Jono has conquored Vietnam on a crappy little push bike!

Day 57 19/12/2009

Last night I didn’t sleep to well, I lingered around the hotel room after Joey left until checkout at 12. I had a few errands to run before leaving Vietnam so I set off to sort them out.

I bumped into Richard an English guy I had met in Hue and we went to the market to buy another toiletry bag because my old one was ruined. I picked one up for a little over 3 dollars and also bought a colon for about the same price. I spent a little too much without realizing as I needed to pay the departure tax of $12 at the airport when I left.

I hung around the main street I was staying in hoping id bump into someone I knew but had no luck.

I went out for dinner at an Indian restaurant that had a 5 piece meal for 25,000 VND. To be I asked the guy to fill me up as I was staving but unfortunately the meal size was pathetic, I even passed on the soft drink asking for more food instead but the owner didn’t sort me out, even the dessert was mismal only getting a banana..

I went back to the nice lady with the dumplings and picked up 4 of them, she even gave me one for free. If I ever come back to Saigon, ill defiantly be seeing her again.

I then headed over to the bus station at 6 to catch the 3,000 VND to the airport but unfortuatly the buses stopped running and I managed to get a motorbike ride to the airport for 50,000.

It was crazy bumping into so many people I had met on my journey at the airport pretty much all being on the same flight, and I was chuffed that none of us had to pay the airport tax too which was such a bonus.

I again managed to score some free food from some people I had met and as we headed to the waiting area some guy was having all of his liquids removed from him including some yoghurt that I quickly snatched up and devoured before boarding the plane.

When I arrived at Phuket airport I found some others that were also sleeping at the airport, two Swedish girls along with an Australian couple. So for the evening we shared stories and crashed out on the hard floors of the arrival lounge, also the baggage handlers completely ruined my backpack tearing the top half of my bag apart so I spent some time stitching my bag back together. Oh, and the Swedes had snuss too!

Day 56 18/12/2009

Today I wanted to go on one of the tours to see the Cu Chi Tunnels outside HCMC but because I had to pick up my Thai visa today, I couldn’t. Instead I went to the War remnants museum, it was a good thing that I bumped into Lauren in the street who I met in Mui Ne and who also wanted to go there, I also ran into Bobby an American I met on Cat ba island in the North who bought me a Vietnamese coffee.

The museum was… well, how do I put this..um, horrendous would be the word. The photos on display were terrible to say the least, the documentary about Agent Orange and other chemicals that affected everything from crops to live stock and newborns even several generations after people were exposed to the chemicals was shocking. It really was an eye opener but at the same time found it hard to keep them open as it was so graphic. If anyone comes to Saigon definite check this out!

After I had to pick up my Thai visa from the embassy, it literally took 2 seconds and I was off to try and sell my bike. I asked around looking for suggestions on where to sell it and some locals pointed out a few places on the map. As I searched and searched I got hungry and found more Com Dia (rice with random stuff), that really was disappointing as it always seemed to be inSaigon compared to what I had experienced cycling down from the North. Anyways, whilst eating I asked some locals if they wanted to buy my bike, one guy who lived in a house right next to the food place seemed interested, I did a bit of bartering and we settled on 600,000 VND also having him pay for the meal I just ate and a motorbike ride back to my hotel. It was about 1/3 of what I paid for it in Hanoi but given the condition of the bike I was very happy with the offer, he asked me to produce an invoice that I made up there and I gave him all the tools I had used to fix the bike when it had broken down on me, that Im sure he is going to have to use as the bike was in quite bad condition. Haha.

Its funny that he just looked at the bike and did not even test any part of it let along ride it… So many things were broken: the brakes, spokes, weld joints, slowly deflating tires and the fact that only 8 of the 18 gears actually worked just to name a few.

He promptly gave me the money and I hastily left without turning back.

I got back to my hotel and went back out immediately to enjoy my vast riches spending some of it on some beer a camera battery charger and some clothes that I needed.

I still had the bike pump at the hotel but I thought I could get something for it; I went back to the first hotel I stayed at and sold it to the receptionist for 2 beers.

