Ha Giang Loop

 I completed the 4 day Ha Giang Loop on the back of a motorbike (called Easy Rider here) where I believe I increased the average age of the typical rider by about 5 years notwithstanding the thousands of riders I would guess the average easy rider is about 25 yrs old and most are young Euros with some Aussies and Americans sprinkled in.  All of them together probably have a net worth of about $1000 and the accommodations tend to reflect thar (though I found the “luxury “ option tolerable just)  

Notwithstanding the mostly cloudy skies, the scenery was spectacular and unique- 

My small group consisted of Aussies, Dutch, Americans and Brita and were (slightly older) and quite fun 

My driver, also named Ken- helpful so I could mostly remember his name- was great

I spotted a kid in a village fishing who I think is destined to become a Vietnamese plumber- 

At stops the drivers and riders would play this weird game where you try and kick a small badminton shuttlecock like thing- 

It was a bit sad that some of the restaurants we stopped at couldn’t seem to attract loop riders -

I don’t post videos normally but maybe this rough one (shot while dangling off the back) will give some sense of the loop

 I think the Ha Giang Loop has a strong claim to be the best motorcycle route in the world and a legitimate claim to being perhaps the best ride/drive in the world period  it is that good- 

The Ha Giang Loop- what a thrill at any age and motorcycle is the way to do it  

Misty Sapa; Buffalos and Cowboys

 I journeyed by 6 hour bus from Hanoi to Sapa, a mountain town in NW Vietnam known for trekking and having the highest mountain in SE Asia.  During my time in Sapa, it was alternately misty, rainy, cloudy, murky, overcast, drizzly and foggy. This picture mostly sums it up-

I did a trek to a couple of villages where you got an occasional view of the famous terraced rice fields- 

And saw Vietnam’s version of the Golden Gate Bridge 

I also took the worlds longest cable car to the top of Mt Fanispan, the highest mountain in Indochina, where the views were mostly nonexistent- (it was closed to hiking due to weather)- 

I did read somewhere that the views would have been a real wow if the weather had cooperated -

The Vietnamese take no interpretation risks  

I did see some ersatz cowboys at the base- 

Maybe they were trying to round this lazy water buffalo up- 

He seemed somewhat unroundable tho   Onto the renowned Ha Giang loop and hopefully better weather  

Hanoi- Chaos, Coffee, Puppets and Train Street

 Hanoi is a very lively and fun city chock full of scooters and tourists. It is, in my opinion, a city that is enjoyed more for its sensory experiences and frenetic atmosphere than for its marquee sites.  But it does have a pretty lake in the middle of the city-

It is known for its millions of scooters (7 million) and chaotic traffic.  You feel as if you are taking your life in your hands as you walk about the streets, dodging by inches all sorts of vehicles- 

To cross any street you just have to take the plunge and assume that all the scooters and other vehicles roaring right at you will not run you over.  Sidewalks are reserved for scooter parking so out in the street you go…

The city is  crazy about coffee with salt, coconut, egg and a myriad of other delicious coffees on offer, with coffee shops, as well as little beer cafes, everywhere- 

There are all sorts of shops with many featuring famous outdoor brands like Patagonia, The North Face, and Gortex  In fact, you have to think about half their sales come from Hanoi alone given the surfeit of shops selling the stuff, tho all this premium gear seems strangely deeply discounted 

This store reminded of the old saying about the Holy Roman Empire (neither holy nor Roman nor an empire)-

With the gear being neither original nor made in Vietnam  nor sold in an authentic factory outlet   Regardless, you bargain for everything and it was fun watching a canny Viet shop owner haggle with some penniless backpackers with no sincerity on either side  

Hanoi is famous for its water puppet theatre-

It also has a steer called Train Steel where tourists- like myself- go by the hundreds to sit in a cafe just a foot or so from the train tracks and await the next train in a bizarre carnival like atmosphere- 

It was zany- you squeezed yourself against the cafe wall and could literally touch the train as it chugged past.  

Two minutes later, the street was empty as everyone disdained the exorbitantly priced $2 beer of Train Street and headed around the corner for the regular $1 beer  

Strange as it seems to one who grew up during the Vietnam War (naturally called the American war here), Hanoi is a very lively, friendly and fun place, with my kind of spa-  

Halong Bay; Aussies and Money in Vietnam

 The currency situation declines as I progress thru SE Asia with $1 USD equaling-

Hong Kong $$-  7.8 

Thai Baht- 30 

Cambodia Rial-  4000

Vietnam Dong- 26,000

I have employed a Cray supercomputer service to assist with the conversions. 

I took my 2,day/night cruise of Halong Bay off the coast of north Vietnam.  Halong Bay is Vietnam’s premier tourist attraction and a cruise through the almost 2000, frequently sheer, karst islands is its most expensive tourist activity. Tho similar to Ninh Binh, Halong Bay feels different and is I think more stunning- 

One of the best parts of my cruise were 2 Aussie couples I met up and spent much time with (one from Sydney area and one from Melbourne).  They were considerate, fun and had great senses of humor-

One of them appeared to shop at a store with which I am vaguely familiar-

The cruise offered a variety of activities, including kayaking, squid fishing and a class on how to make the dreaded Vietnamese spring rolls (pro made this debacle waiting to happen look easy)- 

Given my history with fishing (where I have pretty much never caught anything), it was no surprise that neither I nor anyone else caught any squid that night (I hexing everyone else’s chances)  

Everywhere I have been in Vietnam Vietnamese/communist flags have been ubiquitous and yet I doubt I have ever been in a more market/capitalist place (sometimes it seems like everyone is trying to sell you something)  Asked something about this, one of our guides said there is a famous saying in Vietnam- 

“Money can’t buy you everything in Vietnam.  But a LOT of money can buy you anything “  

Well,  I do have a weakness for trinkets and baubles and such and this one attracted my eye- 

A few last photos of Halong Bag and then onto the bright lights of the big city and the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi.