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So after the first day with the easyriders, it's hard to imagine how today could top it..
It started well with breakfast by the lake. Beautiful sunshine, no sign of yesterday's rain (yet) and no sign of the termites that were teaming through this place last night (they have to be the worst kind of insect. They fly in, shed their wings then scurry around like ants eating the furniture, but at least they don't bite!)
Day 2, Stop 1: Short ride up the hill to see the former Bao Dai Palace which has just been turned in to a luxury resort - why couldn't we have stayed here last night (hmm, slightly more than 3quid I think!) Great views over the lake and a bit of climbing over fences to ensure the best photos! Then down to meet the villagers who live off the river. My first sighting of a real live water buffalo in a rice field. Why are they so much more exciting than cows?
It's not even 830am and I'm seeing elephants. How cool! As we pulled into the village two young boys were sitting bare back on the elephants as they had a shower.
Then we realised just along in the next field was another elephant, looking really sad with a seat strapped to him ready for the tourists to ride. His did not look like a happy existence. (We'd already read about how badly the elephants are treated and decided not to add to the industry by going for a tour).
The M'Mong Lam Ga villagers live here. They have long houses on stilts, which are huge. Not only do they actually have seperate cooking, sleeping and bathing areas (we take nothing for granted now) they also have room for their chickens, pot-bellied pigs, goats and dogs to run around underneath (Nick I think this is your perfect house!). A funky little striped pot-bellied ran across in front of us, glad I'd not opted for the bacon sarnie at breakfast!
As we left the village we saw a western couple heading off on an elephant tour. They'll have great photos I'm sure, but at what price?
Stop 2: Off to a pot factory.. no not the cannabis kind, the sort you put really big bonsai trees in. They pile up sand into the shape they want and then pour cement
over it. We are becoming experts in every cottage industry this country has to offer! There was a massive bonsai, bigger than any I've ever seen at home at about 12 feet tall - on sale for about 125pounds. It must be worth at least 3k (and that's Sterling not Dong) How would I get it home though?
Back on the bikes we rode past the military camps.. now used to train soldiers, they were used after the American War as 'Re-education' camps. Wonder whether this is where John McCain was held...Then up to BMT. Not it's actual name, but I can't pronounce the full name, it's the capital of the Central Highlands.
Stop 3: A morning coffee.. they serve it sweet and strong here but it tastes so good. You get it with a little silver pot on top of your cup with the treacle still dripping through.
No rest for the wicked.. back on the bikes for ...
Stop 4: Dray Sap and Dray Sur Waterfalls. Dressed once again in our ponchos .. the morning sun hadn't held out for long... we were dropped part way through the park up to the falls as
the easyriders rode off ahead of us and told us to walk off our monkey bum. But I Don't Want to Walk. I've paid for a bloody motorbike! Anyway, walk we did.. for what seemed like miles, but was probably about 1/2 km. On the way (and not covered in enough deet) we saw so many crazy beetles and bugs, some really bright red ones.. not sure what they are camouflaged against.
Then we were shown the lovely calm pool we were supposed to be swimming in. Only one of the easy riders had drowned in the pool just the previous afternoon, and it turned out someone's died there every month this year.. so why are they still letting people get in the water?! It did look very inviting, but there was no way any of us wanted to go in after that news. So we walked up to the next waterfall .. good, but we couldn't get as close as at Elephant Falls. While we were there Tai kept telling us over and over again about their colleague who'd died. Thanks for putting a dampner on things.. we don't need reminding.
Then it was off the Dray
Sap - the main falls. The riders left us to walk round while they watched the bags and bikes. Kind of made sense but we thought one of them might come to make sure we didn't slip in! It was a hell of a walk round, over an indiana jones-style bridge, that really looked like it had seen safer days. But once we got to the end it was worth the walk. It was really loud with the gallons and gallons of water rushing through, but strangely very peaceful too. We sat there for ages just listening to the sound of the water. We've seen a few waterfalls by now, but this is certainly the best.
So we left the tranquility behind and headed back in to BMT .. in rush hour... to find our hotel for the night. Pretty basic, but it'll do the job. No lake views, but it does have air con. We said goodbye to Jonny's rider - Quy - as he's decided to ditch us for an adventure in Kon Tum and the orphanages tomorrow.. was quite emotional saying goodbye. We've only known them 48 hours, but they've taught us so much about their
country. Still the girls have opted for a third day ride down to the beach.. so more monkey bums to come.
Dinner with the boys was Nem Nuong, or fresh spring rolls. We were eating off slightly dirty plates (my stomach seems to have got used to this) but they brought us another banquet of food and you basically get a sheet of rice paper, bung a pile of food inside then try and roll it up. I never was any good at this 😉 A pile of meat, cucumber, star fruit, noodles, rice paper, chillies, garlic, and a bowl of peanut sauce each to dip them in... no idea what the meat was, but ask no questions..! The bill.. about a quid (inc beer).
After last night's rice wine shennanigans tonight was pretty chilled. Fairly early to bed, ready for another early, early start tomorrow.
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