Day 8 - from Hoa Binh to... Hoa Binh - Trial by fire: new bike, first tour, first time in Asia

November 2, 2024

Day 8 - from Hoa Binh to... Hoa Binh

Technology is great, except when it isn't. Winston's aesthetic preference for the scenic route backfired when an obscure turn was missed and we ended up at a dead end. After cursing the gods of mapping programs we gave in and returned to Hoa Binh. But there was some spectacular scenery from go to whoa. This is how the day started in Hoa Binh.

We then had a victory when a street vendor came by offering rice with peanut and a sweet fruit. I bought a couple of helpings.

A partial success. Coffee in glass cups but it was Nescafe; peanuts and rice in styrofoam.

With that done were off towards Mai Chau and into the terrific scenery, not to mention the roadscape.

Here's some homework for Bill Shaneyfelt

Apart from choosing a tricky route our day started to decline in the pretty little town of Thung Nai.

I was a little ahead of Winston and so I waited in a prominent spot in Thung Nai. As I sat on a step, a fellow brought me a tiny stool. That was very kind; I sat there and ate an orange watching the goings on.

I was sitting on a step when a fellow offered me the ubiquitous Vietnamese stool.

We did some direction finding and settled on this road that took us to the top of a peninsula jutting into the lake. We had missed a left turn. That said, we never did see a road of any significance.

Also, the road we were on wasn't always good.

My interpretation of this sign is "Old white guys should turn around now."

I want to travel around the world in one of these!

One of the few birds we have seen - Brown hawk owl? More homework for Bill!

It wasn't only 1230 but I couldn't see any way that we could get to Mai Chau, a very hard day's ride when all goes smoothly. I bought water at an inflated price before we backtracked, half looking for "the road", while navigation aids made constant suggestions.

Fourteen km saw us back in Thung Nai and assured by locals that we had gone the correct way. I even walked a different road and ended up at the lake.

After a good bit of toing and froing we headed for Hoa Binh and room 505 with the intention of cycling the main drag tomorrow. Across the road, children kicked the round ball. Life was so much easier ...........

How could we possibly forget some of the terrific livestock and their carers walking the roads?

Hard to believe in this terrain but they really are water buffalo

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 307 km (191 miles)

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