Steven Raucher's World Tour

2001-06-25 in Luang Prabang, Laos
Luang Prabang to Vientiane � a driver�s story.

The biggest surprise of the whole trip happened right here on the road from Luang Prabang.

I knew it was a very beautiful country, full of lush vegetation and rural villages, I knew everyone smiles in Laos even though it is the most bombed country in the history of warfare (Ho Chi Minh Trail etc etc). First the people overwhelm you with honest smiles then the children, who are everywhere, show such energy and happiness while they line up on the side of the road, waving, as if one were about to receive a tickertape parade.

But then there is the landscape. This road cuts through valleys and climbs over modest mountains (avg 1400 metres) and takes one through the most beautiful scenic ride of one�s life. Some of the valleys look like a shot of some kind of �The Land Time Forgot� kind of movie.

Occasionally there is a village and very occasionally there is even a town but for the most part it is just jungle and vistas. I cannot write more than this, as I am still trying to wipe the smile off my face. The best piece of advice I can give is get on a plane, come to Laos, bring a camera, hire a bike�

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come on - get yer knee down

check out this scenery! Wow.

Bumping into the Swiss: left to right: Martin (Africa Twin); Ariella (my bike); Paul (R80GS); Gion (XT 550); Richard (R100GS-PD); Barbara (Africa Twin)

The rice fields after the rain. very photogenic.

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