Train

S7, f1.7, 1/1976, ISO 50, JPG

The Boat and the Raft

S7, f1.7, 1/1500, ISO 50, RAW

Lang Co Lagoon

S7, f1.7, 1/16000, ISO 50, RAW

Along the Pier

S7, f1.7, 1/9200, ISO 50, RAW

Four People and Four Boats

TG-4, f9.0, 1/320, ISO 200, RAW, 32mm

The Boat and the Net

TG-4, f5.6, 1/1000, ISO 125, RAW, 74mm

Rain, Wind and Fog

Driving from Hue to Da Nang in the rain is not much fun, driving it at night and during a typhoon is not fun but challenging and exciting.

After almost being blown off the road a few times, I ended up not being able to see much of anything of the road while going up the Hai Van Pass. In Da Nang it was just very windy and a bit flooded but otherwise ok to drive.

Boat in the Lagoon

TG-4, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 200, RAW, 100mm

To Thakek Again

I've been to Laos too many times already but it's close and convenient for a visa run so here I was heading back to Thakek.

The last days have seen a lot of rain so I was worried it would be a wet drive to Laos, but aside from a few scattered showers it stayed mostly dry.

Not wanting to risk the rain, I decided to take the short route to the border and from there it's been nice and sunny.

The drive from Densavanh at the border to Thakek is pretty boring and uneventful, a bit dusty in palaces where they are working on the road but it's mostly straight.

I arrived in Thakek around dinner time for a nice curry and a beer Lao.

Clouds Over Lang Co

GR, f8.0, 1/60, ISO 100, RAW

Lang Co

GRD, f8.0, 1/800, ISO 400, JPG b&w

Nothing quite compares with the Ricoh GRD black and white JPGs, haven't used it in a long time but figured it needed another outing.

Back to Da Nang

The morning showed the great landscape around the muddy road we've been through last night. Still, it was time to head back to Da Nang.

One of the best roads in Laos, both for driving but also in terms of scenery, is the road between Salavan and the La Lay border.

The road has some very steep climbs but you are always rewarded at the top with some great views.

It's a winding road, going through small villages and some slightly bigger towns but there's not much traffic so it makes for a relaxed and very enjoyable drive.

Once back in Vietnam, you are only 40km from A Luoi on the Ho Chi Minh road so the scenic drive continues here bt there is a lot more traffic on the Vietnamese side. The climate also seems to suddenly change once you cross the border.

While I was hoping to avoid rain on this trip, it wasn't fully possible but at least the rain didn't last too long and I had great sunshine for the drive from Hue to Da Nang.

The Laos trip was again fun and provided some challenging road conditions so it's definitely a good place for a road trip.

My bike had some problems when I started the road trip and needs to get fixed but despite that it did a great job even under difficult conditions and getting back was no problem. The only real issue I had were the two flat tires but this is something that can always (and seems to always) happen.

Street Food in Lang Co

TG-4, f3.6, 1/60, ISO 1600, RAW, 61mm

Collecting the Nets

TG-4, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 200, RAW, 100mm

Da Nang to Khe Sanh

My usual drive on Thursday takes me from Da Nang to Hue. This time however it was just the start for a road trip to Khe Sanh.

It started with great weather and a nice drive to Hue and from there halfway to A Luoi, when it started pouring down.

While it mostly stopped raining after a lunch break in A Luoi, it was still a bit mixed in terms of weather.

The clouds and rain however made for some great views of the jungle covered mountains.

Despite the rain and taking it easy at times, I got to Khe Sanh before it got dark.

Train Crossing

TG-4, f2.0, 1/15, ISO 3200, RAW, 25mm

Double Rainbow

Driving from Hue and Da Nang is a regular occurrence for me and while it should be pretty boring by now, there is always a surprise and the road is never the same.

Especially once you get to Lang Co and the Hai Van Pass, the views are always great and never the same.