Pha Kyu Lom - Another angle


After climbing Pha Daeng, the next morning I thought I climb the little hill that stands in the village of Sophoun, just across the bridge from Nong Khiaw. I woke up very early and started walking, looking for the path that leads to the well-visible viewpoint. I asked someone, pointing to the hut on the top of the hill, where the path is; the answer was carry on the main road, it's still further ahead. I asked someone else, then again someone, and they still said the same. It was strange because I felt I was getting further, not closer, but then again, maybe the path makes a big detour. Finally someone said I have to go back all the way, all these people were showing me the wrong way - they directed me to the path to the viewpoint on the big mountain behind the little hill. What to do? I won't attempt the big mountain alone if there is not a good path, learning from my previous experience. At this moment came a young man on a scooter, and he said he would come with me to the big one. "How much do you want?", I asked. He said 20.000 KIP, which is about 2 GBP - the equivalent of the "entrance fee" to some of the sites. Sounds too cheap, but let's see...

He took me to a little bridge and said to wait there, he would be back in two minutes. It wasn't much more, if at all, and indeed he came back with a backpack, apologising for taking so long. We crossed a field and started up in the jungle; he was pushing me, I could hardly keep up, but then he slowed down a bit. We passed a Hmong or Khmu garden, passed several little bridges and climbed many ladders, at some points there was a little opening in the thick vegetation and we could have a look outside. He also showed me a little cave where his father, uncle and him stay sometimes -- it turned out he and his family have been building the path. He also showed me a tree with cuts on it; there are bears in this area, he explained. Finally we reached the top (Pha Kew Lom or Pha Kyu Lom), where, as normally the case is, there was a little bamboo hut. It took us 1.5 hours to reach it, but with my own pace it would have been 2. And it is not even the highest peak; they are still developing the path to that point. The views you get, nevertheless, are fantastic, and we were lucky with the weather as well, as it was overcast but at the same time clear below the blanket of clouds.

On the way up I noticed that he was picking up rubbish and placing them next to the path; when we were descending, he picked them all up and filled two plastic bags. When we reached the Hmong or Khmu huts next to their gardens, he cleaned the area and burnt their rubbish. He does it regularly he said. But he didn't burn the rubbish he picked up on the way, he carried them all down back to the village. Crossing the bridge again, we got to his scooter, I gave him the agreed money, then he took me back to my guest house. I felt 20.000 KIP was ridiculously little, so I suggested we meet later and make another, much easier walk. He turned up on time, but I felt I didn't want to do more walk, but I gave him another 30.000 KIP. Later I found out that 50.000 is the minimum one should give to a guide, and it's more like a 100.000 for such a work, but he never said anything, he would have accepted the 20.000. Getting in touch via Facebook, I also suggested that I would invite him for a few beers in the next evening, if he was up for it, which he agreed to.

This young man is named Kikeo, and I highly recommed his services for everyone who wants to do a proper hike away from the masses. He can be contacted on his Facebook page, which is www.facebook.com/ki.sihalat. I'd like to help him, he deserves it, and who knows, maybe there are ways I can even if I am not in Laos.

































































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