torsdag den 10. marts 2016

MOTORCYCLE / VIETNAM / HANOI JOURNEY 2016 no.1

MC. Honda 125 cc. model 2006

On the way from the airport to Hanoi

 

MC. Vietnam Journey 2016 / Hanoi/ Phu Yen/ Mai Chau/ Cam Thuy/ Yen Cat/ Huong Khe/ Son Trach/ Tang Ky/ Hue/ Da Nang/ Hue Beach/ Phu Viet/ Thien Cam/ Xuan An/ Diem Dien/ Do Son/ Ha Long/ Hanoi/  -  42 days / 3.110 km. / 18 driving days = 173 km. per. day.


24 feb. – 5 april 2016

Motorcycle report B.v.H.H.S.


Hanoi Airport

6 am at Hanoi airport, good mat in the codes. I do not feel real joy quiver in my mind to get out of this new MC. Vietnam journey. The lovely restlessness I usually felt within me, for as soon as possible to find an MC. and then go myself into the meeting with a different culture is not really present.

I feel a bit like the film director Krzysztof Kieslowski, who was asked about how he felt. He said little melancholy 'so and so'.

This time I have had it a little hard to find 'the spirit'.

Over the loudspeaker they ask me to go to the information desk. My luggage has not flown the same route as me and my hotel has also forgotten to submit a taxi as promised.

Situations like these I gradually become very relaxed about. The sharpens the senses and requires one's presence.

I'm probably been a little metal tired, after all it is my MC.Journey no. 8 over the past 13 years.


9:30 am I already in the first MC dealer

I was picked up by a young man on the motorbike. sent by the MC.dealer. The MC trip from the hotel to the MC. dealer gave me a good insight into how easily and smoothly you can come quickly to your destination, by not allowing to be limited by the constraints of traffic rules, he twisted like an eel among the hundreds of MC on the major roads. Drove through a red light and speeded up violently at short distances. I made him aware that he had an older gentleman with no helmet in the back seat and therefore he should slow down. He thought it was OK, he had full control of the situation, I just had to be quite safe. It seems to be a paradise for traffic law violates and lads. The police seem to concentrate on other matters.

I is very close with few traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. If you want to cross a road, one must directly run forward and break the dense stream of MC and cars. It takes courage to move around on the motorbike or pedestrian to cross the road, although they generally run at a steady pace.

Traffic is a little closer here in Hanoi with 7 million. pop. than in Delhi and Jakarta. There are not many cars but many small MC. Throughout Vietnam's 16 million. MC.














I decided, that I changed, I'm still doubtful

I decided after 2 days of persistent reconnaissance, to buy and not rent a motorbike this time.

It's not a big machine I have chosen to buy. It is a Honda 110cc Win year. 2006 for $ 350. Japanese prepared. It is a cross between a moped and a motorbike.

This is the same Honda Win 100-110cc model, just made in China or Vietnam, as the majority of all back pack are choosing to buy used and cheap for $ 200-300 in Ho Chi Minh, to run all the way up through Vietnam to Hanoi. Many have taken the trip via Bangkok. It is only now that I am aware of this great MC trend among young backpackers.

Via internet, they try so to sell it on to other backpackers who intend to take the trip from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh. I've been on the Internet and see that they charge the same for their Honda, which you can buy it at MC. dealer. Prices of MC. here in Hanoi are lower than in Ho Chi Minh, as most backpackers MC ends up in Hanoi in the area around the old town.





  Schoolchildren retrieved

Most are probably forced to sell it at a much lower price to MC dealer. My MC dealer could promise to buy back my Honda for about $ 250 if there had been no accidents with MC.

The day after I returned to MC dealer the speedometer and odometer does not work. Moreover, there were serious problems with the gearbox sometimes. The dealer made clear to me that most of his motorbike. was the speedometer and odometer incapacitated. I did not understand his explanation. But in all cases it was difficult to assess how worn his motorbike was when it was impossible to see how many Km. they had driven.

