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**momi20** · #16 11 Nov 2012

This morning, with the sun it’s easier understand where I’m

Even today will be har reach Ha Long: in fact I’ll reach Dinh Lap

Ohh finally a Vietnam Pin-up

Gas station

I reach Dinh Lap and first I look for a Guest House

the room is really big

even the bugs

**momi20** · #17 15 Nov 2012

Today is May the 30 and I woke up very early the roosters of the city are still sleeping. Last night I was surprised by the sound of a trumpet that was playng some military music. This morning I can ear two voices, female and male that are speaking with a military background music. Shit, right near a barracks I had to find to sleep. When I was preparing the bike I understood that ther’s no one barracks, but public loudspeakers that are broacasting national governament programs.
For some minutes I rested near the bike, thinking how little we estimate in my country ( and in the rest of western world) the right to can speak free, to organize demonstration, read any newspaper and so on.
I think that sometimes people that cover theirs faces and walk in to the streets breaking cars and shop windows should live for some month in this kind of country.
Ok sorry for this digression, but at the age of 7 years I read the biography of Martin Luther King and even today I admire black and white people that in the 60’s walked along streets askings for human rhigts

Ok I’m 120 km (75 miles9 far from Halong Bay: sounds reasonable to can reach it around noon. Ok it’s easy have resolutions: the difficult part is to comply with them. Suddendly I saw schoolchilds that are walking into the school. This is the first time that I can see this: ok I can reach Halong Bay even around 1 pm

I look at the boys and it seems to me that the age goes from 4 to 13 year. Nobody speaks english, but some adult (teacher ?) invited me to take a tea. In my italian-Vietnamese phrasebook there are 4 names of job and one is techer: correct, they are teachers.

Finally I can comunicate. A teacher speaks alittle bit of english and she eplain to me that the school takes kids from 4 to 15 years old. Almost all the kids are very poor, from farmer families and someone has to walk for two hours to reach the school.
This remind to me my father, that after the 2nd World War from 6 to 10 years old had to walk for 7 km ( 4 miles) to reach the primary school.
Today is a special day: is the final day of the academic year, and there will be a party. I had seen a mike and two big loudspeakers and this is the reason. The teacher ask to me to remain as “ special guest”. Mhh my schedule includes to arrive in Ha Long Bay by noon...sorry schedule, but I’ve got to change something and I decided to remain

I was sitting in the lateral desk, with the teachers

the kids were lined up in rows, divided by age...a little bit military, imo

One of the teachers goes to the mike and (I think) introduce the party

After 5 minutes of speech the party starts. In turn little groups of kids perform songs, little ballets with some backgrounds music. I’m impressed: with very few material means they prepared a very nice exibition.

This little group was very funny: they were dancing pantomiming some animals

**momi20** · #18 15 Nov 2012

After a hal hour of show a teacher, totally black dressed came to the mike and everibody
Hush...could be the principal. Whitout one expression on the face, she begins to speak. By the time the sun is coming out. After 30 minutes of speech some of the most littel kids begins to turn down the head and support each to other. Some teacher wake up: ohh I think they are bringing kids in the shadows of the trees...no teachers are bringing some umbrella to the most little kids to can protect from the sun !

One of the little girls looks at me desperately. I read my Italian-Vietnam phrasebook and write on a shit paper the words “Help” and “Get out” she smile. After the first hour finally thechers take little kids to the shadow of trees. Gradually all the kids move back to the shadow

The principali s an Iron Woman and continue to read to the empty square: this is the situation after one hour and half

