Jan 22. 16:30 hours
Great riding day, best so far. Usual heat but the roads were mostly rural (until the end of the day). Another 50 mile plus day as a loop out of Chou Doc to the Cambodian border area and return. Some hills, not too high, nice break from the flats.
Today is the story of butts, smells, service and rural roads.
Yesterday went to the pharmacy and got large, mentholated antibiotic bandages (bandaid type but stickier). Felt very cool on my butt. The wore two pair of bike shorts – both padded. Then sat on my newly padded bike seat (see section on Service) and found that I could ride most of the day focused on the road and scenery and not the pain in the butt. Welcome change.
I will try and bring some of these bandages home, quite interesting and good.
Service:
The service level of the three staff has been outstanding, and then even better. I suggested finding a mattress store to look for some extra padding to stuff into my shorts. They said wait. Last evening they showed me my bike. Thought that they had purchased a new bike seat. Nope. The went to a Honda shop (all motor bikes are called Hondas) had then put on two layers of foam and then hand sew a cover over the foam to make what looks like a new seat. Mine is, of course, located below.
The two layers foam plus the two layers of bike shorts and the bandages did the trick, or at least a long way towards the full trick.
The service was done not only well and without fuss but with respect for my age.
Oh… The total cost was 30000 dong, about $1.80
The ride today was mostly along the water. Reminded me of the ride along the big muddy (Missouri River). Calm, nice people, more rural with much larger homes.
The variety of smells. Yes, and most are not readlily know by me. Sweet, sour, fire, cooking, food, animals, river, decay and on and on. As people live on and in the river they cook and clean and use both the banks and the house fronts and of course the river.
Lunch shops goodies as picture.
Had eel yesterday and naturally they remembered how much I like it with chillis and lemmon grass; it was added to the menu today.
Tomorrow morning my time I take a boat to Can Tho and then a ride back to Saigon. One day intermettzo before my 'home vist'
I suspect that the ride we did today and earlier days could not be done in a few years. Already too many motor bikes for the 1.5 lane wide roads. As cars become more prevalent it will not be possible to have space, breath the air or navigate safely – barely safe now but generally ok if one stays alert.
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