We’re up with the sun and quickly get ready. Today’s our biggest day with a climb over 4700 m so we have little time to waste. After complaining about the lack of Tibetan food for breakfast, feasting on dumplings instead and adding a pumping our tyres up properly, we roll down the steep hill and leave this dump behind.

Tower-like Tibetan structure
Tower-like Tibetan structure

The day starts with a long gentle incline and for the first time this trip, we are able to cruise at around 20 km/h. Following the river upstream, a small hamlet with oinking black pigs in all formats and sizes marks the beginning of the long climb. We decide on a steady 7 km/h to climb the mountain, something which initially works out but after a while proves impossible to maintain. So we stick to our own tempo.

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This section from Hue to Lang Co is the thirteenth 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.

Our bikes were set to arrive at 8 am so we happily snooze until 9. After all, we don’t expect any Vietnamese trains to be on time. When we reach the station at 10, there’s still no sign of any trains and the hustlers are still napping in their rickshaws, hotel and tour brochurs in hand. We head to a nearby vegetarian restaurant and join a couple of robed monks for a late breakfast. You need someone like Tu to find out that there are different menus with different prices – but breakfast tastes good and prepares us for the coming ride.

Thuan An beach, left fairly untouched by typhoon Haiyan
Thuan An beach, left fairly untouched by typhoon Haiyan

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