I met with Lauren and Joey and went out for a few more cheap beers until I got hungry again and found a really nice lady selling dumplings on the side of the road, this woman reminded me of my mum, really enthusiastic and just a lovely lady. Her English was great too; we ended just chatting for her for ages.

After, we went out for more drinks but not having a late one as Joey puts we are poorists: tourists with no money. J

The Buyer of my Bike... Sucker!!! haha

The invoice I had to produce when selling the bike

Me having a sobbing but happy farewell to the peice of scrap metal and rubber that took me the length of Vietnam

Tanks and Helicopter at the War Museum in Saigon

Day 55 17/12/2009

I know my cycling journey through Vietnam is now over but for shits and giggles I might continue with this blog so I can browse over it on a future date as a reminder.

Today I had a few bits and pieces I needed to sort out, first thing was to get my Thai visa for 2 months which I found out was free. I also went to pick up my box of goodies I sent on the train from Hanoi, personally I thought it was going to be a bit of a hassle as it had been sitting at the train station for well over a month now, but again as it turns out they did not charge me anything extra. Fantastic!

I also moved from the hotel with the dorm room to another hotel that was cheaper with an American guy (Joey) I had met when I arrived in the city.

I spent a bit of time washing my bike so I could sell it tomorrow and whilst cleaning it I bumped into a bunch of people I had met on this Journey including a German Couple I had met in Russia 3 months ago, two Danish girls I had met in China briefly and also in Hoi An, and some others from Nha Trang and Mui Ne… it really is a small world.

I spent the day walking around Saigon with a Chinese Canadian girl I had met in the hotel who was pretty sound. We went out for a few drinks in the evening but as we were all tired and decided to have another early one. So much for the celebratory drinks L… might as well save my money until im in Thailand for the full moon party… cant wait!

Day 54 16/12/2009

Distance Cycled: 210km

I left the Hotel at 6am just before the sun rose, it was still bloody hot but I persisted as I really needed to be in Saigon to sort out my Thai visa, pick up my things from the train station that I had sent from Hanoi and sell my bike.

Seeing as it was my last day cycling it wouldn’t have been special if nothing went wrong, about midday I punctured the rear tire that was easily fixed and as I waited for the rubber cement to dry I munched down some lunch. Towards the afternoon the rear tire got another puncture but seeing as I was only… well 40km away is quite far from Saigon I pushed on with the flat and as it was getting dark and I didn’t want be caught cycling at night.

I don’t think I have ever felt like my life was in such peril before, the roads here were terrible.

Apparently there was a bit of a downpour in HCMC because when I arrived some of the roads were flooded, again even with a punctured rear tire I pushed on through, drenching my shoes and socks.

When I arrived at the Hotel that offered dorm rooms I was in quite a state: sweaty, drenched, exhausted, sunburnt and covered in layer of highway grit. Thinking it was a triumphant moment; I would have liked to have a welcoming party waiting for me, but as I didn’t a beer sufficed.

Being absolutely knacked I had a shower grabbed some dinner and crashed out early, tomorrow Ill celebrate the end of this chapter of my travels. Next stop Thailand.

With only 95km to go!!!

What a sign, read closely

Arriving at the backpackers in Saigon absolutely nackard after cycling 210km and the last 40km with a punctured flat rear tire.

Day 53 15/12/2009

Distance Cycled: 15km

I packed my things and left my campsite at around 7 and headed for a place to stay in Mui Ne. As I slipped on one of my shoes I didn’t realize that an ant colony had moved into them having left them outside overnight, I then had hundreds of furious ants biting my right leg. It would have been quite a sight seeing me freak out hoping all over the place removing my shoe.

When I was asking for directions from locals to get to Mui Ne they weren’t very helpful, most people just ignored me and others had never seen a map of their town before pointing at random things.

When I was chatting to randoms yesterday at the red sand dunes I was recommended a place that had dorm rooms, I went to check it out and thankfully it was cheap at $6 a night. The owner an Australian guy (John) was great, a really friendly guy who was very interested in what I was doing and he wanted to put a pic of me on the hotel website.