Ok this i san insane situation and I begin to go away: the sound of the voice is alwys the same. But suddendly I understand what incredible experience I’m having. I’m not in a Vietnamese school, but as Pinocchio I’m in the belly of the whale, the belly of the monster. I’m speaking of the the orrible monster that with different colours and slogan you can find all over the world, always during the human history: the dictatorship. This person with the mike isn’t a principal: she is the voice and the arm of the government.. Ok the Vietnam of the present days is very very different from the Vietnam of the 70’s and 80’s but this situation reminds to me the dictatorships of Russia of Stalin, or the Cile of Pinochet, or the Cina of Mao or the Cambodia of Pol Pot, or the iran of Saddam Hussein. This is an amazing chance to experience first-hand the real life of the country: I’m lucky. After two hours (really) clouds cover the sun...and the teachers bring the kids on lines in the square. This Vietnamese kids are tough: all live. After 2 hours and 15 minutes the torture is finished and the teachers are preparing the shool award ceremony

A teacher goes to the mike: I think to call the kids...ohh my God: another hal hour of speech !!!!
Finally begins the award delivery and as in ever dictatorship the bureaucratic machine misfire. The awards aren’t correctly separated by ages and so after every group delivery the teachers had to check and most of the time change the award. With the awards the kids receive even some album that they can paint

Ok the ceremony is over and I can go: I’m a little bit tired, but I think to these kids that had to come back home and probably help the family in the work. The principal smile at me, I smile too, but I’d like to can lash she and force to listen again her speech for almost ten times. Ok I can drive now...without forget the rain...I’m in the monsons time

Ha Long

Ha Long is a must see not only for foreign tourists, but for every Vietnam people.

The seafron is full of luxury hotel (real 5 star) , but my guidebook drive me to a road full of cheap placet: ok 7 $ for a night. I leave my stuffs in the room and go outside to undertand how it works the reservation of a boat journey in the bay. Ha Long is a seaside resort: very interesting to can see the Vietnam people on the beach.

Obviously is a no-topless zone

I reach the point of embarkation. At the tourist office nobody speaks english, but a lot of people approach tome: I’m the only western tourist at the moment. Rates are from 20 to 100 $( 15 to 75 €). Ok a old woman tell to me 18 $, 4 hours of tour and two visit to the cave in the islands around the bay. Tomorrow at 8 am. Ok

It’s dinner time, but befor to eat I want to see almost one 5 star hotel: just the hall. I choice one and in fact is a really 5 star location. Staffvery good dressed, english speaking, inside shops, gym, restaurants, piano bar ecc.. Ok after 10 minutes I get out and right outside the hotel, a young man comes close to me and in a not bad english asks to me “ Hey mister, would you like to have some funny boom boom tonight ?” He thinks that I’m a Hotle guest.Ok always you can find pimps near luxury places: maybe could be fun to speak with this guy. “ Would you like to have a nice girl mister ?” And he begin to show to me pictures of girls with a cellular phone...ok the screen is very big, more similar to a tablet: he’s a professional pimp. After some minutes I tell to him that I’d like to have fun, ( boom boom) but I need of 3 girls. He had a big big smile: low season and he can place not 1 but 3 girls at the same time. He asks why 3: I explain that I need of 3 girls and 2 big beds. Ok he understood: 2 girl togheter in one bed and me and the 3th girl in the other bed. “Almost correct my friend” I answer, but while the first 2 girls play togheter, the third has to rope me and cut my skin with a little special knife that I’ve got with me and hit my back with a whip or a belt. Now he’s looking at me with wide-eyed...stammer for a moment, but suddendly says:” Ok mister the price is higher, but ther’s a girl in Ha Long that does this kind of activity” I can’t belive it: in the North of Vietnam, the traditional Vietnam you can find sado maso fun. He shows me a picture with a masked girl hanging a whip. The problem is check if she’s free tonight. A short call and he says that tonight the girl isn’t avilable. Ok I answer: no problem, organze everything for tomorrow night, becuse I’m having a week of rest here in Ha Long . Ok for tomorrow at 6 pm and we shake the hands.

