February 11, 2004

Road to no-where

Nam Hin Bun, Laos

I've heard tell of another cave. This one is four kilometres long and goes right through a mountain. I've got to see that. It's a little off the beaten track though so it's going to take a bit of effort to get to.

First stage is easy, a bus heading south out of Vientienne. I take this for about four hours until I reach a junction in the road. I'm the only foreigner on the bus and no-one speaks english but I manage to get to my stop okay. Next stage is a sawngthaew (a small truck with two benches in the back) for about an hour to a small village. Part-way along the road the driver stops and comes around the back and motions for me to get out. I dutifully pick up my backpack and start to get off when he indicates that I should leave the pack behind. Ever obedient I do so and realise that he wants me to climb a small hill on the side of the road. I do so and see the most stunning view. A couple of photos later I'm back in the truck and thanking my fellow passengers with a few biscuits for waiting for me.

We reach the village of Ban Na Hin but now I need to get to Ban Na Phuak. It's now after two o'clock so no regular transport will be going down the rough road. There's nothing for it but to charter a jumbo, a sort of small three-wheeled sawngthaew that uses a motorbike engine. I find a driver and we're soon off, stopping to pick up his mate who brings along a machete. Hope that's not a bad sign.

After an hour we reach Ban Na Phuak. The road from here is pretty rough so the driver suggests I take a boat the rest of the way. I had that in mind anyway so we track down a potential captain. The suggested price is 150000k, about $10. Pretty expensive in these parts but the captain explains that it's a four hour trip. Two hours there and two hours back for him I'm thinking. Seems fair enough. We agree and he grabs his outboard motor from his small house and we head down to the river.

His young son is coming with us also and he fetches the boat. Sort of a long canoe. Only room for two or three passengers at most. I'm expecting to get wet so I take off my boots and socks. Sure enough, before too long I'm in the water helping to push the boat through some shallow water. It's getting towards the end of the dry season so all the rivers are low.

The trip was pretty entertaining. Lots of riverside villagers waving as we pass. Plenty of opportunity to get wet as we hit lots of shallow water. We've travelled for about two hours, sunset is approaching, and I'm wondering if we're getting close. The captain speaks no english so there's no chance to ask him.

On we go, the sun sets, the stars begin to appear and the boat captain produces a strong torch that he attaches to his head. His young son has a smaller one for checking shallows at the front of the boat. Okay, this is getting interesting now. At this point the journey alternates between tranquility, as I lie back and look up at the stars above, and frantic activity, as we all jump out to push around various obstacles and shallows. Made much more tricky in the dark.

The thrill of it all is really beginning to wane when a light appears in the distance. Could this be Sala Bin Houn? My destination. Indeed it was, four hours after starting. When the captain said four hours he was talking about one way. I struggle up the steps from the river and across to the guest house restaurant. Do they have a room? I haven't booked and I'm stuffed if they don't because there's nothing else out here. They do, and it's with some relief that I shout the captain and his son a can of coke for their efforts. They can't stay long because they have a four hour journey (at least) back home tonight. My thoughts were with them as I lit a candle in my room and settled in to my warm bed.

Posted by David at February 11, 2004 02:19 AM