Hard work day, Heavy wind, rain and over 115Km. Hey ho.

It’s wetter than it looks.

It’s still wetter than it looks.

1 Ox power.

The predicted storm is officially here.  Up early to a grey day, raining and blowing a gale.  Really don’t fancy hanging around the hotel for another day, so waterproofs on and pedal off.  Did almost forget the passports being held at the front desk.  Whoops.

A cyclist we had met in Saigon had recounted his story of flying down from Hanoi to Saigon on his road bike doing 200kms per day.  This is possible because the prevailing wind is north to south.  As we discovered.  Add a storm, lashing rain and some hills and the effort was huge to do a measly 115 kms north to our “Scandia resort” hotel.

The weather was relentless for the 9 hours of our trip.  We had a break for a pretty nice lunch en route.  The usual fried rice and a couple of beers.  Just good to get out of the wind for 40 mins.

If we had known we wouldn’t get to our hotel until 6:30pm in the dark, we may have been tempted to throw in the towel earlier, and book a proper hotel.  What we didn’t know was that the hotel was 4kms north of town up an unfinished road which was now muddy and puddled.  With no directions and no signage, not quite sure how we ever found it.  But, the reviews had been tempting.  It was deserted.  We stumbled upon the open-air reception desk which was dark save for a television turned on.  We were both exhausted and the thought of having to trace our steps back to town was a tough one.  As we were about to pedal off again, a local lady arrived, speaking very good English.  She thought we weren’t coming as it was so late – 6:30?  And, the killer, it’s too late for dinner!  But, she did have cold beers and yes, we could get breakfast there, not included in the price.  She relented regarding dinner and offered up the worst Pho bo (beef noodle soup) and fried rice that we have tasted.  The beef tasted of mothballs.  It must have been bad as, despite being ravenous, Linda didn’t eat it all.

The five beers softened us a bit so we made the best of the place and climbed into the sandy sheets.  Yuck. Not cheap enough,  A review definitely going on Trip Advisor.

Just blue here.

Busy motorway.

Tough life, someone has to be here.

Are we odd?  It still feels good to get back on the bikes and to leave town.  Followed the coast, all rather strange as, paved carriageway, topiary median, street lamps and pavement and, nothing else.  There must be big plans for the coastline here.  Would rather see more high rises contained within one area than a strip development all along this beautiful coastline.  Lovely cycle with great views over the ocean and the fishing villages and not too much traffic.  Maps, as often,  a little vague but found our destination hotel, past the cement factory.  Very surprised, based on the price, to discover a beautiful beach, large swimming pool with rather gorgeous gardens.  Two large Russian tour groups also in town, but plenty of room on the beach for us too.

A very nice seafood lunch in the restaurant on the beach, creamy oysters, grilled prawns and squid.  Could have done with twice the size and a big bowl of rice after the cycling but managed to fill up with the buffet supper.

Planing  a bigger day for tomorrow, so early start. Weather seems to be changing, clouds coming in, getting a bit windy. As are we.

Topiary Town

They are all blue! Or wood colour.

Floating fish farms

Hard day’s work

Just for tourists? Maybe but…good.

Life’s a beach, got our mojo back. Or Mojito anyway.

Last day with Bobby with an 8:00 am pick up from hotel.  Quick visit to a nearby 7th C temple, built by the Cham people, before Angkor Wat. We’re getting pretty good at recognising religious influences and symbols. Historically, the middle of Vietnam was heavily influenced by India and Hinduism via the ocean trading routes.

Off to the bustling port in Nha Trang to catch a boat over to one of the numerous islands off the coast and a bit of snorkelling.  Well, Paul snorkelled and Linda had a quick dip, but didn’t actually get her hair wet.  Bobby sat and read the newspaper.  Paul says the snorkelling was good and he has captured on his camera a number of coloured spots on a murky brown background.  On the floating pontoon was a raucous group of Vietnamese lunching on some freshly caught fish with copious amounts of rice wine and a lot of “mort, hai, ba” – 1, 2, 3 and knock it back.

