The rain appeared to be well and truly gone this morning so we decided to head north to Muang Sing. Nicky wasn't quite ready to tackle the 60km on the bike so we opted to catch a bus. The 'bus' turned out to be a mini-van and it caused a lot of interest at the station when the driver began negotiating how he would strap the bikes on to the roof of the van.
(A bit of an audience while the bikes are loaded. Our driver was a Man United fan)
The journey to Muang Sing was lovely. We passed countryside where people seemed to defy the landscape by growing crops on very steep hills, and small villages made up of wooden houses with straw roofs and with one room inside. The road was in very poor condition and so rather than trying to drive on the right side of the road, it was more a case of driving where there were the least pot holes which made for a pretty bumpy ride.
Muang Sing itself is a small town close to the Chinese border. It is at the heart of the Golden Triangle region and was once a part of the opium trail that flowed through the area. Easy to grow, opium was a lucrative business for some of the tribes. The Government has stamped it out and most tribes have converted to growing fruit and vegetables and selling traditional handicrafts.
Paul had recently found a great resource called Hobo Maps which outlined a 20km cycling loop around the outskirts of Muang Sing and so we spent the afternoon exploring that route. We passed through a few small villages where the people seemed surprised to see Westerners (or "falangs" as they call us) but they greeted us with smiles and waves.
(Rice fields in Muang Sing)
(Bananas growing by the side of the road. The banana flower is used in traditional Lao and Thai food)
(Women wearing a traditional conical style hat)
We saw huge contrasts in standards of living in Muang Sing. While many continue to live in the humble wooden buildings, more and more seem to be opting for brick and concrete with some very grand, palatial homes under construction too. We have read that the gap between rich and poor is widening in Laos and it certainly seems to be the case in Muang Sing.
(One of the large homes being built in Muang Sing)
(An old temple that has seen better days)
Our accommodation for the night is reminiscent of an old hospital with long dark corridors and high ceilings. It is big and echoey and a little bit spooky. We're glad to only be here for one night and plan to get an early start in the morning.
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