A Slow Bike to China - Day 4, Final Day.

Day Four:

Up early again as we were rewarded with cooler weather and the most magnificent ride through another spectacular mountain pass. No time for breakfast so we scoffed down a couple of chocco pies each and headed off into the clouds. The road (TL212) was some of the most fun riding we had experienced all trip and really tested our off road skills and the durability of the XRs. It was still a fairly major road (as far as the maps indicated) but there were long stretches of dirt, gravel, mud and serious potholes, that had us up out of the saddles as though on our own road of bones. (eat your heart out Ewen and Charlie !!!). As much fun as the road was, I think we were all pretty happy with our decision the day before to take refuge at Tinh Tuc, rather than tackle two hours of this in the pitch dark. It was like this for and hour or so, before descending into a lush green valley below. Our early morning conflab had decided that Ba Be lake was now out of the question as this being our last day of riding, we had to end up in Hanoi. Ba Be would take us out of our way and we would have had no time to look around anyway so unfortunately this will have to wait until next time.

QL212 heading South from Tinh Tuc.

Into the valley below

Stopping for fuel and Banh Mi (Bread)for breakfast in Na Phac

Once we hit Na Phac, the QL212, which had briefly become the QL279, now became the QL3. The pace picked up here as the road quality and width also grew. We did experience a heap of massive 18 wheeler semi trailers that seemed to be coming from Hanoi and heading toward Cao Bang (one of which I showed you earlier on its side). Pete's bike was still struggling with its asthma but wasn't too bad as the we left the serious hill climbing behind us. Non the less my bike decided to go out in sympathy and started to lose power and even cut out completely when in top gear. The QL 3 was in great nick and would take us all the way to Hanoi, via the major town of Thai Nguyen. Just shy of Thai Nguyen we hit a three lane freeway devoid of any traffic and we all enjoyed hooting along at a rapid pace for a bit. If this keeps up, we will be having our lunch in Hanoi. Making great time now.

The freeway only lasted 20 minutes and then we hit Thai Nguyen, which we opted to bypass completely and push on towards Hanoi, despite Turbo being in desperate need to extricate himself from all those chocco pies!!! The QL3 South from Thai Nguyen to Hanoi was pretty much road works, gravel, dust and mud, for about the next 40 minutes. Traffic was heavy and there was was some pretty crazy overtaking as we all tried to keep the group together. Once we cleared the roadworks however, the pace increased and we were looking to make great time into Hanoi, around 1.30pm.

Eventually we did need to stop one last time, 20 kms short of Hanoi to fuel up and give Turbo his much need opportunity for relief !!! Just as we were patting ourselves on the back for making such good time and being disciplined about taking shorter rest stops etc, another challenge presented itself. Pete's bike said enough is enough, get stuffed, I'm not going anywhere.

We found a mechanic, had him come with his scooter and push Pete's bike back to his shop about a km away (with his foot wedged on Pete's pillion peg). After the first hour and several calls to Anh, we spied a taxi parked across the way and discussions about worst case scenario ensued. We could always leave the XR for Anh to collect, Pete jumps in the cab who leads us back into Hanoi. Sounds abit like the sad wagon again so we opted to stick it out and eventually after a false start and a new watchamathingy fitted, we were on our way once again and still with a few hours of daylight left. Would have been a shame for us not to all finish this epic journey on two wheels under our own steam.

Again getting into Hanoi was no where near as challenging as expected as the QL3 lead straight across the Chuong Duong Bridge and into the Old quarter near the North end of the Hoan Kiem Lake. At the Southern end of the bridge is a massive round about, and once safely past this, my crappy sense of direction must have figured this was no time to test our Ha Ha levels and lead us straight to the Essence Hotel.

Helps if you enter Hanoi on a Sunday, as the traffic is likely to be significantly lighter, as was the case with us.

