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Gear Up! is a 2-DVD set, 6 hours! Which bike is right for me? How do I prepare the bike? What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers! "will save you a fortune!"See the trailer here!
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Tire Changing!Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
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Vietnam 2012: “Ten toi la Momi »...made in Italy !
Hellò everybody I’m Maurizio (aka Momi)à Italy
This year for my vacation I chose the Vietnam, country that I’ve missed in 2007 by 100 km ( 62 miles) when I was riding with a little motorbike in Laos
Why Vietnam ? First of all cause I’ve never been there, that’s always a good reason to visit a country. Further since I was child I was concerned with Vietnam. At the primary school (7 years old) for an italina composition with free title, I chose “The Vietnam War”. It was the 1969 and in 2 weeks I’ve read (on my father’s newspaper) an article about Vietnam War.
My teacher wanted to talk with my father that explained that I was a little bit strange kid, quiet, not violent, but very interested to the strategy of the battle and war. The military logistic is for me a science: the war a madness.
As most of the people I’ve seen a lot of movies: Apocalipse Now, The Green Berets, The Deer Hunter, Rambo, Hamburger Hill, Platoon, Coming Home ecc... This was probably the first war that came in to houses with real images.
Around first days of April I found a very cheap flight Milan-Moscow-Hanoi for 559 €( 717 $) with Aeroflot . I run a little mechanical factory with my brother and so I can decide my week days with him. The problem was to avoid the worst monson days. I decided to start on 19 of May and come back on 13th of June
Flight’s ok.
Second thing: the bike. On internet I found a very professional agency in Hanoi, that was very helpfull and sent to me a lot of informations.
Teh name is Flamingo Travel ( Vietnam Motorbike Rentals, Motorbike Tours Vietnam, Off Road Motorbike Tour, Motorbike Rent Hanoi ) : is a travel agency, that sell air and bus tickets, organizes tours , rent motorbike and also organizes motorbike tours. I chosen a bike very similar to my Suzuki DR 350
the Yamaha Serow 230 cc 21 €/day (28 $/day), 109 kg( 240 pounds) and with a good tank, 10 lt ( 2 gallons)
Guide book : for a few years I’ve chosen the Footprint. Lucky ther’s the italian translation for Vietnam
Map: on Amazon I found the Periplus 4,5 € ( 6 $)
My first idea was to do the North Loop, with Dien Bien Phu, Meo Vac ( on the China border) and Halong Bay. Then ? How the hell could I know ? Maybe try to reach Ho Chi Min City in the south, cause Flamingo Travel was able to organze the drop off : in case of lackness of days is possibile to leave the bike in Ho Chi Min City and get the night train: 36 hours to come back in Hanoi. I’ll see in Vietnam, day by day. I had in mind 2 places: Huè the ancient capital of the Vietnam an the My Lai memorial, where undred of vietnamese civilians were killed by USA marines in 1968.
I started from Milano on 19 of May and landed in Hanoi on 20th of May. I’ve ridden with the motorbike from 22th of May to 12th of June for 6.232 km ( 3.872 miles). This is my route...more or less: I didn’t use any GPS.
Expenses
Vietnam Visa (made at the Hanoi Airport) -------------------38€ = 50 $
Milan-Hanoi flight (Aeroflot)--------------------------------------559€= 717 $
Motorbike rent (22 days)------------------------------------------472€= 605$
Travel insurance (england company on line)-----------------95€= 121 $
Food, accomodations, gas, souvenir ecc (in Vietnam)----470€= 603$
Flamingo Travel sent to me pics and mesurement of saddle bags, so I decided to use my light backpack of Ferrino top ut on the rack: they also provide the helmet. In this way I could start with less than 10 kg ( 22 pounds) of luggage
my gym buddy the Beuto is always my personal chauffeur to reach train station or airport
the Aeroflot’s menù was excellent
I landed in Hanoi at 8.00 am. How reach the hostel ? By taxi ? Mhh too easy: try with local transports. Just outside the airport I get the bus 17
on the last stop the bridge that bring you to Hanoi is forbidden to pedestrians so I agree with a man on motorbike that for 0,77€= 1 $ bring me and my rucksack to the hostel
3,66 €/night( 4,69$/night), 6 bed dormitory, with breakfast and free in the afternoon (www.hostelworld.com) ...and just 60 mt ( 66 yards) from Flamingo Travel office
I want to emphasize that the owner Mr Hung Nguyen was very helpfull, even during the trip: very professional also.
Settled the rent contract, deposit and signed documents I started to visit Hanoi by foot. The capital is known as City of Lakes, so what’s better than Hoan Kiem Lake to begin ?
Ahh finally I could see the ceremony in that asian people show to divinities their detachment from material goods: they burn money ! Ok they are false bills, but doesn’t matter. Divinities dont know bills: brilliant idea.
Around the lake ther’s an incredible number of little activities. It’s typical of Asia
the Vietnam food is probably the most various of Asia
A truck ? No a bycicle
The Saint Joseph Cathedral (1886)
I look at the jam to undertend the “rules”: as in India and Naples( Italy) the idea is that jam is as a river: never stop the flow. The biggest mistake is to stop your veichle is somebody or something is crossing your direction. Drive slow and slide lateral, so both can continue to go.
