Travel Story : russell cook - vietnam
Sat 9 Apr Day 4 : Tan Ky – Phong Nha : 280 Km
Last night ’ s hotel was call KM0 – kilometre 0 for the start of the Ho Chi Minh trail . This morning we were greeted by rain . Enough to make the roads wet but didn ’ t get through our clothes . The twisty road along the Ho Chi Minh trail was great fun . Then a lovely mountain pass and both up and down . Some of the other vehicles were crazy cutting blind corners , fully on the wrong side of the road . Made it fun overtaking on a 125cc bike . After the pass a long straight which was used as an airfield for Soviet MiG 21 fighters in the war . Jungle either side gives an impression of what the Ho Chi Minh trail was like before a proper road was put in . Literally a mud track .
90km from breakfast to morning tea . A hard slog on the 125 on the open highway , but it helps break the back of he ride . Lunch is another traditional Vietnamese offering . Whole fish , chicken , pork belly and vegetables and rice . Felt like an Aussie road house . The dirt is initially a bumpy stone impregnated dirt road . Thon and I lead over a wooden bridge and then after a few hundred metres he waves me ahead . The stones give way to hard packed dirt which in turn becomes muddy puddles then full on mud . I have no trouble with this on the little 125 and blast ahead - slowly . I get to the main road and wait and wait . Not a good omen . I make my way back and meet up at the last fork in the road . Jazmin had a small off in the slippery mud . She ' s up and riding and no worse for wear if a little tired and damp .
Down to the Son river and the row boat ferry . Thon and Do take their bikes across , then Eric , Gav , Ali and Lou go with 2 more bikes . The ferry returns with 2 scooters on it . Our other bikes are in the way so I hop on Lou ' s bike to move it . Thon waves me on to the ferry and I ride the bike up the cast iron grate and on to the ferry . Cool . Go to hop off to get my bike and Greeny and Jazmin yell out to keep hold of the bike in case it tips over . Luckily I do and it doesn ’ t . We swap places as Do loads Ali ' s bike . 3 bikes in total - a bit of a load for such a small boat . Halfway across one of the long river cruise boats goes by creating a wake we have to