This is the last day of my stay in south east Asia. I stopped at a guest house in Boten, a village 7km south of the border.
あっという間の東南アジアも今夜で最後。最後の夜は国境手前7キロにあるボーテン。





There were no restaurant, but I found a Yakitori place so could eat it with drinking Beer Lao.
食堂もない小さな村だが、青空焼き鳥屋があって最後のビアラオを焼き鳥と共に飲む事ができた。



From tomorrow, I will start cycling China.
明日からいよいよ長い中国生活が始まります。

Mekong river I see here became narrower than I saw it in south. It will be even more in north where I am heading.

だいぶメコンの川幅も狭まって来た。多分、これから見る度に川幅が狭くなるんだろうね。




For 3 days, I didn't look around town. This town is too touristic for me so not very interesting. For me, its much fun to cycle and visit remote area to see real life of people.

この3日間、観光はほとんどしなかった。観光地臭が強いとあまり興味がわかない。やっぱり自転車こいで、辺鄙な場所を訪ねるのが面白い。



I liked my guest house located by pretty quiet street.

宿はとても静かな場所にあって気に入ってた。




I couldn't meet any Japanese but met a cyclist from Israel. We hung up and went some places during my stay. He is going to south and will finish in Vietnam.

日本人には会えなかったけど、イスラエルサイクリストの と会い、2人で街を走ったり、飯を食べながら旅の話をして楽しんだ。彼は南下組でベトナムを少し走っておしまいらしい。




It was interesting to talk to him to know the culture of his country because I've never met someone from Israel.

イスラエルの人間とは始めて知り合ったから、国や宗教なんかの話はとても興味深かった。



China is only 300km away from here.

あと300kmも走れば中国。



For anyone who read my blog through Facebook. I want to inform that I won't be able to look at Facebook in China, so don't think I ignore your comments if you posted. I just can't.

フェイスブックを使って見て頂いてる皆さん。中国はフェイスブック使えないんで、コメントが見れません。返答なくても冷たい奴だと思わないで下さいね。



Actually, my blog, FC2, doesn't work nether but my cousin will help me to update so please keep tracking me.

実際今のFC2も見れないんだけど、親戚と連携しアップはしてきますので宜しくお願いします。



I hope I can update once before I leave Laos.

ラオスであと1回くらいアップできるかな。



Luang Prabang.

Is to enjoy a steam sauna here.
は、スチームサウナに行く為。



My friend told me that there was a nice sauna in Luang Parbang, so I decided to be heading here instead of taking highway 1 that goes more north to Udomxay.

先日、友人からこの情報を入手し、国道1号を通り、ウドムサイに抜けるルートを変更し、内陸を通ってここまでやってきた。



So, I'm now in Luang Prabang.
というわけで今ルアンパパーンです。



There were some big passes that go up about 20km last 100km. My all muscles worked very hard.

手前100kmは20キロ前後の長い長い峠がいくつかあって、久々に全身の筋肉が燃え上がりました。




After I got here, I went straight to steam sauna. It's good timing to be here because I was pretty tired.

ルアンパパーンに着いて、ずーと待ち焦がれたスチームサウナへ。かなり疲れてたから本当ちょうど良いタイミング。



The sauna was located in Lao red-cross so seemed many local used this place.

サウナはラオス赤十字の中にある事もあり、地元の利用客も多いようだった。



I payed 10000kip and borrowed towel and Salon. Kept my valuable stuff in a locker. Then ready to get in.

受付で10000kipを支払い、サロンとタオルを借りる。貴重品なんかはロッカーにあずけていざサウナへ。



There was couple of small rooms about 2 square meters and a bench inside where herbal plants smoke coming out. Inside was all smoked out so couldn't see anything.

2畳くらいのスペースにベンチがあって、その下から薬草煙がもくもく。中は煙で全く見えない。



All my body got sweat. Once you go out, there were hot herbal tea that smells same of smoke prepared. It's free so I could drink anytime I came out.

汗だくになって外に出ると、煙と同じ匂いの薬草茶が用意されてて、涼みながらそれをごくごく飲み干す。もちろん飲み放題。



I did same repetition for one hour. After that, I felt all my body clean up.

これを1時間くらい繰り返した。何か身体の中から綺麗になった感じ。



I didn't finish yet. I got body massage as well. It only cost me 40000kip($4) and they gave me 1hour full body massage.

