Author: Silver fox adv rider

As the crow flies it’s only 60km but that’s all main roads which are full of lorries and lunatics. My plan involved visiting a beauty spot beach, an airfield and two bike only ferry crossings.

The weather was overcast and a cool 26°C. I left the really rather lovely Roma Homestay and headed for the beach at Toc Reef Lee. It started to rain, then it poured down, again I mis-timed it. My trousers were soaked by the time I got the waterproofs out and pretty much the rain stopped once I was sorted. Now all the waterproofs did was heat up the damp trousers. It remained on and off for most of the day, certainly it never dried up enough to put the waterproofs away fully. So the beauty beach, wasn’t and not worth the £3.50 parking. In a country where that buys you a night in a hostel. So, onto the airfield. I missed that, either through poor navigation or the rain was so heavy that I couldn’t see.

What a different day today would be. Setting off later than I intended I rode into Plueki stopping at a great little coffee shop. Coffee and an orange juice. I’d forgotten the need to eat. Soon the big town gave way to straight single carriageway through a constant stream of tatty shops synonymous with Vietnam. Past them the roads were heaven. I had one stop booked and that was a dam, shown as a tourist spot.

Back on the road and Lilly purred contentedly for mile after mile of gorgeous twisty roads. Some of it recently paved. It was just heaven and I knew I was in my happy place. Flowing corners, sunny weather and 12horse power of motorcycle.

I found a steep path and decided it was time to offroad. I was a bit doubtful as it was very steep.

It was a late night!

My day off the bike turned out to be a day on the bike doing local touristy things.

A few things didn’t work out as well but I had some time on the beach reflecting the sun’s rays back at it.

So onto today’s marathon leg. 377km is nearly double what I’ve done so far in a single day. I didnt stop much and in fairness there wasn’t much to take pics of, the roads were fairly plain.

By the time I arrived at my hotel for the night, all I wanted was food and coffee. I had managed a second stop en route but they only had coconut and a hammock

Anyway the hotel was miles from anywhere but had a coffee shop attached. However they were closed. I ventured towards town but the XR saddle had ‘done me in’ and I made it as far as another coffee shop. The coffee was awful so I went back to the hotel and ate a bag of crisps and drank water. Must eat better tomorrow.

I was in two minds as to how far I wanted to go today and the hotel booking site made the decision for me, a hotel for £6.92 that isn’t a hostel.

I packed up my gear and loaded up the bike. Rolling out of the lobby I hit the start button, nothing! A few more prods but no. Some workmen outside watched as I got off and bump started her. Now, what you need to realise at this stage is, the last bike I bump started was a Suzuki SV650, which was like trying to bump start a planet. I may have been over zealous with the speed of the push and indeed the hefty bounce on the seat to spin the wheel. In fact I thought it had slipped out of gear but no, that quiet whisper was Lilly purring away. As I turned off the choke she cut out again. This time two scoots with my feet, no bounce and she started again. I’m sure the workmen were impressed with both efforts as they watched on bemused as to why the madman would go through that when it has a perfectly good kick-start!

I tootled off on my planned 123km ride to Nha Trang. Its only about 60km however there were some lovely roads that needed my attention. But not before Lilly had a new battery

These two lads in their very unofficial Honda overalls popped in a new battery within ten minutes of my arrival and even checked it was charging correctly. For that they demanded a whole £15. (That’s with a tip that wasn’t demanded).

I stopped for a coffee at the roadside and whilst waiting to place my order, the biggest rat ran out from under the counter, between my legs and off out the door. I’ll not be eating here then.

So the hotel is fantastic and I’ve booked another day here to get a good look round.

A weird start to the day. I threw out a travel guide, jumper and my very old enduro jacket. All in the hope of reducing mass.

I was on the road by 9.15 and stopped to get a chilled coffee. I just wasn’t feeling it today and couldn’t get my head round why. That soon disappeared once whisking along with Lilly (the bike). I found the park that contains the Tea Bob La waterfall and within seconds the grey head fog lifted

And a waterfall isn’t complete without a war rellic of course.

After some chicken noodles and coffee I was set for Da Lat.

Da Lat came and went without much attention from me. What did have my attention was the empty’ish roads that dropped down to the coast and Phan Rang. I did stop for another hammock rest.

And that was today done. You really can’t make much progress on the back roads, but who wants to?

In total GPS was saying 200km. So six hours should be ample allowing for traffic in HCMC. I had planned the route so all that was left to do was pack the bike and set off.

Riding out of HCMC wasn’t too bad really. You soon realise it’s like being a fish in a shoal. You are all basically going the same way so ride close and you get through, just watch that others know when you go to join another shoal at a junction. Once you are into it, it just flows…..mostly. There’s always a rogue fish swimming against the flow.

Having got out into the smaller villages the traffic eased loads and I was happily buzzing along. I’d chosen a twisty looking road that looked great fun. As I got closer the road got narrower and less tarmac. Until eventually it became a very twisty, rutted dusty path that went on for 20km. The sun was now being brutally hot. There was a small water crossing and a near miss with a chicken.

Eventually back on the hard top I found a really cool cafe with hammocks as well as seats.

It was a great rest and before I knew it Id been there over an hour. I kitted up and headed off. I was approaching a steep climb that was visible for miles in stark contrast to what had been flat. There were some dark clouds about but surely its not going to rain. It was, and quite hard. I thought it would pass quickly and it was quite refreshing. It did stop momentarily, but then it started again and proper this time. Luckily I dived into a roadside stop and took cover.

