Vietnam (cycling) odyssey

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This was supposed to be a kind of a reunion trip between a few old Scout mates; some I hadn't seen for a lot more years than I'd like to admit. However, after finding out that there was a considerable amount of physical exercise involved; ie cycling for 18 days from Ho Chi Min City (Saigon) in the south to Hanoi in the north, the participation rate dropped dramatically. What the hell, it sounded great to me so, I'm doing it anyway!

I admit that it's probably not everyone's idea of the ideal asian holiday. My travel adventures usually involve a 23 hour plane trip to somewhere in Europe, so this will be my first taste of Asia. I like the odd asian take-away, so from a culinary perspective, the trip should be a dream (if not a little spicy).

Lazing on a beautiful beach in Bali probably appeals more to most people's imagination when it comes to aisa; maybe even sacrifice a few days of sun and surf for some local cultural stimulation. Well, that's never really been for me. Don't get me wrong, I love emerging myself in the culture of different countries, it's just that I don't like my culture crawling with tourists. Robyn and I were always snobs like that.

Right about now I guess you're thinking that this Aussie bloke has finally flipped. Why would anyone in their right mind actually CYCLE the length oif Vietnam when one could just as easily take a more relaxing bus tour or luxury boat trip down the Mekong Delta? Answer ... because the cycling tour is there to do - somebody's got to do it!

As the itinerary mostly stays clear of the main cities and larger towns, I have no idea how often I will be in a situation to publish a blog but watch out for them anyway.

Ciao for now.

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Photos

The faithful day backpack and helmet
While the bikes are provided apparently the Vietnamese take a fatalistic view to wearing helmets!

Comments

[Wally Gaul]

Vietnam cycler
I have enjoyed reading about your travels. Go for it while you still can.