ここで終われないのが私、マッサージまでしてもらい、正に疲れ解消のフルコース。だって40000kipで1時間もマッサージしてもらえるんだもん。



A person massaged all of my body including tip of fingers. I was feeling "going up heaven"

ほぐれた身体を指先から足先まで、1時間じっくり揉んでもらい、おかげで気分はゴートゥーヘブン。



It's really recommended. I guarantee you will be satisfied.

いやいや、ルアンパパーンに来たら必ず行くべし。大大大満足間違いない。

I experienced this symptoms; fever and stomachache, when I was in Sumatra. Those always appeared when I was tired but couldn't get enough sleep for awhile.

これスマトラで味わった原因不明の発熱と腹痛。疲れと寝不足が続くとこうなる。









At the guest house in Pornsavan, since it's located by main street, pretty noisy. I couldn't get good sleep for two days.

ポーンサワンのゲストハウスは大通りに面していて車や人の声がうるさくて、2日間あまり眠れていなかった。









It's pain my ass I got into Lao without visa; 15days stay and already spent 5 days so far.

こんな時、ビザ無しで入っているから15日しかないのは痛い。









I wanted to move to quieter place so decided to take off. That day, I cycled 50km without meal in such crappy shape. Very difficult to cross mountains.

もっと静かな場所に移動すべく先に進む。っといってもこの日は50キロも走った。飯なし、発熱、腹痛の中の山越えは辛かった。












Eventually, I reached Nong Tang where a guest house was.

昼過ぎ、何とかノンタン村のゲストハウスに到着。










I run into my bet and slept like dead man.

何もせず、真っ先にベットに倒れ込む。静かな場所だった事もあり夜も死んだ人間のようにグッスリ。










Next day, my body recovered like brand new. I had a same experience in Sumatra, and that time was also same; my body recovered in one night with good sleep.

翌朝、身体は何もなかったかのように回復。スマトラ島でも同じ経験をしたが、あの時もグッスリ寝たら次の日は回復してた。









What a amazing human body is.

人間の身体って、本当におもしろいですね。









Anyway, I'm now in Phou Khou, 120km south of Luang Prabang.

っという事もありながら、今はルアンパパーンから120キロ程手前のポウコウ。










I enjoyed cycling in mountains especially, when I cycled along mountain ridge.

やっぱり山越えは楽しいね。特に山の尾根沿いに進む道なんかは最高。




















Its regret that this month is for burning fields so very smoky and hazy. Also, many mountains in Lao are bolded out.

残念なのは、今は野焼きの季節で全体的にかすみがかってる。それに、ラオスの山はハゲ山だらけ。











I thought there were used to be beautiful forest all around.
昔は綺麗な森が広がってたんだろうな～










Almost I reach to Luang Prabang. I hope I can see Japanese; I haven't seen any since SiemReap. I miss speaking in Japanese so much.

もうすぐルアンパパーン。日本人に会えるかな～ シェムリアップ出てから日本人に会ってないから、久々に日本語喋りたいな～

Today is my day off. I'm now in Phonsavan.

今日は休息日、現在ポーンサワンに滞在しております。





I used my day off for visiting to a place called "Plain of Jars"

休息日を利用して、町から少し離れた場所にある、ジャール平原なる場所までポタって参りました。






Even though it's a day off when I should take a rest, I cycled. Cycling is like part of my life cycle right now.

休息日に自転車でポタるなんて、自転車ヤローの性ですね。






In this place, there are many jars made from rocks, and those were created by ancient people here. There were not accurate definition why people made those.

ここは古代人間が造ったとみられる岩のツボがゴロゴロ丘に転がってる場所で、何に使われていたかははっきりとしてないらしい。






The most strong theory is now that those were made for as coffins buried with body after cremation and jewelry.

有力な説は、死んだ人間を火葬した後に、宝飾品などと一緒にツボの中に入れていたのではないかという。






This area were used to be main base of Lao libertarians during Vietnam war so there were many craters by bombs that the U.S. dropped.

この場所はベトナム戦争時代にラオス解放軍の拠点があった場所で、そこらじゅうに米軍の爆撃でできたクレーターが残っている。








I heard that there are still many unexploded bombs in this area. I saw some people used those as things for hanging Landry.

不発弾なんかもまだあるみたい。この町に来る途中、家の軒先で洗濯を干す物干し台として使われてる不発弾の残骸を何箇所かで見かけた。








People use ruins that might remind them sad history. What Lao are very strong spirit.

