Day 1: Hanoi – Hoa Binh

Distance: 49.35 miles

Time: 4.03

Average Speed: 12.1 mph

Ok, so that’s yesterday’s cliffhanger, of would I make it out of the hotel ruined, but to be honest I’m as surprised as anyone. I didn’t really sleep at all last night after my extra long sleep the night before, and it was pouring down outside, so I got up and went for a swim. After that, I headed around the corner to a handily placed bike shop I’d spotted and was graciously allowed to use their bike pump. I also bought one to replace the one I’d brought, which is now languishing in the hotel bin. Hopefully the new one is an improvement!

Having assembled the bike and filled the panniers with stuff which will now become superfluous as I’m cycling for most of every day, I was finally ready to set off, at half past 11. With 50 miles to ride and sunset at not much after 5 it felt dangerously like time trial territory already, on day one.

I quickly got vaguely up to speed with the crazy Hanoi traffic. There are no rules, other than, push in and let everyone else react accordingly. Simple.

Around 10 miles in, having gotten lost a couple of times in the utter chaos, I stopped for lunch, having Pho of the non beef description. What meat was it? I’m not quite sure…

Following Highway 6 out of the city was endless, block after block of noise and fumes, it was 30 miles before it started to feel like I’d entered the countryside, and then all of a sudden, majestic Karst peaks all around.

Soon after, the road started to climb for the first time all day, but not for long and a descent followed, before route 6 turned left towards Hoa Binh, passing rice fields surrounded by the stunning mountainous back drop.

I arrived in Hoa Binh and headed for the Ha Tam hotel, just over the bridge. Nice room, and it cost just over a 10th of the price of an additional night in last night’s hotel. Not that I had thought about it for a second…