5/22/13 -- Cambodia!

New Bike for Cambodia - the Exceptional
Honda Degree 250

After being quite disappointed with two of the last three motorcycles I've ridden, I decided to try a new strategy. This time I checked all the available bikes extensively, examining tires, breaks, spokes, oil…. everything, before picking the cleanest most well maintained bike on the lot. I then rented it for one day, letting the shop know that if I like it, i'll be back to take it for the next ten days. This gives me fantastic leverage to get whatever is wrong fixed before I head off into the country. When I brought the bike back on day two, I got brand new off road tires, wheel balance, front breaks and a clutch adjustment - all free! With these few tweaks, this bike is by far the best i've ridden in SE Asia. It's a Honda Degree 250cc - essentially a big dirt bike with a decent seat, big gas tank, and an upright riding position for long distance cruising. It's AWESOME, I find myself grinning ear-to-ear every time I hop on. 

Fantastic Road System in Cambodia
Bokor National Park

Immediately upon arrival in Cambodia, the road system has improved dramatically. The national highway network is smooth, wide, and well maintained with little traffic. Best of all, all vehicle types have the same speed limit, and its fast: 90 km/h! In Vietnam, bikes were often limited to 60, while all other vehicles were allowed to go 80. This created a terrifying scenario of constantly being passed by massive vehicles. While the main highways are excellent, almost all the side and local roads are rough-cut gravel and dirt, making for some very fun off road riding. The soil is a rich terra-cotta red that splatters all over the bike and me - it looks rad. Suffice it to say, driving in Cambodia is much easier, more fun, and I can cover a lot more ground in much less time here - quite a relief! 

Big Time Foreign Investment in
Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Remote Fuel Fill Up
2L Bottles and a Metal Funnel 

There's little pockets of foreigners and American expats here and there. They seem to be in concentrations in coastal communities like Kampot, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong. While in Vietnam, foreigners seemed to be mostly tourists, but in Cambodia folks seem to be actually living here and doing business. Many expats own and operate guest houses, bars, and restaurants. It's been surprising to see westerners raising families, driving, shopping - just going about their lives here in these small towns on the southern coast of Cambodia. I helped one English woman look over a 1940's Willy's Jeep that she wanted to buy from a local. She was one of the few foreigners that actually wanted to chat. It's funny how westerners tend to avoid eye contact with one another - as though we're disturbing one another's authentic experience. 

Questionable Bridge Construction

I met a pretty funny Englighman this morning. He was nursing a wicked hangover, and had carved himself out a little corner in 'Bob's Ice Cream and Diner." "This is all you fault!" He chided the waitress jokingly. "You shouldn't have given me all those beers last night!" He's a funny dude - probably about 50 or so, his face red from sun and alcohol. We got to chatting about our motorcycles which were parked out on the street. He's living here, and had purchased a Suzuki Rebel 250 a couple weeks ago - our two bikes are quite similar actually. I laughed as he explained all the fixes he's had to go through - apparently the local mechanic had torn apart the front suspension, and had it in about 1,000 pieces last night. He had not requested suspension service, and could not explain what he wanted - so he decided to go into town and get royally drunk to solve the problem. The best part is that it worked! He picked up the bike intact this morning. I had hoped we could ride together for a while, but he's heading south to Sihanoukville, and i'm off to the north. Best of luck sir!

Massive Infrastructure Development -
Hydro Electric Plant Construction
Bokor National Park

The more time in I spend in Cambodia, the more amazed I am by this brilliant, beautiful, and most immensely resilient country. The people of this land have been through hell and back, and are still pushing forward with a determination that defies imagination. From French occupation, to horrific spillover from the Vietnam war and American bombs, to the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge genocide, its been decades of struggle for Cambodians. The last 20 years have been good for the country. A constitutional monarchy has been put back in place since the mid 1990's, and according to Wikipedia the country has shown 6 percent GDP growth for the last 10 years. Quite impressive! You see this economic development throughout the country. New construction is taking place everywhere, particularly in cities and resort towns. Unfortunately there's still a dramatic wealth gap. The discrepancy between rich and poor is far more pronounced here than in Vietnam, or even the United States for that matter. The streets of Phnom Penh are clotted with outlandishly expensive Lexus, Toyota, and Range Rover SUV's - not just the middle range, but the most expensive models you can buy. As these behemoth luxury land yachts tear by on the highway, women and children pick through piles of trash looking for food, holding infants to their chests. In Vietnam most people are not wealthy, but nearly everyone seems to be making it. Thats not the case in Cambodia, as there's some serious struggling going on here. My only hope is that the rapid growth of the economy benefits those that on the streets as well as those at the top. 

Fast, Big Construction Projects Resulting
In Major Erosion and Water Pollution

Environmental protection can often be a struggle in developing countries, and Cambodia is no exception. The country has a rich history of dense rainforest, and an incredibly bio diverse ecosystem. As little as 15 years ago much of the country was covered by unspoiled forest filled with tigers and elephants. Unfortunately in recent years much of that has been lost in the name of development. Slash and burn agriculture has taken down much of the forest to produce sugarcane. Huge hydroelectric projects are being installed as we speak with little regard for environmental impact. Many rivers run red due to poor erosion control on large earthworks projects. The government appears to be promoting some public service announcements in the form of billboards. These signs use pictographs to help educate the public on productive, and environmentally conscious farming and fishing methods. While it's a step in the right direction, I fear it may be too little too late.

5/18/2013 -- Hello Cambodia, Goodbye Vietnam!

