Island waterfalls in the rain

A relaxed breakfast at a restaurant 30 yards down the road was a lovely way to start the day. We hired bicycles from the restaurant and set off around the island of Don Khone. The roads here aren't exactly roads but more like mud tracks which are fine when it isn't rainy season. The puddles and thick mud made cycling that little bit more tricky but also quite fun. 

We stopped after barely 5 minutes to read some information about a railway that was placed on this island by the French who were trying to make their way down the whole of the Mekong river. Si Phan Don (or 4000 islands) is a collection of islands in an area on the Mekong river but there are many waterfalls around meaning the French had big problems. The railway doesn't exist anymore and some of the tracks have been used for fences and bridges but there is now a road (barely a road) where the railway once was. 

Back on the bikes we cycled round to the north west of the island to see a waterfall. We had to pay a couple of quid to cross a very small bridge over to the area where the waterfall is. Beautiful bamboos were curving either side of the path to create some kind of archway all the way along to the waterfall. We also appeared to be the first people to see the waterfall that morning (apart from some locals) so it was lovely and quiet. The fall itself was amazing. Not tall but many different sections and it flowed ridiculously quickly. I wouldn't like to have fallen in. Our guide book had said turquoise waters though and this was most definitely brown. Still worth the visit. 

Towards the bottom of the fall there was a restaurant which had many little bungalows with open sides and thatched roofs, kitted out with hammocks and pillows. After a short game of volleyball on the beach area (we used a beach football so it hurt everytime I tried to hit it) we got a smoothie and sat and enjoyed the surroundings. 

We hit the road again and met up with the track that used to be the railway line. It went on for a while but was surrounded by trees and was very quiet. At the end of the road was a view point to look out on the Mekong and other islands. As it was lunchtime we stopped at a restaurant just by the view point and had some food. I had noodles with peanuts and bean sprouts. It had so much flavour! Laotian good is definitely better than Cambodian or Vietnamese. However, we also got some spring rolls which were pretty awful. Both of us tried forcing them down as we'd paid for them but neither of us could finish them. They were deep fried and were filled with cabbage and carrot but they didn't taste like cabbage or carrot. It started raining ridiculously heavily whilst we were still eating so we ended up playing cards for a good hour. 

It was still raining slightly when we decided to leave so the waterproofs came out and we donned the turtle look with our bags on beneath our coats. We wanted to head towards the east of the island so took a turn and ended up on a very narrow path, sodden with water and mud. We continued on this path for a good kilometre, ducking beneath trees and slowly manoeuvring over dodgy wooden bridges. Of course we reached a dead end and had to turn all the way back. It was fun to start with but its always annoying when you realise you've gone the wrong way. Back on the railway track we headed back into the village, soaked through and a little sick of the rain. We were both also covered in mud and our trainers were pretty ruined. 

Setting off from the village to reach the east of the island was more sensible but still not the easiest in the rain. We cycled along a small path that lay between rice fields before turning past houses, waving to the children as we went. Finally, we reached another waterfall which had an amazing rope bridge. The bridge didn't feel the safest so I went halfway and turned back. There were other bridges made of bamboo sticks or pieces of wood that took us nearer to the top of the waterfall which again didn't feel safe. Quite fun though. 

Back in the village we washed off our muddy legs and attempted to clean our trainers before giving the bikes back and going for tea. Of course it started pouring it down then so we stayed close to our hostel and watched some Buffaloes walk past in the rain. I chose to eat fried rice curry with coconut milk and pork. I thought this would be rice and then a curry but it was the same as last night. I was disappointed. It tasted nice but I like a variety. Tomorrow I'll find something new to try.