Arrive Hanoi Friday 25th March after an uneventful flight. ( The taxi to Manchester airport developed a flat tyre. The car did not possess a wheel brace and a Manchester taxi had to summoned to complete the journey arriving nearly 3 hours after leaving Clitheroe and in the nick of time for the flight!) Saturday 26th March. An early breakfast followed by a vehicle transfer of approximately200km to Phu Thong followed by a 32km cycle ride to Ba Be National Park for a 1 night stay. In the Far East you soon become aware of the difference in life style seeing many strange things as you go along. We saw a dead pig strapped to the back of a small motorbike on its way to the market. We arrived at the hotel in the dark and ... read more

Day 14 Saturday 9th October 2010 50 mls Woke up to a nice morning and had a good breakfast before setting off. Today it included baked potatoes, which were very tasty, cheese, bread, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and yes boiled eggs. After 2 miles we started a steep climb for 4 miles up to the main road to Antalya. About 5 miles along this road I was stopped by several young Germans walking with massive rucksacks asking the way to Olympus. they looked most dejected when I told them how far it was. This was a busy road but quite wide and traffic was no problem. I stopped for chai at a small roadside cafe and was joined by a local young rider of about 25 who was working in a nearby hotel for the summer. He ... read more

Day 11 Wednesday 6th October 2010 71 miles 25 degrees Left hotel at 7.30 for breakfast 3 km away at junction of main road. Plenty of variety and boiled egs, of course. Stoked up ready for another longish day. Headed South on D650 for a 10 mile straight road with only a tin imitation Speed Cop car for company at the roadside. Tony and Deborah passed us in their taxi with their bikes hanging precariously out of the boot with hands waving to us. After 10 miles a right turn and passed by Julia at her usual speed. This was not a very exciting road and after another 15 miles I found a fuel station which served chai and nothing else to eat. I sat in the obligatory chair and drank two cups of chai and ... read more

Day 9 Monday 4th October 2010 46 miles We came outside the hotel to find the street full of market traders, as was the rest of the town. For once we had a tail wind and seemed to float along for quite a few miles. We have now entered apple country proper with offers of apples everywhere. Unfortunately I cannot eat apples since they make my mouth covered with ulcers. I was riding with Julia at one time and stopped to take photos so lost her ahead of me. A tractor laden with crates of apples passed me and I decided to have a tow from its slip stream so was travelling at about 20 mph for several miles. That was the last I saw of Julia since she must have pulled in for a chai ... read more

Day 7 Saturday 2nd October 2010 57 miles Up at 7am to a packed breakfast which we ate stood up with no hot brew so we loaded up and then had chai on street outside from chai house next door. Two miles out of town, during which we pushed off a van with a flat battery, and then an 8 mile climb up a very dusty rough road, in the process of being widened, to the top of the col at 1500m before plunging down to the lake . The road then went up and down for miles past women carrying piles of short pine logs from the forest by donkey. I think these were used for making charcoal. We saw our first ancient well operated by a balance beam. As we approached Beyhsehir we saw ... read more