticed all construction trucks the whole way had armed soldiers with them so something is going on.

Hiding his face when he saw my camera.

Well we made it, not the easiest route but perseverance paid off.

Fully loaded.

We decided to stay two nights and spend a day taking some pictures, we had a visit form the local police and after we had paid the bribe was told we could not go outside town to the north, no pictures of the army camp and we could not visit the royal compound for whatever reason. 

Having said that we still had a good few nights in the company of Mr Sayasomone, they even have a nightclub or sorts to get you into the early hours.

Some shots around town.

The new monks doing the walk around for the first time.

The locked workshop where all the goodies are stored or so they say.

Mud glorious mud.

Not much of a life for these pigs, the sheet to the right is where they are butchered.

Gen Vang Pao’s place.

Spotted this in the bbq pork shop, not sure if its from back in the day but if it is then it would have some stories to tell for sure.

In all its glory skyline ridge, bathed in sunshine.

Monks now have opened the temple.

If you look closely you can still find bits of old war stuff.

The famous strip.

Not exactly premier league.