SE ASIA - DAY 17 - DON KHONG to PAKSE

It was an easy ride to Pakse, thought I need that relaxing day after yesterday's 9 hour ride.
Before I set off, I woke up with a beautify sunrise, which is known to 4 Thousand Island.

So I grabbed my action cam, SLR, iphone and went to snap pictures and timelapse of it. This particular one was from the iphone.

And I ate my breakfast while waiting for the time-lapse. Sorry, no picture of breakfast because the cameras are busy taking the sunrise. Anyway, it was a mid sized baguette with two eggs and nice coffee. It was really a good deal at USD25/night - Mekong Inn - www.gomekonginn.com  .

Reached the hotel at about 10am. One of my earliest arrivals at my destination so far.
I have decided to do a major laundry today. The last 30km exiting Cambodia was full of dirt road, by the time I reached Laos, my riding jacket was yellow in colour.

Then the parking area had a water hose, I took this opportunity to wash the dirt away from the bike.

The Pakse hotel and restaurant at USD38/night. Booking.com promised a rebate of 10% to me and another USD15 to the referrer, I still doubting if this is true.

After laundry, it's food hunting time, passed by a local market.

Saw an area where they are lots of sitting area with people eating, yes, a local eating place. Their table are very similar to Thailand, full of assorted sauces and spices to be added to the food, I never touched them.

I ordered myself a noodle soup, at KIP20,000 (USD2.50), obviously a tourist price, oh well.

It comes with side garnish of fresh basil leaves, cabbages and some other leaves. There are beef and Bee Hoon inside.

Then I walked pass a lot of eateries targeted at tourist. Pakse is not really a touristy place, apart from the Wat Phou and 4 Thousand Island nearby.

I am kind of deprived of meat for the last few days. Saw some BBQ on the road-side and I anxiously walked over to it, only to be dissapointed seeing that only BBQ corn and bananas.

Then I realized not much people walk on the street in both Cambodia and Laos.
They ride motorcycles from one place to another, they don't walk 0_o , only tourist like me walk under a hot sun like this.

Introducing two most popular bikes on the street in Laos.
The Honda Wave - 110cc.

And the Honda Scoopy, also 110cc, everyone rides them here.

Then I saw what appears to be a free hospital.

Of course not, it's smoke free hospital, not free !

Saw an advert in the hotel lift about happy hour 4pm - 7pm  on the roof top bar, so I went up to take a look.

The view here was great, too bad the sun have already set, otherwise it would have been a great place to be at.

Ordered a BBQ Beef skewers and fried little fishes from the Mekong River.

With 1-for-1 big bottle Beer Lao, the bill comes to KIP126k(SGD20.70).

Day 18 - Pakse - Free and Easy