The Flag of the Great Kingdom of Cambodia

"Tuc Tuc?" "Tuc Tuc?" has replaced "Motobike? Motobike?" as the default words yelled to me as I walk down the street. You know what that means! I've arrived in Phnom Penh! These drivers have an aggressive pitch, but are absolutely wonderful once they earn your business. Its always a little anxiety inducing for me when I'm on a tour bus, or with a large group of foreigners being herded along in a group. You can anticipate being pounced on by a massive group of salespeople waiting at the next stop. They're like the paparazzi, only for non-famous people. Either way, I ultimately picked a guy - Mr. Kim Som, who waited patiently for me to repack my bags on the sidewalk. All the while asking friendly questions: Where are you from? Where are you going? Do you have a wife? How old are you? Its always the same questions - very sweet, and genuine. The wife question always miffs me a bit. I usually just shrug my shoulders, but decided to test the water on Cambodian gay culture and acceptance. "I used to have a boyfriend in California." I responded. Mr. Kim Som, who is very straight with a wife and kids, responded quickly and warmly: "Oh we have many gay bars here! And it is not illegal anymore!" "I will drive you there in my Tuc Tuc tonight if you like!" We chatted a bit more about gay culture, history and marriage. Policy on gays seems much like those in California - its a hotly debated, rapidly changing concept. There's apparently a big, out, and well supported scene here in Phnom Penh and neighboring Siem Riem. It's comforting to be able to speak candidly about ones sexuality, while still being incorporated and welcomed into a new culture. 

Standard Transport in Phnom Penh -
The Tuk Tuk
(Not My Photo)

Mr. Kim Som took me downtown in his hand-crafted Tuc Tuc. This was my first ride in such a contraption, as they do not seem to exist in Vietnam. Anyone who's been to SouthEast Asia will laugh I my naivety, but I have genuinely never seen such a thing before. The Tuc Tuc is simply a people trailer pulled by a 100cc manual shift Honda Wave scooter. The trailer is large and heavy - big enough to seat four, with a solid shade cover, sides, suspension, and full size car tires. This substantial heft is attached to the tiny motorbike by a hand-welded kingpin that pivots where the passenger would usually sit on the motorbike. It looks horribly unsafe, particularly for the driver! I get the feeling that if he breaks too hard the massive trailer might just push the motorbike right over and crush him to death. Luckily the drivers move slowly and carefully, and seem to go about their day unhindered by disaster. Mr. Kim took me to a decent hotel right down town, near the temple. I plunked down at the cafe out front, and without even hesitating he pulled up a chair had a coffee with me, all the while teasing my attempt to find a hotel on my cell phone. "This is the best deal!" He kept grinning, but allowing me to putter about on the web. I finally agreed and checked into the hotel - its affordable, standard, and right in the middle of things. I feel warmly greeted by everyone I meet - as though the public is looking out for my best interest. If anyone sees you start to make a mistake like leaving your bag behind, or forgetting your change on the counter, everyone emphatically chases you down to correct the mistake. Its usually followed with bit of a lesson on local safety, and how to not get swindled. Cambodians are so nice! :-)

The Bitexco Tower Skydeck
Ho Chi Minh City

I decided to leave Siagon a day early, as I was having the opposite experience there. I spent less than 48 hours in this mega-city, and during that short stay had people actively trying to swindle me at every turn! Purse snatching, tourist pricing, pay-first-then-later, pickpocketing, you name it. Nearly all the tourists and locals agree: HCMC is loaded with con artists. It's too bad because I had such high expectations for this otherwise beautiful urban center. There's nearly 10 million people living in Siagon, with an infrastructure to support it. The food is diverse and great, museums are plentiful, the waterways are scenic, and the traffic is crazy but fun. Its a great city, hindered only by a few problems. 

Driving in Siagon is more like thousands of fish

My Best Attempt at Capturing the Serene Madness
of Siagon Traffic

swimming together in a fast-stream. No-one stops, ever! To get into your lane, it is standard practice to merge directly into oncoming traffic. Instead of a huge commotion, oncoming drivers simply part around you as you drive forward through the onslaught of scooters. Its terrifying at first, but quite organic once you get the hang of it. Standard practice for street shopping is to cruise slowly in at the edge of the road - this may be done in either direction, regardless of the flow of traffic. As is standard anywhere in Vietnam, the sidewalks are reserved for scooter parking, not pedestrians. I loved riding in the city!

New City, New Ride!
The Impeccable Honda 'Air Blade' 150

I finally got the pleasure of returning my piece-of-crap Sufat 110 to its uncaring parents. I left two broken spokes, a loose steering column, non-working left blinker, dirty oil, and a chain dragging on the kickstand. I felt no guilt or responsibility for any of these problems. "Not my bike, not my problem!" As my friend and former co-worker Heidi Lakics would say. Relieved of the burdensome Win-Knockoff, I scoped out what the locals were driving around Siagon, and a particular step-through automatic scooter had caught my eye: the Honda 'Air Blade' 150. This sleek little machine is modern, quick, and easy to ride. I never thought Doug Lybeck would be singing the praises of a scooter, but this thing was AWESOME! It's balanced perfectly, with the weight distribution feeling almost as though it were under your feet. Its so stable that you can bring it up to speed, and then let it coast all the way to a stop with no hands on the handlebars! Lockable, waterproof cubbies for your cell phone and wallet are such a novelty for me, and they really make city riding so much more bearable! Typical Honda fit-and-finish though out makes for a very smooth ride, and all for only $6 a day. A+ Honda! What a great little urban runabout. 

