Boxing Day

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Kate and Andy headed off early today on their snorkeling trip. Richard and I opted out and decided to take on the locals roads ourselves....

Been a few years since I rode a moped, as some of you know I haven't had the best luck with the things, and on these roads aswel, we must be mental!

But all went well apart from the locals being totally insane once on a bike it was great.

We arranged to meet Kate and Andy at the last stop of their trip which was the Soa beach, north west coast of the island. Said to be the best beach on the Island we thought it would nice to visit, so Richard and I set off thinking we had plenty of time going nicely along the tarmaced road......then the road ended literally tarmac stopped and there were trees were it should have been. Off to the right was a very narrow sandy track, it wasn't until we saw someone coming through this way that we were convinced that this was the road! The sand road continued on for a few miles and then it turned into a wider gravely, sandy road, much better! We took it very steady if you for a second thought it looked like it was getting better, the wheels skided causing you to go off in a different direction. I must say that although the road was awful the scenery was beautiful along the sea front, we were obviously on part of the island that the tourists didn't venture to much ( can't understand why!). We stopped for lunch in a little restaurant having some nice stir-fried noodles and veg.

Setting off again we hit the road, we are thankfull that at least this road wasn't to busy....but we will not be tackling this road in the dark, as the sun sets at 5.30-6 fish its pitch black by 6.30pm.

We arrived at the Beach, realising it had taken us 2 and a half hours to get there, the guy at reception had said 40 minutes!! Lol

Luckily Kate and Andy's trip was running later than expected .

The beach was as beautiful as we were told, pure white sand and crystal clear water that you can walk way out and It still only reaches your calf. Long beach where we are staying is nice but after a metre you are pretty much up to your neck and can't see your toes .Long gangaley palms trees stretch across the beach towards the sea with beach bars best led inbetween.

(Beware to travellers going there, there is a bar/restaurant called My Lan. This place has its own exchange rate for dollars to Vietnam Dong.... They are the only place we came across that did this much to their protests, every other place does 20,000 dong to a dollar, they do 15,000!)

The idea was form the four of us to travel back on the motors to Long Beach. We all agree to go the main road back. Still have the jeeblerlies scared right out of, its not to bad before dark comes, the roads are not totally finished in places and have great big pot holes in other and you get the people that don't believe in lanes and could be coming straight for you.... After dark you get all this and more. We went round one corner and came face to face with a lorry in the middle of the road, at this point as I was riding on the back of Richards my hands came off and grabbed him in freight, he calmly said don't ever do that again!

We made it back in one piece and a lot quicker than the journey there.

For dinner the boys had spotted a restaurant down the road that looked busy and smelt goooood. This place is on the main strip into Duong Dong, called Peppers pizza and Grill. Wow was this tasty, the people are friendly , theres live music and good cocktails. Happy all round : )

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