I always enjoy your videos, sorry you weren't feeling all that well for some of it. Very interesting listening to the information of the areas you provide... I hope you're feeling better and am ready for your next adventure... Thanks for taking us along.
Thanks so much, Shane! 🙏🙏It was a bit of a challenge to edit but hopefully in future I can develop more of a pattern and style which makes it easier editing-wise!
I hope some of the places I visited end up on your list. Plain of Jars and Phonsavan area is wonderful too! I wanted to go to Phonsavan on this trip (I went in 2018), but just was too unwell. But, always gives me something to look forward to for next time! Thanks for watching and dropping a comment, Mark! :)
Thank you, Josefine! Thankfully I am much better. It lingered for a very long time and Still feeling some effects. I've taken meds and probiotics. I've been pretty lucky over the years when it comes to this kind of thing, but I was hit hard and just unfortunate that it was during a bigger trip!
A vanishing world. Wonderful vlog of your intrepid journey 😊 Patuxai in Vientiane is known as the vertical runway because it was made from concrete donated by the US and intended to build an airport, doubtless for their planes. I’m glad to see it’s ageing gracefully, because when it was new it looked horrendous.
@@motogirlthailand i saw it in the late nineties, so hardly early 😅, but it had no paint or even algae then, and it really did just look like a block of concrete.
Great video zed! Details, scenery all the info... u make it look so easy for new travellers... i didnt travelled this year n u are making me jealous.🎉🎉🎉 Bravo to ur efforts.
I hope you can get to travel before the end of the year! Thank you so much for the lovely comment. I am really glad you (virtually) came along on the ride with me!🙏
Thank you John! Yes, they really are quite bad between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. It must be really hard for the roadside villages and people who have to use these roads regularly. So much dirt and dust too!
Cool, I really liked this longer one an your mic / voice sounds great. I hate to get sick on the road and I've had to do extra recovery days early into a trip. I used to get so excited for a ride that I couldn't sleep at all the night before. 'They' won the battle, you fought hard and you won the war! I'm not talking about the bad roads, but how different is Laos to Thailand? Do they share the same cultures and money?
Hi Ray! I'm the same way about finding it hard to sleep before a big ride! The sickness was really frustrating, but all in all it was still a good trip. Sometimes it's good to know we can keep going, despite feeling rough. Laos is kind of like Thailand would have been 50 or more years ago, I suppose. It shares some similarities. The language is similar but not the same. However, a lot of Laos people can understand some Thai due to Thai TV shows and movies. The money is totally different ..it's really hard to work out because it's devalued so much. So...you deal with very high numbers. 1 USD, for example, is 18,350.00 Kip! The roads and infrastructure aren't great and in many cases non existent. Once the roads get bad they stay that way for a long time due to lack of funds. China is buying up a lot of Laos and huge developments are taking place..in both negative and positive ways!
@Ray Smith not any that I've ever seen. This is also why even a bike like mine can generate quite a bit of interest. Vehicles are generally quite old and bikes are old scooters. In the capital the cars and bikes are often newer though. Outside the capital they are really old and not well looked after. Old rusty bikes (no mirrors and no helmets..and often ridden by young kids, with several all piled on the one bike).
Commodities. They have also been able to illegally buy some land in Thailand. Laos (and the Mekong River) is also an important supply route for items going in and out of China. They recently built a huge expensive rail line across Laos. It helps some of the infrastructure but Laos is now heavily in debt to China. Same with Myanmar too. China is swallowing up these countries and profiting from it, whilst the countries get poorer.
