The Road to Hell 2

...We eventually filled every gap possible on the very local bus from Houxiay on the Thailand / Loas border and set off on our seemingly straight forward 7 hour 200 km bus trip to Louang Namtha. Soon after setting off along the red dusty road we stopped and continued to stop at every village en route it seemed. It was going to be a long day we thought. Little did we know.

A little while longer we headed off the bumpy road into what can only be described as the bottom of a quary. For the next 8 hours we continued along this road traversing cliffs and gullies, if this wasn't bad enough it was getting dark and there was a huge storm cloud looming ahead.

The darkness had soon enveloped us and the noisy bus became ominously quiet. Next we heard a flash of light and crack of thunder and the heavens opened. The driver heroically continued ahead manouvering between huge puddles, sludge and cliff edges with an orgy of strobe lightening and rian raging outside.

His efforts could not delay the inevitable for long and we became stuck fast in the mud, all the Laos locals on the bus began jumping up and down to give the bus extra traction, I readily joined in with all I was worth. This was all in vain however, the bus was stuck, we would have to get off in the thick red mud and push. So began a hilarous episode of stopping and pushing the bus until we found firmer ground.

By the time we got to the next village it was past midnight and we we're forced to say the night, so much for a straight forward 7 hour journey. As it happened the guest house was really nice and we had a laugh drinking beer and listening to music with the driver and some locals. The next day was much the same and when we eventually hit tarmac in the early evening everyone cheered and whooped with relief. We eventually arrived in Louang Namtha and alighted the bus like we'd been washed up on the shore after a great storm at sea.

Ah clean water and comfy bed, what a relief. One 'hell' of an experience, but worth it.