Once on the road (around 10.50) I had to navigate my safe exit from the city of Hue and I had forgotten just how concentrated the bikes are in urban areas. Once safely out of the city limits I pulled over to put some music on. It was surreal to listen to classic Christmas music whilst riding through Vietnamese countryside. Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters, Judy Garland and Johnny Mathis have never sounded so good!
The landscape was fascinating - a stormy coast and misty mountains. At one junction I was greeted by a herd of huge buffalo on the road. And then I came to the most amazing mountain pass. My experiences riding in Wales, Scotland and the Lakes came in to their own as I relished the twists and turns, really using the full width of the road to make my way up the steep inclines and around some amazing hair-pin bends. The climb seemed to last for ages and at times it was so steep my bike almost came to a standstill and I had to drop it into first gear. At the summit there was a hundred bikes, many ridden by westerners with Go-Pro cameras mounted on their helmets, who had obviously come to ride this pass. I saw a sign stating that it was the Hai' Van Pass and according to the map was over 1000m above sea level. I was tempted to go back down and do it again, but I thought of my stomach and decided I wanted to get down the other side and reach Da Nang so I could check into my hotel and go and find some food. The views down into Da Nang Bay were stunning as I descended the other side and to cap it all the sun came out and the temperature rapidly began to rise.
At some point I passed a milestone which told me I now had less than a 1000kms to go to HCM.
The start of the Hai' Van pass at sea level
when Top Gear filmed their Vietnam Special in 2008.
Day Seven - Da Nang to HoiAn 55km. What better way to spend Christmas Eve? I started the day with a full English breakfast at a bar next to my hotel, had a walk on a stormy beach, visited the colossal Lady Buddha statue and pagoda, had a leisurely ride down the coast, climbed Marble Mountain, crawled through a bat infested cave and walked through steamy jungle foliage. I had booked myself into a nice hotel for Christmas in HoiAn and after a long, hot bath (only my second in three months) I put on my smartest clothes (which is not saying much) and went to join the evening's Christmas Gala Dinner. The staff had allocated tables to different rooms and groups, so I found myself sat on my own. Fortunately, a young woman walked in and was placed at a table on her own about 10 metres away. I checked that she was indeed alone and then made myself go over and say "feel free to say no thank you, but I am sat at a table on my own over there and if you would care to join me for some conversation during the dinner tonight - I'd love you to sit with me." And so I got to spend the evening with Katya, a 32 year old custom's official from East Berlin (I also had breakfast with her the following day before she left for HCM - but no, we did not spend the night together!) The buffet meal was tasty and impressive and even included turkey and the staff from the hotel did their very best to entertain us with music, dancing, a fashion show and a few party games. I won an embroidered bag (which I gave to Katya) though what I had to do with a large marrow tied around my waist - dangling between my legs and a small football to win it - I shall not talk about!
Linh Ung Pagoda next to the Lady Buddha
Day Eight (on the road) HoiAn to Quang Ngai (via My Son) - aborted at Tam Ky due to poor weather 90km. It was wet when I woke up, wet when I had my breakfast, wet as I packed up my belongings (after three great nights at the Lantern Hotel) and wet as I loaded up my bike. I set off anyway, as I was beginning to get itchy feet. My plan was to visit the My Son ruins and then head on to the town of Quang Ngai.
After stopping frequently to check my bearings, I filled up with petrol and the chap at the pump said I had just passed the turning to My Son. It was 23kms to the historic site and I debated about whether to go or not. Realistically, that journey alone, never mind the return leg and time spent at the ruin, would mean I would really struggle to make my destination - and did I mention it was raining?! Warm rain?
I decided to go, for I figured I would probably never come back this way again. 23 wet kilometres later I arrived at the ticket office to find that it was another 2km to the start of the site. It was worth it - but not in a Angkor Wat sort of way - though they make regular references to their Cambodian counterpart and other Champa dynasty buildings and Hindu temples in this area of Asia. It was misty, moody and hot. To quote Robin Williams "It's gonna be hot. Hot and wet. And that's nice when you're with a lady, but it ain't no good when you're in the jungle." It was also a site that is quicky deteriorating. US carpet bombing in August 1969 killed over 500 people at the site and destroyed many of the ancient temples and made others very unstable. Limited attempts at shoring up structures and renovation means there is still plenty to see, but I don't know how long it will last unless there is more significant action soon. You can still see the impact craters from bombs dotting the landscape and no one is allowed to go wandering in the surrounding countryside due to the presence of unexploded land-mines.