Ok now is really time to eat

**momi20** · #19 17 Nov 2012

Today I’ve got to have a cruise on the Bay: my hotel will keep my luggages till noon. Before 8 am I’m ready at the dock

my ticket clerk comes to me immediately

Ok so is how it works: you’ve got to buy a ticket to visit caves and from the number of stop this people arrange the trip with the ship. In fact the panel with prices and itinerary is a little bit difficult to understand for western tourists

Legend says that while Vietnam people were fighting against chinese Army in the bay of Halong Divinity sent some dragons and they began to spit diamonds that became rocks touching the water: so a barrier was created against the invaders and they remained to this day

on my boat there are just two families and a couple

start

the bay is amazing

At the first stop I had a picture with this ( I think) High school/First year university class and they applaud to me when I gave my camera to the teacher...ok some minutes as a rock star!

first of my two visit to the caves

a stop to visit a barge of fishermans

ok I’m postin a lot of pics but the Halong Bay is something I’ve never seen before

With a japanese accuracy, the boat bring us back at noon and I get my bike to go to take luggages and come back in Hanoi

first of all the lunch

Just 40 km ( 25 miles) before Hanoi, along an highway, two cops on motorbike stop me. With some english words they let me understand that this strech of the road is forbidden to motorbike. They had check just the motorbike documents and after they showed to me (with the cellular phone) an alternative route. I gesture to them my intention to go to the next exit and then go to the right road. Surprisingly they indicate to me the previous exit , about 80 mt (500 yards) back: wrong way down on a highway ? Ok It’s better to push the bike. They make no non with heads and hands. Just start the bike and drive...ok the police said so and I did in this way, wrong way down both, road and exit. Ahhh Vietnam.
Back on the right road I stop to a little motorway cafè..you can always find one under the bridges of the street.

First thing when I arrived in Hanoi was to fix better the seat. The Flamingo’s mechanic seeing the pillows undertand my problem. They solved it with 5 $ ( 3,9 €). They cutted an used seat and had fixed the pad on the seat. Brilliant: I have now this in Italy: a great souvenir.

Today is Friday first of june and I’ll begin my trip to the south of Vietnam. I don’t know if will possible complete the come and back Hanoi-Ho Chi Min City, but in case of lack of time, the Flamingo Travel can arrange the drop off of the bike and I’ll can come back to Hanoi with the night train from Ho Chi Min City in 36 hours.
To reach Ho Chi Min City I decide to follow as much as possible the Ho Chi Min Trail. This was a group of road (about 10) tha allowed the North Vietnam Army to transporte to the south armies and any kind of support to the military operations in the south during the Vietnam War. ...for more informations please click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh_trail

The trail run very close to the Laos border and in the mountain

I can rest for the breakfast: for sure the Trail will be marked in a cleary way

After 70 km (43 miles) I don’t know where I’m: ok lost in Vietnam. I can take it easy: nobody is coming along this road.

**momi20** · #20 17 Nov 2012

But it appears a women on a scooter and I stop her. With map and phrasebook she understand . She gesture to follow her and so we arrive to a crossroad. Here she indicate to turn right and go to Cho Ben and in Cho ben go to left. Ok very nice.

In this little city, I saw an internet point and with google maps I notice that the women was exact

snack stop

No school club: kids stay with the parents while they’re working

It’s going dark so I stoped in Bai Tranh

I found a Nha Nghi: on the signal ther’s the write Massage, but I didn’t notice at my arrival.

After dinner one of the girls that are working here comes back: ohh she washed hair and had dress ch’ange: maybe she’s meting with with some friends.

She sit at my table. With phrasebook I try to ask if she’s going to dance. No she answer to me hammering softly my knees with his fist. “ Do you play drums” I try to ask : no. Karaoke ? No. She say massage and point her finger in the direction of my room.. I smile but I say no. From her expression I can understand that she’s upset by my decision. She said in english “ I’m very good massage”, ok doesn’t matter. Her parents were upset to. Rooms are in a line. My window is open and I can see a car arrive and people going in a room. After 20 minutes the girls knocks on my window: she’s smiling and says “Massage massage” and went to the next room.

