Category Archives: SE Asia 2011

Day 6 Dalat, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

One of the nicest things about cycling in Vietnam is all the kids that wave and smile and shout hello, looking either very happy to see us or very amused at the crazy white people cycling in the midday heat. Mid 30s today, making the gentle climb up from the coast seem much harder. As we climb, the sandy dryness gives way to lush greenery, the backdrop grows into mist shrouded mountains. After 60km of cycling, we have a picnic lunch before taking the bus up the steep winding hairpin bends into the central highlands, past coffee plantations. The road is steep and rough so I’m glad not to be cycling this part, but I wish I was riding my motorcycle up here. I’d certainly be making faster progress than the bus!

In Dalat we check out the manic market place, that looks like a cross between Uzbek and Mongolian markets. Dalat is in the hills so it’s quite cool, and the sun sets fast and early this far south, so we emerge from the market place into a nighttime scene of neon advertising and the ceaseless beeping of the moped swarm.

Picture shows fishing boats along the coast north of Mui Ne.

Day 5 Mui Ne, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

Out of Saigon on the bus, till we reach the "quiet" back roads. Hot ride through scenery of rice paddies, banana trees, coconut trees, and dragon fruit plants. Getting used to being on the bike. Fast and slow groups emerging. Back on the bus for the long run into Mui Ne, where we arrive at a fantastic hotel right on the beach, with a pool surrounded by coconut palms, and a fantastic sunset.

Day 4 Saigon, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

Up at 6 for a session in the hotel gym. English breakfast followed by American breakfast followed by Vietnamese breakfast. Onto the bikes and to the Cu Chi tunnels. Into the specially widened for tourists tunnel, which still gives you a good taste of what it must have been like. To the War Remnants museum, which is very one sided but where the photographs are so explicit and shocking that you leave in no doubt about the horrors of war. To the market, and a very enjoyable session of haggling with the delightfully friendly and very young seller of knock-off watches, culminating in splashing out over four million dong between us on Tag, Breitling, Patek Phillipe, and Omega watches with a market value of over £20,000, if they were real. A few more road crossing escapades (gambling with your life in the face of a million oncoming mopeds and taxis), and a few beers by the river, in the company of four or five geckos. Dinner at the Wrap&Roll – two beers and a
plateful of noodles and beef wrapped in banana leaves for under a fiver. Caipirinhias at the tenth floor bar in the famous Carravelle hotel, with live Cuban salsa music. Guided by a kiwi barman to a bar hidden away down a back alley and patronized exclusively by ex-pats, for more cocktails, until about 1 am, when things are just starting to get going but but is way past our bed time as we have to leave the hotel at 7.30.

Saigon has entered my top ten list of favourite cities. If I was staying longer, I think it would go higher. If I could get used to crossing the road….

Day 3 Saigon, originally uploaded by Big Al!.

Crazy traffic.

Endless streams of mopeds and taxis and you just have to step out in front of it and start walking, calmly, pretending there’s nothing there, letting them avoid you.

And every ten yards, "Massage, sir? Happy ending?".

Saigon.