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Hue to Hoi An (Motorbikes!)
I did not sleep so well. I woke up about 6.30 in the morning, excited and nervous about the prospect of not only riding a motorbike for the first time, but riding it all the way to Hoi An (140km). My test drive was at 8.00, so I tried to distract myself with breakfast and computer.
Eventually the time came. A man turned up with a black automatic scooter and I sat on the back as he explained the controls. Turn the key (yeah, yeah), left hand on the brake and press the red button (gotcha), gently open the throttle on the right handlebar (it looks easy enough). Then it was my turn :-S I managed steps 1 and 2 without problem, but step 3 turned out to be harder than it looked and I spent the next few minutes either barely rolling at all, or suddenly speeding off wobbling all over the place, nearly losing my balance on numerous occasions. However, I gradually began to get the hang of it. I even managed to turn the bike around in the road and make it back to the hostel without hitting anything, or anyone. To my dismay the chap who had brought the bike to me and the girls from the hostel looked less than convinced. They suggested that I try to drive around a bit more, not just up and down a perfectly straight road with no traffic. Ah yes, I suppose that might be a good idea :-S So off I went....taking only right turns, I managed to do a couple of laps of the block and managed to appear confident enough to the staff at the hostel for them to agree to me going. Inside I was shaking!
The others began to arrive and gather and did quite good job of saying encouraging things, though it was obvious that they shared some of my fears. I found a quiet place, pulled myself together and made the decision to go for it (I only found out later that I had a temperature of 38C and was probably not quite myself!).
Before we set off, I had a couple of pictures. My helmet, combined with my Khaki shirt had the effect of making me look somewhat like something out of WWII! On went the sunglasses and I was set. Happily we began with right turns again. The four of us lads were following the girls and their guides ahead. We had no need to worry about directions and this was a welcome relief. We could also watch them negotiate the traffic ahead and this gave me more confidence. I had been worried about stopping and, more importantly, starting again at traffic lights, but we seemed to have plenty of luck and were progressing comfortably. Two sets down and a roundabout ahead. Wait, a ROUNDABOUT! Help!! But before I knew it I was in. Traffic coming at me from all directions. Luckily I had managed to time it so as to meet a gap in the flow and, almost closing my eyes, I accelerated and prayed. I wish I had closed my eyes, because then I would not have had to see the lorry to my left, which apparently had no intention of slowing down and missed me by what seemed like inches! Yet, i made it and had a big wide grin on my face to show for it.
Ten minutes later we pulled into a petrol station and filled up. Then we lost two of the lads and had to wait about 30 min while the guides went to find them. Once had returned to base and the other had just pulled up having no clue where home was. When reunited the guides split up to have a leader and a follower. We made our way steadily out of the city, picking our way through the traffic and generally trying not to die. Actually, it wasnt too difficult. I could see overtaking traffic in my wing mirror and it would beep at me before passing, just to make sure. Soon enough we were on the open road.
We drove for an hour or so and made a pit stop so as to take a couple of snaps. The road ran along or very near to the coast and to our left was a vast stretch of calm water with little fishing boats moored every so often. Next stop was elephant springs, a popular swimming spot, with some rapids that you could slide down if you so wished. The sun was shining and the rocks around the water were wonderfully hot.
Next was lunch, but not before we negotiated a bit of a hill with a very bendy and well worn stretch of road. The lorries had worn grooves into the tarmac, which made the going a bit more interesting. It was quite fun to tear up the hill, overtaking the heavily laden trucks, which could not keep the pace up. Lunch was a bit of a let down. The place was a bit posh looking with prices to match, but with holes in the tablecloth and measly portions. The guides were obviously on commission and we nearly had an argument when we challenged them about it. The four lads were not tied to the guides like the girls were, but we decided to stick together. The guides were helping us too, so it was worth hanging onto them.
After lunch came the really fun bit. We were to drive over the Hai Van pass. Described by the Top Gear boys, who completed the same journey, as "a deserted ribbon of perfection - one of the best coast roads in the world", it was the best bit of our journey, though the haze made the view less than it might have been. There are some remnants of military bunkers to explore on the top. The sun broke through the haze as we coasted down and into the growing port of Da Nang. Skirting the city we found ourself on a coastal road with a long sandy beach. Though the sun was beginning to drop, we stopped for a swim. Turning into a kid again, I was playing happily in the waves when a big one broke upon me and I realised I could not see! Oh S**t! My contact lenses! With unbelievable good fortune, Julie spotted one on my cheek and was skilled enough to return to the shore with it still in her hand. I managed to get it back into my eye, but then had to complete the remaining hour of the journey half blind!
But complete it I did. We were dropped off at a hotel where our bags were waiting for us. The four of us lads checked into a room with two double beds and we all headed out to dinner and for a few drinks. It was a fantastic day.
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