On Friday I spent my second of two days (three nights) in Phong Nha. Paradise Cave, the most famous and generally agreed to be the most beautiful of the Phong Nha caves was indeed very beautiful and very impressive. I also visited the botanical gardens which is more like a path which leads you in a circuit around slightly tamed and cultivated jungle, including a few swimming holes and an impressive waterfall. In order to visit these places and also see the local area, I followed a slightly shortened version of the Phong Nha circuit, which is a loop that a lot of tourists follow on rented motorbikes. It included some not inconsiderable 10 and 11% hills, and earned me lots of impressed looks, thumbs up, etc. from people who passed! (Phong Nha attracts many more tourists than most of the places that I have passed through.)
On Saturday I left Phong Nha and began continuing North along the Ho Chi Minh Highway towards Hanoi. I’ve been gradually progressing along the road since then, passing through 5 provinces and a variety of landscapes on the way. In general, the terrain has been flatter since leaving the hills around Phong Nha, though there are still plenty of nice views. Additionally, these more rolling landscapes can be extremely fun to ride around on at times – for example one morning a few days ago there was a moment when I was riding down a nicely tarmacked stretch of road which was particularly pretty and particularly quiet in terms of traffic, with just the right amount ups, downs, twists and turns to be really fun, when what should come on the music I was listening to but “bicycle race” by Queen! The whole moment just seemed perfect! On the other hand, I’ve also had a few drizzly / rainy days since leaving Phong Nha which haven’t been quite as fun, but at least drizzle isn’t monsoon rain, and I’m still making progress, so I’m happy.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will arrive in… (drumroll please)… Hanoi! This marks the end of the Ho Chi Minh Highway and the end of this section of riding. Once there, I will have some time off for resting and sightseeing before continuing on my way. Now, off to bed to rest to my body so it can get me there tomorrow!
Dancing in the Dawn 