From Phonsavan, I had a long day of riding to get to Ban Nahin, which is near the Kong Lo cave (Tham Kong Lo)
I’m starting to find that as soon as you get off the few main roads in Laos, long stretches of dirt become fairly common.
I’m also starting to find that I’m getting more tired with each day…lots of hours on rough roads are starting to take their toll. And for anyone out there who thinks riding a motorcycle can’t be that physical, try it out.



These tractor type vehicles are all over Laos

Trying to stay on every bit of pavement that I can

Fairly narrow roads, but nothing out of the ordinary

Might want to stick to the outside while going around this corner

What I got to look at along the way


           

When I arrived in Ban Nahin and got settled in, I decided it was time to try and get my bent front tire back into a little better shape.
Step 1: remove wheel

Step 2: remove tire

Step 3: swear and push

The next day, I took the boat tour through Kong Lo Cave (or Kong Lor cave, depending who’s writing it).
The cave is about 7km long and up to 100m high in some parts, and a river flows the entire way through it.

There’s only one small section that has any lights, and you get out there to walk around a bit, otherwise the whole trip is by boat (minus one or two quick bits where you have to jump out so the boat can be pulled through a section of rapids). So the majority of the time, you’re in the pitch black, with nothing but a headlamp to try and illuminate the cave walls…oftentimes, this is the view you have, especially in the very large sections where the headlamp doesn’t do all that much.

The section you walk through is well lit and lets you see some of the formations close up.





One of the few signs to help direct the boat. The driver in the back, and the spotter in the front, both are constantly scanning the water identifying any obstacles, but the whole time they’re going at a pretty decent pace, which adds to the excitement.

One section of rapids we had to get out and drag the boat through. I shouldn’t say we. The driver and spotter worked on the boat while I took photos.

Getting a little sunlight as we exit the back end of the cave
           

           
And after the return trip, coming back out the entrance