Lone Brothers MC

Harley Tour - Laos - 20101 - Part 4

Day 18

Approximately 450km Vang Vieng to Thakhek

It sounded for a cozy day. 450 km seems like a lot, but I knew the roads and their condition. Therefore should be to create loosely in 6 hours.

Well-rested, until at 9:00 in the morning. Say goodbye to Steve and his gang and leave away you go first towards Vientiane, the city then left lying (or in this case the right), 12 km before entering the city there is a bypass road to me directly on the S 13 and further brings to Thakhek.

Aussie Steve and his gang

Easy. So far so good!

80 km more to me then the light fell off the bike. One screw and the second was from a very, very loose. Well, raise the middle of Laos Sun Imperialist inch threaded bolts that'll be fun.

Now I probably purely to Vientiane, which is a detour, but I had seen during my previous visit a Land Rover business, so there's still hope. So about 90 km as slowly as possible and avoiding needless jolt to Vientiane. Although I have seen a Land Rover mission, but did not know where the best of intentions. Could really only be so somewhere around the 2 Syri guesthouse around, otherwise I was never really been far away.

After an hour wandering around loose in the city plan, I've finally found it and they could not cure me of course. But she knew of a small motorcycle shop in the vicinity and pointed me the way.

There is a small workshop and such a nice Laotian who speaks not a word of English, but the whole is viewed and silently in front of my scooter.

The broken screw in the thread is still low and needs to be operated on first. Moped dismantle and remove the Gabelbruecke, weld a little bit on the old screw loose and spin out, everything is flash. Then screw it all up, no problem, he has done ratzfatz.

Then we tried to screw the light head again, but since the problem began. He had screws but mm thread, and the fit just does not exist.

But also because he knows Council, sits on his moped and has disappeared.

Not 5 minutes later he is back and has two old rusty screws it .... Fit, I would be best liked him around the neck.

So all together yourself and you're done. Super and in the middle of Laos. And Price:

Legendary USD 5 - (or 40,000 kip). Since I as yet knew that it pulled the plug on the steering head has turned over and gave me the thread in the Gabelbruecke broken, I give him 50,000, and am absolutely happy.

Now it's 3:15 and I'm sitting in Vientiane, a city which I have absolutely no desire to.

Better knowledge again, I sit on the scooter and die off in the direction of Thakhek.

What a shit idea, which was now again. But what the hell, I survived habs.

6:30 WIRDS naehmlich dark and I'm still 100 miles from Thakhek.

Now I know why too was on Lao roads during the day ever so little traffic. All the trucks, large buses, actually all of them have what they are allowed to carry the point until 7:00 in the evening on the road, and since they are all then. And they all seem to have denied and continue toward me and hide me in the eye. I am moving parts as only a 5 km / h and the absolute flying blind. 50 km further then it starts to rain nor to thank God and the dung is perfect. Raindrops on my glasses and truck lights distort the whole look into what undefinable. At walking pace, I feel my way along the roadside. Suddenly I'm not from the oncoming truck geblended, it is as if suddenly be light. Immediately, in the brakes and stop. Since running, no ½ meter in front of me, a black cow across the road. I would have never seen the cattle when they are not short term, the lights of the truck would have obscured. Wow, that was close. What the hell do I have to continue, because nothing more gibts the last 50 km to Thakhek, no village and no inn.

I can do it but then at some point, without bigger problems, but now that I have before so much time left, I've regretted it bitterly.

Thakhek itself is not really worth mentioning. Probably the dirtiest village I have seen Lao and for some reason the most expensive. Here, everything costs twice as much as anywhere else in Laos. It somehow seems such a good starting point for many tourist attractions to be. Jungle trekking, kayaking, climbing, caves, waterfalls tours, elephant, etc. .... Here is a lot to offer, and are therefore ziehmlich few tourists in town and everyone will be excluded.

Day 19

50 km in order to, through and around to Thakhek.

I like it here, not particularly but it rained all morning and I do not really continue with this weather. What the hell, the guest house I had found the Thakhek Travel Lodge, but also quite expensive for what they offer (in proportion to the other places where I was before) but otherwise actually bearable. Well, since I'm stuck and so am not so eigentlch gleucklich about it. Since I've now finally time for me to take care of my hobby. I am collecting car registration number and if possible, and I will one in every country where I am. Since Thakhek actually like a big pile of garbage ausssieht the possibility exists that even one or another broken car to scrap the whole it is. Here we go, again I moped and clatter from all the side streets throughout the village and also find such an old scrap yard where they cut up old cars. The numbers are all off and I just want to go to the search because of a plumber calls me back and pointed to the old zerdeppertes moped, there's a number to it. Everybody can stand on today's date, I can hardly believe. An ancient part, totally kaput, and apparently this thing is already years behind in the dirt and stands on it since 03-08-10! Incredibly, today is the third Aug, 2010, which I must have. As will be discussed seriously, and I bid $ 2.75 for me, then this indicator. Abgeflext and wonderful. The same guy who also wants to pounce over my Harley and flexen down my number. He seems to be of the opinion that I wanted to exchange numbers. I defend my moped and manage to make it in the condition it is in the. I pocket the old number and leave a few Laotians clueless ... .... Touri what this was again??

