After the fun we had climbing in Vang Vieng, we were eager to get in some more practice. When we heard about Thakhek, which is a big stop in the area for climbers, we added a couple of days to our time in Laos. And our friend Monika (who we met climbing) was also heading there with us!

The journey there was frustrating. The bus (which we were told would take 6 hours) ended up being a local bus instead of a “VIP bus” so it took 8+ hours and made far too many stops. When the bus was moving, the AC was turned off, so we ended up in a silent battle with the women in front of us who kept closing the bus window – our only source of cool, fresh air. We would open it, they would close it. We would inch it open a bit. They would inch it closed. We would open it, fall asleep, and wake up sweating like mad because (guess what!) they closed it again. *sigh* It was also interesting that at every stop, women would board the bus to try to sell us food (eggs, chicken, fruit). But many had the same goods for sale. So the first woman would come by, and we would not buy her mango. The second would come by, and we again would not buy her mango. I am not sure why the 3rd, 4th and 5th women thought we might buy their mangoes, but they did try to sell them.

Anyway we finally did make it and it was amazing! We got lucky because when we originally booked with Green Climbers Home, they had only one night available in a 2-person tent. By the time we got there, they had opened up and we had a bungalow for the whole time we were there! (Yay!) Monika bunked up with us for a couple of nights because they did not have any more space by the time she booked. But we didn’t mind, and the three of us spent the next 2 days climbing!

Our day started with some fun but challenging climbs, and we quickly decided that:

• Not all climbs are graded equal. Climbs are given a number ranking to tell you how challenging they will be. A 5B or 5C in Thakhek was a lot harder than any 5B or 5C we tackled in Vang Vieng. (See a sample grading chart below.)

• Some of these rocks were REALLY sharp!

But all that aside we had a really great morning. Brandon and/or Monika would lead tougher climbs and I would use their rope after for a regular climb. But for those within my level, I took the lead and had a great time! After our lunch break we planned to head to an area called Elephant, but it was packed. (We never did make it there which is a bummer because we heard it was awesome!) But we ended up in an area that made for an interesting afternoon.

After lunch, Brandon took the first lead climb heading up a route that split in to two: a 5B on the left, and a 5C on the right. He was planning to climb the 5B, but ended up trying the 5C to see how far he could make it. When we was about 1/3 of the way up, we realized that we might not have enough rope or clips to get him to the top. This is why you plan your climb, and climb your plan. (A slightly modified dive slogan.) Luckily we realized it when we did, and we were able to safely get him and all of the gear back down. Later in the day we found out that we actually did have all of the equipment we needed for him to complete the climb, but safety first! Monika and I tackled leading the 5B that Brandon had started, and it was challenge! But it was by far my toughest and best climb to date and I was very proud of myself! We ended the day sore, tired, and bruised, but very happy!

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Day 2 was tough. We woke up feeling good, but after our first climbs we were already feeling the pain from the day before. We ended up cutting our day short because Monika and I were too pooped. So that afternoon we relaxed, and went swimming nearby. It was nice to relax a bit before making our way to Siem Reap, Cambodia (via Pakse, Laos) over the next two days.