Now the group has fragmented and off doing our'own thing' before flight home. Got our trophies for completing cycle so R and R now!
We are on an island 15km off Cambodian coast, but Viet. owned. Fabulous undeveloped place, but not for long I fear. Full meal around 3 pounds and so, so good. Especially seafood and fish.
Beach miles long, water warm, palm trees.......
So good after mucky cycling!
Had an hour long massage on beach yesterday for 2 pounds 50 each and wonderful! Just walked over an hour into town to find internet, but reckon hiring a moped tomorrow might be good, but untarred red dust roads. However if we can cycle in mayhem of Saigon and Hanoi this is childs play!
Vietnam truly is a wonderful destination with fabulous people, food and scenery and STILL very cheap by our standards. Visit now before it becomes 'Thailand'!
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Friday, 28 November 2008
Cu Chi tunnels
Today we cycled to the Cu Chi tunnel system on outskirts of Saigon and had tour there with our guide. Amazing! What a smart bunch of people who actually had the US troops playing into their hands as well as using all that nature could provide to help them, eg as the US burned the undergrowth to 'see' the tunnels it 'cooked' the clay soil and made the tunnels stronger. Just one example of many. The US even had a base built completely on top of the 200km tunnel system without knowing! Glad to say women played a HUGE part in the success of the Vietnamese in all the roles the had from providers to fighters.
Today the Vietnamese are so keen to shrug off the war heritage and show off this wonderful country and people who live in it.
Afternoon dodging traffic in Saigon - 8 million people, 4 million motorbikes! Very few can afford cars even now. MAYHEM!
Off to eat now and have we been eating well...the food is wonderful, the beer around 40p a glass - HEAVEN!
Today the Vietnamese are so keen to shrug off the war heritage and show off this wonderful country and people who live in it.
Afternoon dodging traffic in Saigon - 8 million people, 4 million motorbikes! Very few can afford cars even now. MAYHEM!
Off to eat now and have we been eating well...the food is wonderful, the beer around 40p a glass - HEAVEN!
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Goodnight Saigon!
Arrived in Saigon tonight after 2 days of hard cycling. Yesterday was long and hard. We had 40 km of good interesting cycling through Vietnamese countryside on the relative flat. We had to be bussed around a landslide which meant time was short so we drove up the first hill climb to start cycling again in another tropical downpour. To be followed by 10 km of up and very up, up through cloud and rain but through a lovely coffee and tea growing area. Then a dash of 24 km to Dalat arriving there just after dark which made negotiating the rush hour traffic very interesting.
Today was a cycling of 80 km towards Saigon from Dalat. We started with a tour around central Dalat before heading off. Once out of the town we had a long fast downhill which almost made up for yesterday. Then some undulating countryside through tea and coffee growing areas. There were some significant ups but was mainly good and fast and in good weather - broken cloud and almost sunshine until the last 10 km when we got soaked again. It would not be Vietnam without getting wet. The guides tell us this is very unusual for the time of year.
Tomorrow cycle to the Chu Chi tunnels, home of Viet Cong operations.
Keeping eye on Thai 'problem' as supposed to fly back through Bangkok.....we'll see.
Today was a cycling of 80 km towards Saigon from Dalat. We started with a tour around central Dalat before heading off. Once out of the town we had a long fast downhill which almost made up for yesterday. Then some undulating countryside through tea and coffee growing areas. There were some significant ups but was mainly good and fast and in good weather - broken cloud and almost sunshine until the last 10 km when we got soaked again. It would not be Vietnam without getting wet. The guides tell us this is very unusual for the time of year.
Tomorrow cycle to the Chu Chi tunnels, home of Viet Cong operations.
Keeping eye on Thai 'problem' as supposed to fly back through Bangkok.....we'll see.
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Nha Trang
At last internet once more....
We left Hue and cycled along amazing villages with every sight imaginable once more. Boys riding water buffalo, kids screaming hello from every house, corner, bike etc so eager to talk English to these strangers heading through their village. They never see foreigners and were delighted. Weather was sunny and hot. After lunch we headed to a beach and swam in the sea fora quick break. HUGE surf as a typhoon was brewing...more on that later. A few of us swam but had to be really careful as big rips.
Then the climb...over Hai Van Pass. Big gradient and 11km of up, up, up.. It was hot and steamy, but at the pass the RAIN came down in torrents! Roads became rivers and we cycled through it and on to Danang where we transferred to Hoi An ABSOLUTELY SOAKED TO SKIN! 101km, but tough. Whole day through the landscape was like being on a set for ALL the Vietnam war films you've ever seen! Incredible, you could almost hear the B52's.
Hoi An hotel was fabulous and there for two nights, but typhoon struck and we were rained on over and over as we headed to My Son ancient temples. Another great cycle with time to shop in the old town later that day. Hoi An place of silk making and suits etc run up for little cost in a few hours!
Today we flew on Vietnam airlines through the typhoon, to Nha Trang Airport and cycled a lovely, but hilly coastal road to Nha Trang where we visited Cham Towers and orphanage.