Mugging for a Shot in Siagon

As planned, I took a bus from HCMC to Phnom Penh to avoid border-crossing logistics with a motorcycle. It was a very smooth trip, actually one of the easiest and fastest ground-based border crossings I've ever seen. The bus staff and border employees were all quick and efficient. I still have a dislike for bus rides, but it beats battling my way out the dusty traffic filled roads of Siagon for a fourth time. After the crossing, I kept my eyes peeled for cool new motorbikes that are available here, and I have not been disappointed. While the vast majority of bikes are still small 100cc scooters, there are many other options here. I've noted cruisers, dirt bikes, sport bikes and more - many appear to be in the 250-400cc range, which is GREAT! Particularly exciting are a series of dual-sport 400cc Suzuki and Honda bikes i've seen. I didn't catch the name, but i'll do some research and find out tomorrow. The speed limits are much higher, and road quality is much better in Cambodia, so a minimum of 250cc will be needed - hopefully more! 

Typical Opulent Temple in Cambodia

It was neat to see the instant change as you cross the boarder from VN to Cambodia. The most noticeable is the architecture: here most of the homes are raised, and tile roofs are much more popular. Gaudy, over-the-top gold plating and paint can be seen everywhere! It seems to stem from the opulent temples strewn throughout the countryside, but the shiny gold theme translates into newer buildings as well. Furniture shops, car dealerships, fancy restaurants - they are all glitter with absurd, almost tacky shiny gold accents. It's as though building designers take their inspiration from a big glimmering Rolex watch from the 80's. 

USD is the Strongly Preferred Currency of
Choice in Cambodia

The local currently is technically the Cambodian 'Riel,' but it seems to almost be an afterthought. The locals have a strong preference for USD - so much so that most ATM's only dispense American currency. Hotels, bars, Tuc Tucs, shops - they all expect to be paid in Dollars. I blows me away a little bit to be spending my native greenbacks over here, but on the other hand it certainly is easy!

5/13/13 -- Delightful De Lat, and CooCoo for Crazy House!

View Larger Map

Above is the Complete Vietnam Ride Map - 2600km!
(You Have To Zoom Out)

Drenched, But Happy After A Heavy Rainstorm
Just Outside of Da Lat, Vietnam

Tomorrow i'll be riding into Siagon, completing a nearly two week, 1600 mile journey down the amazing country of Vietnam! I'm thrilled to be arriving a bit early, as i'll get to keep the motorbike for a couple more days in the city. It looks and sounds like a big place, so having some wheels will undoubtedly be helpful. My VN Visa expires on May 19th, so i'll need to visit the Cambodian Embassy ASAP to pull my next visa. I'll be returning the Sufat bike to a Flamingo Travel affiliate, and they'll take care of shipping it back to Hanoi for me. For ease and simplicity, i'm going to take a sleeper bus from HCMC to Phnom Penh to avoid any boarder crossing troubles with a motorcycle. 

Josh Lookin Cool at Hai Van Pass

Three days ago I bid a fond farewell to my new friend Josh. He's been a super fun travel buddy for the last three weeks, but alas he must return to work. He made it to where he wanted: the charming beach town of Hoi Ann. We hung out for an extra day, chowing down on good food and catching some rays at the beach. Josh teased me mercilessly about using the word 'delightful,' as I apparently use it frequently - thus the title of this post!  Here's to you Josh: I had a great time traveling, and hope our paths cross again in the future. :-)

The little Sufat 110 motorbike has continued to be a maintenance hassle. I knew the day I picked it up it was going to be trouble. "Its a good bike - it's a copy of a Honda." I remember Huang at Flamingo Travel telling me. "Yeah, there's a reason people copy Honda - because they make good products!" I responded as I rode away, frustrated. As fun as this trip has been, every moment has been tempered by the threat of imminent failure of some part of the motorcycle. Weird things happen, primarily due to poor design. One example is the chain: motorcycle chains stretch over time, it happens to all manufacturers, no

Lesson Learned:
Never buy or rent knockoff motorcycles!

matter the quality of the bike. The Sufat however stretches the chain about 10 times faster than a normal bike due to a suspension design that pulls the drivetrain SOO tight it's like a piano string every time you go over a bump in the road. I end up having to re-tension the chain every 300 miles or so, when this should only have to be done every 3000 miles on a well manufactured bike. Suffice it to say, I pushed forward on a loose chain to about 400 miles, and it came flying off the rear chainring at about 50km/hr, jamming itself all up and ultimately shearing off a number of bolts and destroying the rear wheel bearings. Under normal circumstances this would be a BIG problem, but again i've been astounded by the speed, honesty, and amazing affordability of the mechanics in Vietnam. A local guy at a shop had the whole rear end torn down, parts replaced, and back together in about 22 minutes flat. His fee? $2.50. Amazing!

Pre-Rain Thunderclouds
Just Outside De Lat Vietnam

I've decided that i'm more of a mountain person than an ocean person. Derek Emmons and I used to have this debate all the time - he loves the warmth and humidity of the ocean, and I love the cool, breezy views of the mountains. They both have their beauty, but nothing inspires tingles on the back of my neck like the epic vistas that I was immersed in throughout yesterday's ride. The road from Na Trang to Da Lat winds its way through foggy rainforest, maintaining a steep incline all the way to the pass at about 5,500 feet. The little Sufat struggled, but pulled all the way up the mountain - even through a series of wild downpours. At the summit I was sopping wet, with 'waterproof' shoes that were more like mini foot-bathtubs at this point. Check out the ride statistics by clicking the map below - look at the elevation climb! Wow!

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRide

A Small Taste of Da Lat's Bustling Flower Trade

This world-class road dropped me into the delightful town of De Lat, Vietnam. The city has a rich history, with unique French-style early 19th century architecture that stands in contrast to almost all other buildings i've seen in Vietnam. It reminds me a lot of Sapa here - a bustling town perched around a lake in the mountains. The economy seems primarily driven by Vietnamese tourists (very few westerners here), and a flourishing flower trade. The hillsides surrounding the entire city are covered with greenhouses as far as the eye can see - in the evening they reflect the waning sunlight like a thousand mirrors. Every flower you can imagine is grown here - dahlias, roses, orchids, bromeliads, you name it, they have it! The market is thriving, and they produce much of the product that you see throughout the country. It certainly makes for some lovely photographs. 