In the morning I saw this panel that let better understand the services of this guest house

dry in the sun (and on the road) rice and hay is a very common activity in this days

I need to ch’ange my dollars in dong, but along the Ho Chi Min Path you don’t find big cities, but in this I saw a bank. No bancomat, but doesn’t matter, I can change my cash dollar. The bank is close: at 11 am ? Strange. Ther’s another one: even this is close. Ohhh today is Saturday, banks are close. At one crossroad I saw a luxury car and in front a jewellery store. The owner is very nice and change my dollars in dong.

This farmer,, during a rest lend to me an hammock

my friend the rain. This time I take cover under a wodden shed used by some lumberjack

I arrive in Dong Hoi a little bit late. I’m not sure wher’s the centre city. Near a bar a girl says to me that she can offer to me a room at her home. So we go with my bike. After 20 minute of turn left and right finally we reach her home. The room is without windows, a bed with a very thin mattress and she ask to me 7 dollar: ok good bye baby. Driving along a big road I see some accomodation. “ guest house are full, but finally I found a hotel that will be the most luxury accomodation of my vacation: I got this shot in the morning.

By an incredibile interpretation I convinced the girl of the reception to reduce the price of the room: 6 $ (4,7€)instead of 8 $(6,2€).
The restaurant of the hotel is closed, but I had seen a little “restaurant” across the road. Very simple menù: just one course meal. Noodle. The owner asks to me as usual : “ An com ?” that means eat. It’s late, I’m tired and I don’t undertand the question. So, surprisingly he asks to me :”Essen ?” I can’t believe it: he speaks German. My memory of high school allow me to speak a basic German, enough to travel and so I could communicate with this man. He’s got even a good pronunciation...oh obviously I had to drink a toast.

before to go to sleep, I take a look at the hotel and….a room for the karaoke.

they are a family at the endo of a 4 days vacation. Vodka as rain and snack.

After the twentieth toast I began to spill the vodka in the fissures of the couch.

**sakura** · #21 17 Nov 2012

Un saluto da un connazionale.

**momi20** · #22 18 Nov 2012

My target today is to reach Huè the ancient Imperial Capital of the Vietnam, builded in 1687.

With the daylight I can see something of Dong Hoi

breakfast with an excellent vegetables sandwich

At this pit stop I finally understood the problem in the reading the oil level: at the first change of oil the mechanic had put too much oil and so the little windows of plastic became of the same dark color and resulted impossible to read the level.

In Huè I had reserved a room in a hotel. To find it I stopped to the bus station, near the Ancient Imperial City. Insiade a Nha Nghi (no vacancy) a ten years old girl, using google translator on her laptop helped me to find the right address

At 2 pm I was ready to visit the Ancient City

Obviously the Forbidden City in Beijing (China) is bigger, but this in Huè is very pleasant to visit.

Ok no touristic tour on the elephant with vintage clothes

The bombings of the Vietnam War left a mark on the Ancient City that is now in the list of the world heritage of Unesco

After the visit I went around Huè that is divided in 2 separated parts. One is organized for tourists,with pizzeria, pubs and clubs. This side had some point of interest but nothing special.

The other part is where live Vietnam people

A rest in a bar on hte riverside

Going around I had found the way to cut and replace the look used to secure the helmet to the bike

for dinner the duck

Very nice this little street market. No stalls, merchandises are putted on the round and the effect with lights was striking: as flowers floating on the river

In the tourist side of Huè I like a lot this floating restaurant

**momi20** · #23 20 Nov 2012

After Huè I had the last of my “scheduled” stops: the My Son Sanctuary. On the map I can just show more or less where I had the rest: I don’t know it exactly

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In 1968, durino the Vietnam War in one of the boroughs of My Son ( his name is My Lai) a brutal mass murder of Vietnamese civilians (farmers) was did from United States Army

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre

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Vietnam tool gate: as in India motorbike, scooter and bicycle run tool free

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A break with an Ice Coffe

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Again on the road, but after few minutes I heard a big noise: Ohh my God, a punture ? No I’m lucky cause the bike is running well. Why stop to check ? If the bike goes everything is fine…thia will be the most big mistake of my vacation: you’ll see why.

