Trial by fire: new bike, first tour, first time in Asia - CycleBlaze

Trial by fire: new bike, first tour, first time in Asia

In Search of the Sun Bear and Saola

By Ian Wallis & Winston Lancaster
2,721 km (1,690 miles) over 54 days between Oct. 24, 2024 and Dec. 16, 2024

Winston

Citizen of the World heart 9
Why Southeast Asia? heart 13
Day 1 - Arrival heart 5

Ian

The Luckiest Person heart 7
More about me heart 17
The upcoming tour heart 9
Dinner in Vang Vieng heart 8
Room 207 heart 4
My thoughts on cycle touring heart 5
Planning heart 5
What I ride heart 6
What I take heart 5
Where I go heart 5
Day 1, time to pack and leave heart 16
Ian, Day 2 - delayed flights but arrival in Old Town, Hanoi heart 25
Ian, Day 3 - Meeting Winston in Hanoi heart 16
Day 4 - a slow but successful day and Winston's first ride in Hanoi heart 23
Day 5 - murals and Train Street heart 36
Day 6 - Last day in Hanoi heart 42
Day 7 - on the road to Hoa Binh heart 29
Day 8 - from Hoa Binh to... Hoa Binh heart 48
Day 9 - A second crack at Mai Chau: success! heart 52
Day 10 - Along the Nam Ma River heart 21
Day 11 - to who knows where, with many pictures of plants heart 116
Day 12 - Crossing the border into Laos heart 56
Day 13, Back on a level footing and a meeting with students of English. heart 98
Day 14 - The road to Saleuay Water Fall heart 99
Day 15 - A day at Saleuy Waterfalls heart 86
Day 16 - Changes in Habitat on the Road to Nam Neon heart 93
Day 17 - Winston's different day heart 56
Day 17 - Ian: Sounds of silence on a hilly ride to Muang Kham heart 68
Day 18 - A pleasant day cycling to Phonsavan heart 61
Day 19 - A day at the Plain of Jars heart 87
Day 20 - The Taste of Dust heart 62
Day 21 - The calorific value of dust heart 82
Day 22 - Down the hill to Kasi heart 96
Day 23 - A train to Luang Prabang and a wander around town heart 138
Day 24 - Zero km by bike: several on foot heart 89
Day 25 - Another tedious day! heart 105
Day 26 - Different Paths Again heart 111
Day 27 - South from Kasi to Tha Heua heart 105
Day 28 - Towards Vientiane: through or around? heart 59
Day 29 - south to ...... 40 km gained and 35 lost! heart 111
Day 30 - Still on Hwy 13 heart 99
Day 31 - Following the Mekong heart 119
Day 32 - An unexpected scene in Thakhek heart 124
Day 33 - a fine ride ending at a country estate heart 99
Day 34 - Wind heart 135
Day 35 - South on 13: how far to Pakse? heart 151
Day 36 - a short ride to Pakse and a photo-essay culminating in a sunset. heart 150
Day 37 - Traveler's Serendipity heart 150
Day 38 - an island adventure on Laos National Day heart 139
Day 39 - An island cycle and a border crossing heart 141
Day 40 - arrival in Kratie, a hotel goes missing and there are loads! heart 167
Day 41 - Dolphins, Monkeys, and School Children heart 159
Day 42 - our fourth and last day in Cambodia with a common thread - rice. heart 165
Day 43 - back to Vietnam heart 150
Day 44 - To Ho Chi Minh City or Sài Gòn heart 182
Day 45 - day 1 in Ho Chi Minh City or is it Saigon? heart 79
Day 46 - day 2 in Ho Chi Minh City - fine arts heart 125
Day 47 - day 3 in Ho Chi Minh: an early trip to the airport and an afternoon at the Reunification Palace heart 194
Day 48 - day 4 in Saigon: I get a bike box and visit the War Remnants Museum heart 142
Day 49 - day 5 in Saigon: I get my bike washed, return to the War Remnants and walk kms heart 127
Day 50 - day 6 in Ho Chi Minh: the long walk to Chinatown heart 73
Days 51 and 52 - the long trip home heart 41
Winston - Reflections from Home heart 18
Updated within 7 days