過去の悲しい歴史の残骸を、今は生活の道具として使うなんて、ラオス人は本当にたくましい。






Anyway, rest of the day is all off.
という事て残りの今日は完全オフ。






I had a little good thing.
ちょっと嬉しい事があった。







I got a Beer Lao sticker that I have been looking for.
ずっと欲しかった、ラオスのビール、ビアラオのステッカーをゲット。





Since I had nothing to do, I walked around town and found a distributer of it. Fortunately, a salesman was visiting there and he had some stickers. Then I got 2..

暇だから待を歩いて、ビアラオの問屋まで乗り込んでみたら、ちょうど営業の人が来てて、2枚もらった。




I stick on it on my bike and move forward from tomorrow.
これを自転車に貼り付け、明日から走り始めま～す。

Got back into Laos and received 15 days again. Since I need to get into China by march 7th, it's about what I scheduled.

ラオスに再入国。再び15日だから3月4日まで。中国ビザの事もあるからちょうど良いくらい。









It was very tuff climbing to the pass as I expected.
やっぱり国境の峠越えはキツかった。






But, still liked cycling mountain.
でも、やっぱり山はいいね。






Until Lao border, its been foggy, so the road was very wet and muddy. I heard that the weather of this area was like that in this time of year.
ラオス手前までずっと霧。道はビチャビチャドロドロ。この時期ベトナム北部を中心にこんな天気が多いらしい。








It's not much heavy upping down until Muon Xen, but from there to after few kilometer of the border, the road became steep. I took 6 hours for 30km from Muon Xen.

Muon Xenまではアップダウンもそれほど気になる程はなかったが、ここから国境、その先ラオス側のNong Hatまで30キロ 胸付八丁の上り坂。この30キロに6時間かかった。。




In Non Cam where the gate located, got a stump for departure. Cycled 200m from Vietnam gate, got a stump for arrival at Laos gate. This gate was in good shape both side of countries.

Non Camのベトナムボーダーで出国スタンプをもらい、200mくらい進んだラオスボーダーで入国スタンプ。このボーダーは両国とも綺麗な建物だった。













In high elevation area, it was all fogged out, so I couldn't enjoy the view. But on the way up, the mountain view was pretty nice.

峠付近は完全に雲の中で景色なんか何も見えなかったが、その手前まではなかなかの景色だった。













For my opinion for cycling in Vietnam, people were very friendly but i felt sometime too much. I got invited having tee several times.

ベトナムを走って思ったが、ベトナム人はすごくフレンドリー。フレンドリーすぎでたまにウザイが、茶に招待されるのもしばしば。





Accommodation were very cheep, and food was perfect. I didn't feel people to try to trick me when I pay for something. I stayed there only 8 days, but overall, it was good cycling. I might have felt differently if I cycled in big towns.

宿は安いし、飯は美味い。そんなにボッてくる感じはないし、8日間だけだが印象は良かった。多分都心部に行けばまた違う印象だったんだろう。



For me, I still like Laos better so cycle again now.

でもやっぱり自分的にはラオスが好きだな。だからまたラオスに入ります。


Bye bye pho. Welcome to Beer Lao

It was still ruff off road after Kengtapa village for awhile but finally got out of it and the road connected smooth dirt road.

ケンタパン村を出てからもしばらく山路は続いたが、何とかまともな未舗装路に出る事が出来た。






This road went along beautiful canyon, and there were many nice clean streams camping out from mountains.

ラオスの山々の谷間を爽快な未舗装路が続いていて、道端には綺麗な湧き水なんかもあった。









However, good mood was ended up in Ban Nabong. There was a pretty big river without any bridge and boat crossing.

しかし！バンナボン村を越えたところで、橋もなければ渡し舟もない大きな川にはばまれる。







I thought "How I should do...." then decided to cross by myself because I saw people crossing.

しばらく考え込んだが、行くしかないっしょ。村人は腰まで水につかって川を渡ってるし。







It took me 3 times going and back to move all of my bags and everything in other side of the river. Bags were so heavy, and I got wet until my waist so was very exhausted.

3回に分け、荷物と自転車を担ぎながら川を渡った。けっこう川幅もあったし、荷物が重かったから、全てを終えた後は正に燃えかすのごとく川岸にへたりこんだ。







I was supposed to go right before Vietnam border. Since I took me awhile to cross the river, I ended up in a small village, Ban Senpang and stayed at somebody in this village.

予定では、今日ベトナム国境手前まで進む予定だったが、川を渡ったりなんかした関係で日がくれてしまい、国境よりだいぶ手前のセンパン村で民泊。






People in this village also live in ancient way, but there were TV, Power and Phone. It's no doubt I really enjoyed cold pepsi.