I have had several years out of them, in truth. About the same length of time as yours, Roger. Although they weren't used much over Covid period. I have glued them 4 times. I didn't want to stitch them because I was concerned about it compromising them in some way, but I know many do swear by it. I've lost a little faith in them after an ankle injury last year when they just didn't protect me enough. I still have issues with the ankle today. Had an MRI etc. The ligament damage was pretty bad :( I'm considering a stronger boot. I'll make a video on it soon, where I'll share some thoughts on my experience with them
Now you mention ankle injury it reminded me Jan last year my right ankle got trapped under the hard box on my Vulcan S. It still swells up if not exercising it, now 17 months. Have so far changed the Versys 300X to soft bags, which I use for long rides, N Laos planned in Nov. Re boots leaning towards something like enduro with heavier ankle protection.
@@ragbag46 I have the exact same issue regarding swelling, Roger. I can imagine the hard topbox being really tough on the ankle. I recently joined a gym again after so long of not doing any proper exercise and my ankle continues to be a bit of an issue. The doc hasn't been much help and just keeps saying it needs time. Im currently trying out some physio exercises. I agree with you regarding looking at enduro boots. They may be a pain for walking in but I really want that extra protection now. Hope your ankle continues to improve and stops swelling eventually!
I always enjoy your videos, sorry you weren't feeling all that well for some of it. Very interesting listening to the information of the areas you provide... I hope you're feeling better and am ready for your next adventure... Thanks for taking us along.
Thanks so much, Bill! Yes, was quite a strange turn of events. No matter! Thank you for your well wishes and feedback! ☺️🙏
สวัสดีThailand
Very nice video. Great photography skills! Well done
Thanks so much, Shane! 🙏🙏It was a bit of a challenge to edit but hopefully in future I can develop more of a pattern and style which makes it easier editing-wise!
Hat off to you for doing that solo. Interesting watch. Love the northern roads around Thailand so kean to get across into Laos.
I hope some of the places I visited end up on your list. Plain of Jars and Phonsavan area is wonderful too! I wanted to go to Phonsavan on this trip (I went in 2018), but just was too unwell. But, always gives me something to look forward to for next time! Thanks for watching and dropping a comment, Mark! :)
what a great video Zed - I loved to watch it ! I am sorry for all your problems you had in Laos, and I hope that you are well now 🥰
Thank you, Josefine! Thankfully I am much better. It lingered for a very long time and Still feeling some effects. I've taken meds and probiotics. I've been pretty lucky over the years when it comes to this kind of thing, but I was hit hard and just unfortunate that it was during a bigger trip!
A vanishing world. Wonderful vlog of your intrepid journey 😊 Patuxai in Vientiane is known as the vertical runway because it was made from concrete donated by the US and intended to build an airport, doubtless for their planes. I’m glad to see it’s ageing gracefully, because when it was new it looked horrendous.
That's an interesting piece of information about Patuxay I did not know. Thank you. Did you see it in the early days? That would have been amazing!
@@motogirlthailand i saw it in the late nineties, so hardly early 😅, but it had no paint or even algae then, and it really did just look like a block of concrete.
I agree that many things look so much better with a bit of wear and tear. Adds character!
Great video zed! Details, scenery all the info... u make it look so easy for new travellers... i didnt travelled this year n u are making me jealous.🎉🎉🎉
Bravo to ur efforts.
I hope you can get to travel before the end of the year! Thank you so much for the lovely comment. I am really glad you (virtually) came along on the ride with me!🙏
Nice helpful video. It saddens me to see the state of the main roads in Northern Laos.
Thank you John! Yes, they really are quite bad between Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng. It must be really hard for the roadside villages and people who have to use these roads regularly. So much dirt and dust too!
Great vid Zed, this is the way you should go, ride safe and I will get up to cm again one day
Oh Thanks, Tony! I appreciate that feedback so much!
Cool, I really liked this longer one an your mic / voice sounds great.
I hate to get sick on the road and I've had to do extra recovery days early into a trip. I used to get so excited for a ride that I couldn't sleep at all the night before.
'They' won the battle, you fought hard and you won the war!
I'm not talking about the bad roads, but how different is Laos to Thailand? Do they share the same cultures and money?
