Time to downsize the luggage again. I was sure I could get down to just one bag on the bike and a rucksack. It worked a treat, freeing up the rear saddle, which is a much better seat for me. It makes me look huge on the bike and way taller than everyone around me. I routed through Vinh town and it was so much fun. The traffic was mad and the bikes and scooters are king, making so much faster progress than the cars.
There was a Highlands cafe. I dived in. I sat outside and was joined by a young lady who high fived me and wished me a happy new year. It is the Vietnamese new year this week. I thought, from her outfit, she worked at the store. With very little English we used Google translate. She is from District one on Hanoi. All good and to confirm Q. “Do you work here?” R. “Yes I work, I am model, horny”. So do I trust Google? Is she a model? She is pretty enough but the very yellow teeth would need airbrushing out of any photos. I’d seen the teeth when she accepted one of the tiny cakes I offered her. Or is she a prostitute? Q. “When will you be working next?” R. “On Tuesday after the snow”. Well Google I can only guess shes a prostitute who is going to spend the week snorting coke! Luckily she ran out of things to say and with a high five she was gone.
The HCM Trail was very uninspiring today, very straight and very busy. I didnt take any photos of the road as it was just that with shanty towns all the way. In one little town there was a market and I thought it would be fun to check it out. It certainly was fun as I was like the entertainment, being greeted by every stall holder. Some of the meat products looked a bit suspect though.
Shortly after resuming the ride I came across an accident. There were people in attendance and I obviously slowed down to pass the lorry which was in the middle of the road. I could see an arm sticking out from under it. I was prepared to stop and help with first aid but it was very clear this pedestrian was no longer with us.
Statistics show the fatal death toll on UK roads is 25 per million people per year. In vietnam its 170 per million. Horrific but a huge decrease in the last 10 years apparently. Part of the fun of riding here is the lunacy of it all but amongst the chaos you see the logic and you see that no one wants to hurt anyone. However I do wonder about the condition of some of the vehicles. For me it’s about self preservation and I am always fully concentrating on the road.
It was a long ride and I was glad to find my hotel was very nice. I walked into the town and found a nice resteraunt.
As I sat there munching away a message arrived from Levi and Zay. They had come to Ninh Binh as well. A short taxi ride took me to the bar where we met up. I can only tell you we laughed a lot, we met other travellers and I shouldn’t drink. Shortly after midnight the taxi dropped me back to the hotel. I was wasted!
Earth, Wind and Tyres 