2018 Vietnam Ride

Although my name is Bob Forsee, this travel page uses my "fun" monicker "Forsellini". A good friend used to call me Roberto Forsellini and now, after a lot of years, it seems fun to use it.

Since my last "adventure", I rode out to Santa Fe and East to Virginia. Then, in late 2017, I began researching for a trip to Vietnam.  I think the biggest concern was the the three million motorbikes in Ho Chi Min City (Saigon) and of course,the language.  

After over 50 years (from the year the military didn't draft me, because of an ankle injury in 1965), it was interesting to see the country that many of my generation saw a different side of. And most of all, I really enjoyed the "adventure", the people and the the beautiful land.  

 Photos and a few details of the route from South to North can be accessed in the archives on the right.

 Click on photos to enlarge

MY FIRST FOUR ADVENTURES

Planning

Honda XR150
I left the U.S on March 26th and returned April 17.  Besides Saigon and Hanoi, cities that I passed through included: Bao Loc, Dalat, Nha Trang, Kon Tum and Hue and others. 

 A company in Ho Chi Minh City named Dragon Bikes rents motorbikes including the Honda XR 150 model. (Note: the biggest motorcycles that you could rent in Vietnam were 150cc). Patrick, Dragon Bikes American owner, was very helpful in answering numerous questions that I had.
Motorbikes, which rent for around 15.00 per day, could be rented in Saigon and dropped off in Hanoi. Note: in previous trips I've paid as much as 85.00 per day. 

 The little Honda pictured here, got me to Hanoi and I would say that was a really inexpensive trip.  Hotel rooms were typically 15 -30.00 and meals 2 - 6.00. 

 I've been so lucky to have completed five motorbike adventures since I've retired.  If you have an interest, my site with all five trips is shown above in the introduction.

 I've used Horizons Unlimited as an information resource
on all of my "adventures". A wonderful site for motorbike
travel (the logo on the left is a link to their site).


 The following videos made me question my sanity :)

Ho Chi Minh City / Bao Loc / Dalat

After the long 20 hours of flying, I wandered the streets of Saigon for a couple of days taking pictures

Click on photos to enlarge
I met with Patrick of Dragon bikes and arranged to pick up the little Honda. I left Ho Chi Minh on Friday, March 30 and headed to Baoloc. After Baoloc, Dalat was next.

The pictures on the left show the street in front of my HCMC hotel and a view looking into the hotel from the side walk.

 The entrance was shared by motorbikes (usually two), a couple of dozen sandals and a wonderful black and white dog! Breakfast was being assembled by the young man.


Bao Loc was a brief stay after a very long ride from Ho Chi Minh City. The hotel was quite nice for a little less than 7.00. 

 I think the breakfast meal at this elegant restaurant cost almost as much as the hotel.

Dalat was beautiful setting in the mountains (even with more crazy traffic). Families of four sometimes seen on a motorbike.  


These pictures in Dalat were taken on a Sunday! I think it's safe to say that the chicken DOESN'T cross the road in Vietnam. :) 

School kids are always fun to interact with.

Note in the above picture that a family of four (two tiny ones) are not unusal in Vietnam.








Same gear that I've packed on 650cc bikes in the past.  Seems to work so far.

Nha Trang / Qui Nhon / Kon Tum

Day 7 to Day 11

Click on photos to enlarge

The South China Sea can be seen from a balcony next to my room.



Nha Trang is a major tourist city with lots of Russian visitors.  Of course the communist flags are seen elsewhere, they are abundant here.

 Great views and wonderful
pavement.


















Hoi An / Hue / Dong Hoi

Day 12 to Day 16

Click on photos to enlarge

Kon Tum to Hoi An was both beautiful and horrible!  The Ho Chi Minh Trail mountains at times were very scenic but the road turned into nine hours of torture.  For some reason the dozens of "to be repaired" pavement sections are just left with a ribbon surrounding them and a small warning sign.  However many repairs are on or near curves which makes traffic iffy.  I was run off the road once on to dirt and gravel (which I general don't do).  
Click on photos to enlarge



 So many homes are built vertical with lovely ornamentation.
Road side coffee stand beside my Kon Tum hotel.

 Many streets in Kon Tum were polluted and just plain ugly. This was one of the nicer ones. Everywhere, people were very friendly and tried to be helpful even with the language barrier.
I'm not sure if this was is a hotel or cafe with a doggy to greet you. Kinda looks like a cafe.
The better roads have motorbike lanes which may or may not have a car/truck/ motorbike parked in it.  Many times, even with the lane, it can have stuff blocking it or in  disrepair.

 I've been on five "adventures" and all five have had cows on the road (as well as a number of other critters)
I couldn't resist getting pictures of these little ones at a coffee stop somewhere in the mountains. 
The highway between Kon Tum and Hoi An is a big part of what was known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail.  The present day signage indicates as much. 


 Fuel stop for a "duck delivery" scooter.

Resort hotel in Hoi An is the first really touristy places I've been. The Sea is on one side and a river on the other.

 Hoi An is a very old and 
charming city.

Ha Tinh / Thanh Hoa / Hanoi

Day 17 to Day 22

Click on photos to enlarge

Ha Tinh

The following images were taken on the way to Ha Tinh and walking around the area of my hotel.

A garden plot


I've dealt with a couple of stumbles (one fall) on this trip and I thought it worthy to show the typical sidewalk areas that aren't already occupied by motorbikes.  Great ankle-turning possibilities.











Some of the best images I have are of kids.
Thanh Hoa
Thanh Hoa was quite large and I found myself on a rough residential street when my bike's rear began to quiver! 


 I wanted to dismiss what I knew was the problem. . . a flat tire (on a busy street). I pulled over out of traffic and sat for probably three minutes totally freaked out.
Not only was there no possibility of me changing the flat, but no where to do it. Suddenly an old woman (I think older than my 74 years) walked up beside me and began to talk and point in the direction that I was heading.

I could see no service station or any business for that matter.

 I was right at an intersection with a busy four lane road to cross. I had an idea what the lady was saying (or selling). So. . . I crossed the big street and almost immediately the old woman was beside me pointing directly across the intersection to a house with two men and a motorbike on a short driveway (about 15 feet). 

One man was kneeling beside the motorbike and I could see tools and a air-compressor. Both men began motioning for me to come over.  Amazing that the the woman had guided me to her son/grandson's shop (home).  I can't help thinking that she was my fairy Godmother.



 It took about 45 minutes or so for the fellow to fix my flat and have me on my way to finally find the Queen Hotel. 






Hanoi

The Old Quarter is a backpacker paradise. I estimate that at least 25 percent of the people I saw were non Vietnamese.

My hotel was wonderful. Great location and great staff. The only down side was the streets packed with motorbikes, bicycles and carts. Oh and people too... No room on the sidewalks for walking!







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