Vietnam, Day 10 - Quang Uyen to Lake Ba Be

My roomie, Danny throws opens the curtains when his alarm goes off. In the daylight we can really appreciate the view that he chose for us last night: a brick wall. Wrapped in fleeces, I'm prepared for breakfast in the virtually open air of the hotel lobby; things have calmed down since last night's chaos and the sliding doors are mostly still.

The bikes have been prepped for us and are parked waiting, opposite the hotel. We're off and following mainly tarmac roads today. We ride on the flat plains in between the soft looking limestone mountains. These mountains are very different from those we've seen in other parts of the world. The Himalayas and the Alps are very jagged, while these are rounded, but with very steep and sometimes sheer slopes, and are covered in thick vegetation. On either side of us are neatly ploughed smallholdings and harvested paddy fields; they are so neat they could almost be for show.

Then it's a series of fast roads through towns, and we see the usual collection of obstacles deserving beeps. The horn is not a sign of abuse here, it's sign of being noticed and surely that's a good thing.

We start climbing and fog closes in on us making it cooler; we stop to add layers. We go up and down, up and down (ten dollars worth?), and sometimes it's difficult to know when we're higher or lower, but my body's own altimeter gives me a clue when they pop. These are nice mountain roads, sweeping, with mostly good tarmac. I'm following Alan this morning and we come across a big 4x4 drifting into the middle of the road, then suddenly indicating right. I'm inside of Alan and have to stop completely, while Alan goes around to the left. At this point Duff, who's following me, also sweeps by in a supreme overtaking manoeuvre worthy of Valentino Rossi himself. Savour it Duff, it won't happen again! 

There are live bamboo rats attached to sticks outside some houses. These things grow up to 2kg and are being sold as food. Ta tells us the meat is sought after. A puppy has a narrow escape as it runs out in front of me, then stops. I too, stop, just in time; if it was a cat, it would be down to eight.

We pass the truck carrying Mick and our luggage; he didn't wave at us, but claimed he did at the lead group - that's just favouritism! Hopefully he'll be joining us on two wheels tomorrow.

Stopping for coffee, I have the best ice cream of the trip so far, a chocolate something or other. It was good. Ta impresses us with an abs exercise roller he finds; we suspect he's a bit of a gym bunny. Outside, kids are heading off to school, although this appears to be an add time to go (around 11am). They want to practise their English and ask us our names. I try to answer in my best RP and reciprocate by asking theirs. Hahn, Linh and Chau, nice to meet you. Back inside, and detailed Brexit discussions are continuing; maybe we should stay in Vietnam!

Now for the off-road bit, we ride along a river bank whose edges have been eroded by the river in flood. There's a corn field on the left, a narrow path ahead, and a 3m drop to the river on the right. The path is broken by a gap bridged with a small makeshift bamboo bridge. Ta says this wasn't there last time and he was expecting that we'd have to carry the bikes across the gap. As it is, it's not a trivial affair to traverse the gap, which is in a dip, cross the bridge, and go up the other side. But we all make it without falling in. Then onwards through a mini banana tree plantation; the leaves are huge, but the bananas are still green.

Back on the main roads after lunch and another set of sweeping roads to enjoy. You need to be careful of sandy gravel often found in the middle and edges of the road. Pick your path carefully to avoid these or risk losing grip, especially in corners. You soon become a dab hand at finding the grippy line.

Just over 200km today and we arrive at the homestay by about 15:30. Set by a lake and with magnificent views, it is composed of a number of basic wooden rooms, with a mattress and, and, that's about it! The gaps in the planks suggest this might be a chilly night.

But before bedtime and before it gets dark there's time to get a boat trip on the lake. We get out of our riding gear and jump back on the bikes for short 1km ride down to where the boats leave. It's a completely different feeling riding like this with the wind in what's left of your hair and being so light without our body armour. It's not something I'd want to do with any kind of speed, but it's nice to experience it once in a while. The last time was on the salt flats in Bolivia; good memories.

We clamber into a long flat bottomed, not quite skiff, raft. This takes us for a 45min cruise up and down Lake Ba Be. It seems like there's lots of rubbish floating on the water, plastic bottles litter the surface, but in fact these are floats for fishing nets that hang below and we see fishermen laying these out as we go past. The forest around the lake is thick and looks primeval. It's hard to imagine anyone fighting their way through it, down steep slopes, to the waterline, perhaps no one ever has. 

Towards the end of the ride, Ray and myself leap into the water from the boat, we swim the 2km back to shore, although in reality this may have been closer to 20m. It was very refreshing and will probably have the same effect that our herbal baths had a few days ago.

The sound of Vietnamese soap opera on the family's TV is entertaining me in my single room. That and the French couple in the room below me. I do hope they don't get frisky!