Activities,  Motorbiking,  Vietnam

Day 1 – Easy Riding from Dalat to Lak Lake

We’ve now finished our six day tour from Dalat to Hoi An with an Easy Rider guide. Lionel rode his own bike while I rode on the back of our guide, Xuan’s bike. Amazing experience with lots of cool stops along the way.

In the morning Xuan rocked up to our hotel and then expertly strapped our bags to his bike.  He gave Lionel a quick rundown on the other bike and then took off - Lionel just had to catch up!
In the morning Xuan rocked up to our hotel and then expertly strapped our bags to his bike. He gave Lionel a quick rundown on the other bike and then took off – Lionel just had to catch up!
First stop was a quick look at a Cao Dai Temple.  A religion based on a mixture of Buddism, Christianity & Hinduism.
First stop was a quick look at a Cao Dai Temple. A religion based on a mixture of Buddism, Christianity & Hinduism.

 

Cao Dai Temple
Cao Dai Temple

 

Lionel riding
Lionel riding

 

Lionel & Xuan at a flower garden
Lionel & Xuan at a flower garden

 

Cows on the road
Cows on the road

 

Lionel passing some kids
Lionel passing some kids

 

On the road with our bikes
On the road with our bikes

 

Beautiful Dalat
Beautiful Dalat

 

Xuan explaining something to Lionel
Xuan explaining something to Lionel

 

Rice Wine being distilled - I had half a shot and was reeling for the next 30 minutes. Lethal.
Rice Wine being distilled – I had half a shot and was reeling for the next 30 minutes. Lethal.

 

Weasel Poo - otherwise known as coffee beans
Weasel Poo – otherwise known as coffee beans

 

One of the weasels.  Probably knackered from eating and then excreting coffee beans.
One of the weasels. Probably knackered from eating and then excreting coffee beans.

 

Weasel Poo Coffee- expensive at 50,000 Dong compared to a Vietnamese coffee at 10,000 Dong
Weasel Poo Coffee- expensive at 50,000 Dong compared to a Vietnamese coffee at 10,000 Dong

 

Snack Liquor - there's a hand in there.  What snake has a hand????
Snake Liquor – there’s a hand in there. What snake has a hand????

 

Snake Wine
Snake Wine
Some lovely silkworms
Some lovely silkworms
800 meters of silk will come from ONE cocoon.  That's a whole lotta silk.
800 meters of silk will come from ONE cocoon. That’s a whole lotta silk.

 

Silkworm cocoons being boiled and then sorted
Silkworm cocoons being boiled and then sorted

 

Me with silky white hair
Me with silky white hair

 

Elephant Falls
Elephant Falls

 

Lionel riding around a corner
Lionel riding around a corner

 

Lunch with Xuan.  At every meal he would organise our forks, spoons and chopsticks.  He would also put food in our bowls.  Pretty fatherly!
Lunch with Xuan. At every meal he would organise our forks, spoons and chopsticks. He would also put food in our bowls. Pretty fatherly!

 

The 1st Day on the roads was the busiest with other Easy Riders, with most people either doing a day trip around Dalat or heading to Nha Trang.  This was clearly the lunch place for Easy Riders!
The 1st Day on the roads was the busiest with other Easy Riders, with most people either doing a day trip around Dalat or heading to Nha Trang. This was clearly the lunch place for Easy Riders!

We did a bit of a loop around Dalat which was good as we hadn’t seen anything around Dalat in the previous two days on account of me throwing up from food poisoning.  It was a very popular route with other Easy Riders and we kept bumping into the same tourists at every stop.  After lunch however, we headed out of Dalat and onto Lak Lake which was to be our first overnight stop.

 

Lionel with his bike
Lionel with his bike

 

A view from above
A view from above
Rocky Road - in order to bypass the rain, Xuan took us on a detour.  This road was crazy bad but pretty fun to ride.  At times we had to go over rocks like these!
Rocky Road – in order to bypass the rain, Xuan took us on a detour. This road was crazy bad but pretty fun to ride. At times we had to go over rocks like these!

 

Xuan stopped at a small village, and handed a bag of sweets to a mother.  This little girl wandered over to us and wouldn't stop smiling!
Xuan stopped at a small village, and handed a bag of sweets to a mother. This little girl wandered over to us and wouldn’t stop smiling!

 

 

Xuan probably thinking 'what have I done' agreeing to ride with us.
Xuan probably thinking ‘what have I done’ agreeing to ride with us.

 

We suddenly stopped by a house on the main road, and Xuan led us inside the family's home to show us their silkworm farm.
We suddenly stopped by a house on the main road, and Xuan led us inside the family’s home to show us their silkworm farm.

 

A motorcyclist on the bamboo bridge
A motorcyclist on the bamboo bridge

 

I didn't like being on this bridge
I didn’t like being on this bridge

 

I mean, look at it!
I mean, look at it!

 

Silkworm Cocoons - another sudden stop by Xuan to show us a family who had silkworm cocoons by the side of the road.
Silkworm Cocoons – another sudden stop by Xuan to show us a family who had silkworm cocoons by the side of the road.

 

Then the rain started.  We stopped by the side of the road to get our wet weather gear on.
Then the rain started. We stopped by the side of the road to get our wet weather gear on.

 

A small fishing village
A small fishing village

 

Son & Daughter of Anarchy
Son & Daughter of Anarchy

 

Xuan explained that these were minority workers heading home after a day in the fields.
Xuan explained that these were minority workers heading home after a day in the fields.

 

Lionel on the road
Lionel on the road

 

Water Buffalo staring us down
Water Buffalo staring us down

 

Riding into Lak Lake town
Riding into Lak Lake town

 

180kms later. We made it alive on our first day!
180kms later. We made it alive on our first day!

 

 

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