While the work with the overall gear problems, I tried a slightly larger Honda 125cc. It was a little bigger, stronger but also a lot more noisy. It has the less that the gear change is vice versa. When you are going from first gear to 2,3,4 and 5, you have to press down the gear lever with your foot instead of pushing up with your foot. It may take a few days before my brain and body have coded this in. The size suited me much better. If I gave him $ 50 extra we could exchange about. He promised to provide about 250-275 $ for repurchases. But iwas it a good buy? I sense that I will have problems with it, as it looks pretty worn and haggard. But I have had motorbike engine problems on all my previous MC travels, so it scares me not special. Over the years, I can see that I have not always made the best choice of MC.

I could have rented a larger MC. but it would at least have cost me $ 20 per day. So it would be $ 700 for 35 days.

Here in Vietnam the goverment has set a maximum limit of 175cc for MC. if you want to pay a low registration fee. The higher MC. are much more expensive. Therefore, there are very few Vietnamese People who ride the big MC.

On my other MC journey I would not buy MC. Then you have to made a lot of paper on ownerskift, insurance and then the hassle of getting it sold within a few days.

Here in Vietnam, you do not need to be in register or have insurance. Therefore, it is in fact easier than renting.

Vietnam and Hanoi 

Vietnam is a socialist one-party state. Vietnam Communist Party created by Ho Chi Minh in 1931, according to the Constitution society leading organization. Vietnam has 90 million. pop.Where 81% are atheists, Buddhists 9%, 7% Catholics, 2% Hoa Hoa, 1% Cao-dai. The main industries are in mining, food and textiles. Rice is the country's most important product. Hanoi is the capital and has 7 million. pop.

It's colder here in Hanoi than I had expected. In the daytime 15 c. By night 10 c. So that first night without my luggage, it was hard for me to keep the heat in the hotel room. I had to keep my leather jacket on.

Unfortunately, it has been hazy, foggy and cloudy the first 3 days. First the four days the sun came up in the afternoon. Great to sense its warm rays penetrate light mist still lay across Hanoi, if not caused by air pollution.

I have decided that, once I am back in Hanoi, I will concentrate on seeing the city's sights. I have given priority to find a motorbike and then getting out of the big city possessive cauldron of noise and energy.

I'll be time to see Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and museum.







 
The war in Vietnam, where Ho Chi Minh was a key political figure, helped to color my political position






The spiritual in all its forms of expression, gives life an extra dimension




The spiritual in all its forms of expression, gives life an extra dimension


I passed around a lot in the Old Town (Old Quarter) where my hotel was located, as the district is incredibly difficult to navigate. It is built like a maze of small houses, shops, people and vehicles. When it is dark everything looks completely different. There drive very few cars around in this town because the streets are so narrow and crowded with parked MC. so pedestrians must go out on the street. It is in this district that is life. But otherwise Hanoi not the most exciting visual city.

 














MC. Vietnam journey

Based in Hanoi in North Vietnam, where I will rent a motorbike is my plan to drive from North Vietnam to the south of Central Vietnam. From Hanoi, I will head west through the lush mountain scenery to the town of Mai Chau. Then continue south along the Ma River through bamboo forests to the town of Tan Ky. Then follow Ho Chi Minh road runs close to the border with Laos and on to Phong Nha's natural park, where there are 65 km. caves and underground rivers. I will then pass the historic 5km. wide demilitarized zone between North and South, where you can still see traces, after the many bombs with napalm and herbicides. Forward via Khe Sanh to My Son to see historic ruins and out to the coast to the former very important trading town of Hoi An. From here begins my journey back to Hanoi via the coastal road. After the city of Da Nag do I stay in the imperial city of Hue in 'Perfume River' to discover the many cultural and historical sites. Further back through the demilitarized zone to experience Vinh Moc tunnels that were made during the war in up to 30 m. depth where there lived up to 600 people. Further along the coast to Dong Hoi, Dien Chau, Nin Binh, experience Halong Bay and return to Hanoi. In total, this motorcycle trip will be approximately 3.000 km.





 Ho Ho Ho Chi Minh


Loving thoughts

Bjarne v.H.H.Solberg
Danish Artist & Scenographer
www.BvHHS.com
BvHHS@email.dk








                                                       
































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