Easy Rider- 500km by motorbike

 I decided to take "adventurous" to the next level- I hired a motorcycle driver and went on a 3-day/2-night excursion through the central highlands of Vietnam. Calling themselves "Easy-Riders" there were plenty of random guys on the roadside offering this service. I used Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor recommendations and met Trong. We emailed back and forth, and then met for coffee to discuss travel details and prices. He quoted me a price of $210- which included accommodation for 2 nights, water refills, plenty of stops along the way for sight-seeing, and his fees. This was the opportunity to get off the beaten path and see the local Vietnam. Not your typical tour experience. Then I spent no more than $10 a day on food- all meals, iced coffees, fresh fruit and a few desserts here and there. Totally worth it to me!

My backpack was strapped to the back of Trong's bike, and I got to sit in a cushy chair that was raised above- giving me a great view of everything. No way would I have wanted to navigate a motorbike on my own- not through these windy roads and insane traffic conditions. Even with his trusty knowledge and navigation skills, there were still moments of panic when a massive truck, coming the other way tried to pass another one- and seemed to be coming head on towards us!! Overall, I could not wipe the silly grin off my face to think that I was actually experiencing this!

Trong took me into people's houses- its just a kind of thing you do here! We walked right in, he would share a cigarette with one of the men and I would observe their daily life. These women (in the photo above) are making brooms.

A typical ferry crossing- motorbikes, pedestrians and cattle- of course!

Different regions in Vietnam are known for their local specialties! Here it is Mi Quang- definitely my favorite meal! Thick rice noodles, in a small amount of tasty broth with chunks of marinated pork, a hard-boiled egg, and then on top you add a variety of fresh greens and herbs and shaved banana flowers and then crumble a crispy rice cracker on top. Squeeze some lime and chili if you need the kick! Heavenly delicious

Trong took me to several local villages, where the people live like you would imagine people lived 250 years ago! Everything they grow and raise will be used some how- for shelter, food, or decoration. They eagerly invited me in, and we shared some green pineapple together! They speak a different oral language- but must also learn some Vietnamese. Translated by Trong, they wanted to know: how old I was, (shocked that I was thirty). Was I married, (flabbergasted that I wasn't). Turns out, most girls here are married by 15! That means by their standards, I should be a grandma!

Trong recommended buying some hard candies, and the children followed me around eager for the treat.

We traveled along the famous Ho Chi Minh trail- originally small footpaths through Central/Northern Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, these were built into a road system and very important as a supply route during the "America" war.  

This village was once located on the hillside, but damaged by torrential rains, the government moved them to this valley. I walked through the village and they were building their community center. Typical finger pointing ensued- I'd point fingers at me too- a tall, white foreigner randomly walking through your village...they even took out their cell phones and snapped a few pictures of me too!

Local spirits- just a whiff of this alcohol seems to make you drunk! (So strong!)

Jackfruit! Super delicious and sweet.

Collecting rubber from a rubber tree...

Fishermen- they take their boats out at dusk and cast their nets, sleep in their boats until early morning when they bring their nets in, and sell their fish. Throughout the day they work on improvements to their nets and boats, and then head off again at night.

The mountain pass that connects the city of Hue to the city of Danang.

From the top of the pass, looking down you can see the city of Danang below.

Danang, Vietnam

After saying goodbye to mom at the Siem Reap, Cambodia airport, I took a 62-seater propellor plane to DaNang, Vietnam on the central coast. Recommended by a coworker of mine, he had recently returned to live and work in DaNang, and raved about it soooo much, that he quickly convinced me to extend my vacation and spend some time there. I loved it! I used the city as a home base for a week- accommodations ranged from dirt cheap to extravagant and I had the opportunity to spend time with Luke, by myself and visit several different cities and world heritage sites, as well as travel by foot, public bus and best of all- motorbike!!!

First night I arrived, Luke met me at the airport, and after purchasing me a pink helmet, we went zipping around town on his motorbike. We had dinner outside, drinking the local brew and enjoying the best seafood I have ever eaten! 

The next morning I asked my hostel owners about a public bus to Marble Mountains- a short 1/2 day hike about 10 km outside of Danang. He said it would be no problem- "walk 5 minutes to the main road and stand on the right side of the street. When you see a bright yellow bus with the sign: Danang-Hoi An, flag it down and it will stop and pick you up. Then tell the driver you want to go to Marble Mountain. The buses come by every 20 min or so." 

I looked incredulous, really? There's no bus stop? Its really going to stop for me??

