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For details of the places I visited in Vietnam along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, with GPS Coordinates, see my book Vietnam Caves.
For details on motorbiking in Vietnam and Cambodia, from buying and selling a motorbike, to border crossing, see my book Motorbiking Cambodia & Vietnam.
Having already decided that i had enough of those get up at 5am to be on the road by 6am, I lazily get my but out of bed just after 7. Take a nice bath, then head down for breakfast. The place i ate at the previous evening is closed, and the shop next door only sells coffee. Any coffee almost you can want, but not for me thank you.
So i head down the road and sit at a place i though was closed the night before as the told me they do not serve food. What i did not know is that it is actually a sports bar and they serve no food at all. As i sit down, the waiter immediately puts a glass on the table, that could either have been beer, or urine, i had no idea. she gave it to all the other blokes (no women there) and most only take a sip or so.
I decline and ask for water, and the girl brings me i do not know what. I presume it is coffee. There were what looked like condense milk at the bottom of the mug, and a pot on the top, with some blackish stuff dripping down from it into the condense milk. she also put a bowl of ice next to the thing. Checking at the other dudes, they wait until it stopped dripping and throw the ice in, then drink it. Again i decline and this time the girl brings a can of coca cola. I indicate i actually want food, and she shakes her head no, so i leave.
With my stomach complaining, i take the bike to the gas station to fill it up, which is next to the local gym.
Then I head back, pay for my room, get my passport (You have to leave your passport with reception where you stay the night. They check you in with the local police. If you stay at a place that does not have a permit to house tourists or they cannot produce your passport to the police when they get raided, it is big trouble for them.)
I head out of town and get a nice stretch of road.
Somewhere over there is the ocean
I pass some more boats on the way.
Round boats, wow, with engines.
Then i pass a wine castle. I did wanted to go have a closer look, but you have to park your bike at the entrance, and i was not sure about leaving my backpack there. Might have been okay, just did not know, so i head on to the next town. Was also now really getting hungry.
There you are, i knew there was an ocean there somewhere.
Pass what looks like an old hotel with these outside
I spot a nice place to eat at the beach, and sit down for breakfast and lunch in one.
I decide to go for the next town. The road is just amazing.
I stop for gas, and then spot oil all over the back wheel and gearbox section. O crap. I phone Simon, and he says it is nothing, the filler pipe just came out. Took it to a mechanic (rode 20 km back to find one i liked), and it turned out the gearbox was overfill and just blew out the excess. (hope he is right) I decide to have the gearbox and engine oil changed in any case.
Open road
As it is getting late and i am hungry again, i select a town and go for it. Find a nice hotel right at the beginning of the town, with ocean on one side, and hills on the other. Get some nice food right on the beach.
Tomorrow I leave the ocean behind, and head for the mountains.
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Hi Anton,
Wanted to let you know I am following your trip and loving it.
Always wanted to go to Vietnam (mostly North east tho) .
Pictures are great .
Hope you are well. Enjoy the ride 🙂
Thank you. It is an experience.