Hi Ray! I'm the same way about finding it hard to sleep before a big ride! The sickness was really frustrating, but all in all it was still a good trip. Sometimes it's good to know we can keep going, despite feeling rough.
Laos is kind of like Thailand would have been 50 or more years ago, I suppose. It shares some similarities. The language is similar but not the same. However, a lot of Laos people can understand some Thai due to Thai TV shows and movies.
The money is totally different ..it's really hard to work out because it's devalued so much. So...you deal with very high numbers. 1 USD, for example, is 18,350.00 Kip!
The roads and infrastructure aren't great and in many cases non existent. Once the roads get bad they stay that way for a long time due to lack of funds.
China is buying up a lot of Laos and huge developments are taking place..in both negative and positive ways!
@@motogirlthailand So no expensive cars and sport bikes in the capital?
@Ray Smith not any that I've ever seen. This is also why even a bike like mine can generate quite a bit of interest. Vehicles are generally quite old and bikes are old scooters. In the capital the cars and bikes are often newer though. Outside the capital they are really old and not well looked after. Old rusty bikes (no mirrors and no helmets..and often ridden by young kids, with several all piled on the one bike).
@@motogirlthailand What do the Chinese want with it and is there push back?
Commodities. They have also been able to illegally buy some land in Thailand. Laos (and the Mekong River) is also an important supply route for items going in and out of China. They recently built a huge expensive rail line across Laos. It helps some of the infrastructure but Laos is now heavily in debt to China. Same with Myanmar too. China is swallowing up these countries and profiting from it, whilst the countries get poorer.
เดินทางปลอดภัยนะครับ
Thank you! 🙏❤️ (If you like my content then consider subscribing ☺️)
Zed, nice trex, put that down on a map would ya 👍 Where Zed goes I go 😂
What a fantastic comment haha. You made my day. Plus, your name is pretty fun too!! 😆
Brave Girl 👏
I don't really think about if it is brave or not, if I'm honest..haha. thanks Steve!
How old r your Forma’s . Mine r about five years and I have already had the soles glued and stitched back on and now looking at renewal.
I have had several years out of them, in truth. About the same length of time as yours, Roger. Although they weren't used much over Covid period.
I have glued them 4 times. I didn't want to stitch them because I was concerned about it compromising them in some way, but I know many do swear by it.
I've lost a little faith in them after an ankle injury last year when they just didn't protect me enough. I still have issues with the ankle today. Had an MRI etc. The ligament damage was pretty bad :( I'm considering a stronger boot.
I'll make a video on it soon, where I'll share some thoughts on my experience with them
Now you mention ankle injury it reminded me Jan last year my right ankle got trapped under the hard box on my Vulcan S. It still swells up if not exercising it, now 17 months. Have so far changed the Versys 300X to soft bags, which I use for long rides, N Laos planned in Nov. Re boots leaning towards something like enduro with heavier ankle protection.
@@ragbag46 I have the exact same issue regarding swelling, Roger. I can imagine the hard topbox being really tough on the ankle. I recently joined a gym again after so long of not doing any proper exercise and my ankle continues to be a bit of an issue. The doc hasn't been much help and just keeps saying it needs time. Im currently trying out some physio exercises. I agree with you regarding looking at enduro boots. They may be a pain for walking in but I really want that extra protection now. Hope your ankle continues to improve and stops swelling eventually!
Osm vlog
I don't understand what that means. Can you explain?
nice
Thank you! 🙏🤩
@@motogirlthailand thanks you so much 💓 💗 💖 ❤
Cool video. I live in Chaing Khan and want to get up to Chaing Mai soon for a visit. Be safe out there.
Thanks Rob! Thanks for watching and commenting. The weather is lovely in Chiang Mai currently. Crisp cool mornings!
โปรดทำไมคุณพูดภาษาไทย?
สวัสดีค่ะ พูดภาษาไทยได้ค่ะแต่ไม่เก่ง (และเขียนไม่ดีค่ะ) ขอโทษค่ะ ☺️