When I had finished my walk at My Son, I sped the 27kms back to my original route, but with yet more rain, I only managed to reach the town of Tam Ky by 4.30 and realised I could not make my destination before nightfall. I looked for a hotel. I looked for food, but this place has no westerners at all and barely anyone who speaks English. I sat in a cafe and hoped to have a menu with pictures in it, but alas no. I tried to ask for fried rice, but the young staff did not understand and with no wi-fi I could not use my google translate and I had not brought out my Vietnamese dictionary. So I drank a coke and left without eating. I walked the town before returning to a Vietnamese version of KFC and risked a fast food meal which probably contained gluten, but I had not eaten since breakfast.
Day Nine - Tam Ky to Quang Ngai 70km. It is wet again. Hot and wet, but today with extra wind. Wearing my highly unflattering poncho is a little like riding a bike wearing a small gazebo, so that wind makes travelling very interesting indeed. I have also come to realise that the larger vehicles are horrendous, particularly the buses who are aggressive and mental in equal measure. They come up fast right behind you and then sound their industrial horns - and all the bike riders (including me) flinch physically and swerve in a little. With oncoming vehicles it is a constant game of 'chicken' as big vehicles try to overtake other big vehicles using both sides of the road. As they approach they blare their horns and expect you to move (often when there is nowhere to move to.) I believe they see all the bikes, scooters, electric cycles and motorbikes rather like a large african animal sees insects - a buzzing nuisance! Worse still, a big vehicle will never give ground. If a bike pulls into their path (which happens often as the bike riders here do everything without looking first) the lorry, bus, truck or van will blast their horn continuously, but they will not slow down, they will not brake and they will not deviate in their course. Their horn is actually saying 'you are going to die unless you move out of my way.' I have begun to swear and blaspheme a lot more as a result, and some of the language I have come out with is truly awful.
On top of the mad drivers on all sides, the roads here in Vietnam are in a continuous state of repair. At least 500kms of my ride so far has been through endless roadworks. Entire carriageways are dug up, and the resulting ruts, pot holes, hollows and troughs are lethal (not to mention a challenge to my bike's suspension and my arse!) Occasionally, one side of the road is in good condition - so then both directions of traffic try to use it. Imagine the cars overtaking the lorries from one carriageway and the buses overtaking the lorries from the other carriageway and the bikes swarming like flies in the middle - all on one lane of a road and you will get the picture. I would take a photograph to illustrate my description, but it would stop me from riding again if I had hard evidence of the dangers I am facing in the saddle. Still, I think I am doing well. I am a bloody good rider (compared to those here in Vietnam) and as I am travelling with extreme care, vigilance and not great speed - I am getting there.
Pulling into my hotel just after 1.00pm today was bliss as the roads were deeply flooded in the last 5 miles and I am soaked through. My shoes are wet and they smell mouldy. My big rucksack, despite being wrapped in plastic, has gotten wet, my coat is wet (even though I wore my poncho) and my little rucksack is damp (even though it was under my poncho and on my back.) I thought the girl at the reception desk said $14 when I enquired about the price of a room, so happily unloaded and staggered back in to discover she had actually said $40. I haggled her down to $35, but I can see why the room was expensive. I am in a suite with two rooms, 2 beds, a kitchen area, an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, 2 restaurants etc, etc. I have decided to make the most of it to dry everything out thoroughly. If the weather tomorrow is wet and windy I may even stay here 2 nights as the next leg of my journey is a whopping 200km+.
A dressing gown day and drying my shoes with the air-con!
Day Ten - Quang Ngai to Quy Nhon 210km. I stopped two nights! The food in the restaurant was good. The bed was comfortable. The TV had football matches on and to cap it all there was a kettle and...wait for it...a tea pot! I did not leave the building for 44 hours! I just ate, got warm, read, sat in bed in dressing gown, drank tea and watched movies. Bliss. Outside the wind blew and the rain rained.
To be continued...
