Letter from the Editor
It’s faint at first, the echo.
“Helloooooo.”
You wonder if you actually heard it. You wonder where the sound is coming from, looking around.
“Sabadeeeeee.”
But as you get closer, the little voice is indistinguishable. And soon joined by more, a chorus of happy faces and little arms waving frantically.
“Hiiiiii.”
For the past few weeks, it’s the smiling, waving curious kids of Laos who’ve kept me going as I’ve biked my way down the country.
Yup, you heard it. Biked my way.
My journey across South East Asia didn’t begin this way. It started with three best friends and a tramping bag. But as I made my way through Thailand and then solo into Laos, something was missing.
I’ve long admired the bikepackers of the world - one woman just finished biking the length of Africa. I’d done a stint myself in South Korea a few years ago too. And I warn you - once you try it, you’ll keep day dreaming about cycling adventures until you do something silly and spontaneous like me…Buy a bike and start peddling.
It felt like a domino effect of “meant to be’s.” I had messaged the only two bike shops in Vientiane, Laos’ capital to see what stock they had. There were a couple of expensive new gravel bikes and a second-hand one. I jumped on the next train to the city eager to see my options.
That first night as I tucked myself into my hostel bunk bed, I noticed some bike panniers leaning against the bottom bunk. The next morning I met Martha from Italy. My eyes first went to the outrageous tan line she had on her legs. A clear sign she was a cyclist and a serious one at that.
I was so excited to meet her, word-vomming my daydreams and asking her many questions about her adventure. Martha later told me she was still groggy and waking up when I bounced over to her. It took her a moment to actually gather what I was saying. She gave me her number and told me to stay in touch. Google maps in hand, I plodded out into the sun to the first bike shop to view the new bikes. Then I met Adrian.
The Swiss man was just finishing up his bike tour and was flying back to reality in a few days. He didn’t seem too worried when I said I didn’t know much about bikes really, but just wanted to go bikepacking. He cycled over to the next bike shop where the second-hand bike awaited - offering to check it with me. It got his approval with a few edits requested to the bike mechanic.
I asked Adrian if he thought I was crazy.
“Nope, you know how to ride a bike. Just start peddling.”
Twelve million dollars in cash withdrawals later, and I had my bike. Adrian lent me some biking essentials, “just mail it to me when you’re in Europe,” and sent me off with some final words of advice:
“Don’t focus on the fear or the things that go wrong. That just leads to panic which is no good. Focus on finding solutions, always finding solutions. And don’t think too much either, just go.”
So the next morning, I started biking. I just figured if I got a flat tyre I could whip out Youtube and learn on the go.
Seven hundred kilometres later, I had an extremely sore ass.
But it was worth it.
I spent a couple of hundred of kilometres biking with a French couple who’d biked here all the way from France! Most travellers take a scooter around the Thakek Loop, but I cycled it - meeting up with cute faces every evening for dinner. There was even a 150km day. It was 3pm and I was in a small town where I’d planned to spend the night. It was a bit mah-mah, though, and I’d just eaten a coffee and a croissant. I wondered if I had 50 more kilometres in me… I mean, I had three more hours of daylight, so the maths added up.
I set off. Martha had told me the road was easy to bike but the reality I faced was a long, winding road uphill. I forgot Martha was a professional and hard was easy for her. But what goes up must go DOWN. And the roads were so quiet, I could zoom to my heart’s content. I entered the national park area about 20km out from my end destination Thalang and my phone reception cut out. I felt nervous as there were hardly any cars on the road, what if I got that flat tyre? But I remembered Adrian’s words not to panic. The solution? Just keep pedalling.
The sun began to dip sending out arms of light across the sky. I rode around sweeping corners, music serenading my ears. I rounded a bend and passed the carcasses of trees standing tall in a lake. Orange and yellow sunlight draped in a glittery shawl across the water. The final view was a spontaneous and sweet reunion, then a long bridge with Thalang at the end. The sun finished the day as I finished the journey. Perfect timing. I couldn’t stop smiling. I’ve never biked that far in my life.
I completed the loop the next day having biked 600km in six days. Pure stoke. This is what it means to be alive.
Lots of love,
Sam x