Cycling in Vietnam, crossing the Mekong Delta: An Binh to Long Xuyen

I awoke to the sounds of countless cockerels in the gardens of the homestay. Breakfast was an absolute delight, with delicious bread, passion fruit, watermelon, tea, coffee, an omelette, and some spongiform translucent cupcake shaped local delicacy. To the latter I tried one but passed on the remaining four. I was sad to be leaving the Nam Thamh Homestay, my stay there had been delightful and extremely relaxing.

The plan was to follow the main road northwest for a few miles to Sa Dec, then hopefully take a less busy road running alongside.

It was just becoming light as I left my hotel at 06:00. This was definitely the best time to cycle, with a little less traffic and far cooler. I passed an ironic sign.

There were some comedy loads in and around Sa Dec (and I thought I was carrying a lot!)

Before long I had reached my turn off the main road. I was thrilled to see an arched road over a bridge.

Over the other side, a man sat in a shack having his hair cut.

This was more like it!!! I was back on the rural roads of Vietnam. The occasional scooter ad children on bicycles passed, looking on with complete bemusement at the foreigner on his massive bike.

I stopped to photo a bike with a mystery box on the back. I thought at first that the liquid leaking from the bottom of the box was red diesel, but realised that it was in fact blood. Something was dead or dying in the back.

I stopped to admire an elderly man carve a magnificent boat with medieval looking tools.

The boat itself was beautiful, with each rib forming a perfect symmetry along the vessel.

I’d soon reached the turn-off back onto the main road, and for the final mile or so to the ferry over the Long Xuyen.

I passed through the bustling town centre and made my way to my hotel for the evening, not before stopping for a look in the bizarrely-themed “Toilet Crazy” cafe.

Inside was crazy…