Vietnam Top Gear tour
Back in 2008, the gang from Top Gear released their Vietnam special - the guys bought some old, under powered motorbikes and rode from one end of the country to the other.
Since I first saw that episode, I knew I had to do the same tour myself. It took nearly 20 years to happen but I finally did it. It was a hell of an adventure and I'm exausted now that I'm home but it was so worth it.
The ride started in Hoi An, in central Vietnam and headed up through the mountains for 10 days to finally end in Hanoi in the north. Thanks to @vietnammotorbiketoursVMT for bringing this all together and for the amazing team that we had with us.
Day one: Hoi An.
Hoi An really is a city of two personalities - of an afternoon, as the sun sets, the tourists pour in and the river boats and floating lanterns come out. The markets, bars and restaurants open and the noise level starts to increase. Every purchase is a haggle and the locals revel in the game with the tourists.
Then, with all the tourists asleep back at their hotels, the mornings are calm and peaceful. Its time to sit with the local women for a (strong) cup of Vietnamese coffee or chat with the men as they prepare to head out fishing for the day - the tourist boats returning to their original purpose for a few hours. The language barrier is nothing that can't be solved with a smile or a hand gesture and the people are truly welcoming and warm.
We then go to choose our bikes and, fresh-faces and naive headed out for our first taste of Vietnam traffic and riding on the "wrong" side of the road. We had no idea of the adventures, excitment and drama that lay ahead of us.
Comments