Pit stop for a juice fruit...ok due the presence of hammocks the pit stop became a siesta

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I arrived at the Memorial in the first afternoon

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The Memorial entry

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I’m the only visitor

In a building ther’s a museum

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This is the third time in my life that I visit a place like this. First was in Vilnius (Lithuania) wher’s a museum in memory of the genocide that Russian Army and the KGB did from late 40’s and 50’s: more than 150.000 people were killed or deported. Second time was in India in the city of Amritsar where , in 1919, the British Army shooted in the park of Jalianwalla Bagh ( a space closed by big walls) to indian people: almost 1516 killed or wounded(Jallianwala Bagh massacre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The monument dedicated to people killed in My Lai

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You can see just the foundations of the original

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In every house you can read the names of people killed

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In a moment of rest I took a look outside the fence. A ricefield with people working and children playng: probably the morning of 1968 was very similar.

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It’s 3 pm, time to go. Before to start it’s better check the road with my map. And I want to go back on the Ho Chi Min Trail to continue towards Ho Chi Min City. The map, with the guide is in the left saddle bag...no: ok in the right..not even: in the rucksack ? Mhhh I don’t remember. After 20 minutes it’s clear that I don’t have map or guide. Ohhh do you remember the big noise after the Ice Coffee ? It was the pack with map and guide, fallen on the road. Ok: go back to search them ? Noo, I’ near a city it’s better try to look for another map. For the guide, this, in My Lai, was the last scheduled stop. From now I’ve got just geographical point of interest: the South of Vietnam ,Ho Chi Min City and so a map is enough.
In a bar, a man speaks english and so explain to a guy to bring me to downtown, to buy a map. First we stopped to a stationery store. After 20 minutes thay showed me their only map: a geografical map, bigger than me, to use in the primary school. Ok it’s nice but bulky.
After we finally found the map in a supermarket: is perfect, made by the Vietnam National Tourism Center.

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Ok, again ready to go

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It’s dark, time to stop: if you can see a speed limit, you’ll find even a bed.

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Bike in the hall

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I slept here.

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**travelHK** · #24 20 Nov 2012

Congrat for keeping up with the report. Good to see you are taking the time to mix with the locals and enjoy what the country have to give you.

**momi20** · #25 25 Nov 2012

Today is the 5th of June and is better for me to keep in mind that on 13th of June I’ll got the fly back to Italy. I continue to drive on the Ho Chi Min path

I’m in the mountains and the temperature is going down

A stop top ut clothes on and…have a breackfast

roads sign are always clear

But better safe thab sorry: is better update my paper GPS

Vietnam scooter

I saw this meeting, but I could’nt undertend what was it

This time I reach a city Gia Nghia but ther’s still sunlight and so I decided to go with the bike around it

In an Internet Point I was able to write to my brother my position. Outside there were some kids around my bike. With a map I explained (more or less) my trip and...with faces on fingers we became friend

this time I can see a Vietnam disco pub

**momi20** · #26 25 Nov 2012

Today I want to reach Ho Chi Min City: yesterday I had reserved a room in an hotel: normally I use www.hostelworld.

a Vietnam Biker

gum tree

a coffee…the bar was in a total restyling

the really first sign that I’m really closet o Ho Chi Min City : the neon of Metro

Lucky: I’m on the Dien Bien Phu Boulevard and it’s on my map: reach the hostel was easy

http://www.mymyarthouse.hostel.com/

check inn and luggage in the room

Game plan: now my vacation is more geographical: so I’d like to can come back in Hanoi with the bike. For this reason I can dedicate just some hours to visit Ho Chi Min City: I can go in the most interetsing points of the City: I can use my map

