• Small Village (98km)
• Jinhong (79km)
• Galamba (35km)
• Village (61km)
• Menghla (89km)
• Mohan [Border between PRC and PDR Laos] 89km
• Meung Xai (102km)
• Pak Mong (80km)
• Luang Prabang (116km)
• Truck Stop town (79km)
• Kasi (97km)
• Van Veng (61km)
• Vientienne (163km)
• Udon Thani [THAILAND] (87km)
• Khon Kaen (125km)
• Nakhon Ratchasima (202km)
• Saraburi (155km)
• Bangkok (121km)

The last few days in China were to be the last we all spent together as a group, the Chinese group visa states that we all have to exit the country at the same time and place. With 2 group members down with stomach problems and most of the rest of us suffering from the steep hills and the heat it was no real surprise that tension began to creep into the group dynamics - some members had onwards commitment and some were just glad to grind their way up the hills slowly.

Border crossings on a bicycle can be heaven or hell, this time it was heaven. One last SARS check and we were clear to leave the Peoples Republic of China and enter the Democratic Republic Of Laos. We ran into a German cyclist at the border who was the bearer of good news, the road we had been worrying about were tarmac and good quality apart from a few potholes. Our fears of a thousand kilometres of mud quickly vanished in the excitement of crossing yet another border.

China had been full of surprises, most of them excellent cheap hotels, cheap if somewhat fatty food and some outstanding cycling. Every possible space had been given over to food production, rice terraces were everywhere, this explained the cheap food. As soon as we crossed the border into Laos we noticed a huge drop in the standard of living for the locals. Bamboo shacks re placed concrete houses, the distended pot bellies of the kids spoke volumes about the presence of protein deficiency and malnutrition here.

Young kids were everywhere, so many toddlers bare arsed and yelling their greetings of "Sabaday, bye bye". This is obviously a country without a one child policy and the population was booming.

Luang Prabang was not what either of us was expecting at all, extremely laid back with a village atmosphere, it had excellent restaraunts with hundreds of saffron clad monks wandering the streets. Each morning they would parade out of their temples through the streets with their begging bowls. Local ladies would kneel on the ground putting a portion of rice in each bowl, never touching the monks as that is forbidden. All of this is done in silence only broken by the soft slapping of the monks bare feet as the walk along. This timeless tradition was juxtaposed alongside the sight of young monks sitting in internet cafes in the evening emailing furiuosly away or just surfing for the latest gossip on Manchester United.

Highway 13 runs southout of Luand Prabang and is infamous, over 100 people have been shot there in the last year, including 2 cycle tourists who were machine gunned recently. Between the bandits and the local gerilla actions the road has become one of the most dangerous in the world. So of course off we trundled up extremely steep slopes complaining about the heat and jumping at every twig that snapped. The sight of groups of youths some in military clothing all with guns made me nervous, however this is a war being fought Laos style. The AK47 on one hip and a gurgling child on the other. (Lao children are all EXTREMELY cute, I think there must be a law against having any ugly ones or something!) Strange home made pistols with barrels over a metre long were carried by young boys who would shyly say their hellos as we ground on up the hill past them.

Temperatures by this point had got a wee bit silly for a Tasmanian and a Scot to be cycling in, cimbing regularly over 50 degrees celcius and 80% humidity we were having to gulp 7 ot 8 litres of water a day. Sweat would cascade down us and we would leave little pools wherever we went.

One afternoon, we were cycling through some paddy fields, watching the ladies planting the seedlings. Rows on rows of women would stand knee deep in mud rythmically planting each seedling exactly in the correct place. As they finished a bundle of seedlings a young lad standing at the side would, with an expert flick of the wrist, send a dozen bundles arcing through the air to plop at the ladies' feet. One looked up and smiled a shy welcome but said nothing, then she caught sight of Jenny - all work stopped and yelling greetings and smiling they all said their hellos.

Vientienne was only a long days ride away so we headed of for a place that had been described as some kind of Shangrila for travellers, good food, chilled out , lovely colonial architecture, etc, etc. Well that must be either another Vientienne or we have just become very picky,it was nice but nothing too special. Over breakfast we teased Donna (one of the group we had cycled through China with) she was wary to go into the central market where a bomb went off a few years ago and she was nervous it was time for another. "How could she be so silly?". Needless to say 3 days later a huge bomb went off injuring many people and causing havoc. Maybe not so safe then!

Thailand is strange to cycle through, we're in a bit of a hurry now as we try to reach Hobart for Christmas, so sticking to main road we have seen little but concrete and fume filled highway. But with 3 days to spare we made it to Bangkok in time for Jennys 30th birthday. The ride down the 'circus' that is Kho San Rd was str ange "Have you cycled all the way from the airport?" one guy asked.

We had found out that my visa application had been approved and all I had to do was go into the Australian High Commission in Bagkok and collect it. Arriving there we got out the acceptance letter and putting in my passort we handed them both across. "Take a seat". Nervously we waited for the visa stcker to be put in my passport. What could possible go wrong? Laughing we said "Well I suppose we could have given them the wrong passport!" Then we caught sight throught he glass of Jennys UK Passport being handed around and puzzled glances. They were about to give Jenny an Australian visa to stay in her own country as her own de facto spouse!!!!!!!!!!