I walked up the beach to the hotel. As I approached the resort, I was greeted by waterbuffalo happily grazing the grounds. I went to the office to enquire about a bicycle rental. The manager explained he could only give bicycles out to guests, since he had a limited number of bikes. He was very apologetic and told me good luck finding a bike in the village. Oh well. I would walk the island if I couldn't find a bicycle. I thanked him for his help and headed towards the village. It was a beautiful little island and the people were friendly. As I passed their homes they yelled out greetings "sabaaidee!"
I was humbled at how excited the people were to see a foreigner. This must be what movie stars feel like! They were friendly and excited to greet me. I walked a kilometer and found a place to rent a bike. Finally! I think it was the only place on the island. I was off to explore the island. It was so quiet and beautiful. I only saw one guesthouse/resort and family restaurants along the side of the road. The island is primarily a farming island with cattle and rice fields. As I biked down the main road, the children would run out to look and wave. This island was more laid back and quieter than Don Khone. I didn't think that was possible. 
I biked to the end of the island when I decided it was time to head back towards the boat dock. I was hot and I knew I could relax and have lunch before going back to Champassak. As I biked back, I suddenly got a flat tire. Uh-oh! I was 8 km from the village! It was hot and I had drank my bottle of water. I got off my bike and started walking back to town. The locals would stop me, look at my tire and shake their heads. One young boy walked me to a man's home where I could get my tire fixed. I was so thankful! The man took me into his house and pulled out a chair for me. Then his wife and daughter came and brought me a bottle of water. I thanked them and took a big swig. Immediately, I knew I had made a mistake. The water was salty and gritty tasting. I couldn't spit it out. That would be rude. I realized it was not bottle water. When they brought out a bucket and poured it into another bottle, my suspicions were verified. They brought me a plate of fruit and filled my glass with more water. They smiled and the woman pointed to my eyes and her blue socks. Then she pointed at my hair. I smiled and she ran her fingers through it. They were so sweet. What could I do? I smiled and thanked them. The daughter left and came back with a bag of ice and a 7-up. I thanked her but tried to explain I don't drink soda. They would not take no as an answer and so, I had some 7-up. The woman then grabbed my hand and took me to her garden. It was beautiful. She had flowers and fruit trees. She cut flowers and made me a bouquet. Then she took me to where she was drying mangos and gave me a whole bag of dried fruit. I thanked her again. When we returned to the front porch there were 4 people waiting to meet me. The smiled and giggled at/with me. I laughed as people walked by their home and stared. I was definitely the attraction! When he finished repairing my tire, we talked a while and then I tried to pay him for his work. He kept refusing. I could not let them do this for free. I felt bad. I finally got him to take some money when I gave it to his daughter for her education. I smiled as I left this generous family. They were so kind and hospitable to a stranger. I truly love the Lao people for this trait.
I jumped back on my bike and looked at my watch. I had 40 minutes to meet the boat. I pedaled quickly towards the village. I was a kilometer from returning my bike when I got a flat on the front tire! Oh no! I walked quickly and returned my bike. I apologized to the family for the flat tire and they said no problem. I thanked them when they offered me a ride to the boat. I was back in time and had a cold Beerlao for myself and the captain. Whew! It was a fun adventure even though things went wrong. I felt safe and was never worried. My only worry is will I get sick from the Mekong River water? Only time will tell! I am keeping my fingers crossed that I have a strong system and no GI trouble.
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