This small temple in Ninh Binh was the only structure for miles in either direction
An old man wanders Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s ancient capital
Cycling around Tam Coc province
On the way to Galaxy Grotto, an amazing underground river in Ninh Binh
Working the fields of Thanh Hoa
A Thanh Hoa riverbend
I’ve never received more waves and smiles than when I was riding through Vietnam
A fun little spot on the Phong Nha loop
My Vietnamese mount, Hana, striking a pose on a bridge on the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng loop
Most of the Phong Nha loop is dense, wild jungle — which Côn River cuts right through
More loop jungle
The Khe Sanh battlefield is a quiet, sober, haunting place — especially when you remember it’s as much graveyard as tourist attraction
Swords to plowshares
I should probably just make a series of Old Asians Walking on Remote Roadsides already
The abandoned Ho Thuy Tien water park, outside Hue, is everything you’d want an abandoned waterpark to be
Another stunning valley, this one somewhere between Đà Lạt and Phú Thủy
Saigon street traffic
Hanoi to Saigon
08 Nov 2016 — 03 Dec 2016
Amazing as it was, my Philippine road trip was just a dry run for the bigger ride I had been planning from the start: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh.
And so, a month after returning from the Cebu-Manila loop in one piece, I was on a plane to Hanoi. I bought a motorcycle, met up with two guys from Couchsurfing, and we set off on a 1500km ride (like ya do).
The three weeks that followed were a revelation. I knew next to nothing about Vietnam going in, and every turn brought a stunning tableau, every day a new adventure. It was a brief three weeks, but one packed with shenanigans and bonds with people I’d remain in touch with (and occasionally see) for years to come.