What a find! The date fits.

Day 20

About 500 km from Thakhek Kong to Iceland (4000 islands) so about 30 km before the border into Cambodia.

Cozy Sleeping is deleted, 6.30, and out onto moped. The S 13 along the detour over Saravanh I leave out and I'll make it easy for about 7 hours on the boat landing place where to take the "ferry" on the main island (Kong Iceland) of the 4,000 islands in the Mekong. So now I'm packing my moped but cobbled together on such a boat and entrust myself to the flooding of the Mekong.

Not very trustworthy, but it floats.

That one in the bow of a boat, growing vegetables and herbs from the floorboards Increases my confidence in the whole craft is not really. But since we already put it is now too late to change my mind again.

Kraeutergarten on board!

Kong is actually quite nice, but not really spectacular. I think because man must now continue on the smaller islands that are there in heaps in the Mekong downriver distributed everywhere. Because apparently have to be anywhere guest houses and bars on all reasonably accessible islands. Backpacker I meet rave about the beauty of the idyllic and small islands. The parties seem to be there every night and celebrated the relaxed island life have it done to them.

Since I do not hinkann as a moped, I'll find out on this trip, but unfortunately not myself. Since the main island surrounded by an asphalt road is still the same me I'm on a reconnaissance trip. Eie island is bigger than I thought, but about 20 minutes so I'm I'm around the whole island. Very nice landscape with rice fields and small fields, all a little mini me, it happens as if even the Wasserbueffel on the island is smaller than on the mainland.

A few beers at the banks of the Mekong and nice chatting with fellow travelers give a calm and pleasant evening.

Day 21

Km - not a plan (but ultimately 800 km from Iceland Kong to Siem Reap)

When I come quickly over the border, then I'm going today to Phnom Penh, which would then be about 650 km, if I need a long time at the border, then I'm behind my plan, in Cambodia, I am familiar, yes.

5:30 Wake up, I want to be first at the border before any tourist buses arrive.

On the ferry, this time I catch a big ferry, there are 3 boats nailed together and I am assured that go on it because cars! Who wants to bring a car on this island? Well, I was also with the Harley there, perhaps there really any more of these ... Rueber shore, about 40 km to the border.

Limit: The Zoellner have all slept half and were glad to get rid of me as they were, so no problem, I'm through and it is grad times 7.30.

Weather great and I am in high spirits. Although Cambodia has more traffic than in Laos, but I'm making good progress. Stung Treng, Kratie, Kompong Cham and on to Memot, about the great Mekong River bridge and continue.

The bike riding is so much fun that I did not decide to go home, but to make a side trip to Siem Reap. Although I was already a few times at Angkor War, but never my Harley. So now everything fits beautifully and the schedule is changed. I risk a glance at my rear tire, which is quite beautiful down. But I will not thereby spoil my mood, and away you go ... ...

Right direction and in Kompong Tom and on to Siem Reap. I reach about SR Sun at 5.00 clock in the afternoon, which were now almost 12 hours of travel time, with border, fill up and smoke breaks for about 800km. Not bad, but I'm done.

Too tired to really eat a lot and drink, I fall into bed soon.

I live in the Sam So Guesthouse at the Wat Bo Street. A / C available for room 12 USD - one with fan costs 8th -. Very nice Khmer family, total clean room, fridge, TV, hot shower, anything your heart desires.

Day 22

Km not much, but I'm looking for a rear tire, I dare myself go with the old not 20 km more to think not because I am doing so on the way to Phnom Penh.

Now it gets about time!

I clatter all workshops that I know do not know, and to find that I'm sent there now and can not find a tire. In a Werkestaette there is such a nice girl the right speaks good English and she is also very proud that they have the right tire for me. 110/80/16, a bit narrow, but if nothing else would fit there ... and I'm at it to buy the tires. Nevertheless, I would like to see in me first. The plastic is processed and there is still a wonderful motocross tires with 3 cm high tunnel to light, well that would be what has become. Although I know that if nothing else I think I'll come here and back end assemblies, these tires. Better than my age, and in PP, I can then sell it to a buddy has the dirt bikes, or exchange it for a small fee for a street tire, so the location is shitty but not quite hopeless.

