Earlier I decided to avoid the stretch of road between Veng Vieng and Luang Prabang, due to a recent incident with some armed bandits. I retracted that decision about halfway through my circuit around Vietnam’s northwest mountains. Tomorrow I set off for Luang Prabang.
The rationalization for the change of heart is simple. Bus crashes are far more likely than robberies. The highway is crawling with military after the incident. The road is probably safer than ever. In fact, I’ve already cycled past the location of the robbery four times, on my way to some local caves.
The motivation is also simple. I like biking over big hills. The sawtooth elevation charts promise lots of uphill pain and downhill fun. The limestone karsts along Highway 13, among the tallest in Southeast Asia, promise incomparable scenery.
For all those following along at home with a big map of the world and box of pushpins, here’s the rough plan for the next few weeks: bike to Luang Prabang; bike and boat to the Thai border; bike to Chiang Mai; thence by bus to Bangkok. Time permitting, race to the south of Thailand to see the pretty fishies. Fly from Bangkok to Kunming; spend two months in China.
