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Well I didn't think it was possible for the roads to get any better but route 723 from Da Lat to Nha Trang was incredible. It zig-zagged through the mountains and forests, helping to create another great day of riding. The bike performed brilliantly, possibly because most of it was downhill but still, it's the best bike I've ever driven. It was a four hour journey that I didn't want to end.
Once I arrived in Nha Trang, I was hit, once again, by the stifling Vietnamese lowland heat. Luckily the beaches are postcard-perfect and jumping in the sea is the best way to cool off. Other than that, I haven't been doing a great deal. Since Friday night I have been battling a severe case of man-flu. I did check online to see if I had caught malaria but it's most probably a combination of too much drinking and too many late nights that have slowly caught up with me. I've never thought of myself a hypercondriac until now.
I was going to write about how the food here is amazing, the seafood especially, but I think all the food in Vietnam is great so it might be easier (and less drivel for you to read) if I mention the worst and most interesting bits. For example, the barbecued rats on the side of the road in Cambodia or the spit-roasted dog I saw in HCMC. I'm not really sure how it can get worse than that but SE Asia is full of surprises. I've got a photo somewhere of a restaurant's sign saying 'We serve no monkey, rat, cat or dog'. I thought it was quite funny until I realised that it wasn't a joke!
In my bedridden state, I've been studying my trusty map for potential routes to Hoi An. For the bus travellers, it's the next stop. Unfortunately it's not for the bikers as it's too far to travel in one hit. It could be done in two long days, of approximately 350km each day, if I travelled up the 1A Motorway but I've heard it can be quite dangerous and not the most scenic route- it sounded a bit like the M1, so I quickly discarded that idea.
I looked into going up the Ho Chi Minh Road which is supposed to be the nicest, almost mirroring the Cambodian and Laotian borders but due to road conditions it would take around 4 days. I scrapped that route in fear of missing George and the rest of the guys at Hoi An.
My proposed route, which is fairly long-winded, includes a two day-one night tour of the central highlands, with a local guy and his motorbike (a.k.a an Easy Rider). And then on Tuesday make it back to Nha Trang, in time for a 12 hour night bus to Hoi An. I've been assured that I will be back in time and that my bike will fit underneath the bus- if it doesn't I think I may have over-cooked this plan. It was the only way I could think of that included a tour of the central highlands and catching up with the group in Hoi An.
The tour will take Mr.Duc (the Easy Rider) and I deep into rural Vietnam, on roads that for some reason, don't appear on my maps, (starting to regret not bringing a phone or a GPS!!). Tomorrow I will travel around Lake Lak and eventually reach a remote village where I will stay for the night. I will experience how the villagers live and apparently I will help them prepare the meals. All I can say is, I hope they have a microwave!
I'm assuming I won't have electricity for the next couple of days, let alone wifi. I may be pleasantly surprised but I won't hold my breath. I'm not sure when my next update will be but hopefully I will have something a little more interesting to write about upon my return. We leave at 8am tomorrow, it was nice knowing you all....
- comments
Ma Not very reassuring JP! Goodness me, you wish you'd taken a phone, I wish more than you! I thought Katie teaching you to ride your first bike without stabalisers around our garden was scarey enough! Take care and love you xxxx
Katy I'm sure by the time you've done all that riding you will be more like Steve McQueen every day! Look after yourself, thinking of you love kp x x x