Failure is always an option

Ok so we didn't make it to Vin Moc to see the tunnels in the DMZ. Travel by scooter here just takes so long, even a 120km journey would have taken 6 hours.

Part of it is the bikes, as scooters are only permitted to travel at 50km/h Max.

Part of it is the route we chose, off the highway and instead through small country villages. So we were avoiding many obstacles; small one man hay balers, hay bales, cows, water buffalo, bicycles, scooters, big trucks and little trucks. Also a few cars, and strange mechanical beasts somewhere between tractor, truck and just a motor strapped to a couple wheels.

Part of our inability to travel quickly is that we're four people, and everyone needs to drink water, make water, eat food, stop to do something like adjust helmets or clothing. All those stops take time and it adds up.

But I think the number one reason is that it is so dang hot. We have to keep stopping to drink water or we get dehydrated very quickly. My main symptom or dehydration is crankiness, and I get it bad. But knowing your own limits helps!

So instead of tunnels we went to the beach via an unmarked road and it was fantastic! We ate some delicious squid and noodles soup and shared a small boiled crab. Yummy!

We also went to a festival the equivalent of a county fair. They even had potato sack racing! Boat races too and we ate some pho and got floppy hats.

The way home to Hue was a little stressful because we were all tired, hot and thirsty. But we made it!

Hue we're in Hue!

It's been a few days.

Ryan and I rode our great little dirt bikes to Sa Pa in the hopes of meeting up with Leah and Holly. No such luck though as their trek didn't finish early enough for us to get our bikes to the Lao Cai train station.

But we were able to get on the same sleeper car back to Hanoi so that was fun. We had a day in Hanoi before another sleeper train to Hue so we wandered around, had iced coffee, ice cream and pho bo. Ryan and Holly wanted to look for rings (newly engaged!) so Leah and I hunted for a theater that was showing the Avengers. After walking for 3km we found one and it was AMAZING!

Our night train was very hot so our plans of beer, wine, bread and cheese were foiled when we all passed out early.

At around 8am we got off the train in Hue and just got going. After showering we rented bicycles and rode around town, this was so much fun I want to do it everywhere we go.

Tomorrow we're renting 4 scooters and driving out to see some tunnels in the DMZ area. Hopefully we don't find any land mines.

We made it to Sa Pa!

It was our shortest day, but rain and cold slowed us down a bit.

It felt strange that we were looking for hot drinks today, after so many days of seeking shade and water.  The roads were good today, I'm very happy we didn't need to contend with the rough terrain from yesterday coupled with rain and mud.

We had lots of great views, and the kids love waving and yelling as we go by.

Now we're in a beautiful hotel suite in Sa Pa, for $20 including breakfast. The clouds are all around us, we can see the mist floating everywhere. It isn't exactly raining, but we were soaked when we got here.

Tomorrow we ride to Lau Cai and put the bikes on a train for Hanoi.

The Great Vietnam Motorcycle Adventure Continues

We've just finished day 3 of our self guided motorcycle tour.

It is awesome! We're in Than Uyen in a guest house. With air con.

I'll write more later but we need beer now.
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