Nam Ou Day 1

nam Ngay River

Put in

Ban Tang

Hydroelectric Station

Ready to go

The public address system starts at 5am.  My room is too close to a speaker.  I guess I am getting an early start to the day.  The guy selling bus tickets tried to send me to Boun Tay, instead of Ou Tay.
At 10 I am moving again on a bus.
“Oow baby right now” by the chipmunks ahh bus music.
During the bus ride I get to see locals in there tribal dress with silver jewelry and baskets with head straps carrying their loads up the road.  Crossing the nam Ngay River I see it is too small to be run.  I see lovely pink flowers at a distance and think that they are for medicinal uses only.  Finally at the Nam Ou and there is enough water.  I just buy a couple of liters more of water and head to the river.  I do not want to discuss my trip with officials so I am keeping a low profile.  A few kids spot me but from the far side of the river.  I am off.  Scout the first rapids as there are propellers in the water from the hydroelectric plants. The town has electricity.  Easy rapids and I continue the day just reading as I run the rapids.  There is a constant distant rumble from the next rapids.  Most are class two and easy.  There is always a rumble or a roar of the next rapids.  There are other sounds from breaking branches to birds all around.  There is no silence in the jungle.  There are a few class 3 and one I get a good butt banger going over one drop onto a unexpected rock.  One rapid has a three foot drop.  A boat just finishes motoring up with a couple of guys in front with poles pushing.  I would be carrying an extra propeller and a hammer if I was them. 

Then I am alone on the jungle and see no one.  I see bright color birds but catching them in a photo is tricky.  I see lots of old camps with the Bamboo frame for a tarp shelter.  I pick a rock bar to camp on.  The GPS does not have any map for the area so I do not know even generally where I am on the river.  I decide to draw a river map from the old 1965 topo maps on my computer.  Each square is a kilometer and track pattern on the GPS lines up with the map I made.  I now have a good idea of where I am and how far there is to go.
I go to bed with a chorus of frogs and jungle noises. Just finished the Pacific where the lads spend their nights waiting for the Japanese to visit.  I have no worries and go to sleep.

Bus
64.1 Miles, 3:26 Moving Time, Max Speed 32.2 Miles,  Moving Average 18.6 Miles,  Stop Time 2:30 Overall Average Speed 10.8 Miles,  Temp Min 68 F-74 F, Start 7:00 next day end 13:30, Accent 4536 feet, Max Altitude 4033 feet.  Ban Tang

Camp 1

Boat
12.9 Miles, 3:48 Moving Time, Max Speed 8.8 Miles,  Moving Average 3.4 Miles,  Stop Time 2:01 Overall Average Speed 2.2 Miles, Temp Min 68 F-85 F, Start 13:30 next day end 18:00, Accent 51 feet, Max Altitude 2106 feet.

Sunny after morning fog cleared

Love & Kisses
Steve