Vietnam Venture 24

As we wrap up the riding part of this incredible journey, tomorrow marks a shift in gears—literally and figuratively. Terry will be swapping places with Neil and heading back to the UK, and we’ll be heading off to Halong Bay to reunite with the girls. But today’s adventure was one to remember, filled with stunning landscapes, challenging terrain, and a chartered ferry. The day started on a high note, Terry was fuelled by a hearty breakfast of cheese on toast along with fuel for the bikes.  From there, we set off on the first scenic route of the day, a winding lane that rewarded us with breathtaking views. This particular road wasn’t entirely unfamiliar, as the girls had explored its early stretches just a few days ago. The scenery was defined by dramatic basalt rock outcrops and sparse soil. Witnessing the locals carve out a living in such a rugged environment was truly humbling. Our journey took us to a serene river nestled between towering limestone peaks.  Here, we stumbled...

After an unexpected but delightful free breakfast at our surpringly meay friendly homestay,  Ha Giang Vegetarian Homestay and Restaurant , we were ready for the day ahead. Fueled by good food and anticipation, we hopped on our motorbikes, eager to dive deeper into the stunning landscapes of northern Vietnam. Our first goal was to visit Kay’s favorite coffee spot, a hidden gem with a spectacular outlook. The journey there was nothing short of breathtaking. The roads were a dream to ride—twisting and turning through rugged mountains, each bend revealing a view more stunning than the last. We couldn’t resist stopping frequently to soak it all in. Unfortunately, upon arriving at the café, we discovered it had fallen victim to the  “Two-up gap year moped trains” —a horde of eager travelers swarming the spot. The tranquil vibe we were hoping for was lost amidst the buzz of scooters and chatter. No matter, we had other plans to chase quieter horizons. Terry enjoyig the open nd train ...

  Terry kicked off the day in true champion style, indulging in what appeared to be the breakfast of champions: pancakes slathered in a dark syrup that suspiciously resembled his leaking engine oil. Fuelled up and ready for the road, our group debated between three route options for the day—long, medium, and short—each decided by a mix of weather, time, and our collective enthusiasm. After much prevarication, we settled on the shortest route, aiming for a leisurely ride along Sapa's winding roads followed a climb to Ha Giang. Little did we know what lay ahead. Leaving Sapa: Coffee Shops and Scenic Views With our motorbikes refuelled, we descended a serpentine path out of Sapa, flanked by coffee shops overlooking stunning terraced fields. The forecasted rain had yet to appear by the time we reached our first coffee stop, 60 km in. Emboldened, we changed our minds and decided to follow the medium route instead—a meaty 270 km journey. The Rain, The Mud, and a New Plan Barely 30 ...

Our day started in Điện Biên Phủ with Terry indulging in what he claimed was one of his best breakfasts yet—a simple but satisfying spread of rolls, cheese, and butter. Energized, we hit the road on our motorbikes, ready for the journey ahead. The ride began gently, with roads winding through picturesque landscapes. Soon, we found ourselves following the edge of an expansive reservoir dotted with several hydroelectric plants. The scenery was breathtaking, and the roads were a motorbiker’s dream—smooth, curving, and flanked by nature's grandeur. A Surprise Lunch Stop By midday, hunger struck, and we stumbled upon an unassuming eatery. At first, it seemed closed, but the owners graciously welcomed us in and prepared a feast: a medley of rice, noodles, fried eggs, minced pork, and tangy pickled water chestnuts. It was an unexpected culinary delight that left us thoroughly satisfied and ready for the next leg of our journey. The Climb to Sa Pa The road to Sa Pa was both challenging and...

  After a splendid breakfast at our local ice cream parlour (there is a common theme here) where Terry managed croisant, roll, cheese and M&Ms, again we embarked on the battle museum.  It is fair to say that the scale of the enterprise is just too huge to comprehend.  For me, it was the montage of ladies breaking rock from sheer cliffs with sledgehammers and iron bars, to more ladies smashing the rocks to small stones to then even more workers laying the roads for vehicles to draw the artillery over.  I guess that around 100 people managed to build less than 100m or road. Also withing a few km of the museum is the command bunker and the bridge used to assault it.  Lots to see and reflect on.

Firstly, let me get the unpleasant details out of the way.  Having spent around 80 hours sitting on the bike recently I was suffering a small amount of chaffing, so today I became "two pant" Harris... What a difference and relief! We, the remainers, left our overnight stay "Co's Homestay" in Mai Chau after an excellent breakfast.  Co's was perfectly located amongst some local bars and restaurants.     Today was billed as the longest day by distance at 332 km; however, the roads were so good that we made unbelievably good progress while admiring the amazing views.   Our progress was only slowed by David’s chain making some strange noises. Interestingly, around here the ladies signify that they are married by a very elaborate top knot... That they wear, even under a crash helmet!   On the descent into Dien Bien Phu we encountered 8 kms of ad hoc roadworks that were repairing damage from various landslides.   The star of the day was a push bi...

  After a night of excess that saw Toby live up to his "Tumbler" monika, today saw us leave the homestay outside Lam Son after the best breakfast of the trip.   Across the remarkably sturdy suspension an onto a 280km taking in a section running along the Laos border. Once Neil had navigated us over the bridge, I took over and we started on our longish run.  First it was up into the mountains on narrow lanes with super views and little traffic.  After 60 km we stopped for coffee and, as usual, became the local attraction. Due to a slightly longer stop than planned (for bike maintence) we pressed on relentlessly for another 100 km.  The sight of a fuel station, in the mddle of nowhere was very welcome; however, it was then followed by many others. The final push saw us negotiate a very narrow lane, next to a river that had huge cement lorries coming the other way every 5 minutes! Neil looking for another cement lorry Finally, the route ended up in a super little p...