Phong Nah to Vihn (210km)

Grey, grey, grey. Today was grey with rain, maybe I’ll just let you know when it isn’t. It was going to be a long run but I’ve got the gear so let’s crack on.

I was almost immediately back on the HCM Trail. Only now it was a whole lot less twisty.

I saw this church raised above a village and detoured to see it.

The church was pretty as you can see, in stark contrast to the village surrounding it. It seems religion is always wealthy. As I walked around two young lads came up on an electric scooter. The passenger held out his hand “Give me money”. I said I didn’t have money to give, to which he stuck his middle finger up and both rode off. Such a shame, I would have given them something with a little more engaging behaviour. Maybe they don’t realise that yet.

This road was so straight it must have been an airfield at some point. The roads adjacent were laid out like taxi ways.

At Ban ?? I was routed through a tiny gateway off the main road. Other bikes also filtered through this short cut. Not just a short cut but an open air monument and museum and art installation. I had to stop

This garden has bomb craters and bombs sticking up from the ground

A striking art workmate from various bomb shells

This appears to be a memorial to workers who kept farming throughout the troubles, its overlooked by a large pagoda…….

It had to be done. There’s a monastery behind me but it was in use and I didn’t want to photograph it whilst prayers were being conducted

Not a clue about this, but I’d walked a long way to see it, therefore you get a photo. It’s a typical large communistic monument to something.

There was no one about to ask anything and no signs to help. I used Google translate on one sign near the aircraft and it said,’its ok to climb on the exhibit’. I wasn’t sure that was a great translation, but more of that later.