The home stay in Bac Yen cost £5 and was perfect for my needs. I wasn’t too sure about the open hole where a window should be, but luckily, the owner managed to find some cardboard to wedge in it. There was a great cafe next door and I filled up on fried rice and egg. Popcorn for pudding.
Today’s ride was a mile maker on main roads to Moc Chau and was a back track towards Hanoi. Still the scenery was great
I stopped at a roadside shack for breakfast and both husband and wife were charming. They didn’t speak any English and couldn’t use translate. They didn’t want to be photographed.
Moc Chau arrived and was quite a big town. It had three things I needed, an ATM, Computer shop and a Coffee shop that did pizza. The computer shop was a bit wishful thinking on my part. I went in and spoke to the manager. I have a visa for Laos on my phone and I needed to print it off. He couldn’t have been more helpful. I emailed it to him and he printed it off in seconds, no questions, no charge, just happy to help. The homestay was pleasant and I was really well rested the following morning, ready for an attempt at getting into Laos.
I say an attempt, as the crossing at Long Sap is known as being a no go for tourists. However the landlord of the homestay said he thought it was possible. So I set off on the road that threaded its way through the mountains. The day was warming up and I was loving the ride.
I needn’t have worried as I was taken to an office and handed a phone. The guy on the phone was very apologetic, stating the crossing was for Vietnamese and Laos residents alone. It wasn’t a huge shock and the ride back would be equally as much fun.
Back in Moc Chau I found a great cafe that did noodles and poached egg that I ate with chop sticks.
A message arrived, it was from Mau Pham the guy I met at a coffee bar in Son La. He was in Moc Chau but was headed for Mai Chau. We arranged to meet later in the day.
As I dropped down into Mai Chau, the road was wide and sweeping. I was having heaps of fun. There was a long right hander. Leaning into it there was a twitch as the front wheel lost traction, it gripped straight away but the rear had no intention of sticking to the super smooth road. What happened next was the bike throwing the rear out and me wrestling to keep it upright. A full on speedway slide. Luckily the road was clear and I got it back under control quickly. I slowed right down thinking it was a blow out. It wasn’t, however further down the road I caught up with a lorry spewing liquid onto the road. I thought it was oil but later realised it was water, used to cool the brakes. It must have had something oily in it!
Having said goodbye to Mau, his wife and children I headed 25km up a mountain road to Ban Bac Ha and my hotel for the night.
Earth, Wind and Tyres 