Northward

We left the comfortable surroundings of Vung Tau to head north up the coast to Phan Thiet but as always we got lost and after we eventually got onto the seaside road which was great ,a stop for lunch at a seaside resort ,spaghetti bolognese. A bit further on we saw our town across the bay, then as soon as you see the city, bikes and other traffic multiply inexorably  ,crazy ride to our very nice hotel, glad to get out of the heat and traffic .

An interesting meal across the road in a busy cafe where you order and cook the meal yourself on a wee bbq built into your table. Then a dram on the top floor of our hotel which had a rooftop disco going on (we were the only guests ) and had a see through part of the floor where you can see to the ground , not.for me.

Sunday, up and loaded the bikes to go the 180 km to Dalat, in the mountains, it took us a bit longer as there seemed to be a problem with our navigation and we ended up on small roads going round and round including going through roads closed signs ( just like the locals ) but eventually we got onto the mountain road, stunning, some parts were still under construction though but nothing like Laos. We stopped for a drink at the top of the pass in a smart cafe with a nice viewing platform and even had some hammocks where you could have a sleep! One couple turned up on their bike and she went and got changed into her pyjamas and then went for a snooze!

Before Dalat we went through a town about 7 miles long, the relative quiet we had on the main road had gone, craziness everywhere. Booked into our hotel, once again happy to get out of our bike gear.

Monday and it's injection time again, walked to the clinic along the road and we found out Fiona didn't get a tetanus so a bit of a palaver followed getting tested for any reaction to the vaccine before getting her rabies shot and then 3 shots of the tetanus Vaccine,  nightmare for her and the waiting time between jags was a pain, but it's done and that's it for a week until the next rabies shot and a month till the next tetanus!  

One memory of Vietnam will always be Fi getting bitten and having to get vaccinations all the way North.  If we were time limited it would be a nightmare but we aren't so we are lucky.

keeping on keeping on

the photos are a bit mixed up but you should get the idea

Saigon, crazy

Bike shop

We went to a museum but quite frankly very upsetting

The aftermath of agent orange, still causing issues now

Very modern city now Saigon

Our friend Abhi from our block who we had dinner with

Callum meeting us 

Honda workhorse

Lunch stop Beach resort

Not a bad vista

Wee hondas need filled up often

Beach resort

Cafe

Out for a photo

The view from our room in Phan Thiet 

Dinner

Cook it yourself

Queasy

I wasn't getting to close

Nice view at night

In the mountains again

Coke break

The security and barmaid from our Hotel in Phan Tiet

Lost

Coke break

Fancy a wee nap afterwards

Dalat

The square

Spaceship I think

Not a bad view over the town

Another spaceship, i thing they landed here for the view 

leaving Saigon

We left our apartment in Saigon and got a taxi to the bike shop, I got them to put the GPS mounts on the bikes then we done a small test run to make sure they were OK. A bit of breakfast then into the Saigon madness, I'm not sure how we survived the total chaos but eventually we got a small ferry across to a bigger island, once we got out of the town the traffic calmed down, actually a pleasant run to the bottom of the island where we took another ferry to Vung Tau which took about half an hour. Or friend Callum was waiting for us. He had just had his helmet nicked whilst he was waiting for us which was a downer. He took us on a wee tour around the town before taking us to our digs.

There's a clinic on the bottom floor so that's the next injection taken care off. In the evening we went to Emily's Kitchen where unbelievably got mince and tatties ! Superb.

A wee wander to a bar to meet callumn and his pals, great night !

Fiona has been suffering a bit since the dogbite , it made us think about carrying on, when you are far away from home and are worried about your health its not good.

After a particularly bad night she had to get another rabies injection,  the doctors and nurses here are brilliant and very efficient so they checked her over and put her ( and my ) mind at ease.

A wander to the beach and then a meal at night rounded of a good day. Today ( Friday) Fi is feeling back to her normal self thankfully so after a scottish breakfast ( not kidding ) a walk to the other beach was in order, unbelievably a dog tried to nip my ankles , unfortunately for it I had a bike boot in my hand ( Callum had organised a repair for a broken zip ) so it got a dunt in the heid! 

Tomorrow we head North, a bit behind schedule but that's life on the road, we will just keep on keeping on ! And once again Thanks to Callum for all his help and generosity. 

On the ferry 

another Ferry 

One beach

it was a bit rainy 

my new pals 

modern town

these guys were drinking Hooch, I refused 

although he tried to make me , I still politely refused 

the old and the new 

traffic light GP

Big statue 

the other beach, budda on the hill

gone fishing

Blue skies 

whatever 

spotted this guy mending stuff at the side of the road 

What a day

What a day, meeting an old pal from bankfoot,  a morning coffee then looking for somewhere to meet calumn nearby and then the day went to shit, a dog bounded out and bit Fiona on the backside. Within moments we were surrounded by concerned bystanders,  I was trying to organise a taxi to the hospital, meanwhile calumn arrived , eventually the dog owner who was full of apologies organised a taxi to take us all to hospital ( about half an hour away ) so the dog owner and Fiona got admitted to A&E whilst calumn and I waited outside for more than 2 hours while Fi got 4 injections and then we got a taxi back to a cafe to properly catch up.

What a day so far! Our plans have changed because Fi has 4 more hospital appointments over the next 4 weeks, Vietnam Hospital tour right enough. 

The people are.so amazing we can't thank them enough . The lady who's dog bit Fiona paid the bill for the taxi and the initial hospital treatment then asked is to have dinner with them, we politely refused . Its at time like these you realise you are on your own people thousands of miles away cant help so we are  reliant on strangers,  that's travelling,  thanks to aĺl the locals and Calumn for moral support , it was appreciated!

keeping the red flag flying high

our saviors who were all on their way to work and who took time to help us,  especially the lady who had the seats on the back of her bike who provider a stool for fiona to rest on !

and great to meet Calumn who was a great help, hadn't seen him for over 30 years but he certainly came through today.

Trying to catch the chaos but failed 

and again