The "Crazy House"
Da Lat, Vietnam

I have a penchant for tootling around on the motorbike when I arrive in a new town, and last night being no different, I happened to stumble across "The Crazy House!" This hauntingly beautiful complex has the feel of Gaudi design, taken to a Fantasia-esque extreme. Apparently envisioned by the wife of one of Ho Chi Minh's closest aides, the entire complex screams anti-conformist in conflict with the new Communist ideals being set forth in the country at the time of the buildings inception. The main constructs are elaborate cottages, all built from masonry-over-rebar techniques. Every detail is hand painted with care. The walls undulate and bend, and the buildings are connected by charming narrow walkways, arching high through the air. If you let your imagination run wild, you get the feeling you might be a ladybug or ant, working your

The "Crazy House"
Makes Me Feel Like A Kid At Disneyland

way down the stem of a giant leaf. I found myself giddy with excitement as I explored all the nooks and crannies of this magic world. There are about a dozen cottage/dens hidden throughout the towers and trees which can be rented for a reasonable rate. Each room is unique, sporting some type of animal totem. Beds are tucked into natural alcoves, and the walls and doors are curved, as though guests were living in a large tree knot. There's something magical about this place - it feels alive and vibrant, as though fantasy has been brought to life!

5-9-13 -- Traffic Stop, Cave Tours, Coastal Mountain Passes

After all the talk of police in Vietnam, I finally got pulled over and hilarity ensued! They got me on Tuesday, May 7th, in the middle of a 300km ride from Phong Na National Park, and the coastal beach town of Hue. I came zipping around the corner on the HCM, and there they were, batons held high, pointing straight at me. My plan to continue riding when right out the window, as I felt myself automatically slam on the breaks and come to a halt. Three officers crossed the road and approached the bike, and began speaking to me in Vietnamese. Quickly realizing that I was a foreigner, they looked to Josh on the back of the bike. He had his riding dust mask and large sunglasses on, so it was difficult to identify his nationality - even for the native Vietnamese officers. They questioned him aggressively in Vietnamese, but Josh mercifully didn't say a WORD. All three beckoned me to the other side of the road where their truck was parked. "Where you from?" They asked. "Your friend - where he from!" I looked back over my shoulder and saw Josh pretending to tie his shoelaces, while also stuffing all his extra cash in his sock. I turned back to the officer as brought out his ticket book. "Crap...." I thought to myself. He then tuned the book over and began to write on the backside of the ticket. He drew a circle with a 60 (indicating the limit), then wrote 71, over which he wrote YOU! He then followed with a cheeky "=500,000 Dong." His buddies snickered and punched each other as they watched. 500k Dong is about $25 USD - not a small amount of money in Vietnam. "Are you kidding me?" I spoke confidently in English, as I stepped forward and towered over the officers. He pointed emphatically at the 500k again. "You've got to be kidding me." Luckily I was completely out of cash at the moment. I opened my wallet and showed him the single 10K Dong bill I had. Then i returned to my bike and brought out my travel folio, in which I had $4 USD. "Hide your money!" I whispered to josh. "Already done!" he chuckled. I took the $4  and handed them over to the officer. "That's all i've got!" I said, now trying to sound pissed. He laughed and handed the money back. He then eyed my Samsung Note 2 cell phone, and then had the balls to try and grab it from me, as though to exchange with his own piece-of-shit phone. "NO WAY!" I said as I shoved his arm back, laughing now, realizing that this traffic stop had become a complete joke. He and his buddies were now laughing an joking like a bunch of high-school cronies. I shook my head, headed back to my bike and went on my way. Hilarious!

5/5/13 -- Country Cookin and Lost in the Countryside

The Countryside between the Coast Highway
and the Ho Chi Minh Road

This morning we rode out of Cua Lo, through the city of Vinh, and back to the AH1 coast
highway. Staying true to yesterday's promise to ourselves, Josh and I spent as little time as possible on the main highway before cutting off through a series of country roads towards the great, inland Ho Chi Minh Highway. Almost the entire day of riding was PURE PLEASURE! Making our way inland from the coast took us through low rice fields, held in place by a series of dikes which the road follows. I was thrilled to see the road use change entirely almost immediately after entering the countryside. The trucks were replaced by hand-built carts, piled high with freshly harvested rice greens, hay, and corn husks. The farmers use any means at their disposal to harvest and transport their goods. One man pulled a trailer the size of a pickup truck filled with hay - with his bicycle! The road carries so little traffic that the locals use the hot asphalt to dry their freshly harvested produce. Using a dual-pronged pitch fork, women patiently turn dying hay on the heated surface of the road. They kindly only cover one lane with their produce, so as to allow what little traffic that comes through use of the road. With a backdrop of rice paddies and immense, rainforest covered mountains, it makes for a peaceful scene. I feel myself bask in the beauty of it all as I let the bike wander down the road.

Country Cookin!

Lunch today was country cookin, and I loved it! I've had two meals like this since arriving in Vietnam, and both were in very rural areas where folks are calm, kind, and good to each other. The woman who cooked our meal had her own shop and kitchen, and took 20-25 minutes to prepare us a not a lunch, but a feast! Fried pork cooked in a brine sauce was served over rice with a side of salted-steamed sweet potato greens. I was dying for some extra protein, so she whipped us up a sort of omelet/pancake thing. It was savory, and makes my mouth water even now hours later. Two freshly fried fish were cooked whole, and presented intact. We picked them apart with chopsticks and dipped the bits in a savory fish sauce mixed with sugar, lime, and peppers. I love country cooking! All this and two big bottles of water, and we waddled out only $5 poorer. WOW! 

