Tensions in the South China Sea mount over an oil rig in disputed waters. Recent enforcement of territorial claims are likely to disturb peace and stability in the region, cause domestic trouble in Vietnam, and sour China’s relations with ASEAN members and the US.

On 14 May 2014, Vietnamese protesters vented their anger at China’s claims to contended territorial waters and its recent enforcement of those claims by defending the construction of a Chinese oil rig (the Haiyang Shiyou 981), destined to drill a mere 120 km off Vietnam’s shore. Over 20,000 rioters vandalised factories in Binh Duong province, Vietnam’s industrial heartland just outside Ho Chi Minh City. The mob attacked anything with Chinese script on it, but ended up also damaging many Taiwanese and Korean properties. Several Chinese workers were killed in the tumult, up to 21 according to some sources. Chinese citizens react outraged.

All anti-Vietnamese protesters in Kunming
All of the anti-Vietnamese protesters in Kunming on 18 May

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Provided you are eligible for a Vietnamese visa, you can get a same-day Vietnamese visa at Hekou 河口, the Chinese border crossing with Vietnam’s Lào Cai 老街 (allowing access Hanoi by train or to Sapa by bus). It is easy and quick, although possibly not entirely legal. Below is how you do it, why to do it and what the risks are.

Vietnamese visa
Vietnamese visa

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This section from Saigon to Bavet is the twenty-ninth instalment of my bicycle ride from Yunnan to Cambodia – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Finally, the big day breaks. The visa time’s up, we’re well rested and we’re going to Cambodia! A country I’ve heard much good about but haven’t been able to visit, despite coming very close a couple of times on my trips. We don’t know what to expect. And when the senses are devoid of impulses, the brain makes up its own chatter and noise. Here’s the product of the fantasies running amok in the fragile shells that bob around on our shoulders:

A nap during the hottest hour of the day
A nap during the hottest hour of the day. Picture doesn’t follow the text.

Cambodia’s a mix between Thailand and Vietnam with a little Lao poverty tossed in. It’s flat and hot but food is great, much like food in the Mekong delta is awesome. Also, because of the poverty, it’s a relatively cheap place, but some inflation and corruption certainly make for elevated prices. Yet they do not exceed the prices of Vietnam’s megacities, where a nourishing noodle soup costs $ 1.5 and freshly pressed juice goes for $ 0.75. The people, not belonging to the strain known as homo Sinensis, are less competitive and scheming than the Vietnamese, and rather friendly if a bit resigned as to their lot.

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This section about Saigon is the twenty-eighth instalment of my bicycle ride from Yunnan to Cambodia – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Let’s make this one a photo blog, because we really didn’t do that much in Saigon. What we did do, is meet up with Rene, a long-time Belgian expat in Vietnam with a wife, kids and a travel company. We also met Carl-Ingvar, a Swedish friend from my time in Berlin and with Ai Huynh, one of the first Vietnamese people I became acquainted with during my warmup trip in the Mekong delta in March 2011.

Boat in Saigon's harbour
Boat in Saigon’s harbour

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This section from Vung Tau to Sai Gon is the twenty-seventh instalment of my bicycle ride from Yunnan to Cambodia – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Getting into our out of a major city always requires some planning. Last time, I left Saigon by looping out through the south, avoiding the spaghetti of roads on all other ends. This time, we will choose to come in from the south again.

The options are legion: direct fast ferry to Saigon. 250.000 VND pp and 50.000 VND per bike. Too expensive, too fast, too modern. Another option is a ferry to My Tho (apparently, according to another crazy guy). A lot cheaper, but My Tho is 100 km away from Saigon. Too far. A ferry to Co Gong is another option, but then you kind of have to take the dusty QL50 into town.

Boats in the harbour
Boats in the harbour

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This section from La Gi to Vung Tau is the twenty-sixth instalment of my bicycle ride from Yunnan to Cambodia – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

We get up at 5.30, snooze until 5.40 and then begin our drowsy ritual of packing. After a breakfast of oddly sweet pho – the worst we’ve had – we’re on the road by 6.50. We hope to avoid the heat this way but it’s already disgustingly hot out.

We want to get to the metropolitan area of two major cities called Vung Tau-Ba Ria, located on a peninsula on the east side of Saigon’s port channel. We’re in for a 100 km ride today, or a bit less if we follow the main road all the way.

Fellow riders
Fellow riders

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This section from Phan Thiet to La Gi is the twenty-fifth instalment of my bicycle ride from Yunnan to Cambodia – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Bit of a late start today. Nine by the time we’re out of bed and at 10 we’re still eating lady fingers (some sort of long, pointy bean) and drinking beer at the cold beer place across the road.

By the time we’ve said goodbye to Jean-Paul, a Dutch military man with a few months off and a cheap city bike of questionable quality, it’s almost 11. No problem, I think. We’ve planned eighty-something kilometres but my degenerating brain thought there were only 70.

Jean-Paul getting his unusual touring ride ready
Jean-Paul getting his unusual touring ride ready

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This section about Phan Thiet is the twenty-fourth instalment of my bicycle ride from Yunnan to Cambodia – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Nothing really happened and I didn’t take any interesting pictures. Here’s what we wanted to do: see the red sand dunes, swim in the sea, explore the city, get a massage. Here’s what we did: get a massage, drink beer.

Funny anecdote: apart from Katya, Mirek, Tu and I, there was another Dutch riding couple in the hotel and by the evening another Dutchman who had just two days on the clock checked in.

Phan Thiet harbour
Phan Thiet harbour

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This section from Di Linh to Phan Thiet is the twenty-third instalment of my bicycle ride from Yunnan to Cambodia – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

Di Linh in the morning
Di Linh from our hotel window

We are woken by the sunlight peering through our curtains. I had chosen this hotel because of its excellent view over the valley behind Di Linh and with this morning sun drenching the fields and mountains in white gold, I’m even happier with my choice.

Katya and Mirek are also awake but since managing vegetarian food is becoming increasingly difficult, we each find our own food. Given the freedom of choice, we try something entirely new for me: Hu Tieu, a kind of goulash-like noodle soup. The beef inside is stewed to the point of falling apart and is very tasty. We load up on a few litres of water blended with tea drinks and then set off. Our two riding companions are still loading up, but we’re sure we’ll see them on the way. (more…)

This section from Dinh Van to Di Linh is the twenty-second instalment of my bicycle ride from Yunnan to Cambodia – if all goes according to plan. Titled “Slap the Belgian!”, it is simultaneously published on Crazyguyonabike.com, where you’ll find a map with the itinerary and many other bicycle diaries by me and others. I hope you’ll enjoy.

 Tu’s been able to keep her meal down, but today Katya is feeling a little worse so we leave late. With breakfast and chat, it takes us until 11 am to be on the road. No biggie: we’re not looking at a very heavy or long day.

The Tutin's new hat - with air-con holes
The Tutin’s new hat – with air-con holes

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