The First Seventy Years: 128 - And Now Vietnam
World-traveller Eric Biddulph began the new millenium with a long bike ride in Vietnam.
Eric’s book The First Seventy Years can be obtained for £10 by contacting http://mary@bike2.wanadoo.co.uk or telephoning 01484-658175.
All the cash raised by the book goes to a water aid project in Malawi.
The summer of 1998 saw me turning in some credible time trial performances. My American riding had given me a good level of fitness. I continued to ride with Mary and friends throughout the remainder of 1998 and into 1999. A journey on the European Bike Express down to Orange in France followed by a tour through the Tarn Gorge region and on to the Beresford's in Martissan brought the millennium to a close.
Soon after the Millennium Celebrations had finished I was busy preparing for my most ambitious cycling expedition yet. Three major tours were planned as part of a round-the-world trip. The first leg I would undertake on my own over four weeks. A tour of Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.
Flying Cathy Pacific to Hong Kong I boarded a Vietnam Airlines flight to Hanoi. I found myself in a fascinating old colonial city with plenty of evidence of the French presence. Parks, buildings and street layout all giving the impression of a neglected corner of France. I trekked across town to visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum only to discover that his body had been transported to Moscow for its annual refurbishment.
All the bridges in the city had been destroyed by American bombing but they had all been rebuilt since liberation in 1975. A trip to the world famous Water Puppet Theatre proved to be an enchanting evening's entertainment. An orchestra accompanying the artists as they put their puppets through their paces over and under the water. I learned that the puppeteers had to be protected against long periods of exposure to water.
A two days visit to Halong Bay, A UN Heritage Site, some 100 Km towards the China border provided another worthwhile experience. Hundreds of rock formations are scattered throughout the Bay. There was a long boat tour through the maze of rocks protruding out of the water. Some of them could be visited; the largest Cat Ba Island, providing overnight accommodation. There were many people living on houseboats anchored in the Bay. I wondered about the dog I had seen running up and down the batons which provided the basic structure of this marine accommodation. Did he, or was it a she, get any exercise on terra firma?
Returning to Hanoi I spent time exploring the nooks and crannies of the city. The pavements were largely given over to stallholders, parked bikes and motorbikes; pedestrians spending most of their time in the road. I had to learn the art of crossing the many wide roads, a legacy of French colonialism. Walk slowly; step into the road; leave the riders of two wheeled vehicles to make the decision whether to ride in front or behind me. By the end of the fourth week my skill had been perfected.