The Exceptional
Ho Chi Minh Road

As we made our way further east into the hills heading towards HCM Road, the bike started to struggle a bit more with the grades. The tiny 110cc motor pulls steadily, but slowly with two riders and our gear. I have every faith the bike will get us where we're going, it just might take a while! About 15km from the intersection with HCM, the road quality diminished drastically! Road construction in Vietnam is pretty wild - they don't remove-and-replace immediately like we do in the states. Instead they remove LARGE lengths of road first, and come back to grade, compact and pave at a later time. This results in 15km stretches of road that are simply….. not there. Luckily today was Sunday so there were no equipment or workers to contend with, but the road was CRAZY. Crews had begun leveling some sections of the new road surface, but these stretches end abruptly in steep, slippery drop-offs to the next section. It had rained heavily last night, and the mud was 6-8inches deep in most places. On the plus side you can ride through pretty easily, as the muck is really the consistency of thick pea soup. It gets a bit dicy when larger trucks and cars come by and splatter the bike with a downpour of muck. The riding is not too difficult, just slippery and slow. The biggest challenge is simply keeping the bike upright!

After two hours of battling through the construction we made it to the grand Ho Chi Minh Road, which is nothing less than phenomenal in every way! The road surface is smooth, wide, well marked, and free of traffic. The scenery is immense, and I can't believe we didn't go this way to begin with! We hit the road, and cruised at a steady 70kph all the way to Phong Nha National Park, where we're staying tonight. The park promised to have the largest underground cave and river system in the world! I'm looking forward to a boat tour tomorrow, but need some rest and relaxation for now. Good night friends!

5/4/13 -- 2 Week Journey to Saigon Begins!

Cruising through the idyllic rice fields
outside of Hue City

We just wrapped up our second day of the ride from Hanoi to Siagon, and it's been…. exhausting! After finishing last week's ride through the positively serene mountains, the last two days have been stood in stark contrast. In an effort to follow the coastal route, I decided to stick to the AH1 'freeway,' which roughly follows the country's east coast with the China Sea. This is one of Vietnam's only north-south throughways, and it is slammed with traffic - tour buses, trucks, cars, bikes, scooters and every other variety of transport that people have managed to cobble together. As is standard in Vietnam, larger vehicles rule the road, while everyone else must fend for themselves. With so much traffic, it makes it a positively exhausting experience to ride a moto even a relatively modest distance like 100km. While it is convenient at the end of the day to take a quick 3-5km jaunt to the beach, the stress of the road is simply not worth it! Tomorrow we've decided to head west into the more mountainous and rural roads of the countryside. The less traveled "Ho Chi Minh Highway" curves through the mountains and small villages, and promises to be much more scenic and relaxing.

My 6 day rental of the Honda Baja 250 ended late last week, leaving me back in Hanoi with no wheels. I'd have to choose what i'd like to ride for the next leg of the journey to Siagon, and economics were starting to sneak into the equation. The Baja was fun, but costs 4 times as much to rent as the more frugal Honda Win 110. After seeing this little powerhouse of a mini-bike throughout the countryside of Vietnam, I decided to take the plunge and get a one-way rental to Ho Chi Minh City. Flamingo travel offers an easy package: for $150USD you can ride the little bike all the way down the country, drop it off, and they handle shipping it back. It's certainly easy! At first I was fairly concerned that the Win would have trouble carrying both Josh and I and all of our gear, but I was rather surprised at it's resilience - this little moto has clearly been built to handle the beating that a typical Vietnamese owner is sure to throw at it. It turns out its not a Honda at all, but instead a Vietnamese company called Sujet which builds a fairly decent copy. Somehow they have been able to engineer somewhat of a miracle: a motorcycle with incredibly poor build quality, and unbelievable reliability! Everything on the bike wiggles, or moves. The clutch is squishy, the breaks are mushy, the suspension bottoms out on almost every bump and pothole on the road - and yet it just keeps going, and going and going! As much as I want to hate it, this piece-of-crap motorcycle is actually growing on me. It's like an ugly street dog that follows you home one day, but is then so loyal and friendly that you can't imagine life without it. 

Bizarre, over-the-top public art can be seen
throughout Vietnam, in weird places

Traveling in Vietnam has been my first experience in a Communist country, and it's been quite an eye opening experience. Capitalism is clearly alive and well after being semi-sanctioned in the mid-1980's. Almost every street frontage, corner and sidewalk is being utilized by someone to sell something. People are very industrious, and fill almost every niche of the market with something to be sold. Yet, the country is still technically organized by Communism. This is most commonly manifested in is school and government buildings, and some infrastructure projects like road expansions. It's all very hodgepodge and non-organic, as though a city planner was working in Siagon while designing a new development that he had never visited. A great example is the town we're in tonight. Cua Lo is a coastal tourism town, and like so many government-developed places in Vietnam, it's "all dressed up with nowhere to go." Cua Lo is laid out in a series of grand, Parisian-style boulevards, 4 lanes wide, and stretching the entire length of the town. Red

Another example of elaborate, Communist
public art - this is one of many huge displays
made of fake potted flowers

and yellow flags with the sickle and hammer fly on every light post. Cheesy LED illuminated street decorations are everywhere - all bearing the communist insignia.  There's lines of 5 story government-run hotels. At the center of town, very near the beach is and bizarre, enormous Stalin-esque piece of public street art. All of this infrastructure could support tens of thousands of residents and tourists, and yet - it's EMPTY. The hotels are like ghost towns, the restaurants are vacant, and this is Saturday night! You see this type of government sponsored development all over the country, and yet they fail to address the things that actually matter - like a good highway system, or utilities like power, sewer and water. The one main north-south highway is a joke - ranging from beautiful, freshly-paved four late boulevards in the government-developed towns, to pot-holed gravel roads out in the country. The electrical and telecommunication network throughout the country looks like a rats-nest of tangled wires strung through telephone poles, trees, and bamboo posts. It's bizarre to me that THESE are the things that people use heavily all the time. The freeway is PACKED, and yet the government seems to ignore investment in these critical elements of the country, while they're off building some mega-business complex that no-one will use. 

