Last night we learned that Marie’s mother passed away. The group decided to go directly to Hanoi instead of continuing with more biking.
We crossed the border from Laos to Vietnam this morning. We have never had our passports and visas so scrutinized. Probably very few people with visas cross at that point so the government officials give their full attention to people like us.
It was about an 8 hour drive in the van to Hanoi. The first 3 hours the road was terrible. Then we got on the new road that follows the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The road was improved but the traffic got worse and worse the closer we got to Hanoi.
Interestingly, things seemed to really change after crossing the border. The weather in Laos was clear and dry the entire time we were there. There was a limited amount of rice farming and it was only done in areas that could be irrigated. It was cool at night but then the morning fog would burn off and it would be hot (but not oppressive).
In Vietnam it was cool, rainy and wet. The vegetation obviously had been getting more moisture. The bamboo was humungous and a lot was being harvested. After getting out of the highlands there were endless rice paddies that were covered with water. We saw many workers in the paddies planting the crop. (Talk about difficult, dirty, back-breaking work. . .)
It seemed really strange to see such a change. I’d like to know more about it. Maybe it’s something like Oregon when you get out of the mountains and it immediately changes to desert.
Tonight we are in Hanoi and I am trying to see if we can get out a day earlier than planned. Right now it’s not looking good. Maybe if I can talk to a human being in the morning I can get something done.
Our hotel, the Silk Path, in Hanoi. It’s heartwarming to see that the billions of dollars and 58,000+ American lives wasted on the “American War” saved Vietnam from “Communism” and made it safe for luxury hotels and karaoke. Who knows what would have happened if the Americans had won? Hint: There would still be guerilla attacks and the place would be unsafe for Westerners to travel (kind of like Iraq).