Before leaving Sepon, we went to visit the old village which was completely obliterated during the bombing raids of the 60s and 70s. Around 25,000 people have been killed or injured by cluster bombs or explosives in Laos since the end of the war, and this was a stark reminder of the important work our teams in the field are doing to make the land safe.
With a brilliant send off from HALO Laos we set off, slightly daunted by the challenge ahead but excited to be on the road.
Riding unsupported we needed to carry all our spares on our bikes. After having wheel clearance issues, I was going to have to travel light—only 2 pairs of pants for me! We christened Paul’s bike ‘the tank’ as he seemed to be carrying gear for every eventuality, although we did persuade him to leave the tent behind.
Day 2: Dongkilo to Xebangnouane 140km
Following the intense heat (and sunburn) of the first day we were up at dawn to try and get some miles in before the sun became unbearable. The local monks were collecting alms as we left Dongkilo.
It was rice harvest season and cycling was definitely the best way to see this beautiful country. In Savannaket province, where 70 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, most families are almost entirely dependent on growing rice, but unexploded bombs make cultivation potentially life threatening. As well as clearing explosives, our teams in Laos teach families how to recognise and report dangerous items, preventing life-changing accidents.
We stopped at the side of the road for a suspected puncture and met a family creating incredible wood carvings—we just wished we could strap one on the bikes to bring with us.
Day 3: Xebangnouane to Pakse 130km
This was a tough day. We’d arrived in Xebangnouane village late the night before and struggled to find a place to sleep, or any food—who would have thought you could run out of rice in Laos! Carly was taken ill and the prospect of covering 130km looked insurmountable as we set off at a dawn.
We dug in and after nearly 12 hours on the road, and a brief respite with an amazing family who shared their floor and noodles with us, we crawled in to Pakse.
Day 4: Pakse to Thang Beng 50km
We took the morning to recover in Pakse with a traditional Laos massage for our battered bodies. After a brief stop at the hospital to ensure Carly’s severe chest pain was nothing sinister, it was time to get back on the road.
Each small district in Laos has its own speciality, so as we travelled along the road we moved from basket weavers, to lotus seed sellers, coconuts and banana stalls.
Day 5: Thang Beng to Dong Kralor – Cambodia! 120km
This was a very exciting day as we struck out towards the Cambodian border at Veun Kham. Crossing a country border by bike was a first for all of us.
HALO has been working in Cambodia for 28 years and employs around 1000 local staff, clearing hundreds of landmines every month.
On crossing the border, the tarmac road literally disappeared and as the light started to fail we desperately hoped that the border official’s advice that there wasn’t a guest house for another 70km was wrong!
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