Post # 68 Haimphong

Day 81 999 days to go. Distance: today 114km total 4784. It’s 6.45pm Sunday 19/2/2012 Haiphong. We’re under the 1000 day mark how cool’s that. Still a long way to go but a nice milestone yay. I’ve found the cutest inner district of Haiphong to stay the night. Accidentally of course. I was on my way to the port to check out boats to Cat Ba but it was another 20km. I didn’t start until midday today so it was 5.00pm when I arrived and a bit chilly. 20km on top of the day already in the ‘chill bill’ wasn’t tempting so time to stop. The guesthouse is so cute down this little alley and the lady runs it very homestyle can’t do enough to make me feel welcome very nice and easy to take. I just got out of the shower and it was the first time that the hot water was still hot. So after washing three times, brushing my teeth and generally scolding myself I got out all toasty, rugged up and now posting to you fine folk. I love this time of the day. All squeaky clean after a good days cycle and thinking about the day to share with you. I started the day with a skype with the folks which was great. They were keen to know how I got on with Rube’s trailer. I’m very very very and another very pleased to let you know she did all good today and the angle grinding effort by my quasi engineer buddy seems so far to be doing the trick yayayayayaya and more yayayayayaya’s. I’m having an on again off again relationship with the Vietnamese I’m sure of it 🙂 Just when I think it’s over someone pulls out something beautiful like last night. I was thinking about it today the events yesterday and how they ended so well I’m also very mindful I have to cross the Chinese border no later than the 22/2/201 before the visa expires so there was no hanging around longer than needed in Hanoi. My experience with the Vietnamese is that when they step in with guns blazing and I feel pushed aside in their forthrightnesses. I’m learning to be assertive as opposed to pissed off, to ensure things are done as I need them to be. Particularly when it comes to Rube. When they’re rough with her mother pussy cat wants to eat them alive. That’s how her axil got bent when she was hosed coming into hanoi. they dropped her hard while I was de-mudding. And then the gorgeous man last night volunteers the best help ever. The affair continues 🙂 After talking to the folks I needed to calculate days left in vietnam. I head to haloing bay tomorrow. From there I think I will catch a bus or hydrofoil to the chinese border town of Mong Cai. The bays between here and China are apparently beautiful so the boat option sounds pretty tempting subject to cost with the bus a backup. I’m a bit reluctant to expose Rube to a bus trip before China as she has a haul ahead and needs all her bits in good order after her spit polish in Hanoi. We’ll see tomorrow but sounds like a plan. I’m happy just to have her and the trailer working 🙂 The ride here was excellent cycling conditions. Weather was overcast and cold but no rain or wind. The highway was wide with room for us to do our thing amongst the loads of buses taking folk between here and Hanoi. Given the busy road the amount of ‘hellos’ I got from passer byers was awesome. Always a welcomed momentum boost yay. I stopped and bought some bread from a roadside vendor man who was all smiles when I handed over $1 for four baguettes. Black teeth didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for a photo 🙂 Otherwise the day went pretty quick. It was good to be back in the saddle again doing descent k’s. When i have rest days the body goes into this whole extra fluid thing to recoup. On the flip side it then gets rid of the extra fluid when I star again. This means lots of bathroom stops. The tricky bit is finding discrete spots along the highway to do your thing. As such there were a few tense moments over the day 🙂 I feel so much better on the move. The body prefers to be active that’s for sure. I had a halfway stop at a bus interchange place. This man from one of the vending shops came up to check me and Rube out as they do. He was all full of cheek and mischief. No English of course but I got the general gist of his good natured naughtiness. He was entertaining to share the break with. So that was a about it for the day. Time for dinner I’m thinking and an early night and start tomorrow. Talk soon x