Day 2: Hoa Binh – Mai Chau

Distance: 41.32 miles

Time: 4:22

Average Speed: 9.5 mph

After a good sleep at the Ha Tam hotel, I went for breakfast at a local street stall, having Pho Ga (chicken), which was the best so far. Whilst I was eating, a shot glass was slammed down on the table beside me, then another, by a passing local who was there for breakfast. Then he filled them up with an unidentified spirit and urged me to take a shot. Then he filled them back up again, I’m almost entirely sure that’s the first time I’ve had shots for breakfast, certainly with chicken and noodle soup!

Hitting the road at just after 10, I was soon deciding that I’d been lured into a false sense of security by the flat roads yesterday, it wasn’t going to stay that way. The road soon climbed steeply before dropping down the other side and continuing to undulate for most of the day.

The roads were lined with orange stalls and cafes while mountains loomed overhead. By the time I started looking for somewhere to get lunch, all of the roadside stalls seemed to have closed for lunch, themselves, something I’ll have to be wary of on the days ahead.

Towards the end of the day the road started to climb, and climb and climb. This might be the cool season, but 27 degrees seems plenty to me, and it was tough work climbing up to an eventual altitude of over 700 metres.

As I dropped down the other side, the suffering began to look worthwhile as I caught glimpses of my final destination, Mai Chau, far below. It’s a glorious spot, a vast flat plateau of rice fields ringed with mountains, and my lovely pool-side bungalow situated in the middle.

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