First climbs

The view across the Mekong to Champasak and the Plateau on the other side was stunning, even thrilling.It nearly started badly as the boat moved away as we reaching my bike over to it. My legs did the splits and it was choice between falling in the water myself or letting my bike do so. I chose the former and the boatwoman managed to grab my bike.
Once back on the mainland we had our first glimpse of rice being grown.The roads continued to be excellent and soon we entered the small town of Pakse and the long climb towards the Plateau. For the first time we reached 400m in altitude. The hilly terrain made a nice change.
Now we were looking for Katu Homestay; I had read in some obscue blog that it was it an ok place to stay. The young Mr Vieng has built this place over the last 3 years on his 5 hectare coffee plantation. He grows his coffee organically and relies more on the sale of the coffee than the income from 6 paying guests to make a living.
It can hit you when you arrive for a comfortable stay feeling hot, dirty and tired only to realise that the accommodation is a dorm, the toilet is a bamboo hut outside and the shower and laundry facilities are carried out in a single plastic bowl but it actually works out really well. It is so simple. We sat round with our 3 fellow guests, all French, and thoroughly enjoyed our rice, vegetables, chicken and cucumber salad, washed down with some of Mr Vieng,s coffee.The conversation was a sharing of adventures past and to come. I cannot understand why my dreams were of being on the run from the Germans: it is a recurring dream, actually.