We arrived dirty and sweaty at the Essence to an enthusiastic hero's welcome from the friendly staff. We dropped our bags and then took the short trip around the corner to return the bikes to Offroad Vietnam. Anh was apologetic for the trouble the bikes had caused us and informed me that he had 18 second hand XR engines, currently stuck at the Chinese border awaiting clearance. He assured me that next time he would ensure I had bikes with much newer and more reliable engines. My final word on Offroad Vietnam is that I would actually recommend them as I believe they probably do have the best maintained fleet of XRs available. This will be especially true if the 18 newer engines make it across the border. Doing this trip with a guide, mechanic or even a support vehicle would definitely have been a safer and more sensible more way to have seen the Heaven's Gateway, but it is as I said at the start of this blog, it was these very challenges that made the trip what it was.

Trip finished off with some pizzas and beer at Gecko around the corner (really craved some western food) and then a few more beers and a couple of Cuban cigars over looking the Hoan Kiem Lake.

All in all a legendary trip that will not be soon forgotten. Adventure, good mates, motorbikes and magical scenery. Would I do it all again? Shit Yeah !!!

Click on the link below to see the google map of the route we took and distances covered each day. Note the unrealistic time estimation of google. Do not plan your trip based on these times. Doubling them is more realistic, but this still doesn’t allow for stops, breakdowns or doubling back after getting geographically embarrassed. Good luck!

A Slow Bike to China Route Map

A Slow Bike to China - Day 2. Ha Giang/Dong Van

Day Two:

We stick with the plan and were on the road early to make up for lost time. The new plan was to be in Ha Giang by about 9ish, grab some brecky and our permits from the immigration office and head for Dong Van (start of the Ma Pi Leng Pass). It took us about 2 hours to cover the 100kms to Ha Giang and a picturesque and uneventful morning did indeed have us at the immigration office by 9.15 am. To proceed North of Ha Giang you need a permit from either the Ha Giang Immigration office or the Police station at Meo Vac. Stories, including from Anh, suggested that the immigration office would rip you off and try to force you to hire a guide before heading out of Ha Giang. Even Lonely Planet guide said we would be over charged to the tune of $20 Usd per person. In actual fact the lady at the Immigration office was lovely and the whole process took about 20 minutes and cost us $7 Usd for the four of us. Having said that it certainly helps if you speak Vietnamese and I'm sure the fact I said I lived in Vietnam made a big difference as well.

QL2 Road into Ha Giang and the gang under the Ha Giang Sign... ½ a day later than expected

The immigration office in Ha Giang

The supposedly illusive travel permit

If you happen to get stopped on the road, Police may ask to see your permit and I am told you will be sent back to Ha Giang (or Meo Vac) if you cannot produce one. More importantly however, you will have difficulty checking into a hotel or guest house without it.

After some crappy eggs on toast and a coffee for breakfast we headed off about 11 am towards Dong Van. We were in no rush as we only had about 170 kms to cover and were feeling pretty confident we were back on track now. Problem was the scenery was magnificent leading us to stop quite a bit for photos which put us back under the hammer. So much so that we did indeed run out of daylight and also copped a massive thunder storm for the last 45 minutes of our journey. We intended to take the 4C route, which seemed like a more developed road, but somehow missed a turn and took a combination of the 4C and TL176. The distance is six of one, half a dozen of the other and am pretty sure either would be just as spectacular, so if you get off the intended route I wouldn’t worry too much as long as you are heading in a Northerly direction.

Not much to say really... except the best is yet to come.....seriously!

Riding at night in Vietnam is not advisable due to the many hazards, not least of which being locals driving without their lights to “conserve their batteries”, but riding a bike at night in a torrential storm on a mountain pass with sheer drops is definitely one to be avoided if possible. My disposable poncho was disposed of after 20 minutes and I eventually rolled into Dong Van one very soggy Moggy indeed. Then like a shinning beacon, was the Rocky Plateau Hotel/Guest House. Very easy choice as it seemed to have a restaurant of sorts attached to it. The Manager was a young bloke with really good self taught English, who showed us the best rooms in the house that were clean and spacious for 390,000 vnd ($18) per room. He was also proud to announce his restaurant was hosting a party of 50 people that evening so we had better order early to avoid disappointment. Only issue was the whole town had no power, but at least we had a chance to get dry and quench a hell of a thirst.

Road to Dong Van just before the heavens opened up on us.

Turbo rounding up a local.

Walking tree people as night falls.