Tonight cyclo ride to eating place and then a huge day tomorrow 100km with 60 km of UP to Dalat.
We left Hue and cycled along amazing villages with every sight imaginable once more. Boys riding water buffalo, kids screaming hello from every house, corner, bike etc so eager to talk English to these strangers heading through their village. They never see foreigners and were delighted. Weather was sunny and hot. After lunch we headed to a beach and swam in the sea fora quick break. HUGE surf as a typhoon was brewing...more on that later. A few of us swam but had to be really careful as big rips.
Then the climb...over Hai Van Pass. Big gradient and 11km of up, up, up.. It was hot and steamy, but at the pass the RAIN came down in torrents! Roads became rivers and we cycled through it and on to Danang where we transferred to Hoi An ABSOLUTELY SOAKED TO SKIN! 101km, but tough. Whole day through the landscape was like being on a set for ALL the Vietnam war films you've ever seen! Incredible, you could almost hear the B52's.
Hoi An hotel was fabulous and there for two nights, but typhoon struck and we were rained on over and over as we headed to My Son ancient temples. Another great cycle with time to shop in the old town later that day. Hoi An place of silk making and suits etc run up for little cost in a few hours!
Today we flew on Vietnam airlines through the typhoon, to Nha Trang Airport and cycled a lovely, but hilly coastal road to Nha Trang where we visited Cham Towers and orphanage.
Tonight cyclo ride to eating place and then a huge day tomorrow 100km with 60 km of UP to Dalat.
Saturday, 22 November 2008
Hue today....gone tomorrow...
Hue today! pronounced whey!
Rainy, but warm. Cycled over 45 km to pagodas and temples. Wonderful sights and sounds and smells.We went along perfumed river which comes from China and called perfumed due to cinnamon fields it comes through...and finished where the tigers annd elephants used to fight,like in a bullring.
We got here by overnight train amongst some very friendly mice!!!!! Good journey but slow.
100km of UP tomorrow! Hope for no rain and strong legs.
Heading out for food in traditional Hue eating place....more after....
Rainy, but warm. Cycled over 45 km to pagodas and temples. Wonderful sights and sounds and smells.We went along perfumed river which comes from China and called perfumed due to cinnamon fields it comes through...and finished where the tigers annd elephants used to fight,like in a bullring.
We got here by overnight train amongst some very friendly mice!!!!! Good journey but slow.
100km of UP tomorrow! Hope for no rain and strong legs.
Heading out for food in traditional Hue eating place....more after....
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Hanoi calling....
Hi there all
Got here safely after a long, but great trip....big plane half empty and wonderful food. Hanoi is chaotic, bustling and full of every sight imaginable...millions of motorbikes, women in coolie hats carrying two baskets on one pole, bikes with cages of live rabbits on the back and motorbike with three 'de-furred' dead dogs on the back...Just a taste of the sights!
Visited Ho Chi Minh's palace and houses yesterday and had a fantastic cyclo ride in convoy around the Old Quarter for an hour.
Today did a 35 km cycle around the city, along the Red River and through the streets. If we thought Italy was driving nightmare, try Hanoi!!!! Cars, buses, trucks, bikes, motorbikes, all tooting, all going where-ever, whenever but all avoiding each other! We had a great time especially at junctions..very exciting.
Now have afternoon to shop in Old Quarter, then overnight train to Hue with the bikes for next part of cycle tomorrow.
Weather - not too hot, but perfect for cycling. Food - wonderful so far!
Ally and Irene
Got here safely after a long, but great trip....big plane half empty and wonderful food. Hanoi is chaotic, bustling and full of every sight imaginable...millions of motorbikes, women in coolie hats carrying two baskets on one pole, bikes with cages of live rabbits on the back and motorbike with three 'de-furred' dead dogs on the back...Just a taste of the sights!
Visited Ho Chi Minh's palace and houses yesterday and had a fantastic cyclo ride in convoy around the Old Quarter for an hour.
Today did a 35 km cycle around the city, along the Red River and through the streets. If we thought Italy was driving nightmare, try Hanoi!!!! Cars, buses, trucks, bikes, motorbikes, all tooting, all going where-ever, whenever but all avoiding each other! We had a great time especially at junctions..very exciting.
Now have afternoon to shop in Old Quarter, then overnight train to Hue with the bikes for next part of cycle tomorrow.
Weather - not too hot, but perfect for cycling. Food - wonderful so far!
Ally and Irene
Monday, 3 November 2008
Not long now.....
Leaving Orkney on the 16th November to fly to London then out to Vietnam on the 19th.....its been an eventful and busy time over the last 12 months or so.
We hope to update the blog as we cycle through Vietnam as apparently (!) internet access is easy to find. We'll see!
Hope you all log in to see our progress and comment as we go. Thanks to all for your support and generosity.
We hope to update the blog as we cycle through Vietnam as apparently (!) internet access is easy to find. We'll see!
Hope you all log in to see our progress and comment as we go. Thanks to all for your support and generosity.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)