Josh has provided quite a bit of enlightenment into the Communist party, and its officially sanctioned corruption. Misbehavior by officials is so commonplace, that it's come to be expected by both politicians and the public alike. Folks often make strange references: "Oh yea, they used the corruption money to build the new temple and pagoda." WHAT? The police force is particularly fascinating to me. In most countries, law enforcement is in place to uphold the law of the land and keep people safe. It's become very clear to me that that is NOT the case here. The police force is used almost entirely to collect 'corruption money' for the government. They actually have a monthly quota: $2,500 USD per officer per month! Officers routinely wander around Hanoi, approaching vendors while mentioning under their breath "You should really get these chairs and tables off the sidewalk." Believe it or not, this is to be understood as "my partner will come by in half and hour, please have 2,000,000 Dong ready, and we won't do anything about the chairs." Folks have become so accustomed to this that it's almost like a tax, and vendors expect it! As Josh explained this to me, I could feel my jaw hit the floor! How are people not absolutely LIVID with their officials!? 

Typical Vietnamese Traffic Cop -
(This is not my photo)

The conversation about police continued into something a little more relevant to me: traffic cops. These officers dress is a very formal beige military-style uniform. Long pleated pants, and a long sleeve, button-up collared shirt. The shirt's have many insignias, and lapels on the shoulder, its all very 'Russian Bad Cop' from a James Bond movie. The traffic cops stand on the side of the road, usually with no vehicle and point a white baton at passing cars and trucks. When you've been 'pointed,' you are to pull over immediately and be subjected to a series of questions, and verification of your documents. There's no rhyme or reason to who gets pulled over, they pick anyone. What's particularly astonishing is that there does not seem to be any official ticketing or review procedure. Instead, the officer simply tells you whats wrong, and how much you owe. Oh by the way, you owe that money NOW - cash in hand to the officer! There's no paperwork, no notice, no review procedure, it's purely corrupt bribery, plain and simple. Putting all this in context, I remembered back to a conversation i'd had with Liam a the youth hostel in Hanoi - "Just drive past them, they won't chase you!" It makes sense now: the cops are there to make money, not uphold the law. They could give a damn if you speed, they only care if they think they can squeeze $10 out of you.

UPDATE: I was pulled over on Tuesday, May 7th - See Tomorrow's post for details.

Extraordinary countryside
on the Ho Chi Minh Road

I'm loving my time on the road, and i'm looking forward to the more scenic beach towns of
central Vietnam. More to come, stay tuned!

4/29/13 -- Idyllic Vietnamese Mountain Countryside

Mai Chau - A village of bamboo huts amongst
the ride paddies.

Today's ride brings me to the stunning village of Mai Chau. I won't pretend that the last three days haven't had their ups and downs, but this destination has made it all worth while. While certainly touristy, this small village managed to bring together all of the charm and beauty of the Vietnamese countryside, and make it accessible to guests. I've been staying in semi-OK hotels for the last couple of nights, but have not-so-secretly been wanting to stay in one of the many raised bamboo huts you see scattered throughout the countryside. Mai Chau is where this happens! The main town is much like any other mountain village, but the secret is the "Lake City" - a village of huts on a small island surrounded by hundreds of acres of vibrant green rice paddies, and a steep ring of mountains beyond that. Idyllic does not even begin to do it justice!

 Mai Chau from above

I quickly found myself drawn to the western edge of the island, following the quickly setting
sun. The late-spring evening rays illuminated the rice paddies with a brilliant hue of sapphire, and turned the wooden huts into golden temples. Asking around, I found that most of these primo-location rentals were already booked to the max, and those that were left were expensive (300k D), and crowded. I continued to wander until I ended back up and the entrance, where I asked an Aussie couple what their experience was. They mentioned 150k D as a pretty standard rate. Just then I was approached by a small man on a Honda Win. His grin was infectious as he beckoned me to his own family's home - 80K D was all he requested, and the room has it's own window with a blessed breeze coming in off the paddies. Good things come to those who wait! Dinner with the family is to come later this evening. 

Yesterday's ride from Than Uyen to Son La was rural, high altitude, and at times terrifying. It's hard to know what to expect when referencing Google Maps in this part of the world. There's little differentiation between a densely populated strip of road, and and area with absolutely NO services for miles. This particular stretch of highway certainly leaned towards the latter. Starting the morning out with a curious bent, I decided to deviate from the marked trail a bit.  (No more time to write…. :-(   )

Update: Made it safely back to Hanoi on the evening of 4/30/13. What a great loop of the mountains!

Ride From Sapa To Than Uyen
(Click for ride details)

Lots to write about, but not much time - click the dynamic ride maps to the left for the next to days of riding out of Sapa. Varied conditions - road ranges from perfect to 100% washed out. I'll write this evening to fill you in!

This ride has taken me DEEP into the backwoods of the Northern mountains. Quite frankly i've been past my comfort level a few times, especially when I don't see another human being for an hour + of riding at at time.