Luxury hotels are very common here…even my hostel at 4,8 € ( 6,2$) isn’t cheap

very quiet this girl under the Vietnam flag

kids can sleep in any situation

is a little bit late, but I found a mechanic to ch’ange the oil

Thursday 7 of June: I’ve got to remain focused on come back in Hanoi

The way back begins with a typical Vietnam day…rain

This time is better to ch’ange in good time my US dollar and in a bank

The security guard looks at me when I stopped the bike in front of the bank: ok I understand to take out my muddy clothes..ohh I can even take my shoes out. Outside the bank ther’re some slipper for the clients . Ok inside the bank nobody speaks english, but it isn’t a problem for a tourist that’s travelling for 3 weeks in Vietnam,,,but to avoid pronunciation mistake I’ve written a slip

In some minute I changed the $..the only strange thing was a man that from the moment I got in the bank to now always was looking at me:::mhh military police ?

With my dong I greet everybody and I’m ready to go to my bike, when the man touch my shoulder and point hes finger at my slippers...My slippers ? Ohh my God this are his slippers !!! I bow and give back the slippers: he waited I had finished.

This night I rest in Dak Song : very comfortable this little vietnamese cities: on the main road you can find everything: sleep, shops, mechanic, food.

In the little restaurant I’ve chosen this dish

In Vietnam is impossibile to avoid the social drinking

I’m fine with food, but the owner brought to me another dish and insit I taste it. This meat isn’t boiled : could be hare or rabbit. When I’m outside the restaurant I notice for the first time the neon...ok the second dish was’nt cow and so...

**momi20** · #27 25 Nov 2012

Friday 8 of June

salad breakfast

a funeral

not bad this car crash

my foot rain protections work good, but sometimes I had to take out the shoes, cause they aren’t really transpiring

sometime, durino my motorbike trips I had to stop to let go cows, buffalos, goats, but never goslings

Nha Nghi (guest house) in Plei Can

this time no toilet in the room

motorbike in the reception

no mistake for dinner: I can see wings

Nice this days in that you’ve got just to drive: how many aspects of the normal life of the population you can notice

the only pothole I’ve seen on the Ho Chi Min Path

road is perfect, but zero traffic jam

when I reach this church, it stop stops to rain

the father of this child was building his home

rain again

on the side of the road you can often find this altars...better to stop and give thanks to Divinities of Vietnam

a marriage

stop to drink

everybody in this city was having a nap except this restaurant

I could listen to a local musical group

**momi20** · #28 25 Nov 2012

I heard some sound from the sky…better take a rest

her’s how vietnamese kids have fun: up and down on cliff

I have noticed lack of gas station, except some point were you could buy 1 to 5 liter. I had in mind as stop off, A Tep, a big name on my map...big name = big city = gas station !!! After one hour in the middle of nowhere I finally saw a big road sign with the name A Tep and the altitude and nothing else. Wher’s the city ? Wher’s my gas station ?
If you write on Google Maps Latitude (lat): 15°59'0"N and Longitude (lon): 107°31'0"E you can find A Tep, that isn’t a city, but a geographical point.

No one building, no one man, no one animal (I hope), no one veichle. Just me and my bike with more or less 3 liter ( less than 1 gallon) of gas. Ok I can drive for almost 100 km (62 miles), but on my map from A Tep I don’t have any distance indication. But I see two military walking on the road. With some gesture I let them understand I need gas and they bring me to their barracks. It comes a sergent and say me the price: ok .

finally I reach a local motorway cafè and I can full the tank and buy some food

I sleep in A Luoi

Today is Sunday and this to Vinh will result my longest leg: 452 km in one day (281 miles)

the streets in the mountains, here in Vietnam, are amazing

the European Championship of Soccer, here in Vietnam , is a very famous soprting event: today Italy will play against Spain, but due the time zone, very late in the night.

the road flanks a railroad and the train drivers greet to me. Immediately I speed up, overtake the train and so I reach a grade crossing before the train

and I can take a picture of the train !

