Laos continue 3

We left Luang Prabang, a very nice place, to go north to try to get into China. We drove to Luangnamtha a town 70 km away from the Chinese border and our plan was to try to get in there the next day. The road was similar as the last drive, really twisty road and it took us long time to cover those few 270 km that day. But as before the scenery was beautiful because of how high in the mountain the road is. 

Our plan for the next day was to try first a go road that goes over the border but no border crossing is shown on the maps and then if there is no luck there try the international border at Boden. It’s the only crossing between Laos and China. We walked around the town when we got here and it seems to be not much to do or see. But we spent the evening talking to some travelers.

We woke up early and drove to the small border. There was a border control there and the guards told us this crossing was just for local people. So we went back to try to cross at Boden. Our plan was to take the motorbike gear off and park the bikes so the border gards would not see them. Get our visa stamped and get on the bikes and try to cross as the guys inside don’t often know what is happening on the outside. As we got close to the border we stopped and took all our motorbike gear off and put our normal clothes on. Viggo also took a back pack he had to try to look more like normal tourists. After checking out of Laos we had to dive 1 km to get to the Chinese border, and the difference.

There was one small building at the Laos border but when we entered China, large buildings and just a highway. So weird, even both sides on the road were decorated with flowers, all looked so modern and “nice”. As we got close to the gate we parked our bikes behind a parked car on the side of the road and walked to the offices. 

After security and swine flu tests we could proceed to the check in. The officials took our passports and asked us quite a few general questions that we answered and never lied but we never told them about the bikes. Except he asked me where my luggage was and I told him it was at the back on the bike. We passed and were in China now. But now we walked back got on the bikes, but the guy was watching us the whole time and just said you are not taking those in, sorry. And that was it. He was very friendly and even withdrew the arrival stamp so our visa could be used later. We went back to Luannamtha, sad and disappointed. Went to the pub that night in hope to find some information on how to smuggle the bikes over the border. No luck that night.

Next day we went back out, trying to find someone who could help us out. After speaking to a guy at one travel agency we had not much hope that this could ever be possible. He told us that trucks from Laos could not enter China and they unloaded the trucks at the border to put the cargo into Chinese vehicle. Chinese trucks can though cross both borders but we were not keen to put our bikes into Chinese truck as he could so easily steel the bikes and we would never see him. Also Chinese driver keen to do this would be very hard to find. We meet up with really cool Australian couple that night. It was good to forget about China laughing with them. We made decision we would need to go back to Thailand to organize transportation for the bikes over China.

We got up the next day and got straight on the bikes again and headed to Thailand. The road to Thailand there is a good road, the biggest and best road in Laos. It was build to connect Thailand and China. We got to the Mekong River to cross over to Thailand in small town I don’t remember the name of. There are two harbors there, one for people and the other for vehicles. We got over the river on a big “platform” along with trucks. But before leaving there we had to drive to the other harbor and check out of Laos. 

When arriving in Thailand the clock was getting late and the customs office closes at 6. It tool us maybe an half an hour to get us back in the country but then the bikes were left. The customs people were so nice to keep the office open for us and the filled in all the forms for us, and all got sorted in 15 min. Didn’t need to pay anything just one signature on the form. This took few days to do in Bangkok to do and did cost quite a bit for the same form. Found a nice accommodation but black out in the evening prevented us to go to the internet.