I planted myself on a lounge chair in the sun for the afternoon met some people, grabbed some dindins and crashed out early as I needed to get to Saigon tomorrow.

The Sunset on Mui Ne Beach, Vietnam

Day 52 14/12/2009

Distance Cycled: ~180km

Times asked to Marry (Total): 12

Despite being a little chilly in my tent last night I slept very well. I set off at about 7 and continued down the road toward Mui Ne. The sun was incredibly hot but luckily my route was mostly downhill. I found a series of hairpin turns on this route that were unbelievably fun although being a little cautious as my breaks still weren’t great, around some corners there were some rock slides and potholes, cow shit and on more than one occasion actual cows blocking the road that I narrowly missed. Under the heat of the sun the road flattened out but at times could have been hard to classify it as a road, it almost seemed as it had been bombed relentlessly.

When I finally hit Hwy 1 I stopped for lunch. Im so glad I learnt how to say Com Dia (Rice with a bit of everything) as what was placed in front of me was a buffet of food.

Whilst eating lunch I realized my backpack was open slightly probably because of the bumpy bad road, and my camera charger and spare battery had fallen out. It really could have been worse, like my laptop or iPod.

I kept cycling into the afternoon but it became too hot and I retired under a tree for a few hours.

Along the way I saw the exit off to see the white sand dunes, I thought I may as well see them while I was there and it was only a detour of 3 km. They were quite impressive although very windy.

I wanted to catch the sunset over the red sand dunes 20km away so I cycled quickly to get there. This extra push didn’t do me well as I cramped up completely and wasn’t able to cycle for a while. I did make it to the red sand dunes utterly exhausted and the sunset was gorgeous, and because I had lost my spare battery for my camera I couldn’t take a picture of it, you will have to take my word on it.

As it was now getting dark and I was still 15km from Mui Ne I decided to get some food and camp out beside the beach. I ate dinner but because I was so exhausted and feeling unwell from being in the sun all day it took me a while to leave, my body was locking up, cramps in my feet, legs and hands, I was unable to stand for the longest time let alone to get back on my bike to find a place to pitch my tent.

As soon as I pitched my tent I was out like a light.

White sand dunes outside Mui Ne, Vietnam

The Cycle from the mountains to the coast.

Day 51 13/12/2009

Distance cycled: 75km

After saying my farewells to Jen in the morning I packed my things, ate breakfast, bought some bananas and bread and headed off towards Mui Ne. The downhill road, Hwy 20 from Dalat was a lot of fun, although incredibly bumpy that made my very gay front basket break off. I had to do a bodge repair with an empty dry concrete mix bag I found on the side of the road… It actually worked rather well not having any more problems with it all day.

I wanted to see some waterfalls before I left the mountains and I was searching for Goudah waterfall very close to Hwy 20. Instead I found another that was 6km from the hwy. It was a bit of a detour but worth it in the end as it was blistering hot and I needed to swim also I bumped into a Swedish girl and a Portuguese girl who were working as teachers in a nearby town. They were there with 4 other Vietnamese girls who kept on offering me food as they had finished their lunch and had some leftovers.

I hung out with these girls for most of the afternoon and set off cycling towards Mui Ne.

When I was in Dalat I asked a few adventure tour groups what route they took to get to Mui Ne, they recommended a road that wasn’t on any map but theirs. It seemed like sound advice so I took the road. OMG was it bumpy and still is as im writing this in my tent on the side of the road. So far there have been quite a bit of uphill bits that im only just managing with the lack of gears that I have, its also a shame that the downhill runs are mostly ruined with potholes and rocks making me cautious about going to fast.

I munched down a banana and jam (bought from the market in Dalat that tastes great but not as good as mum’s) sandwich for dinner and went to sleep for an early start tomorrow, I actually have no idea where I am at the moment but hopefully ill be in Mui Ne tomorrow afternoon if the roads are better than today… fingers crossed.

Panoramic of Waterfalls 60km south of Dalat

Pic: Crazy motorbiker sitting within a truck tire whilst driving.