A Big Detour To Laos

A cycle tour is full of surprises. At the moment we’re taking a sizeable detour for the third time and heading to Laos, a country I’d never heard of before this trip – a country we never planned to visit. ⁣

At the beginning of this trip, we planned that by the 02nd February 2020 we would:⁣

🚲 cycle 13,000 miles (20,800kms)⁣

🗺 visit 17 countries ⁣

🇲🇾 be in Malaysia! By our itinerary we would be crossing the border to Malaysia today and heading to Singapore.⁣

🗓 Average 62 miles/day (100kms)⁣

What we’ve actually done is: ⁣

🚲 cycled 10,000 miles (16,000kms)⁣

🗺 visited 20 countries ⁣

🇻🇳 made it to Vietnam, heading to Laos⁣

🗓 averaged 50 miles/day (80kms)⁣

The last couple days have been such a joy. I’ve loved everything about it; the views, the roads and the friendly faces of Vietnam.⁣

I’m in a total day dream cycling through this country. My mind is totally at rest, drifting in and out of whatever it pleases. Sitting through old memories, dreaming up new plans or soaking in the present. ⁣

Today we cycled 45 miles (70kms), yesterday we cycled 60 miles (100kms) and I didn’t bother with music or podcasts ⁣

I just enjoyed the day for what it was.⁣

We’ve cycled past countless rice paddies, beautiful mountains and I’ve been pedalling in anticipation of the sun breaking through the cloud – it’s trying!⁣

On the radio yesterday they asked what my favourite part of the trip was – and it’s definitely the small things. It’s those moments where the adventure presents itself to you. It can be the sun breaking through on a cloudy day, a stunning downhill, exciting new foods, a change of plan or the smiling faces of the people around you.⁣

It’s the simple things. ⁣

@ Thị Trấn Cành Nàng Bá Thước Thanh Hóa