ここも大分ワイルドな生活をしている村だが、電気やテレビ、携帯もみんな使っていた。久々に飲んだ冷えたペプシは旨かったっす。

It's very tuff for cycling local Lao road.
いや～ラオスのローカル道は手強い。






Stayed Nabo village for two days. Still tired but took off due to dead line of my china visa.

ナボ村の宿で2泊、山路の疲れは残ってはいたけど、中国ビザのお尻が近づいているから出る。






Road No.28; Nabo village to Napkhon village was all sealed. Stopped by police man because he let me have a break first and bear with him.

ナボ村からソプコン村までの道のり(28号線)は気持ちの良い舗装路。途中の警察署で朝飯とビールをご馳走になりながら、のらりくらりと進んだ。







From there to Kengtapa village, about 40km, it was very tuff.

そこからケンタパン村までの40キロくらいが手強かった。






I cycled mountain road like I did last time.

再び登山道みたいな道を進む事になるらしい。まさにアドベンチャー道再び。














This road was wider line on my map. Also police man I met in this morning said it should be fine, so I expected easy. I grumbled "shit again...."

地図上では太めの線でのってたし、警察署の人に聞いた時「問題ない」って事だったから安心しきってたから「またかよ～」って思わずぼやいた。






Asking people the way to go and finally I reached the village.

人に道を聞きながらやっとそれらしき村に到着。







What I saw at first was women who's teat out of shirts.

最初に目に入ったのは、乳首をテロ～ンと出して話し込む若い女性達。





I was like "oh my god...what a hell where I am"

すげ～場所に来てしまったと心で叫んだ。










I checked later that there was no electricity, Gus, TV, telephone, and well. People in this village do everything on a river nearby and get food from mountain and river; self-sufficient.

後々確認したが、この村には電気、ガス、テレビ、電話、井戸もない。近くの川で全て事を済ませ、食料も畑や山で収穫した山菜を食べ、完全に自給自足しているようだった。








I found a guy and asked to let me stay there. Many people came out and around me.

早速、人の良さそうな若い兄さんに声をかけ、宿泊交渉。村中の人達が集まって来て、自分の周りは人だらけ。







Seems they don't get used to see outsiders so they looked at me very strange but so curious about me.

多分、外部の人間を見慣れてないのか、みんな警戒しているようだったが、興味津々。







I spoke in a bit of Lao and did body language to explain what I do. The atmosphere got calm. Eventually a leader of this village let me stay his home.

カタコトのラオ語と身振り手振りで話すうちに場は和み。村のリーダーかくの人の家にお世話になれる事になった。








He lives with a wife, mother and sisters; 5 people in his home. His mother, Grandma Kiumapharn took care of me a lot so I very pleased how she did to me.

彼は妻がいて、母と妹2人、計5人ですんでいるようだ。お母さんのキウマパーンお婆ちゃんが良く面倒をかけてくれ、本当に感謝感謝。









People in this village very curious everything what I do so they followed me every time I moved.

村の人達は自分がする事全てが気になるようで、動くたびに人がゾロゾロ付いて来る。







For about when I swam in the river with naked. I looked at behind. There was some people looking at me so I was like "Come on...please....."

川で素っ裸で水浴びをしていた時、後ろを振り返ると、岸から何人も人が見てて、さすがに勘弁してくれーといった感じ。





During the night, people there used only candles and torch so very dark outside. But there was soooooo many stars on the sky.

村では、夜は焚火やロウソクの火で生活していて、外は真っ暗。ただ、星の量がハンパなくて、外でしばらくボーっとしてしまった。







In the morning, when I was preparing my bike. Grandma gave me a huge rice ball so I felt a bit sad to leave here.

早朝、出発の支度をしてると、キウマパーンお婆ちゃんが特大のおにぎりを準備してくれていて、少しウルウルきた。








The taste of it was better than any other nice lunch I could take.

おにぎりの味はどんなあったかい飯より暖かかったです。



To be continued.
続く

It's cold during night and morning in mountainous area even though I'm still in south.

やっぱり南部といっても山間部は朝晩は冷える。






Took off from Mr.Lao in flesh air.
澄んだ空気の中ラオ氏のお宅を去る。






It's still bad road until noon so I struggled. Then finally I reached a smooth dirt road. I hate a car going by with making huge dust but in this time very happy to see that.

