No cycling today since we had to cross the border from Vietnam to Cambodia, a journey that took 4 hours by speedboat. We had to disembark at two separate ports for customs out of Vietnam and in to Cambodia respectively. Our new guide, Polo, met us in Phnom Penh and took us on an atrocity… Continue reading Atrocity Tour
Category: Vietnam
Killing Fields
Day 5 was the hardest so far, despite the shorter distance. Most of the 45km until lunch was in full sun, and the breeze from riding barely held the heat at bay. Quang made sure we stopped every 10km to hydrate with water, tea, coconut or sugarcane juice. We were all glad to get into… Continue reading Killing Fields
Floating Market
Day 3
Too tired today to think about writing, but I’ve managed to embed maps of the day’s trip. My navigator only lasted 7 hours so I had to capture the last stage while it was attached to a charger, which means a separate recording.
Pig Ahoy
Ferries replaced bridges today as the estuaries widened. Paths angle steeply into the water, and the ferries drove their fixed ramps over the paths so we could ride straight on. The terrain opened up to reveal coconut plantations with irrigation channels cut through the earth, then opened up more for rice fields. We spent more… Continue reading Pig Ahoy
The Villagers’ Path
We spend the day riding along a concrete path beside a river, and frequently on bridges over estuaries. Jackfruit and coconut palms line each side of the road, and an occasional house meanders by, all open to the breeze and the wealthy ones tiled. Shops come right to the path, some extending a shelter overhead… Continue reading The Villagers’ Path
Happy Drink
The group for our cycling tour is a mixed bunch – two Canadians in their 60s patriotic enough to fly the flag from their bikes, an English couple who look like professional cyclists, and my mate Dave and me. Dave hadn’t ridden more than about 10km in a day before we began our training program.… Continue reading Happy Drink
Escaped Chickens
I’ve travelled a lot in Asia, so my arrival in Vietnam didn’t cause any culture shock, but a couple of experiences surprised me. The first, on the drive from Saigon airport to our first hotel, was seeing guards (they looked like policemen) braving the heavy night-time traffic to drag barriers across the street. When my… Continue reading Escaped Chickens