Earlier, I took the decision to stop my bike trip, and take some time off to think about it. I took that decision while I was in Laos and still had a few hundred kms ahead to cycle to Hoi An in Vietnam. I wrote everything about it but never published it yet, so there it is.

06/07/2017 – after a solid break
trip dist: 62.52km
time: 3h14
total: 13162km

After a solid week of not cycling, I’m back on the saddle heading to Vietnam for my real break. hitting the road again feels good and I think that I will never be bored of cycling. I just have to listen more to my body and my mind. Currently, I feel that my creativity is exploding and my head is under pressure. I need to release the pressure and put on paper those ideas. That’s the next step of my adventure.

This morning, just before to hit the road I was thinking of the support I received from the woman I was calling a few hours almost every day in the first leg of this big adventure. I was wondering if I would have been able to do what I’ve done without her support. I don’t have this support anymore since I’m back cycling from Singapore and I feel that I’m weaker than I used to be. Is it possible to do it alone without any special ear to listen and allowing me to escape the loneliness for a few hours a day when I can feel down?

I don’t know but for sure it has been a huge help for the first part of my trip.

07/07/2017 – what to say?
trip 91.17km
time 5h13
total 13253km

nothing special…

Lizard found in the morning

Lizard found in the morning

08/07/2017 – I can see Vietnam…
trip: 90.4km
time: 4h31
total:13 343km

I can see Vietnam, but I’m stuck at the border until Monday when my Vietnam visa will starts. I’m feeling really good cycling and today’s ride was just awesome. I think it’s because there was finally hills! Was I just bored of flat land when I took the decision to have a break? Maybe… I’ll figure that out in Vietnam as I still have 5 days of cycling to reach Hoi An where I gonna stay for a while.

10/07/2017 – Good morning Vietnam!
trip:97.38km
time:5h05
total: 13441km

This morning, I headed to Vietnam! During the first kilometers, I  saw a huge black thing walking on the street… it was a scorpion! Then, it was downhill for a long time, happy to cycle in the mountains! I was repeating to myself it’s so beautiful… After all the flatlands in Cambodia and South Laos.

It was a very hot day and I needed to eat something. I stopped at a bakery by the side of the road and ordered my first banh mi which is a sandwich made in a baguette. I paid the equivalent of 20 cents for it… That was the cheapest food ever and very good! I like Vietnam so far!

 

11/07/2017 – Hue, the first big city since a while.
trip: 58.74km
time: 3h15
total: 13500km

Last night, I went to bed at 12:15 am after watching many youtube videos… sometimes I like to kill time just consuming and not producing anything. I woke up at 5:30 am and couldn’t fall asleep anymore… so I took a cold shower, packed my bags and left to Hue. I could feel that I was tired and my body (or my mind) had some trouble with the sun and the headwind. The first 20km were feeling smooth but after I stopped for breakfast it was really difficult.

Abandoned houses in Vietnam. Perfect spot to sleep?

Abandoned houses in Vietnam. Perfect spot to sleep?

Car and cow in the abandoned water park

Car and cow in the abandoned water park

my plan was to cycle 100km so I can arrive at hoi An tomorrow but I found a cyclist hostel which is very cheap so I’ll stay in Hue. this cyclist hostel has cyclist just the name. Shower / Food / Bed. There is an abandoned water park that I really want to visit and fly the drone over. I’ll go tomorrow.

Note for today, I’m really surprised by how many electric bikes and scooters there is everywhere.

12/07/2017 – Abandoned waterpark
trip: 84.01km
time: 4h59
total:13584km

On my way south, I decided to stop at the abandoned water park and spent 3 hours exploring. It was awesome. Then I cycled towards Danang, took one tunnel and even if it was downhill I had to rush as bikes were forbidden and trucks are driving crazy, in addition, it was very hard to breathe. For the second tunnel, there were workers who told me to take the long way over the mountain instead and it was awesome no cars at all.

Tomorrow I’ll have to climb a pass… 496m, it’s nothing. All the cars might go through a tunnel so hopefully, I’ll be alone again.

Abandoned waterpark Hue

Abandonned waterpark Hue

Abandoned waterpark Hue

Abandoned waterpark Hue

Abandoned waterpark Hue

Abandoned waterpark Hue

13/07/2017 – Hoi An, time to rest
trip: 71.13km
time: 4h16
total:13655km

I woke up at 5 am  and started to climb the Hy Van pass 496m high, I didn’t even stop at the summit as I had a meeting in Danang with Luka. From the top the view was awesome and the way down very long. With Luka we had a great burger then went to Hoi An! met Charles that I interviewed in Phnom Penh and it’s now the time to relax.

Afternoon at the beach in Hoi An

Afternoon at the beach in Hoi An

Afternoon at the beach in Hoi An

Afternoon at the beach in Hoi An

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