In a crossroad, two cops help me to find the right way to Vinh

dinner in this restaurant run by a family, on the river and with hammocks

Vinh is a big city , about 500.000 people

my guest house is in little street, but is very nice

I stroll around, looking fora n internate point

in Vinh there are a lot of counterfeit Italian Clothes Shops

Ohh the dinner: just in time in one of the few restaurant open

Around 9.30 pm I’m back in my room. One of the guy remember to me that Italy will play against Spain: ok but around midnight. I’ve got the television in my room, but the game is too late and I go to sleep.
Suddendly a scream breaks the silent of the night: somebody knock at my door: “Mister mister !!!!!” : a fire broke out ? I get out of my room and in the reception 2 guys are jumping and screaming around the television... the italian striker “Totò” Di Natale scored a goal: Italy 1 Spain 0

I went back to sleep: after a minute Fabregas scored for Spain.

**Noel900r** · #29 26 Nov 2012

Wonderful commentary and photography.I will continue to follow your travels.Noel.

**momi20** · #30 8 Dec 2012

I’m close to the end of my vacation. Today is the 11 of June: I should reach Hanoi in the afternoon

another classical Vietnam style monument

this bricklayers gave to me a brick that I used as tripod

today is very hot and people in this city sleep along the strrets

not a bad idea

The AH1 to Hanoi is really jammed, but I noticed that all veichles let some space on the right side, so motorbike can overtake in a safer way

me and the bike at the arrive in Hanoi

The little Yamaha Serow has worked good, so I asked to Flamingo Travel to can wash it myself

The rent of the bike will end tomorrow. Back in the hostel (always the same) this time I’m in the room on the first floor: me and 5 girls. Somebody tells me that one is from Italy. In this hostel at 5 pm you can get a free

in the reception. In the same place there are 3 pc and so I begin to write an email to my brother in Italy. A vietnamese girl (very nice) takes a seat beside me and asks to me if the motorbike parked outside the hostel is mine. She speaks a very good english and so I begin to describe my vacation. She’s a student at the university and works some hours in the hostel. When comes the

we seat in hte couch. It arrive an american girl: she sleeps in my room. Two days ago, when she was walking at the night market, in the Old Quarter, somebody with the kinfe cut her handbag and snatched passport and money, but she didn’t realized it. Back in the hostel she called her mother in the USA, but for her was hard to believe. “My mom-she told us- said that I was for sure drunk and after lose passport and money and so I invented everything”. It’s a very funny afternoon...but suddendly...it appears a blonde girl. I had seen her in the room, but she was sleeping. She’s from France, but works for an Australian Airline. Nice to meet you and she takes a seat with us. Immediatly I return to speak with the Vietnamese girl, but the French girl is the kind of person that likes to steal the show. She begins to show to us her pictures with the camera and tells to us her vacation. After one hour the Vietnamese girl had to come back to work and after 100 pictures of the french girl I got out.

Today is my last day in Vietnam. In the afternoon I’ve got to bring back my littel Yamaha to the Flamingo Travel and so I decided to go around Hanoi

Always interesting the everyday life

this should have been a VIP

normally I don’t buy souvenir, but the Vietnam ”coffee machine” is very nice: with a little bit of Vietnamese coffee shoul be a perfect present for my friends: little (easy to carry), nice and cheap.
For me I had in mind the rice cooking machine. With a little help from my reception I prepared a shit with name : after I began to ask where was possible to buy them.

Near the big statue there was a little open market

looks well cooked, but this time I didn’t eat it

me, souvenir and an ice drink

Ok it’s time to bring back the bike. Normally the tour organized by Flamingo are scheduled with daily distances around 250 km ( 155 miles) . My average in Vietnam, has been around 300 km (186 miles)

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