We motored to check out a floating fish farm where we were offered “lobster”, actually crayfish, for $100 per kilo.  Needless to say we declined.  Did get some very nicely cooked squid for lunch washed down with a couple of Saigon beers.

We are so impressed with Nha Trung beach.  It is stunning.  White sand and clean.  The beach is immaculate and the gardens very smart with lots of creative topiary interspersed with some interesting sculptures.  The first area in Vietnam we have visited with no litter all over the place.  Massive infrastructure still going on with the creation of a new marina and lots more hotels to be built.  Biggest group of tourists are Russian, in numbers and size.  Had the best mojito yet sat on beanbags on the beach with a full moon.

Nha Trang could be described like one of the big Spanish resorts, but it sort of grows on you. Smart and casual, good European with Vietnamese street food. Great combinations and very enjoyable, if brash at times.

Start cycling again tomorrow, and a $30 ‘resort’. May well be different.

I see no ships.

Lots of greenhouses, strawberries and flowers galore.

Big funghi.

Exhilerating cycle, breathtaking scenery. This was an ‘up’ bit.

Pine forests for miles and miles. Smell lovely.

Minority long house. Like an axe.

Snake oil for the men’s mojo.

When it’s wet….we wouldn’t be able to cycle down the road.

We left Dalat at the civilised time of 8am. Yea, a lie in. Then we were treated to a superb ride. Starting high at around 1500m, we went on a few ‘undulations’ as Bobby described them for 60km. Undulations in Vietnamese means 5km steep up then 1 km gentle down. We climbed around 1,200m in the first 40kms.  But, the last 30km made it all worth while. Sweeping bends, descending as fast as you wish on basically great roads, no trucks, and views that made us stop every few kms. Lunch was a picnic at the top of the mountains. Great, although several people had had the same idea before us. The big difference was that they had chosen to throw everything out of their cars, rather than take it home. As a result a pristine view was rather destroyed by so much plastic rubbish. We, at least, didn’t add to it.

The final push over 100kms was a bit hard into a head wind, and the ‘flat’ road wasn’t that flat.

Hey ho, we are by the sea, and the promise of fish awaits.

Supper in a seafood restaurant. Sadly the ‘pot seafood’ didn’t quite hit the spot, but easily good enough. Beer was all we really needed.

A superb day’s cycling, what its all about. Any cyclist who didn’t enjoy the route should be on very strong medicine.

To Cat Tien National Park.

Shooting the breeze. Our new guide. Bobby, or Treng.

There are 2 dragons in my life.

Dragon slayer.

Do not tread on this.

Sadly, we see a lot of these.

Ferry, with our new guide, “Bobby” (Treng).

Another ferry.

400 year old Ficus.

Cat Tien, great views.

I see lunch.

Happy to leave Saigon and to head for the hills with “Bobby” our new guide for the next four days.  Bobby took us on a lovely route through coffee, tobacco, cashew and peppercorn plantations on a red, dusty dirt track.  The perfume from the blossom on the coffee plants is delightful, just like jasmine.  Should have learnt by now to be more cautious when spending a penny, or 2,000 dong, over here, on the side of the road.  Really hadn’t bothered to look in the dusty dirt, then spotted the black scorpion.

Overfed en-route, two pineapples, expertly carved and served with spicy, chilli salt, yum yum.  20 mins later,  a stop for Pho Bo, beef noodle soup.  30 mins later, dragon fruit. Groan.

Cat Tien National Park, Unesco recognised is at least, partly protected by its river boundary on one side, a quick ferry ride for us.  Our lodge is a charming thatched bungalow but very well equipped.  Treated to a night safari on the back of a truck with 20 others.  There are rumours of a handful of wild elephants in the park but well away from the tourists.  The last rhino was poached in 2010.  We did see a number of wild deer, a bird and possibly a civet.  Best part was our 3 km walk back to our lodge in the dark, on our own.  A swift beer before going to bed. We met one of the resident guides in the Park, an Indian guy who has been coming here for a couple of years and very knowledgeable about the area and its wildlife.  Highly recommended to get up at 5:00am to cycle 9km into the jungle to hear the gibbons wake up.  Ok, best get off to bed now then. Torches charged, phew, as no power overnight to charge them.