Day 10 - Ride over the Hai Van Pass and on to Hue

We cycled 80 km (49 miles) to Huế the previous capital prior to Ho Chi Minh re-establishing the capital back in Hanoi in 1945.

We ascended the biggest climb of the trip, a 580m ascent, the Hai Van Pass...

...the 'Pass of the Ocean Clouds'!

Misty mountain.

Scars from previous conflict.

Time for coconut!

We avoided durian fruit as its really smelly. I mean really, really smelly.

Food writer, Richard Sterling has wrote “its odour is best described as…turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym socks." 

This Mum was keen to photograph me with her son and was keen to pose. Son seemed acceptingly bored!

We then a very soggy descent.

More oyster and clam farms.

Lunch over the water...

...under brooding skies.

After our descent, the rain cleared and we had a flat ride passing innumerable mausoleums.

Such buildings would cost more than a house.

Each of these buildings would hold the remains of ancestors, dating back multiple generations.

And more paddy of course.

The cycle into Huế was, as expected, an experience!

Traffic behaves like a thick viscous fluid, filling every nook and cranny, constantly oozing and surging forwards to fill empty space.

We say farewell to most of our crew...

...Tung (our group leader), Thang (bus driver - impeccably clean bus) , Ly (cycle mechanic - superfit!) and Truong (drove truck with bikes and fine smiles). 

...except Tung who joined us until the end.

Really nice hotel, ready for our visit to the Forbidden Palace in the morning.

Day 9

Day 11