Sure enough, 2 minutes after standing on the main road, I flagged the bus down and got on. After some feeble pantomiming, the driver and I understood where I wanted to go, and how much I should pay. Supposedly they charge foreigners double the price- there is definitely no price written anywhere, and its not clear whether you pay a flat fare or a fare based on distance traveled. Regardless, it was about $1.50 each way (no reason to grumble) and I was charged the same fare in both directions- so at least it was consistent! 

 Marble Mountains- I enjoyed hiking around the complex. Marble used to be 'harvested' from the 5 surrounding 'mounds' There were several temples on the hillside as well as caves with carvings and shrines.

The view from above, with two more marble mountains behind me. The heat overtook me, and I was only able to summit one mountain, and cut this to a half day trip- and when I got back to Danang, I rewarded myself with an ice coffee! 

Saturday, 5:30am. Luke recommended I spend the early hours of the morning at the beach, to experience the 'beach-goer' culture of Vietnam. I wasn't disappointed, and it turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trip. One of the previous days, I had walked along the beach at around 2:30pm, and although it was ungodly hot and the sun was blazing down, it surprised me that the postcard perfect beach was desolate. Well, just like the Japanese, the Vietnamese hide away from the direct rays of the sun. Consequently the busiest times at the beach are before 7:30 am, and after 4:00pm. I have to agree with their methods. No need to apply sunscreen at this time, the temperatures are much more bearable and the water still feels wonderful.

So, sure enough, early mornings were crowded with beach-goers as you can see in the photos below). There was morning yoga, people had buried themselves in the sand, and were napping. Fishermen were hauling in their nets from the night before, which drew quite the crowd and as soon as the little fish had been separated from the sea detritus, they were bagged up and sold- right there on the sand.
Vietnamese are not much for bathing suit culture- instead they go into the water in their clothes- jeans included, or underwear.
Back on the promenade, temporary showers and changing rooms are set up and people bring shampoo and soap to clean up afterwards.

Views of Danang below... (population 1 million. 3rd largest city in Vietnam). With both a gorgeous coastline- white sand beaches and crystal clear water, and a river running through it, with 4-5 bridges of different styles, Danang was a really 'liveable' city. It was easy to walk around for me- and felt like a got a good sense of the city and its vibe. Luke took me around by motorbike to plenty of great tiny eateries and to meet up with some of the local business owners that he knows.

Hoi-An: 20 minutes south of Danang is the cultural heritage site and adorable town of Hoi An. It boasts a quaint and picturesque old town with novelty shops and guide books recommend it for: culinary delights and made-to-order and personally tailored clothing. Luke and I spent the evening- lantern lit with plenty of bar action, and the next half day. Each region of Vietnam has their cuisine specialties and Hoi An was no different. The food was amazing.
Mouth-watering foods of the region

The beach scene at around 4:30-5pm, just outside Hoi An.

Intercontinental, Danang Sun Peninsula Resort Hotel- The last night of my stay in Vietnam, I splurged. I booked a room at a 5-star resort hotel with its own private beach and 3-star Michelin restaurant. It was grand and luxurious and over- the-top!! better photos :)
Luke and I tried out all the bars! (We ordered non-alcoholic milkshakes!)

I had the most extravagant buffet breakfast sitting on a comfy couch that was hanging above the hillside!

Views from my private balcony.

The Angkor Wat Complex

Our final cycling day brought us to the temples of Angkor Wat. Its the kind of experience that feels magical and spectacular. Knowing how much effort it took to get you to that place. Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples compare equally with arriving at Machu Picchu, the Coliseum in Rome, and the Great Pyramids of Egypt. It takes your breath away.
Rather than spew out dates and names and statistics, none of which I paid any attention to during our tour, I want to share with you the visual impact and highly recommend your own adventure! (On subsequent days, mom and I spent time at the history and preservation museums which recaptured and clarified some of the historical significance behind the wonders. However how exactly they were built, and the man/woman power taken to carve each face is still a true mystery!)

Ta Prohm- the jungle has definitely claimed this temple. The banyan trees snake around it like giant serpents. Much looting occurred here, and faces and jewels are long gone. Modern movies, such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider were filmed here.

 

Entrance to Bayon Temple of Angkor Thom-

Bayon Temple 

Dancing Apsaras

Bayon Temple

Magnificent Angkor Wat-

 Kbal Spean- River of 1,000 lingas-

Vishnu carving 

Lingas carved into the river bed

 Banteay Srei- Women's Temple

Intricate carvings