Day 1060 15th June 2019
43 miles ( Doc pho to thanh tan ) Average speed 9.7 mph
Another great day with a couple of good climbs.
I woke late at 8 and tried to order coffee, but they didn’t have cappuccino in this new coffee bar, so I ended up having a strawberry milkshake and lots of iced tea. I left at 9.20 but couldn’t find breakfast until I had two ban my at a small shop. She did drop one on the floor but didn’t break the 3 second rule so it tasted fine washed down with a revive salted lemon energy drink, as if I needed more salt!
There were salt pans all around me, mixed in with sand dust from the lorries; I would have preferred water! I took on the beach road which was also full of salt and fish farms and there were quite a few ups and downs. I was very hot and thirsty when I had two more energy drinks and a wash from the shop’s tap. Using my cycle shorts as a towel and to clean my chain, I also put my old cycling shoes on the pile to be burnt.
Then it was time for lunch before taking on the two climbs of the day. I had pork with rice and green beans and took on the first hill without stopping. The road was not good enough to enjoy the descent so I was on the brakes all the way down. There was a lovely beach on the other side, but after being asked to join a drunk guy for lunch, I chose another energy drink and lots of ice to take on the next hill.
I didn’t make it all the way up this time, but after a short break I made it to the top.
On the other side were lots of paddy fields and beautiful countryside. The clouds took over from the burning sun and the wind was behind me so I chose to push on while conditions were good. I found a hotel next to a beach and checked in, before having sea snails and a beer on the beach.
A thunderstorm started, so I didn’t bother going for a swim. Instead I had dinner eventually in a beachside restaurant of squid. As I was about to pay and leave I was invited to join four business men for a beer, which turned into 5 or 6, sometimes downed in one, with my new friends.
Only one spoke English but we had a good time.
Hotel. 160000 dong with a beach view, aircon and a fan.