I’m still alive.
Spent nine hours on the back of Georg’s bike, yesterday. I think we covered about 160km. It was tough going. We had intended to take the tunnel through the Hai Van range between Huê and Đà Nẵng, but upon arrived found out that it was closed to motorcycles, forcing us to take the pass. This would have been easier but for a damaged choke which took Georg until the top of the range to diagnose (and promptly repair with duct tape and a rubber band – no kidding). From then on, we had a pleasant (and much, much easier) ride.
Coming out of the clouds at the top of the range and getting our first sight of the beautiful, blue bay in which Đà Nẵng is situated gave us cause for celebration. After a few hours of shivering through the clouds, it seemed like a tropical paradise. I caught the moment on film, by fluke.
I should introduce Georg: a German actor/writer/director (and whilst in Vietnam, teacher) who I met at the Cafe on Thu Wheels a few nights ago, when he asked me for some help with his eeePC (I don’t know how people always seem to know that I’m in tech support). We had a fun and drunk conversation on topics ranging from Brecht to Australian politics, and when I told him I was planning to get a bus to Hoi An, he offered to give me a ride on the back of his Korean chopper (an impressive, if not powerful, ride). Given an opportunity to live out my Motorcycle Diaries fantasies, I couldn’t refuse.
Hopefully spending a few days in Hoi An. I might get a shirt made, or something like that. The place has a lot more tourists than Huê, but it still has a bit of atmosphere.
Photos sometime soon – found a cheap hotel with wifi, but I need to configure it for them before I can use it.