Stray - Vientiane to Kong Lor

We left the capital in a haze of traffic and dust for another long day of travelling along the winding and bouncing roads of Laos. Our destination was the remote village of Kong Lor, which would allow us access to an enormous cave that stretches 7km from end to end.

We passed large groups of school children cycling amongst as the ever present scooters. Our bus moving in and out their stream whilst avoiding pot holes and on-coming traffic. School yards here are full of bicycles and scooters neatly lined up under corrugated iron shelters or trees.

We stopped briefly at Wat Prabat Phonsone, a temple containing what is said to be the footprint of the Buddha. After viewing another such footprint on Mount Phousi in Luang Prabang, we could not help but question in our minds, how many such footprints are said to exist around Laos and even South East Asia? Nevertheless we learnt more about the diverse and colourful Buddhist faith, which Kim admitted she would like to learn more about once we are home.

We made an impromptu roadside stop, where a woman boiled whole ears of sweet corn in a black iron cauldron under a weathered wooden shelter. The steam bellowed out of the cauldron when she pulled ear after ear from its depths, placing them into a plastic crate for Keo to select. We ate the hot bright yellow corn in the bus as we drove on, not wanting to lose too much time with our long journey.

We eventually arrived at Kong Lor village, slowly down an uneven single dirt road that only last month had been impassable by car or bus due to the heavy rains. It was with relief that we could stretch our backs and legs as we clambered out of the bus' confines. Looking around, we found ourselves surrounded by the limestone Karst Mountains that create a bowl within which lies the village and stretches of rice fields that it's people work. We walked around the muddy tracks as the sun blushed on its descent behind the mountains. The sound of chipping crickets building as the light departed for another day.Read more