I drive on "Molly Malone" by House and see Thierry, an old friend already seated at the morning beer, ran right, pure, and am glad that this one is already awake. Thierry himself departs a Transalp, he does so well now and then a tire, maybe he knows something. He sees little hope for me then refers me to his friend Pepe but the Café Indochine, which in turn refers me to his French friend, who run workshops and apparently a big selling motorcycles. A glimmer of hope on the horizon. He describes the way and get going. Out with the Main Street # 6, the airport, Total petrol station on the right, just beyond the next right ... ....'s Not because I am then rumgekurvt long enough in the dirt. It is the last just before the Total Garage, which is the right ... .. Have I then found out also.

Since so sit a group of young Frenchmen who stand around Sun about 20-30 Maschiene of all varieties and sizes, I'm speechless. All of Honda's 1300, 900 Triumph, Kawas, etc. Everything is there anything and everything with french numbers on them.

Well, long story short. The boys knew where they find a tire for me. You have seen that have dripped my carburetor and replaced the broken slat. As a blade adapted from an old quad bike in my Harley carburetor, I'm speechless, by the way they have to down you for the tank, never seen that myself, the screw has fallen out on the steering head .... As if they were purely to make a new one (they had to inch threaded screw bearing ) they have determined that my buddy in Vientiane had turned off the old thread in the Gabelbruecke.

Well, because they could not do much about it, but put through a thin screws and secure with nut. A new thread must be cut and decent judge I probably will in Sihanoukville or PP when I have time. Then they still mending my old helmet, because the belt was riveted again. While I stand on my moped left them without being asked, they gave me a Honda CB 750, so I'm driving around in the meantime, what for. The guys were great class, thrilled at the work, friendly and absolutely helpful.

And has cost me the whole fun, incl tires, blade, screws, rivets, work, etc. Leihmoped entire USD 90 -. I had not expected, more than fair and equitable. That's why I'm doing a little advertising for the guys.

So, if anyone even has a motorcycle problem in Siem Reap, or want to buy a bike:

Le Garage, Siem Reap

Bertrand: tel 017 581 620

sebglassmanprod@live.fr

nicoglassmanprod@live.fr

bhuguenin@free.fr

... These are really nice guys and it also looks as if they knew what they were doing.

Day 23

40 km around Siem Reap

Another day just relaxing before heading back. The weather is gorgeous.

I also trust my quad bike and ride lamella not quite here, therefore, a few miles through the neighborhood to see whether or not keeps the whole. No problem, the thing seems to work, also keeps the handlebars, and I'm happy with my new tires, the old one was really at the end. Since I was last down to the mm. Less than 50 km more and the thing would be probably burst.

The surrounding area of ​​Siem Reap is fantastic, the temple is a madness, and as always I Enjoy using the little drive.

One of the temples in Siem Reap, Angkor Wat - for all know that's not yet.

As I reported in earlier yes touring motorcycle trip reports already about to Siem Reap and also had a lot of photos AngkorWat have put into the net, I will not miss about it longer. Simply fantastic, believe me, and whoever wants to know more or need info searched my old reports: wernermennel@ymail.com

Day 24

Approximately 400 km Siem Reap - Phnom Penh

At the beginning of my report I wrote: The roads in Cambodia are good and I come forward quickly. Well, after I got used the great roads of Laos, the way I come here more like patchwork, no comparison with the quality in Laos. What the hell, I was also satisfied earlier.

Finally, again really good dinner is the Urs in "William Tell". Since I spoil myself again with rarity: a really good European food.

Day 25

Approximately 240 km Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville

Well, here again are the major consideration: put under rain suit or dress and drink beer until the rain is over.

Otherwise, nothing more magnificent on this track.

Finally back in Sihanoukville. Now, after approximately 6050 km I've driven in Leo in the Bavaria of course deserves a double lentil soup (with sausage). The old Bayer operates as a small pub and serves really good food. This lentil soup I was looking forward to the last 100 km or so.

Then of course it goes back in the Lone Brothers Bar, our club house, where my journey has finally officially to an end. Since there is cold beer, good music and a lot to tell.

Back home

So all in all:

6042 km driven in 25 days

No accident (no tiger bites or so)

2x almost died

Oil changed 3x (5x gear oil) = about 11 liters

42x tank (about 275 liters of fuel) yep Sun about 4 to 4 ½ liters per 100 km, is already, right?

2 rear tires used (but still on the same front tire, which is also due soon

3x become wet (but really only once dirty, the naehmlich from start to finish!)

3x Gluehbirne replaced the taillight (probably slowed down too much?)

8x moped washed (leave)

3 days with 0 km - most of the day after the 800 km were of Kong Iceland Siem Reap

Drinking beer, I also a few that I do not know how many have.

And now I'm back.

Thanks and greetings to all those who have persevered this far and have read my entire report.

Cheers, and keep the rubber side down

Werner, your Lone Brother, back in Cambodia

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