Vietnam stock exchange
this square is a meeting place for free time
reporter
dinner
perfect end of my first Vietnam day was the Muppet on the Water Show
but I’m lucky: just outside the teather, at the end of the show, a pop live show on the street
Today is 21th of May, Monday: the bike will be ready in the afternoon and I’ll start tomorrow morning. I woke up very early: breakfast is served from 8.00 am...at 7.00 am I prepared it myself
Sky is dark and stormy
Herer is the monson
after half hour everything is finisch so I went to the mechanical shop of Falmingo Travel. Employe explain to me how check oil level, put gas in the tank, start and turn off the bike and tire pressure and how often to grease the chain with the spray. This are the mechanical activities that I’m able to do: any other activity that I try to do on the motorbike could be dangerous...for the bike and me. As mechanic I’m = 0 ! The front brake is weak, but they told me to use “Just in emergency situation”..ok as with my scooter Vespa Piaggio PX 125: I’m lucky.
To train myself with the bike I drove through the city
Ho Chi Min Mausoleum
Ohh an entire statue of Lenin: not so easy to find in former USSR
this is one of the 36 streets of the Old District: in each of those streets there was a different activity: shoes, clothes ecc...
Back in the hostel and I was alone in the room, so I could prepare luggage for tomorrow: saddle bags with stuff that you use most frequently: the rest in the backpack, that I put in a plastic bag.
May 22th: I wake up very early but it’s raining. Ok breakfast
after this the rain stops, but the sky remain dark and stormy. I fix my luggage and I’m ready to go. Direction is west.
ohh a Golf Club
always delicious the juice from sugar cane
the landscape begins to change
the sky is always dark but I begin to see a lot of bikers that stop to wear rain clothes...it’s better do the same thing, even if isn’t raining. I learn that time noise from sky and rain is very short in Vietnam, but nobody refuses to take refuge from the rain. I had a stop in to a gas station
sometimes the rain makes streets into little river and that remind me the road Manali – Leh in India
in the North of Vietnam there are a lot of monuments in USSR style
around night I reach Son La that became my first stop in Vietnam. To sleep in Vietnam you can find two kind of accomodation. The hotel named khách sạn and the guest house (cheaper) nha nghi: both take care of your motorbike and put it directly in the hall.
The room is around 4 €= 5 $
After a quick shower I walked along the main road...ok every Vietnam city has a very big big central road and as in the former USSR cities that’s all. Right and left hotel, shops and restaurants. The owner was very happy to have a foreign client
the food was excelent..this cats which I had given food are still alive
This morning I’d like to reach Dien Bien Phu, where in the 1954 came the big victory of the Viet Minh Army on the French Army and put an end to the Indocina War that has begun in the 1946: to know more please click on this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Indochina_War
a very important thing. When you travel and decide to download pics from memory card to your notebook, remember to put again the card in the camera: could be very difficult do it when luggages are fixed on the motorbike
the Vietnam jam, as in Africa and India is amix of vehicles, people and animals
sometimes the vegetation has a green really incredible
What you can do to dry quickly hay or rice ? Use the spaved road
ohh the rain: i’m on the road but I see a little stand of fruit and a house, so I drive my motorbike in the backyard
Is a property of a young guy that works as excavator driver: he has showed to me the operating manual. He’s at home with a friend that’s a teacher. They offered to me tea and fruit
I arrived to Dien Bien Phu around 1 ,00 pm and so first I had lunch
this is a celebration of the victory mhh this staircase remind me Odessa and the Potemkin staircase
the war cemetery
I meet a couple of Belgium tourists and we exchange informations on Vietnam: very intresting population. For one year and half they hadn’t a governement, but the country was going on.
I started around 3 pm and I decided to arrive as far as possible: normally is a point that you can’t miss.
a stop for a drink...and rain again
Along the road I bought a pillow from a Guest House. I’m short, but the bike is very little with a hard seat
I reach Lai Chau around 7 pm and just one hotel has a room. First eat, the shower can wait
the hotel has a big dining room with wi-fi free, table football, billiard and a room for the national pastime in Vietnam: the karaoke. Every bar, restaurant , private home has one
around 2 am it’s enough: and this time the owner stops the people to sing. My room is very large and I could arrange clothes and luggage easily
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
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
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
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
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)
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.
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.
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
Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's thelist of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.
"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)
Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes.
(ONLY US RESIDENTS and currently has a limit of 60 days.)
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Every book a diary
Every chapter a day
Every day a journey
Refreshingly honest and compelling tales: the hights and lows of a life on the road. Solo, unsupported, budget journeys of discovery.
Authentic, engaging and evocative travel memoirs, overland, around the world and through life.
All 8 books availablefrom the author or as eBooks and audio books
Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!
Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.
You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.
helps answer the question - Why Go? Inspirational stories by veteran travellers Greg Frazier (5 times RTW), Peter and Kay Forwood (193 countries), Tiffany Coates (Mongolia Mayhem) and Rene Cormier (University of Gravel Roads).
Get Ready! covers planning, paperwork, medical and many other topics! "Inspirational and Awesome!" See the trailer here!
What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers!
break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
Ladies on the Loose! For the first time ever, a motorcycle travel DVD made for women, by women! These intrepid women share their tips to help you plan your own motorcycle adventure. They also answer the women-only questions, and entertain you with amazing tales from the road! Presented by Lois Pryce, veteran solo traveller through South America and Africa and author of 'Lois on the Loose', and 'Red Tape and White Knuckles.'
Cotton or synth sweat-wicking t-shirts with the cool Horizons Unlimited graphic on the front and a snappy slogan (changing every year) on the back.
Show your route on your panniers. Great conversation starter when you meet people on the road!
Motorcycle and travel books to inspire and inform you!
The definitive guide to planning your motorcycle adventure! This insanely ambitious 2-year project has produced an informative and entertaining 5-part, 18 hour video series. "The ultimate round the world rider's how-to!" MCN UK.
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