Showing posts with label VIETNAM (2). Show all posts
Showing posts with label VIETNAM (2). Show all posts

Tuesday 25 October 2016

CYCLE TOURING VIETNAM (2)

 




Vietnam (2)
1205 Kilometres - 21 Days
5 October – 25 October 2016

 

 

5 October - Ban Dong, Laos – Dong Ha, Vietnam – 107 km

A short ride took me to the Vietnamese border, where the crossing was an uncomplicated affair. At Lao Bao, a quick detour into town allowed drawing Vietnamese currency (a whopping 3,000,000 Dong as $1US = 22,000 Dong) and picking up a new SIM card.

From Lao Bao, a steady climb led up the mountain and onto a lovely descent past turn-offs to war-related sites. I also spotted the famous Rockpile. The Rockpile is a karst outcrop south of the former Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The United States Army used it as an observation post and artillery base from 1966 to 1969. The area remained relatively rural, and as in Laos, people carried their wares in woven baskets on their backs and women smoked long, thin pipes while selling banana hearts.

 

6 October - Dong Ha – Dong Hoi – 105 km

Since it drizzled, I ummed and aahed whether to continue as my room was nice and cosy. But as always, I’d ants in my pants and departed in a drizzle, a drizzle which got worse as the day progressed.

Soon after leaving, my route crossed the DMZ, by then a peaceful place planted under rice and sporting grazing buffalo. I’d my head down and missed the turn-off to the tunnels and didn’t feel like retracing my steps in the pouring rain. Although not cold, the rain made a dreary day. The camera barely came out and there were a few missed photo opportunities. However, it’s not all lousy biking in the rain; in fact, it can be quite pleasant at times.

In Dong Hoi, I realised one needed to check one’s money, change, and prices as the Vietnamese didn’t need encouragement to do you in and thus one reason Vietnam wasn’t on the top of my “favourite destination” list. They weren’t even embarrassed when one pointed it out; they merely laughed and refunded you. I thus preferred ordering food from a menu indicating prices. The biggest problem was buying at a store. Generally, prices weren’t on items, and full advantage was taken of foreigners’ lack of knowledge.

 

7 October – Dong Hoi

During the Vietnam war, Dong Hoi was, unfortunately, situated close to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone; ironically, this was where most of the fighting took place). On 11 February 1965, American B-52s raised the city to the ground. After the attack, all that remained were a water tower, part of the city gate, part of the Catholic Church, and a single palm tree. On departing, a short cycle took me through the city to have a glimpse at these spots and to have one more cup of coffee. In the process, I started chatting to other travellers and the weather came in which made me stay put. The rest of the day was spent exploring the city, doing laundry and eating interesting Vietnamese food.

What was noticeable was the lack of stray dogs as one often saw motorbikes with wire cages on the back transporting dogs. Vietnamese have an appetite for dog meat, and they see these animals as food, a delicacy, to wash down with a bottle of rice wine. If slaughtered in a humane way (if there is such a thing), it’s no different to lamb or pork, or at least that’s what I think. The Vietnamese don’t eat their pet dogs; as little as people in the West eat their pet chicken.

 

8 October – Dong Hoi – Son Trach – 45 km

Following a quick breakfast, I continued to Phong Nha National Park. Now a Unesco World Heritage Site, it’s a remarkable area containing the oldest karst mountains in Asia. The park is riddled with hundreds of cave systems. It made a beautiful cycle offering stunning vistas and the ever-present karst mountains in the distance.

During the day, a gathering of sorts got my attention, a funeral, I guessed, as a man in a brown robe chanted in a monotone voice. Bystanders were dressed in white robes and headbands. Plenty of food and incense were splayed out, and paper offerings were burnt. They encouraged me to take photos and upon leaving, my handlebar bag was stuffed with food and fruit. I say “stuffed” as the lid could barely close. Unsure of what to do, I made a wildly exaggerated puja/namaste by holding my palms together, touching my forehead and bowing numerous times. What a sight this must have made. On pedalling off, I could scarcely contain myself and nearly fell off the bike laughing, imagining what that must have looked like.

Reaching Son Trach (still with a bulging handlebar bag), uncovering accommodation was easy as this small town boasted numerous guesthouses. I was excited to investigate and first on the list was Phong Nha Cave, one of the world’s most extensive cave systems. Visiting involved a boat ride on the Son Trach River to the cave’s gaping mouth. We were rowed into the cave and were instantly transported into the wondrous world of stalagmites and stalactites—slack-jawed, I stared at the wonderment around me.

