Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Hoi An for New Year
Hoi An is a town designed to try and make tourists spend their money in tailor shops, so this is what we ended up doing as well as wandering around the old town with its stylishly faded buildings and lanterns, eating local specialities and enjoying some beers. Had it not been for the tailors we would have had a wonderfully lazy relaxing time. We did not see the sun once so we even saved ourselves a daytrip to the beach. Hoi An is such a nice town that we could have easily spent another week here, but we started getting worried we would lose our fitness and become lazy slobs in suits so we decided to move on to Danang (30km down the road), inching our way towards Laos.
Vietnam Central Highlands, part 2
Day 1: 64km, climb 673m, Kon Tum - Pleikan
Day 2: 112km, climb 1587m, Plei Kan - Kham Duc
Day 3: 58km, Kham Duc - Thanh My
Day 4: 77km, Thanh My - Hoi An
The last four days of cycling in the highlands continued to fill us with delight, the roads were brand new and smooth and there was hardly any traffic apart from the odd cow warming up on the tarmac. On the whole it was even more remote than the first section and the vegetation was even more jungly and hilly. It also rained on us for the first time and we had to wear our jackets (for ten minutes).
On the second day (our new favourite cycling day) we climbed two peaks and passed small villages under the clouds with wooden huts and colourfully wrapped up country hill folk, we wished we had more time to stop and chat but we had to get to Kham Duc before dark.
On the way out of the mountains on day three and four we mostly followed a river down a valley. Our prayers to the avocado god were eventually answered and he blessed us with 5 kilos by the side of the road. Kiki also perfected the art of having a conversation with someone you have no idea what they are saying and vice versa and both parties being satisfied with the outcome, all while enjoying the taste of original chocolate pie by the side of the road. Finally leaving the central highlands behind after Thanh My was quite sad but getting to Hoi An was also a relief.
Day 2: 112km, climb 1587m, Plei Kan - Kham Duc
Day 3: 58km, Kham Duc - Thanh My
Day 4: 77km, Thanh My - Hoi An
The last four days of cycling in the highlands continued to fill us with delight, the roads were brand new and smooth and there was hardly any traffic apart from the odd cow warming up on the tarmac. On the whole it was even more remote than the first section and the vegetation was even more jungly and hilly. It also rained on us for the first time and we had to wear our jackets (for ten minutes).
On the second day (our new favourite cycling day) we climbed two peaks and passed small villages under the clouds with wooden huts and colourfully wrapped up country hill folk, we wished we had more time to stop and chat but we had to get to Kham Duc before dark.
On the way out of the mountains on day three and four we mostly followed a river down a valley. Our prayers to the avocado god were eventually answered and he blessed us with 5 kilos by the side of the road. Kiki also perfected the art of having a conversation with someone you have no idea what they are saying and vice versa and both parties being satisfied with the outcome, all while enjoying the taste of original chocolate pie by the side of the road. Finally leaving the central highlands behind after Thanh My was quite sad but getting to Hoi An was also a relief.
com place
Christmas in Kon Tum
For Christmas we decided to stop and rest in Kon Tum, a little town that tourists visit to explore the surrounding hills and their tribes. Lots of hilltribe nicknackery is not only sold here but also used to decorate hotels, restaurants etc.
On christmas eve we wandered around town and passed the two churches, one for vietnamese and one for hilltribe people (also technically vietnamese). They seemed to be having a soundclash with stacks of speakers outside blaring the worst selection of christmas music at deafening volume. At the hilltribe church it was more fun as people seemed more relaxed, carrying blankets and snacks as if they were coming for a picknick and sitting down all around the church. The whole area had turned into some sort of fair with vendors and children dressed as angels.
With mass being so popular it was hard to find a restaurant that was open for dinner and we ended up in a 'com' (rice) place, our special christmas dinner being the same as breakfast, lunch and dinner was everyday. That night we ended up being dragged into a small cellar bar where we drank rice wine and politely turned down the duck foetuses being put in front of us by the encouraging locals.
On christmas eve we wandered around town and passed the two churches, one for vietnamese and one for hilltribe people (also technically vietnamese). They seemed to be having a soundclash with stacks of speakers outside blaring the worst selection of christmas music at deafening volume. At the hilltribe church it was more fun as people seemed more relaxed, carrying blankets and snacks as if they were coming for a picknick and sitting down all around the church. The whole area had turned into some sort of fair with vendors and children dressed as angels.
With mass being so popular it was hard to find a restaurant that was open for dinner and we ended up in a 'com' (rice) place, our special christmas dinner being the same as breakfast, lunch and dinner was everyday. That night we ended up being dragged into a small cellar bar where we drank rice wine and politely turned down the duck foetuses being put in front of us by the encouraging locals.
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