Ride From Than Uyen to Son La
(Click for ride details)

Ride From Son La to Mai Chau(Click for ride details)

4-26-13 -- Sleeper train, broken bike, and stunning Sapa

A Stunning Spot To Reflect - At My Hotel

There's simply so much to talk about that I scarcely know where to begin! This evening I write to you while overlooking a vista that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. It's like out of a postcard, or a dream. The temperature is absolutely perfect. A few whispy clouds caress the jagged 3000 meter mountains on the distant side of a cavernous valley. Much of the arable hillsides are terraced into swooping lanes of useable farmland. The evening light reflects from the standing water in the rice terraces, creating curved silver ribbons that stand out in stark contrast to to the darker, forested background. In the foreground, sloping away into the valley are a dozen row houses, each adorned with a well aged terra cotta stone roof. Interspersed among the homes are an unknown species of pine tree, banana, Norfolk Island pine, and a variety of other fruit trees under cultivation by the locals. Domesticated chickens and dogs roam about, tended by children. The scale of the space is enormous, and Sapa, Viernam is perched gently on a ridge overlooking it all. 

Accommodations on the Orient Express

Last night I had the pleasure of riding my first sleeper train. The "Orient Express" is a route

that takes passengers from the capitol city of Hanoi, to the charming mountain village of Sapa. I'd like to send a big thanks to the folks at Flamingo Travel in Hanoi, who ran circles to get me the motorcycle I wanted. They went further, managing to score a booking on the sleeper train during this busy holiday weekend. They even had the bike shipped along with me on the next train! The Orient leaves Hanoi at 9pm, and arrives at 5:30 am the next day, over 300km away. I ran 'map my ride,' and you can see the train route below. What a mellow, soothing experience! The train cars in service look to have been around since the 1950's or earlier, but someone has been looking after them closely. The dark cherrywood details remain polished to a shine, while the exterior retains a fun, antique maroon and green paint job. I wasted no time letting the train car gently rock me to sleep.

The Batmobile - Fresh Off the Train

I awoke to an abrupt but polite wrap on the door, and all the passengers were up and out into the fresh mountain atmosphere. The cool, dry air was a welcome relief to the sauna that had been Hanoi. After some asking around about my motorcycle, I was politely informed that I would arrive on the next train, in only 30 minutes. Waiting around in a train station as a foreigner can be difficult, as nearly everyone has something to sell you. Every guy passing buy offers either a taxi or scooter ride, and every woman has some variety of tasty treat ready for you - and they are all quite aggressive! I took to pointing at the helmet clipped to my backpack, indicating "I have a ride, thank you!" All this happens before 6am - folks get up early here. 

Right on time the "SP3" rolled into the station, and my big beast of a motorcycle was

The Local Bikes Delight in Jumping
On the Big Bike

promptly unloaded. Locals began gawking at the bike started just as soon as the train door rolled open, and have not stopped since. It's hysterical - young men almost anywhere I ride the bike will stop in their tracks, mouth agape, and stare at this 'enormous' bike as I ride past. I get the feeling they RARELY see motorcycles like this. The Baja 250 is quite a small by US standards, but is rare here. Pushing the bike down the crowded train platform, I made my way through ticketing, and out onto the street. As I strapped my bags to the bike with strips of old inner tube, I noticed a crowd start to gather around me. First it was a nice vendor lady offering me coffee (bless her), then all the other vendors, then a big group of boys who all pointed and giggled excitedly while admiring the bike. Suddenly one of the young men looked at me, laughed, then grabbed the handle bars and twisted the throttle "VROOM Vrooom!" he growled enthusiastically, as his friends laughed and cheered him on. I smiled and encouraged him, feeling quite proud of my big beater Honda. He pointed at the seat to ask if he could hop on. "Of course" I indicated with a gesture. As soon as he hit the seat his buddy was on right behind him, jokingly flipping the bird to the camera as their friends barraged them with a stream of IPhone pictures. We all found it particularly amusing that once seated, their legs were fully a foot off the ground. I hoped on the bike, and rode off with a wave. I was worried that the police blocking the entrance to the parking lot would demand a bribe, but they simply smiled and waved me through. Friendly folks, and a great start to the ride!

Boarder With Mainland China

Finding myself a mere half-mile from the Chinese boarder, I couldn't help but zip over and at least take a picture of the sign. I wasn't much to look at, but it was cool to see mainland China in person. I stopped at a small boarder street vendor and ate a "smile, nod and point" breakfast of Pho noodles with a group of a half-dozen women and their children. They were very sweet to me!

Full of food, and caffeine pulsing through my veins, I hopped on the moto and strutted down the one main road in Lao Cai. Head held high, I felt thrilled to start my journey - nothing could stand in my way!

"Putttt putt putt, put put …..puuuuu….." 

The bike stalled unenthusiastically at a stop light. "Uh Oh" I thought. I was barely a kilometer from the train station. After cranking the motor a few times I managed to coerce some life out of the engine, but it only stuttered across the intersection and died again. "CRAP!" I thought, wanting to kill the mechanic who rented me the bike. I felt myself start to sweat profusely with frustration, and

Basic Troubleshooting

the intense morning sunlight didn't help. I tried to calm myself by sitting up straight on the bike and taking 5 deep breaths……. inhale……. exhale……. inhale……. exhale………I felt the rage start to subside. Casually, I pushed the bike to the other side of the street, heading towards a shop i'd seen a while back. Almost immediately shouts of help started to come from almost every storefront I passed - all in Vietnamese, but you could tell it was genuine help. "Hello!" one woman piped, as she pointed to three one liter bottles of fuel tied to the top of a bamboo stick in front of her cafe. "Hihi!" She followed up. Pushing my bike onto the sidewalk, she quickly dumped two liters into the tank. I cranked the bike until the battery died and gave up. She shrugged and pointed me down the street. "Thanks" I cooed quietly in English, feeling a sinking sensation in my stomach.

