Finally out of Hanoi

Monday, 12th February 2018

After breakfast, we drive out of the city for about an hour. We have the bus and the small truck that transports the bicycles. The bus serves as the lead vehicle while cycling, while the truck brings up the rear. There is a break with dried and fresh fruits about every hour. This morning, we cycle relatively flat for 53 km. There is not too much traffic, and often the Vietnamese people are happy when we cycle by. It is drizzling lightly and a bit foggy. Along the road are small simple houses, with occasional rice fields. After 53 km, we continue with the bus for another 50 minutes. It goes uphill quite a bit. They probably didn't want to burden us with that on the first day. Lunch is quite delicious and for the first time, we eat in a very traditional way with chopsticks.

After lunch, we take the bus again. Fortunately, because it goes up a pass and it is so foggy that the visibility is only a few meters, and there are crazy bus and truck drivers who still want to overtake. It wouldn't be quite dangerous on a bike. When the fog clears, we ride down the pass with the bikes before turning onto a small road that leads through small villages that live from rice cultivation. The area here is a dream. Rice fields bordered by mountains. The rice seedlings are protected from rats and cold by plastic covers. In northern Vietnam, there are only two rice harvests per year, while in the south, it can be harvested three times a year. Vietnam ranks second in rice and coffee exports, and first in pepper. With this beautiful landscape, cycling is fun again. Then we reach the village where our homestead is located. A guesthouse for all of us, for 13 people. There are mattresses on the floor, with mosquito nets. However, there are probably hardly any mosquitoes out in this cold weather. There are a total of 5 bathrooms.

In the village, there are a number of stalls selling really beautiful scarves, bedspreads, table runners, bags, etc. Unfortunately, all of this takes up a lot of space in the suitcase.

Our homestead is a stilt house. The bedroom is upstairs and downstairs is the dining area. Quite chilly, because there is a cold wind blowing. The food is delicious again. In addition to the standard rice, there is soup, tofu, fish, sweet potatoes, beans, and omelette. We don't stay long after dinner because it's simply too cold.