April 21st, 2024.
Last couple of days have been resting and meeting new people days. After the Thakhek Loop, the body just asks for care. Sleep, rest, food, water. It wants and needs it all. It deserves it, after a long motorcycle ride. The soul, on the other hand, is topped up, full of joy and wonder and happiness to share.
For me, the resting involved going to Cafe Amazon in Thakhek, enjoying the AC, some Lemonade tea and watching an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Right now, this show is my therapy and my healing. It’s catharsis on a screen. For food, eating Pad Thai two different times at the night market seemed to satisfy my body. With sharing the wonder and happiness of the Loop, I met four new friends, from Germany, Netherlands, England, and France. They had done the loop together and were resting the day after the loop and then heading to Vientiane, the same as me.
The Loop, or any long motorcycle trip for that matter, are reminders of the freedom that’s out there. Out there on the countryside, passing remote villages and beautiful scenery. There’s no barrier between what’s out there and you. It’s the literal meaning of the journey is the destination.
With still much to process from the experience, I could offer some ephemeral advise for this Thakhek Loop:
Stay in Sabaidee Guesthouse: If you do the loop counter-clockwise, as most people do, sleep the first day in Thalang, in Sabaidee Guesthouse. This is the place where everyone stays the first day. The staff is kind, and on most days, they do a barbecue where you can eat great food, meet people and share the day’s stories. Also, consider seeing the sunset at the bridge or the terrace at Phosy Thalang Laos.
While passing villages, go slow, stop often: If you do, you will more likely see better how people live, see faces, stores, and shops. I started doing this, and it makes the ride so much more enjoyable. While passing the villages, say sabaidee to people, smile.
Drive in the early morning (if you can): In the morning, everything feels slower, more relax. You will get to see people getting ready for work, children ready for school. Roads are emptier, the light is beautiful, and the weather is fresh.
For semi-automatic bikes, be careful of going from fourth to neutral: If you are in the last gear, and you firmly hit the gear-up pedal the right way, it can go to neutral. This can be confusing, and you might hit the pedal-up gear again, which will put the bike in first gear and abruptly break the bike. This happened to me accidentally two times, and it was scary. The best thing to do here, if it was not intentional and the bike is going fast, is to hit the down-gear pedal. This will take the bike from neutral back to last gear again.
On a downhill with beautiful scenery, turn off the engine: Better to do this if you have some motorcycle experience, and always check the breaks. Going downhill with a beautiful landscape and the motor off is a fantastic experience. Without the engine noise, you get to hear the surrounding environment, the wind, and nothing else. I did this one or two times, and those moments are engraved in my memories as the moments where I felt the most free, the most in touch with the experience.
The highway can be fun: Doing the loop counter-clockwise, some people will tell you the last part of the loop, the highway, is boring. I enjoyed it greatly. Maybe it was the low expectations. The highway is in great conditions for the most part. I did this last section early in the afternoon and I had practically the highway for myself, giving me a great opportunity to drive fast.
In Kong Lor, turn your headlamp off: Just for a minute. Enjoy and feel the darkness of the cave.
If you find a place on the road with AC, it’s ok to treat yourself. Try these two cafés along the way: The first day, I’m In Cafe. The second day, Lakxao Coffee.
Wear something cushy on your but: Your skin will thank you later.
Just start, adjust on the way: Sometimes you want all to be perfect before you start driving. It’s ok to start and adjust on the way. Sometimes you just have to start driving, just go. You check something on the bag. Then on the phone, then here, there. Stop. Go.
Soundtrack The Loop: Find one great song for the trip, one that can encapsulate what you feel in this motorcycle trip. Hear it often during The Loop, whether on the road, on stops, or at your accommodation. This song will be your gateway to whenever you need to remind the good things and lessons learned on your trip. My song for this loop: Arc De Soleil — Chameleon Sunday.
