Moving on

So it’s almost March, training is nearly over and it’s just about time for Vietnam. We are ready. We are ready as we will ever be anyway. We are comfortable doing 60 km rides, albeit we can’t prepare for cycling while loaded down with our belongings stuffed in bike panniers.

CHANGE OF ROUTE

We have been advised to change our route slightly but anticipate still doing around 1000km. We will probably now start in Da Nang rather than Hue. We have been advised by a few people we have met that the road between Hue and Da Nang is going to be almost impossible and seasoned cyclists who have cycled around Asia and Europe have advised that they had to push their bikes up the hill, at a pace of 2km an hour and that the distance and roads make this dangerous and to time consuming for us. If you have any questions about this, please e-mail either of us, although Daniel is in charge of technical stuff like which way to go.

SPONSOR US (PLEASE)

We have cycled around 700 km just in training though and I promise we are working hard. The trip to date has officially not been a holiday. It was 35 degrees in the shade yesterday when we did a 4 hour ride with the wind against us most of the way. On that note, for anyone who wants to sponsor us and hasn’t yet done so, please let us know so we can add up what we have raised even if you don’t send us any money until we have finished. Please e-mail me at annaventure@live.com to let me know what amount you want to give us and I will keep a record and ask for it later. We are fundraising for Brighter Futures and Help for Heroes. We are working really hard to raise money and to undertake this challenge of a life time for Challenge4Ben and all support is much appreciated.

NEXT FEW DAYS

We are heading to Bangkok on Tuesday so that Daniel can take his beloved Apple to the store to be mended. I haven’t been online much recently as he has not only stolen my Apple and broken it but now he needs my Samsung too. Mum, please don’t worry about the Red Shirts in Bangkok, I am sure it will be fine. We fly to Vietnam at 7 am on Wednesday when we set about getting our bikes and provisions. The bikes have to be sent ahead of us on a freight train so we will organise that and then have a night in Ha Long Bay which I am very excited about. Daniel just wants to start cycling but I am determined to fit Ha Long Bay in the schedule. Ideally our first day cycling will be on Monday 8 March when we cycle 32 km from Da Nang to Hoi An, one of the most beautiful stops on our route I hear. I only found out yesterday that there is surf all around Da Nang and Hoi An... I wonder if I’ll lose Daniel for a while?

RECENT ACTIVITY

Well we have continued cycling along every road in the area, accompanied by the occasional dog chase (the last dog that went for me was puppy sized and curly haired but I only heard it barking and running so I just legged it while Daniel laughed). Daniel says I could join the Olympic sprint team but they would have to set dogs on the competitors first.  The other day Daniel, who manages to retain his sense of humour even 3 hours in to a ride, started commentating on our ‘race’ to the finish. The last few hills at the end of our rides are usually accompanied by moans and groans from both of us but today Daniel was determined that I was “catching up on the inside” and “gaining ground with her sprinter thighs”. Weary as I was in the heat of the 1 O’Clock sun I decided that maybe I would “make a sneak attack” and so changing gears I started racing ahead, much to his surprise. I even threw his commentary off guard as he tried his best to catch up. Not a hope. I think that on day 33 I found my competitive streak.

We took the moped to Chao Lao the other day for dinner as Daniel was having cravings. Chao Lao is a beach about 10 kms away next to which are situated many resorts, businesses and restaurants. There is one cafe/restaurant run by an American/Thai guy. He has a big belly and he looks as though he was born in Thailand but raised in the USA. Daniel had been dreaming about a burger and chips since we passed this place on one of our rides. So the moped it was. It was a stunning 15 minute ride along all the same roads that we have cycled along on many, many occasions but in the evening, while the sun was setting and powered by petrol, it looked completely new. The red sun shone down on the shrimp farms providing a vista of red water surrounded by green banks of grass. Daniel wasn’t allowed to enjoy the view of course because he had to concentrate on the roads. Because the roads are being built some are gravel, others dirt and some have had one layer of tarmac laid which is bumpy and often covered in sticks to stop drivers ruining the newly laid road.  In the UK of course we wouldn’t be driving on roads in the process of being constructed. There would be barriers and warning signs for hundreds of metres diverting or slowing traffic. Not here, here there may be a few orange signs but generally the driver simply uses his common sense in overtaking the trucks and steam rollers. We arrived at the diner and Daniel ordered cheeseburger and fries with a diet coke; Daniel heaven. I ordered the pizza (the only item on the menu capable of being made vegetarian, i think he removed the pepperoni). My pizza was small but tasty. I had eaten about half when I noticed Daniel putting the last bite of his burger in his mouth, his fries long gone. “Do you want another?” I asked incredulously. “Yes” Daniel said. So he got another and enjoyed it just as much. Of course he felt awful the next day but I think it was worth it. The drive home was interesting. There are strip lights next to all the shrimp fields to keep the shrimp moving at night apparently. This made the very quiet area look like a big city lit up at night. Surreal. Daniel had to weave in and out of braches and partly laid roads on the way back. The light of the moped barely lit more than 2 metres ahead because there was a basket attached to the front of the bike and so this was brilliantly lit, I could see every join in its design, but not much else.

FAASAI

Bronwen, the owner of Faasai, has been an angel. She has shown us how to make an amazing herbal tea that I think is the reason I have started to finally shift a few pounds; she has lent me some superb Buddhist books and we have tried all sorts of foods we wouldn’t have had otherwise. We have said goodbye to her now as she has gone home to New Zealand for a holiday. Faasai has been a real find; perfect for what we needed (hence our staying for 6 weeks instead of 2). It has been a safe haven with little temptation, the lovely cook, cleaner and massage therapist Sula, good food, peace and quiet, bikes and some wonderful advice and help from Bronwen. I hope we will be able to come back one day.

FITNESS

I am delighted to report that I have finally started losing weight. Not enough to get excited about, all the same clothes still fit me and the smaller sized clothes I bought with me are still sitting comfortably in the wardrobe, but I am toning up and that’s fantastic. After many years of going to the gym and trying to avoid chocolate, if only I had known that all I needed to do was quit my job, leave Jersey, stop socialising, start doing 4 hours of exercise a day and eating nothing but rice and soup - I would have been skinny years ago!!

WRITING

I have finally started writing my book about this venture. It’s hard keeping up with annaventure, e-mails and writing but I have finally found time and inclination. Please say your prayers or cross your fingers or send me positive vibes to wish me good fortune in my writing endeavours. Then buy the book when it’s done J

Comments

[Naomi Arnold]

Anna, great to hear about the adventures, I am so jealous. Can't wait for you to finally start the Vietnam trip; I was there for only two weeks and can't wait to go back... you've sparked my interest in South-East Asia all over again.
Much love to you and Dan
Naomi