Day 17. Haiphong. 15.11.24

Day 13 of the cycling tour, 40 kms. 

'Visit center & endangered primate rescue center / Ride back roads , have lunch in Tam Coc and transfer to Haiphong. Overnight in Haiphong.'

We had a really good nights sleep. After breakfast had another poke around the garden. We're not departing until 8am. 

Ready to depart for a 45km ride through the National Park. Glen is now unwell. 

Our first stop was to see the endangered primates at the rescue centre. Some of the primates were injured or orphaned by hunters. Some were saved from pet trading and ones name is Mafia. He was rescue from a big drug dealer on a boat and was addicted to the drugs due to all the fumes. Why are some people so cruel.

Primate food, lots of fruit and vegetables. 

Next we rode up hill to the cave. 

There was a short walk 

Then a short climb

Then a very steep climb up of about 175 stone steps, which had me huffing and puffing. 

Into a deep cave.

And then of course we had to do it all in reverse to get back to the bikes. 

We had another ~11kms to get to the end of our road. It was mostly up hill. We then went exploring on foot to an old tree.

After this we headed downhill for lunch at a scary rate of knots. My top speed was 54 km/hr as I'm a scardy cat and use my breaks. Others were up around the 70 km/hr.

This tree is used for making chopsticks 🥢 

Our ride finished at a restaurant. 45 kms of big uphills and scarily fast downhills. Thankfully not a lot of traffic. 

Mini schnitzels. 

A couple of photos from the bus as we transfer to our hotel. It took almost 5 hours. Traffic moves slowly in Vietnam. 

Dinner was an interesting affair at a restaurant around the corner.

At the counter was a selection of food we wouldn't consider eating. 

Frogs legs and greenery which goes in a soup.

This was my favourite,  beef with vegetables. We also had duck.

Some of us finished the night off with a coffee at Highlands Coffee shop before calling it a night worn out from a wonderful morning on the bike and too long of an afternoon in the bus.

With only 1 cycling day left, I have ridden 395 kms and walked 66 kms.