CYCLING VIETNAM Blog#4

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Cycling Vietnam Blog #4

Of the population of 86m people, 10,000 are killed on the roads here each year with an unknown number injured. I thought that figure sounded conservative from what we've seen and with the population growing at 1.2m per year, the fatality rate is only going to get worse; espeially as more people become affluent enough to buy cars.

As a group we are all getting stronger (and braver) every day. We all still complain about the heat and humidity but we only ever cycle 20kms at a time before we pull over for drinks and rest stop.

The children are by far the most inquisitive. As we ride though villages they run out to meet us, only to become shy when we stop to talk with them. English is compulsory in schools from Grade 3 so many try a few words before giggling and retreating to the security of friends.

We visited Hoi An for a few days of R&R although we will be cycling short distances to local points of interest. On the way here we stopped at the My Lai village memorial. It was there that in 1968 during the Vietnam War that American army soldiers killed over 500 innocent villagers, based on the premis that they were harbouring Vietcong soldiers. The memorial was both horrific and moving.

We continued cycling further north until we reached the busy transport hub of Huie from where we took an overnight train for the 14hr trip to Hanoi, the end of our tour. The first class compartments were very basic at best with half the toilet facilities breaking down within the first few hours. As we were warned not to eat the food offered on the train we opted for party food for the journey, including many bottles of wine to help us sleep!

Hanoi - although the capital of Vietnam, to me this city is very disappointing. Compared to Hoi An and even Saigon, Hanoi is overcrowded, dirty and the traders abrupt to the point of being rude. Luckily most of us did shopping in the more friendly Hoi An.

The highlights of the trip to me were definately the ability to see the real Vietnam, the Vietnam mostly denighed tourist buses and even cars in many places; the Vietnam of small dusty villages, struggling subsistence farmers and the seemingly endless smiles and waves from the beautiful children. It's certainly a country of contrast and contradiction and although a country that I would not plan to re-visit any time soon, I have certainly enjoyed the experience.

Until India and Napal in October ... ciao for now.

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Photos

Village school visit
The excited children ran out to meet us as we cycled by.

Old man and his modified bike
It's amazing the loads these people can carry on a single push bike.

Overnight train trip to Hanoi
Although First Class compartments they were very old and crowded.