After being shaken awake by Larry, I didn't have a clue what was going on. It was 6:30am and the bus was stopped. We were in Pakse. We met the Dutch pair outside and after successfully negotiating our way around a persistant tuk-tuk driver we walked the half hour stroll into town. Finding a place L and I set off to get motorbikes. and by 9:30 am we had a bike and after persuading the woman I could ride a manuel bike (semi-automatic), I had a practise ride and L jumped on and we set off. After riding for quite a while I started to get cold so we stopped at a Dutch run coffee shop and bought a poncho as it looked like it might rain. Eventually the sun came out and it warmed up, before though I was physically shaking I was so cold. The 1st waterfall (Tad Fane) was OK, but not too special.

Cruising through the jungle, twisting roads and small villages - was beautiful. Every child shouting sabidee sabidee and waving away, it was cherishable. The 2nd waterfall Tad Lo was also nice, but again nothing out of this world. Seeing a sign 94km to Pakse and we were over halfway, so racking up the miles. The scenery and places to look were few and far between, though there was a kodak moment. Nearing a junction we had to guess left or right (which if you ask any traveller is the major decision you make everyday) and with the tank nearly empty we took a left. I was starting to recognise places we had passed in the morning. And then became apparent we had taken the wrong turn and we were heading up a desserted piece of road, with no petrol stations for miles. The tank now reading completely empty, so I rode at about 20 kmph hoping to save fuel as best I could. Realsing driving around at about 1,000mph and overtaking everything earlier on was probably a bad idea... Mercifully a petrol station came into view and we filled our baby up. Now about 4pm we headed back in the opposite direction. Back in Pakse and the fuel tank looking good, we went off to explore a bit more. Finding some nice views of the Mekong and went down a bank to see it. On the way out I hit a large rock and L tried his best to fall off/ wobble the bike so much I could barely control it. Taking the bike back and the womans inspection consised of wobbling the handle bars. Played some s*** head and go fish with the Dutch pair Vhiker and Leonne, then bed.