 

9 October – Son Trach and Paradise Cave

All loaded and ready to leave, a change of heart made me stay one more day as it was highly likely I would never return and best to see all the park offered.

The route to Paradise Cave wound past rice paddies and karst peaks deep into the National Park. Once there, a two-kilometre walk took me to the mouth of the cave. Surprisingly, one of the most extensive cave systems in the world (thirty-one kilometres) lay behind this tiny opening. No wonder it lay hidden until 2005. A wooden staircase led to this extensive system and the sheer size of the cave made it breath-taking. Unfortunately, my arrival coincided with a tour group and I assumed it would spoil the experience. However, the cave is so vast I didn’t even realise they were there. There are no words to describe the cave, but to say it’s spectacular. Unfortunately, my many photos didn’t come close to capturing the vastness of the cave or its beauty.

 

10 October - Son Trach – Yang hotel, Cam Xuyen – 127 km

Although dearly wanting to visit Dark Cave, I’d already spent far too much money as it involves an abseil into the cave.

My room rate included breakfast consisting of a Vietnamese omelette, baguette and ice coffee. The coffee is delicious but extremely strong if ice isn’t added. “Whe you go?” has become the norm while packing up and on replying, “China”, it appeared no one had ever heard of such a country.

My chosen route north took me past quintessential Vietnamese scenery of karst outcroppings, rice fields and grazing buffalo. Farmers ploughed the land with the help of oxen or buffalo; others were putt-putting upriver fishing net in hand.

I followed one of the old Ho Chi Ming trails, paths used by the Vietnamese during the war as a supply/support route. There are numerous paths/trails/routes, and I loved how rural the area was, but old graves reminded me of the many Vietnamese who lost their lives here.

Hot and sweaty, a sugar cane juice vendor made a welcome stop, something that remained a novelty, even though I’d been in Southeast Asia quite some time by then. Somehow, a missed turn took me to the main road. Not a train smash and I followed ladies collecting recyclable items and past older men watching over buffaloes. My greatest entertainment was two ladies herding geese and ducks. They didn’t wave their arms or make any exaggerated movements; they simply strolled along, guiding them gently. Comfortable-looking digs with a restaurant close by made perfect overnighting.

 

11 October – Yang Hotel, Cam Xuyen – Dien Chau – 112 km

What a bizarre day this was, starting with a message from an Australian lady demanding I delete the picture of the dogs being transported by bike or she would make sure I’d no friends! As if that would stop the Vietnamese eating dog meat! I thought it quite likely some of my Facebook friends received derogatory messages or comments from “me”. Later, a man mentioned that it was easier for women to travel by bicycle as they were stronger, and men couldn’t do it. On second thoughts, he could’ve tried justifying his use of a motorised bicycle, not that one needs explaining using an e-bike. At least I heard one “Welcome to Vietnam”. Not a great deal happened as the AH1 is a busy highway and best to look for a better route in the morning. The fascinating part was watching a herd of buffalo swim across a huge river. I’d no idea they were such good swimmers.

 

12 October – Dien Chau – Thanh Hoa - 104 km

Gosh, several peculiar things happened on this day. First, on rounding a truck parked on the shoulder, a lady on a motorbike popped out in front of me. Vehicles tend to go against the traffic in Vietnam. She got such a fright she dropped her motorbike, causing me to go over it. Fortunately, I didn’t fall hard, and she saw the incident as immensely funny. The Vietnamese have a habit of laughing when someone falls.

Another strange thing was people addressed one in any foreign language they’ve mastered (or half mastered), which may or may not be English. I was spoken to in German and French, and no good telling them you didn’t understand, as they just kept talking. Later I’d someone pulling up next to me with a friendly “Salaam alaikum”; I responded with “Alaikum salaam”, as it was my sole Arabic phrase. Not for a minute did I believe I resembled an Arabian person. I guessed they worked somewhere on the Arabian Peninsula.

I slowly edged towards Hanoi, trying not to get flattened by trucks and busses while dodging produce drying on the tarmac. Not many pictures were taken as the landscape was spoilt by wires, unsightly pylons, and frantic mining. Unfortunately, mining scars are irreversible and will be there forever and a day. Still, this was a rural part of the country, and farmers were busy harvesting rice while I shared the road with ladies, all of whom were on bicycles loaded to the hilt.

