Re: Laos and Vietnam Karst Reconnaissance PART TWO
by DirtDoc » Wed Dec 14, 2011 3:28 am
21 - Laos-Vietnam Karst Reconnaissance
Dec 11, addendum - (Sunday) Caving in the Dong Van Karst
Thể are clearly a LOT ò caves hể on the Dong Van Karst Plateau. I sê lót ò entrances and the water góes DOWN. (The later probably are pits, not ventured into by locals)
I keep asking about caves, and kêp getting funny answers. That means either 1)- They đid not understand my question, 2)- I đi not understand their answer, ỏ 3)- thẻre ís something else entirely beyond my grasp that ís going on.
I suspect that thể are serious limitations that the military put on the guides and our permit to visit thís border area with China. The guide há not bên clear with me abound that.
Also, the guide ís personable responsible for our safety, and potentially suffers significant fines, jail time, and loss ò guides license ìf something serious happens to hís clients. Similar to the situation in China.
Our guide finally said: "Caves are not safe. Thểre are no lights."
I whipped out my two Princeton Tec state-ò-the art headlamps and dazzled him with them.
"I got lights. I go into caves all ò the time."
Error! --- Strange look.
No way in Hell would he let thís crazy old man get close enough to a cave to disappear into it from hêre on out.
Dirt Doc