Had a nice evening with Rin in A Lưới. Slept well at the Thanh Quang Guesthouse. After a coffee, it was time to put the bag on the bike. Paid the room and I was on the move again.
Less and less trees every year I ride that stretch of roadTruong Son road – Ho Chi Minh trail
No need to type in that web sites. One is dead and the other one leads to a big site where you will not find anything if you do not speak the language.
Not sure for whom they put this sign upStill you find big trees from time to timeSlash and burn along the roadThe forest goes so fast and becomes farmlandAll over Vietnam it is the same. Only in the North where it is still green it is evident. Not a lot left in the South anymore.A mountain with a forest hatI bet you – next time it will look differentTook quite a while but the dam is finished
I have two pictures from Winter 15/16 and Winter 16/17 in this blog post.
Forest up at the top – farmland belowIf you have farmland up in the mountains you need streets that will kill the farmland below. As long as you own the farmland on top it does not matter to much for you. But if you have the land below you wont be happy.
A Night in Khe Sanh
Stayed at my usual Guesthouse in Khe Sanh. Had some dinner and a early night. The next day I continued my ride to Phong Nha
Ngoc Chau Guesthouse in Khe SanhMy room at the Ngoc Chau Guesthouse in Khe Sanh. Sports a TV, hot shower, toilet, fan, Wifi and AC for 6 US $.Seating areaEntertainment at the wall and the door towards the private bathroomThe bathroom
Today I drove only 106 kilometer in 3 hours. Not really to much but no way to drive from here all the way to Phong Nha if you start as late as I usually do.
If you are in the area make sure to stop at the Khe Sanh Combat Base. The base is on the way towards Phong Nha a few kilometers after Khe Sanh. Read up before it or at last after it. It was one of the most dangerous places in the war. Here is a link to the Wikipedia article about one famous battle: The Battle of Khe Sanh
A new road over the riverNew propaganda along the roadSad landscape leftAt last it is greenNext time we will know what crops they plantWildlife crossingThe road gets widerA stretch of greenNice part of the roadMost of the big trees are goneOne of the few villages up in the mountainsVery basic hutsAt last he has a water hole
Last year when I drove this part of the Ho Chi Minh Road they where digging holes for the power poles. Now they have power and you can see satellite dishes on most of the houses. It is the same all over the place. First they get a TV and watch shitty shows. Product placement and commercials tell them what to consume and the whole place starts to change quick into “it looks all the same no matter where you go”. Luckily I found some places without power on this trip. But it gets harder and harder. Guess the locals do see that different. Of course, I would be happy if I have power at home. But I am a tourist and see things very selfish and different.
A new gas station along the way. No need to carry gasoline in water bottles anymore!Happy Water Buffalo’s
Today something went wrong!
There was a new gas station but I still had enough gas. So I drove on – that was a big mistake. The station I wanted to fill up was closed and so where many of the small stalls on the road that sell you gas in bottles or pump it for you out of a barrel. I got to the fork at the road where it went down towards the sea again. Not sure if I could make it to Phong Nha with the gas that was left I decided to drive down and fill up at the next station. Which was almost at the beach! And I had to drive up again to get the best bit of this days drive. The limestone mountains before Phong Nha.
But this went not well too! As soon as I got back up again heavy fog moved in and it got cold and wet. Could not see a thing – had to concentrate on the road in front of me. No nice view with a sunset like last time.
In the end I drove 291 kilometer in 8 hours. With stops for gas, pictures and food.
The Thành Đạt Hotel in Phong Nha
Thành Đạt Hotel in Phong Nha is only a few meter away from Tran’s place. And it is nice and clean.
My room in at the Thành Đạt Hotel in Phong NhaOf course with AC and TVThe bathroom
The hotel has a new name: Elegant Hostel and it is on booking.com
Khát – she is working the mini marketTrang after only one coffee!
My mother got me an Eurorail ticket when I was 15, and together with two friends, we adventured into France. This was the beginning of a new addiction. I do like to take pictures, so one thing leads to another. On this site, I want to share some of my pictures and some of my trips with you! Now I am on the road for more than 8 months every year. Visiting old friends and making new friends while exploring this big blue ball.