 

13 October - Thanh Hoa - Tam Coc - 60 km

My route veered off the highway and continued to one of Vietnam’s top tourist destinations, Tam Coc. Although a lively touristy area, it remained picturesque. A place from where boats headed upriver past jagged limestone cliff and rock formations rising out of the paddy fields reminiscent of Ha Long Bay. Even the ever-present air pollution couldn’t detract from the beauty of Tam Coc. However, the predicted rain made me wonder if a boat trip upriver would be worth the money.

 

14-19 October - Tam Coc – Hanoi – 110 km

Unfortunately, the continuous drizzle made me choose between going upriver in the rain or heading to Hanoi in the rain. Unable to make up my mind, I first had breakfast accompanied by a good cup of Vietnamese coffee. Hanoi won as it was hard to justify the money on a trip in the rain.

My chosen path had many interesting sights. It proceeded along a country lane and past tiny rural settlements where ladies traded on their haunches from wicker baskets on shoulder poles. Ancient Hoa Lu came as a surprise and is said the ancient capital of Vietnam, circa 800 BC., and it made a fascinating detour. Though not many buildings were left of the time, it remained a beautiful area featuring narrow alleys, old temples and askew moss-covered walls.

Although the drizzle continued throughout the day, the ride remained enjoyable. Eventually, the route spat me out upon the AH1, a busy highway that turned into a narrow, potholed single-lane road. The last part of the ride into Hanoi was an unpleasant affair. I thought it nothing short of miraculous that I made it to my destination unscathed. Traffic rules were non-existing, or I didn’t know them.

Tired and soaked, I cycled into bustling Hanoi and was relieved to find a reasonably priced abode in the labyrinthian of narrow lanes in the old quarters.

The following days were spent exploring Hanoi’s old part, a pleasant place in which to hang out. I met up with Bret and Hayley, who lived in Vietnam. They knew Hanoi like the back of their hand, and in the company of a few of their countless friends, we met up practically every night for beers and a bite to eat.

Rumours of an approaching typhoon made me stay put, but the days came and went, and no storm made an appearance. Each morning, the weatherman announced this was the day, making me pay one more night. Wandering the narrow lanes of the old quarters, I ate from street-side restaurants where people sat on tiny plastic chairs and drank countless cups of coffee at small cafes in narrow alleys.

 

20 October - Hanoi – Roadside hotel - 115 km

Eventually, the time came to pedal out of Hanoi. Three times, I changed my mind about what direction to go. In the process, I rode through tiny settlements lining the Duong River, all typical Vietnamese with straight-up houses resembling matchboxes on their sides. The villages were surrounded mainly by rice paddies and built around a church (how weird). The red-roofed houses, strangely, reminded me of Eastern Europe.

The route followed the river for the rest of the day, making a rural and pleasant ride. The GPS was set to “walking”, something that turned out heaps of fun as it sent me through markets, along cobblestoned alleys, past temples, and through residential areas complete with buffalos, chickens, and pigs; all, of course, to the great amusement of villagers.

The land along the river was fertile. My route ran past vast vegetable farming operations where farmers weeded and watered crops by hand. The narrow road was made even narrower due to villagers using the tarmac to dry their produce; ladies were methodically spreading rice onto giant plastic sheets, continuously turning it over. Although I thought of refraining from people shots, a man not merely carrying his fishing gear dangling from the one end of his shoulder pole but an entire boat made me take one more shot.

 

21 October - Roadside hotel - Halong City - 40 km

The short cycle into Halong City made a relaxed start to the day and the ride turned out a beautiful one past stunning karst scenery. Halong City is the gateway to Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island. However, I was unsure if I wanted to revisit Cat Ba Island.

In the meantime, I discovered my passport was left in Hanoi; what a pain. The receptionist at the hotel in Halong City was kind enough to phone and arrange for her brother (a minivan driver) to collect the passport and drop it off. How sweet of her. The free trade agreement in Vietnam meant development and building work was in full swing. Halong City thus resembled a giant construction site.

 

22 October - Halong City

The pollution/haze/fog was horrendous, and best not to spend money on a boat trip; quite sad. The remainder of the day was thus spent eating and drinking. Not a bad alternative to cycling.