The other reason we ran out of time on what was suppose to be one of our easier days, was that Pete's XR developed motorbike asthma as soon as we hit the mountains. When heading up hill it had barely enough power to pull the skin off a rice pudding. Not good considering the terrain ahead.

Luckily the Manager of the Rock Plateau escorted us next door to his friend the mechanic with whom we developed a close relationship over the course of the next hour and a half as tried to fix the bike. In fact we met most of the town whom seemed to come past at some time or another to offer their two cents worth and give Pete's bike a good old rev to red line as though it would make a difference. We got Anh on the phone to speak with the mechanic but that didn't help things much as according to Anh the problem was an imaginary one because the bike had a new engine and had been tested, ergo.. there could be no problem. Ok... lets just hope there were no rice puddings needing the skin pulled of over the next two days!!!

The fabulous Rocky Plateau Hotel.

Main street of Dong Van

Dinner was an interesting affair with intermittent black outs, more torrential sideways rain and half the town cramped into the restaurant. Bloody great bowl of noodles though, again 
plenty of Hanoi Beer, a couple of cigars with great friends and Ha Ha levels were overflowing.  Stay tuned for the highlight of the ride!

A Slow Bike to China - Motorbiking Through Northern Vietnam

I am happy to introduce my guest blogger for the next few posts....my hubby, as he recounts his recent adventure Motorbiking through Northern Vietnam.

Three mates (Turbo, Pete, the Murphster) and I try to get get away once a year to indulge our love of motorcycling combined with travelling and mateship. Sounds soppy I know, but sometimes its good to to escape the hassles of work and family for a bit of good old fashioned bloke time. Usually when I return from these trips, Dan asks “hows John's family?', answer, “I dunno”, “what about Murf, how's his new job?”, “good...I guess.”...”Didn't ask did you?”, “aarr....nup!!!, I do know Pete would love to get another Honda Blackbird, but a Triumph Tiger 1050 is also in the mix”. Basically, if it doesn't have two wheels or involved 36 blokes kicking the pigskin around the G, then we probably didn't talk about it. Gotta credit our lovely, gorgeous, understanding wives Dan, Jenn, Grace and Trace who support and encourage this indulgence.

Last year was the Mae Hong Song Loop, out of Chang Mai, Thailand. This year I convinced the guys it would be fun to hire trail bikes in Hanoi and ride about 500 Kay North to the Chinese border. I'd heard of an amazing road between Dong Van and Meo Vac, in Ha Giang province, that has been described as the Heaven's gateway, but officially known as the Ma Pi Leng pass.

Some detailed research on the internet was interrupted by actual work so by the time the trip snuck up on me, I had only a vague idea where we were heading and some conflicting advice on how long it would take us to get there. Maps that I could source in HCMC were a bit light on for detail, so figured I would wait until Hanoi where I could get a better one.....NOT! The maps I could find were ok for general planning purposes, but for actual navigating, we ended up using an I-Phone with a GPS app. Actually worked pretty well when the GPS could pick up a signal. I had an Android phone which was also ok, but not as good as as the I-phone. Seemed that when one was working the other wasn't so between us we had it pretty well covered. My suggestion would be to print out a heap of google map pages, zooming in when things get complicated like at the larger towns etc. Its good back up for when the GPS can't get a signal.

Made a reservation for our first and last night at my favourite boutique hotel in Hanoi's old quarter, the Essence Hotel (www.hanoiessencehotel.com $55 +/per night). About a year old, situated on Ta Hien Street and just a short spit from Bia Hoi corner (added convenience of an ANZ atm right out front). The 3 nights and four days in between were largely unplanned with no reservations.

I hired 4, Honda XR250 Baja trail bikes from Offroad Vietnam (www.offroadvietnam.com). $45 USD per day, per bike (5 minutes walk from the hotel...if you don't get lost!). The owner Anh Wu is a nice chap but not very enthusiastic about renting his bikes out for self guided tours. To be fair, his website states that 95% of his business is all inclusive guided tours, but thats just not the way we roll !!! Anh claims on the website his bikes are the best in Vietnam as far as maintenance and reliability. Again to be fair, he may very well speak the truth, but that is not to say the bikes were all that good. I think the ones he arranged for us were mid nineties models, one of which was claimed to have had a new engine. We rocked up the night before to sort the paperwork and check out the bikes so we could get a nice early start the next day.