I didn't make it more than half way down the block before four guys casually sitting in a shop yelled "HEY HEY HEY!," pointing at their sidewalk. I was hoping for something a little more official, but oh well. Trust in the goodness of people, right? Almost immediately all four of them began

Advanced Troubleshooting

pouring over every part of the bike. One guy pulled all the fuel lines, while another yanked the ignition system, fuses and electrical. A third produced a volt meter and started testing the spark plugs. The main mechanic who owned the shop was called "Dong," and this guy is GOOD! You can tell he's been wrenching on bikes for a long time. His fingers quickly dismantle, clean, and inspect almost every component on the bike in less than a half hour. I laugh as he pulls the fuses, and he shows me their condition: they have all blown in the past, but somebody simply wrapped copper wire around the terminals and kept driving! He chuckled while spraying the fuses with cleaner and casually stuffed them back into the box, clearly not as concerned as I was. Next he performed the most low-tech compression test i've ever seen; he simply pulled the spark plug, squirted some oil in the piston chamber, and stuffed the hole shut with a dirty tshirt! It was surprisingly effective! As his friend kicked the starter, Dong put his ear up next to the cylinder to check for leaks. I was VERY concerned when a big glop of the motor oil he put in the piston came squirting right out the side of the cylinder head. That's usually a BIG problem - like new-motor big problem. Again, he seemed undaunted. Off came the gas tank, seats, plastics. Within an hour the bike was down to the frame. I settled in for the long haul as they tore into everything. Suddenly my phone rang, and when I picked up a quiet-sounding Vietnamese woman began to speak to be in broken English.

"     *……unintelligible……..*     We like to do the right thing for the foreigners. He will do good job on motorbike.  *……..unintelligible……..*

Dong And His Buddy SAVED Me!

It took me until about 3 minutes into the conversation to realize that Dong (who speaks no

English) had called his wife, and instructed her to call my cell phone and reassure me that he was an excellent mechanic. When I figured out what was happening I laughed out loud, and thanked her enthusiastically for the emotional support.

Surprisingly after a half hour or they called me over, put me on the bike and pushed me down the block and up to the top of a long, steep driveway. From the look of it they wanted me to roll start the bike, and so we did! I rolled 30 feet, dropped the clutch and cranked the throttle and amazingly the bike roared to life! These guys are miracle workers! I rode the stripped bike around the block a few times to charge the battery, and zipped back to the shop. 

"VIETNAM!" Screams Dong with his greasy hands in the air. He's grinning ear-to-ear, clearly very pleased to have been able to help. 

"VIETNAM!" I scream back, mimicking his body language. The small crowd of men at the shop laugh and follow suit with their hands in the air. 

Dong Insisting on a
Gentleman's Handshake

I was astonished when I asked how much he would like to be paid, and he would accept no money! I couldn't believe it, he had just saved my bacon, and he wouldn't let me pay him! Through a series of gestures and simple Vietnamese he let me know that all he wanted was for me to take the name of his shop, and his website back to Flamingo Travel and endorse his shop heavily. "YES YES!" I say pointing to the URL he provided. I dropped the requested 150,000 Dong (about $7 USD) to his assistant, and both seemed quite pleased. We shot some photos, and Dong insisted on a picture of us sternly shaking hands. (See below). Just before hoping on the bike, I tried to stuff 200,000 in his shirt pocket, but he squealed as he laughed as ran away. THANK YOU GUYS! You saved me! I'll never forget it. 

Click This Map For A Dynamic View of the
Ride From Lao Cai to Sapa.
The Map Includes, route, speed, elevation, etc.

My confidence in the Baja was now thoroughly shaken, but my trust in the goodness of people has never been higher! I spent the better part of the next hour circling the town, testing the motorbikes road-worthiness. After about 15 kilometers with no problems, I headed off on the windy road to Sapa. This stunning 40km ride rips up a steep, wide ravine, deep into the mountains. Absurdly huge trucks lumber and struggle up the steep mountain roads, often barely managing a walking pace. Vehicles coming down are just the opposite - steaming around

corners at a breakneck pace, feeling free to take 3/4 of the entire road and coming directly into oncoming traffic. Steady concentration is required, but the majestic vistas to be seen in every direction make this an exhilarating piece of pavement. Around 1pm, a number of children appeared on the steep, mountain road. Walking home in groups of 4-6, they all turn, wave and yell "ALO ALO!" as I ride past. They are SOOO cute, and SOOO sweet! I can't believe it.

When arriving in Sapa I was surprised by the apparent level of affluence and architectural beauty of the town in comparison to agrarian landscape that surrounds it. The town is crouched around a medium sized mountain lake, with many colorful hotels and restaurants gently peering towards the center. I stopped had a

The View From My $10 Hotel

bit of lunch, and watched through the restaurant window as the local boys crawled all over motorcycle on the sidewalk. One of them caught my eye through the glass and gave me a thumbs up - I returned the gesture, smiling. Delighted with my new wheels, I set off exploring the side streets of Sapa, admiring the exuberant colors that adorn everything. It wasn't long before a couple of young men buzzed up next to be on their scooter. "Hotel?" he yelled. Having not intended on staying in Sapa, but curious about accommodations, I nodded and followed them up a series of steep, curvy streets to where you find me now. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so please see below. This is simply one of the most majestic places i've ever been. I feel genuinely blessed to be alive, healthy, and in the beautiful welcoming hands of Vietnam. :-)

Playing Around In the Hills Surrounding SAPA

Playing Around In the Hills Surrounding SAPA

Doug Lybeck