Vietnam~ Day 5- Around Ninh Binh

View of Tam Coc from the mountain temple

It rained through the night and has yet to stop. But I have a short memory and can't bear sitting in this 'The Shining' -esque hotel restaurant any longer.

Vietnam~ Day 4- A Lovely Drive to Ninh Binh

This view of rugged karst peaks in Ninh Binh was worth the ride

"I keep smoking cigs just to keep fire in my hand."
 Bitter cold and driving rain in surprising 10 °C temps had me netting 93 K in just over three hours.

Vietnam~ Day 3- Great Expectations

" Got the bike. Today will be magnificent."
That was written during a brief pause in the excited frenzy of packing up my bag and finally leaving Hanoi.
 Returning that evening to the hotel I had checked out from 5 hours earlier, defeated and soaked, was not magnificent at all.

Vietnam~ Day 2 - Hanoi

 Hanoi has these 'bia hoi' stalls-- corners packed with kindergarten sized tables and stools that spill further and further out into the street as the night carries on.

Vietnam~Day 1- Hanoi

Hanoi is cold. Doubled up on t-shirts in the dingy airport bathroom before settling into a surly cabbie's busted up ride.