I was a bit disappointed, as the bikes looked like they had been around the block more than a few times and Anh was quite negative toward our suggested plans, stating we could not make it in just 4 days riding. He had no detailed maps to offer us and seemed pretty keen to talk me into taking a guide/mechanic along with us. Once Anh became convinced we were intent on going it alone, he lightened up a bit and started to offer some useful and accurate advice. All of what Anh told us, by the way was correct, we were biting off a bit too much to chew, the bikes were likely to break down and need a mechanic, it was going to be very tough to navigate our way to the heaven's gateway and communication with the locals would be challenging. It was in the end however, all of these challenges that made the trip as incredible and as memorable as it was and I don't think any of us would have changed a thing.

Picking up the bikes from Offroad Vietnam

The Plan:

Day one: 300km (estimated 9 hrs) to Ha Giang, buy permits (more later) and o/n.

Day two: 170km ( estimated 6 hrs) Ha Giang to Dong Van, Ma Pi Leng Pass to Meo Vac and o/n.

Day three: 205km (estimated 7 hrs) Meo Vac to Be Be Lake and o/n.

Day four: 245Km (estimated 6 hrs) Ba Be to Hanoi, via Thai Nguyen.

Note: These distances are from Google maps based on the routes we intended to take. The Google map time estimates were ridiculous, i.e. from Hanoi to Ha Giang they estimated 4 hrs 39 minutes. I figured on doubling it to about 9 hrs but Anh said it was 400kms and would take at least 11 hours.

Day One:

A fantastic breakfast at the Essence (one of its draw cards, along with the staff) set us up well for the day ahead, as it turned out to be the last real meals we would truly enjoy for a while. A quick walk over to the bike shop (via the scenic route!!! I actually have a crap sense of direction..often go up and down the same isle at the Vic market cos I keep turning the wrong way at the end !!!). The bikes all came fitted with a handy rear rack so within a few minutes our bags were strapped on and we were ready to roll. Anh lent us a kit containing tools and a few spares (which came in handy) and we were off. Well not quite...... My bike wouldn't start and it took Anh 20 minutes of fiddling before we were rolling... not the start we were looking for.

The boys did a great job considering it was their first time riding in Vietnam

Hanoi traffic is manic and we had been warned how challenging and dangerous it can be to get in or out of town at peak times. As it turned out however, it was easy. Just pushed the bikes the wrong way up a one way street and followed Anh's directions to turn left and simply follow the river bank all the way to Son Tay (about 2 hours). First mistake was to rely on my paper maps. They were just too vague. Anh's directions had been very clear. “keep the river to your right and do not turn left at any time. Keep following the river to Son Tay , after which take any number of bridges over the river and then head North toward Ha Giang. Sound simple enough!!! may not even need a map!!! whats all the fuss about !!! less than 20 minutes of driving in traffic and then we began to hit rural surrounds. River on the right... all good. Ha Giang for a cold beer by tea time !!!

Half an hour out of Hanoi and the road ends at an abrupt T intersection. The right turn option took us across the river and keeping it on our right meant we were heading back in the direction of Hanoi and Anh said don't turn left under any circumstances... Bugga. Knew it was all sounding too easy. Took the right across the bridge and against my better judgement, kept the river to my right and headed back toward Hanoi (according to my crap sense of direction.... was it to be the Vic market all over again... Ugg boots, followed by even more bloody Ugg boots !!!). Anyway, it wasn't long before we came to another T intersection, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, being stared down by a bemused water buffalo. The right option taking us to a dead end at the river and Anh's voice resinating “don't turn left”. Had no real option this time so went left, took a few educated guesses and eventually found the river again. Things went on like this for most of the morning until we ditched the maps and started using Turbo's I-Phone. This helped a bit but we still ended up making a tonne of u-Turns until eventually we found Son Tay.