After 40 minutes of unabated rain, I decided I needed to push on, it was not only dark from the rain clouds but daylight was also gone and I had 35km to go. I unpacked the bike to get waterproof gear out. Re packed and covered the rucksacks with their covers. Set up the 360 camera and sorted the mapping. Clambered on the bike and by pressing the start button I switched off the rain. It was not a fun ride. Instantly the 360 stopped working as the battery had died. It was pitch black and the roads gave no clue of the direction or unmarked edges. For a while there was a huge tail back and I was grateful for tail lights to follow, although overtaking was perilous and very necessary. At one point I was headed towards a scooter which was on the wrong side of the road headed straight for me, nothing unusual in that but then there was a slow moving lorry on the left coming towards me and the lorry behind him went for an overtake. It was so dangerous. I decided that if I couldn’t see a way through I’d just crash into the scooter, my best option. Anyway it all worked out. There are so many scooters with no lights on unlit roads, I don’t get it.

After a terrifying hour I found the hotel I’d booked yesterday. I wasn’t expecting much for £9

Well I’ll not miss it quite yet as I have stayed a day longer to prep the bike and see more museums.

I’m not sure the war remnants exhibition was what I needed today but once again it brings home the horror of what mankind will do to mankind. I’m not sure we learned anything from any war.

Having purchased a book from a patron of the museum, who had lost both arms, a leg and one eye to a landmine, I left and went in search of the Reunification Building or former Royal Palace which, when tanks crashed through its gates in 1975 signalled the end of the Vietnam war.

I’ve learnt a lot about what went on and how the Vietnamese are still dealing with the effects of the chemicals used on them by the Americans and how some Americans have gone on to be senators despite admitting war atrocities. The war lasted 20 years and for 18 of them there was worldwide condemnation from the average person on the street. It was 35°C outside, so I made my way back to pack, ready to depart tomorrow.

Packing done it was down to Station Bar for one last meal and a drink.

Well good evening when I actually arrived. The airport exit was swift and friendly as was the taxi driver. We had a great chat via Google translate.

He was laughing that my hotel is in the nightclub area of town mostly used by back packers. In fairness he is right but I’m sufficiently far away not to be bothered by the loud music.

Day two and I walked about Saigon finding various landmarks including the start point of Top Gear Vietnam.

Other places I glimpsed were the American War Museum (closed today). The French Colonial Post Office and copy of Notre Dam, built with the same stone as the original, and not been burnt down and rebuilt.

Day 3 saw me on a guided tour of Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta. Cu Chi Tunnels were the VC method to hide and ambush the American army during the war. The Tunnels, dug by hand covered 250km. They are quite incredible with medical rooms, kitchens and nurseries. The nurseries are level three underground (12m / 36ft) and pyramid shape to subdue the sound of crying babies. The kitchens have chimney stacks that travel away from the area and through cooling chambers. The smoke then exits through fake termite mounds and because its cool doesn’t rise. They only cooked in the morning so the smoke mixed with the morning fog.

Next we all bussed up and headed to the Mekong Delta. It was a long journey and given the choice I wouldn’t have bothered but it’s in the package. There was a river crossing to unicorn Island where we enjoyed a tasting of coconut sweets, fruit and some rice wine fermented in a glass for two years containing a dead king cobra, I’ll give that a miss thanks. Some local singers and a small canoe ride back to the bus. All in all a fab day out. It was a small group of 12 travellers from around the globe and we all got on well.

Tomorrow I collect the bike

Well I call it retirement, somehow I’ve pulled it off a few years early. In reality I have given up working 12hr shifts forever but if the money runs out I’ll need to do something, just a little less unsociable.

In an attempt to keep the monetary reins on, I have booked a five month trip away, starting in the Dubai, yeah that will test the budget!

So yesterday Jan 3 2024 I left a wet miserable England by climbing aboard an Emirates A380 and just six short hours later it was summer.

Arriving at the hotel in downtown Dubai I was immediately upgraded to a bigger room, bigger than some flats I’ve lived in. It was breakfast time, so it was an ear popping elevator ride to my 41st floor room for a freshen up, then back down to the second floor with obligatory ear popping thrown in, for breakfast.

I had a snooze and was ready to hit the town. Being a big window shopper I headed for the Dubai Mall and literally spent the rest of the day there. The next few days I was just a tourist, loving the touristy things. One highlight of my pre trip planning was the museum of the future, this amazingly formed structure houses a vision of the future of tech, however my pre trip planning didnt cover how far into the future you have to book and I found that out at the ticket hall, sold out for the next month.

So, onwards and upwards quite literally as I went up the Burj Khalifa building. The tallest building in the world currently), located by the water fountain display at, you guessed it, the world’s biggest shopping mall.

The week continued with a trip into the Desert to take part in various activities. Read my dire feedback on Google or TripAdvisor for more on that.

JBR beach with the biggest ferris wheel…., really do I need to go on? I spent a day swimming and tanning my lilly white body, that somehow remains lilly white. Burj Al Arab looks amazing, but without a ticket you can’t get close and as with most stuff in Dubai its in the middle of a building site. The souks and gold souk are always colourful.

The old town houses the gold and the spice souks. They are a colourful experience. The dow still operate along the Dubai creek transporting goods from the Riyhad harbour, inland. The harbour itself has the QE2. There are daily tours but only two and they were sold out. I managed to blag my way onboard and had free run of the whole ship.

So that was Dubai. A proper touristy holiday for me. Now onto Vietnam.

I set off reasonably early and headed straight for the trails but within 2 minutes I was stopped at a Police checkpoint. A quick check of my documents, two officers wanted to sit on the bike before lots of pats on the back and advice to ride carefully before I was on my way.

The ride to Antalya was easy but Antalya itself is a hugely busy town. The traffic was manic, it was hot and I wasn’t happy sat gently roasting in traffic

I’d had two days in Antalya and barely scraped the surface of this diverse city. However it was very touristy and I was ready to move on.