 

23 October - Halong City – Dam Ha – 120 km

It’s hard to describe northern Vietnam, as it’s beautiful but heavily polluted. However, the visibility improved once away from the coast and its mining, dust and smog, and the colours returned. The rest of the ride was hilly but offered stunning vistas, especially with the ripening rice.

Old, dilapidated houses looked pretty against fields of yellowish-brown rice. Humble and welcoming folk sold meagre supplies at roadside stands. Each time I refilled my water bottles, I was invited to share a meal. Even men drinking at corner kiosks waved me closer and offered to share their rice wine, an offer which was better declined.

Once in Dam Ha, I looked for a guesthouse and soon spotted one adjacent to a restaurant. Interestingly, these little eateries often only had one option and Bia Ha Noi (a popular beer) on tap. No English was spoken, but it’s pretty easy to explain what you want when walking into a restaurant, and no sooner a huge spread arrived, so large was the portion, it was impossible to finish. The meal at first appeared unimpressive, consisting of simple rice, tofu, sausage, and greenery; but the individual taste was fantastic. Each dish was flavoursome and unique.

 

24 October - Dam Ha – Mong Cai – 60 km

A short ride led to Mong Cai on the Vietnam-China border. The ride was scenic through rural communities where villagers still wore tribal gear.

Mong Cai came as a surprise as the place was a large, sprawling city housing numerous markets. It appeared a popular cross-border trading post for both Chinese and Vietnamese. I wanted to cross the border in the morning to allow me a full-day ride on the Chinese side. The Mong Cai border was a border crossing seldom used by foreigners. I say this as there were no foreign travellers and I was treated as a novelty.

Nevertheless, it remained a tad disconcerting that people checked my shopping to see what I bought. Having a bite to eat gave me no more privacy as two ladies plonked themselves down and watched me eat without once taking their eyes off me. Instead, I didn’t finish the meal and opted for a takeaway from a different shop.

 

25 October – Mong Cai, Vietnam – Qinzhou, China – 100 km

It may be difficult to understand the immense sense of freedom I get from the unknown and from heading over distant hills, with only my bicycle and few possessions. There were days I couldn’t believe my luck that I lived this life. These were the random thoughts going through my mind en route to the border. It turned out one of those days I was convinced only a film crew could capture the bizarreness of what happened.

As mentioned before, it was a border crossing seldom used by foreigners, and I felt like the main attraction. Crowded by people, they peered into my handlebar bag and gazed at my phone to see what the foreigner was doing. They enquired about the purpose of the solar panel and if it was for charging the bike. They pointed to my rings and wanted my bracelets, all making me feel like wanting to escape in a hurry.

On that crazy note, I departed Vietnam with its sad history and gazillion graves and entered exotic China. At the passenger terminal, I’d to walk the bike in the company of what felt like the entire population of Vietnam and China, all wanting to lend a hand. The Chinese had a bigger personal space and kept their distance. The immigration officers could either not read the Latin alphabet or something was wrong with the passport. He continuously peered at me and then at the passport, held it up to the light, and inspected it from all sides. Maybe they’ve never seen someone from “Nanfei”, or they thought all Africans are black. It took forever, but the passport was eventually returned, and I was waved through.

My first stop was the ATM in the border town of Dongxing, where I drew 4,000 Chinese Yuan and then searched for a mobile phone shop to buy a SIM card. I was observed in silence while staff nervously reached for their phones to start translating. A SIM card was only available at the main office and was escorted there by one of the ladies. Resulting in it being 11h00 before getting underway with money in my wallet and a SIM card in my phone.

My route headed in the direction of Qinzhou a reasonably substantial city. Once on the outskirts of vast and sprawling Dongxing, I veered off onto a minor road, which turned out a delight to cycle. Although considerably slower, the countryside made effortless riding. Still, I cycled through huge cities, which seemed to go on forever. The towns all appeared daunting from a distance, but they were easy to get through, as they were new and well-planned. The hours’ time difference was welcomed, but it also meant the time was six o’clock instead of five, and being winter, it got dark early. I thus opted for the first accommodation and what a posh place. The price was almost double what I typically paid, but the establishment was new and fancy. Naturally, food was first on my mind. Afterwards, I tried doing laundry in a wash hand basin, clearly not designed for that purpose. Still, the fact they’d a drying rack right under the aircon unit came in handy.