Hot, sweaty, dusty and knackered already after only 2 and a half hours. Then we all lost our 'Ha Ha' for for a bit when Pete pointed out a sign that said “Hanoi – 45km”. 45 kms in 2.5 hrs meant that if Ha Giang was in fact 400 Km, it could actually be another 20 hours at our current pace. The next challenge was finding the non existent bridge to cross the river at Son Tay. In the end after several double backs and map checking, I paid a taxi driver to lead us to the bridge, which in actual fact turned out to be a decrepit old barge pulled by a clapped out old tug boat that were lashed together with some rusty cable. In retrospect, this was my bad, as Anh did say “after Son Tay, take a bridge not at Son Tay.” and even my crappy map showed a break in the road where the bridge should have been, indicating a tunnel or a ferry crossing. No matter, because apart from the lost time and the extortionist cabby who charged me 100,000vnd ($5) to lead us the 1km to the ferry, the crossing was pretty cool and something different. If following this route, I suggest to go straight through Son Tay and continue to follow the river for at least another hour or so, as you would still heading in the right direction for Ha Giang.

Ferry cost 10,000vnd (.50c) per bike and we had to squeeze in amongst trucks buses and other modes.

After the crossing, spirits were a little higher as we were at least no longer lost and heading in the right direction, albeit waaaaay behind schedule now. We stopped for a cafe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee) and a much needed re group. I took the opportunity to touch base with Dan and I think I may have used the words, “unmitigated disaster” in response to her “how's it all goin?” “Dan suggested we bite the bullet, call Offroad Vietnam and request they send a guide to meet us and take us the rest of the way. I have to say the suggestion was not without merit but was too much like jumping in the vulturous sad wagon that follows the tail enders of a marathon, waiting to pick up those who can't make it. Just couldn't do it and didn't even take it to the group for consideration. Instead I suggested a plan B. This alternative involved cutting our losses, heading back to Hanoi for the night and the next day heading up to Ba Be lake, a much more do-able destination 6 hrs from Hanoi. But the boys wouldn't hear of it (God love em), instead I got taunted with suggestions to grab a can of “harden the f#@$ up princess” and quotes from Sir Edmond Hillary (in joke from the last trip), which pretty much ended that discussion. So the new plan was to go as far as we could until we ran out of daylight then get up at a sparrow's fart the next morning and make up for lost time.....Well its a plan.

First stop on day one to re group. Also got my first of many offers to take the cafe owner's daughter as my wife/girlfriend. Seems a westerner who speaks Vietnamese is quite good marrying stock!!! Offer much appreciated but alas no room on my rack! Plus got a feeling Dan may crack the shits! (If I may, Blog owners note....correct Nick.  Good choice.)

So we crack on pretty much without incident for the rest of the day until we run out of day light. The I-Phone with Turbo leading the way did a great job and made it to the town of Tan Yen, 109 kms short of Ha Giang on route 2. The riding was great, going first through the flat Red River delta, along dyke walls, surrounded by brilliant green rice paddies, until we reached the mountainous limestone casts rising out of the ground, creating awe inspiring scenery.

Route QL2C heading North between Son Tay and Tan Yen.

Now Tan Yen is not a place you would aim to stay on purpose as there is not much there at all. We settled on one of the two guest houses (Nha Nghi) in town and were pleasantly surprised by the tariff of 200,000 per room ($10) each room with two queen size beds.

Comfy and cheap... the Minh Thanh guest house/plumbing supplies and main street of Tan Yen

The hunt for a feed was a little trickier as it was now pushing 7.30 pm and most of the town was shuttered up for the night (still a mobile phone shop and several hairdressing shops open though, in case you need to get your highlights redone and pick up a prepaid sim for your I-phone!). As far as restaurants go, Tan Yen is unlikely to make it into the Age good food guide any time soon. We would have settled for one star in the Cheap Eats Guide !! but even that was out of the question!. After turning down an offer of what I am pretty sure was intestines we found a place that cooked us the best plate of fried rice, with shrimp and pork, four hungry guys had ever seen. Along with a few cold beers.... we had well and truly found our Ha Ha again!!!

Day one done and dusted.  Day two to follow shortly.  Hope you are enjoying the ride!