出発して昼頃までは悪路に苦戦し、やっとスムースダートロードにたどり着く。普段なら土煙を上げて猛スピードで走る車を見るとムカつくが、この時ばかりは嬉しかった。









This road goes through a national park and stretch until a village, Muang Pin.
この道はナショナルパーク内を突っ切り、ムアンピンまで続いていた。









I hit high way 9 and kept going until a village, Nabo, where a local road I will take next start.
ムアンピンで国道9号に合流し、そのまま東に進み、次なるローカル道28号線と根分かれするナボ村まで進む。




This village was small but I fount a guest house, 50000Kip so could take a rest in proper room.

村とはいってもゲストハウス(50000K)を見付ける事ができ、久々のまともなゲストハウスで休息をとった。

The road became really bad after Tomulan village. It's like hiking trail.

トムラン村を出発してからすぐに道が明らかに悪路と化し、いやむしろ登山道と化してゆく。





Pushing, of cause and also carried sometimes.

自転車を押して登るは、かついで登るは険しい道のりだった。
















I recommend this road my previous blog but think for anybody really like off road and adventurous road. I think a bike need to be for off load otherwise the bike might be seriously damaged.

前回、オフロード好きなサイクリストにオススメと言ったが、かなりのアドベンチャーをしたいならオススメ。まずオフロード使用の自転車でないと自転車痛めると思う。



I took off 7am that day but only moved forward 40km until 2pm.

朝7時に出発して14時なっても40キロしか進めなかった。








I was totally exhausted and finally got a small village. Actually i was supposed to go to Muang Pin, but it's already about the time to wrap up. Only my choice was to stay in this village.

ヘロヘロになりながら、やっと村といえる場所に到着。本来だとこれより60キロ先のムアンピンまで進む予定だったが、時間的にムリ。この村、バンタサウ村で一泊するしかなかった。






Of cause there were no guest house, temples, police office, so needed to ask local people to let me stay.

もちろんゲストハウスなんぞなく、寺もなければ警察署もない。民泊交渉にはいる。







Heavenly, I could meet a local person Mr.Sue Rao and he let me stayed his home.

こんな時に神がかりな良い出会いがあり、シュラオ氏の家に泊めてもらえる事になった。






He was native Lao, they are called "Rao Tun"and has 5 children. His job is to help a village headman. Those are accorded by a man speaking English I will mention later.

彼は、ネイティブラオス人のラオトゥンで、5人の子供の父。村長の秘書的な事をしているらしい(後で登場する英語を喋れる男性に聞いた内容)。





In his home, I could play with kids, and he let me join his dinner.

ラオ氏の家では子供達とたわむれさせてもらい、夕ご飯もご一緒させてもらった。










For about a man, I met him when I went to village well to take a bath.

例の英語を喋れる男性とは、夕方に村の井戸で水浴びをさせてもらいに行った時出会った。






He works in a big government project to develop these area supported by world bank and visited there for population survey.

彼はラオス政府と世界銀行が進める、ラオスの開発発展事業で働いていて、孤立した村村で人口調査をしているらしい。






He visited me that night, so I could hear very interesting things.

この男性が夜、ラオ氏の家に訪ねて来てくれて、とても貴重な話を聞く事ができた。







Included Ban Tasau village, there are many isolated village without social system in Laos. For people in this village, they need to walk in mountain for 4 hour to get a proper hospital; this hospital is in Tomulan where I stayed last night.

バンタサウ村を含め、この辺りは孤立していて、ちゃんとした道、公設施設がないらしい。一番近くの診療所は自分が昨夜泊まったトムラン村にしかなく、山路を歩いて4時間かかるらしい。






Its no wonder why some patient visited me to ask medicine. In that time, I gave them some kinds that I have enough. I hope they go hospital soon. I also got a person cut his fingers very badly. I did first-aid treatment as much as I could. He was carried to a hospital 60 km away by motor cycle.

どうりで、自分の所に数人の病人が訪ねて来たわけだ。そん時は、余分に持っていた風邪薬なんかは分けてあげる事はできたが、対した量じゃないから、早めに病院に行ってほしい。夕方には、仕事で指を切った人が訪ねて来たから、知る限りの応急処置をしてあげ、彼はバイクで遠くのムアンピン村の病院に運ばれて行った。






Back to about the project a man speaking does, when this project got done, there will be a paved road, proper hospital, police office, school and etc. He said it takes about 4 years.

話は戻り、このプロジェクトは4年越しで、完了すれば舗装路がムアンピンからサラワンまででき、学校や警察署、市場なんかもできるらしい。






I like to visit this village again after this project done.

是非、プロジェクトが終わった後にまた訪ねてみたい。