Motorbike trip to Phu Long Reserve

This is a combined entry of two days, Friday and Saturday.

As mentioned in my last entry I decided to skip Sapa and go instead into the Phu Long Reserve, about 140 km north of Ninh Binh. So far so good. I hired a driver and guide, Hang, to bring me to this remote place. The backpack rides inbetween the feet of the driver, so there is not to much place for luggage, so I kept short on this. Travelling with the Moto on Vietnamese roads is not for the mentally stressed in the first place – people tend to drive on the wrong side of the road, chicken cows, water buffalos etc run on the road, people tend to turn without indicator and so on. So in principle under dry conditions this is quite a challenge. Now add to this rainy conditions and then mud on the road and you will have great fun on the back seat or the pants truly filled up – as I had some times. We saw two accidents on the way, were the bike slipped just like this away. Anyhow we, made it safe to the reserve and parked the moto at a house.

After that Hang told me that he changed the plans, since the clouds were so low, we do a bit more hiking today, only 13-15 km he could not exactly tell. Okay so after 5 hours riding the bike we just had to walk for another 4 hours – no problem -  I had my backpack -  he had two plastic bags with the food for the evening cocking at that was it and off we went.

It was really great, we were the only tourist in this area, not like in Sapa – packed with tourists – so no selling of souvenirs nothing we just walked through the rice field, passing the magnificent hand made bamboo water lifting wheels, to water the fields that are above the river.

In the evening we arrived at a homestay, were I was the only one beside the family there. So it was really cosy being the only guest of the family, watching the meal being prepared. It tasted delicious – spring rolls wrapped in local mountain leaves – great. Aside lot`s of rice wine. Pure joy.

The joy of sleeping was less inspiring, since the bed was a bit basic and the western European bodies tend to be a bit weak on sleeping on wooden floors with just a bamboo mattress below.

One example of the classic Vietnamese Goal Keeper cow

Water wheels to lift the water to higher fields

View form my "sleeping room"

Dinner is prepared

Kitchen Window view

Dinner ready - looks great

Anyhow, I survived the night and was ready for the hike back to the bike about 10 km.

After refuelling at the gas station, where I figured out that “Jing Bum” the wording of an explosion ins transcribed in Vietnamese like “Bao Dong” we started to drive back, luckily the road conditions were much better also the bumps hurts quite much after the trip.

To settle the day I have bought a local water pipe on the market and had to try it right away – which ended in a big cough. Finally it seams that the motorbike and I needed some cleaning and I hope to get a massage for my back this evening, since it is hurting a bit after this trip….