First rest day in Luang Prabang

Poor Chris woke to find some ne'er-do-well had rifled through his tool box (protected by a toothbrush through the hasp 🙄) stole the top tray full of spanners, which had been collected over the years and which are practically useless to anyone who doesn’t own a vintage car, and then to his dismay discovered they had knicked his spare magneto too (not a lot of use for that in the scrote’s locker). 

He has filed a police report. It is sad that this is the first theft we have experienced on any Ultimate Overland Rally. Laos is one of the poorest countries in the world (although there is not so much evidence of poverty in Luang Prabang) and so it is hardly surprising when four old bangers turn up for someone to have a quick shufti around them in the middle of the night. The nihilism of stealing something of zero value to the thief and great value to the victim is depressing. Oh well, let’s hope it doesn’t happen again. 

Nigel mended his tyre. Chris pressure-sprayed the Rolls. Ham and I spanner-checked. Nothing untoward being found, we pronounced ourselves satisfied with the day’s work and had a beer (it was after midday). Chicken noodles were next on the list, down by the mighty Mekong River. And then a lazy afternoon of mooching around the shops and resting. 

Various plans and ideas are being worked up to ameliorate our Rallyists Dilemma (see page 94), on which I will report tomorrow if anything comes to fruition.