Vietnam – Motorcycle tour: crossing Vietnam in Honda Win – Episode 6: solo trip

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Motorcycle tour: crossing Vietnam in Honda Win

Vietnam - Motorcycle tour: crossing Vietnam in Honda Win - Episode 6: solo trip

Enora, biker and yoga teacher in Paris, wanted a break. Deciding to live her dreams rather than dream her life, she sells her apartment to embark on a “ limitless ” journey and tells us about her crossing of Vietnam on a Honda Win 110 cc.

Episode 6: solo journey

The rest of the trip, I frame it on these few points: no more than 200 km per day, no night driving, stop at any time (to take a picture, breathe, drink a coffee, look at life around from me …) and find a room facing the sea (high up if possible to admire the sunrise).

Shavasana on the beach

I have a little ritual that takes place when I arrive in a city: go directly to the beach, just to look at the sea in the distance, then lie down full length on the sand and perfect my corpse posture (shavasana, well known in yoga to recover at the end of the class or simply totally relax your body, relax the mind …).

On the occasion of my beach breaks, there is also the ritual of young Vietnamese students (girls, boys) who come to me to ask me to speak English together. It’s funny, I who constantly underestimate myself with regard to my language skills, I find myself "teaching"! I would even have the opportunity to intervene during an English class! An extraordinary experience that gives me confidence !

And then there are those laughs, those amused looks when I stop at a roadside cafe. Some even dare to touch my skin and recommend that I cover myself more so as not to burn my arms, touch my hair (yes, very blond!).

I read in their eyes (because they don’t speak a word of English and I can’t learn Vietnamese well!) Of astonishment. On several occasions, in fact, I have the opportunity to realize that it is a rather daring – even crazy – trip and a symbol of independence, in total opposition to what the locals experience here..

By questioning them, I learn that for the most part they have never traveled more than 100 km around and in fact know very little about Vietnam. As for driving alone, moreover a girl, on a motorcycle! It’s just unthinkable! Here, it’s a scooter for four or the bus to reach the nearest town.

I also discover a lot of support, encouragement and every time I leave a city, I feel my sensitivity on edge.

On the practical side, I am lucky not to encounter any serious problems on the road. I did have my tires punctured but each time I arrived in town when the tire deflated completely. A trip to the garage, a few euros and voila, on the road again !

I also got "lost" once and found myself in the middle of the countryside on small dirt roads … Fun experience! But in the end, we are never really lost in this country, there are always locals around to show you the main road..

Finally, for the whole second part of my trip, I think the photos will speak more than my words. And then I encourage everyone to build their own journey according to what they are looking for and want to discover, see, feel…

For my part, I had a great need for solitude, to take a bath in nature, to let myself be intoxicated by driving, the long flat roads on which I can bomb or the mountain roads where I let myself be swayed, sometimes without hands to spice it up !

Resell the bike … or not ?

The trip ends in Ho Chi Minh, it’s time to sell the bike ……

I land in the lively district of the city, famous for travelers, crowded with travel agencies and scooters, motorcycles for sale or for rent. Resale is not going to be easy, on the one hand because it is low season (more motorcycles than travelers looking for) and on the other hand, I quickly realize that my motorcycle is in much worse condition than the others (apparently, because it is only the painting that has become a little crossed out over time).

It will therefore be necessary to appeal to my qualities as a street vendor, to alpagate the traveler and then above all to lower my price (from $ 250, purchase price, I would go down to $ 200).

I will first meet two young Australians. They’re on the verge of buying two crappy scooters. First by support between backpackers, I gently guide them towards the Honda Win (the scooter is for the city, period!). I sell them the merits of this charming bike, its ease of driving, its resistance, its 7-liter tank allowing it to run for nearly 300 km, the luggage rack in the rear etc., etc. and offers them to try mine !

I let them think, they are a little stressed, in a hurry by the owner of their guesthouse who wants to sell them his scooters. So I decided to make my life and discover the city, to go to the war museum in particular, and I will take the lead later on the sale of my motorcycle..

I have the time…

In the evening, when I return to my guesthouse, I see them and understand that they have finally decided to buy a motorbike … and that they have bought that of one of my roommates! The sale went right under my nose !

First I curse myself for not having been present and then after I put things into perspective, good for him, he takes off tomorrow morning and I have time !

The idea will come to me to continue driving, to discover the end of the end of Vietnam and even reach Cambodia with my motorcycle! It seems "risky", opinions differ on blogs, I may encounter problems at the border, and conversely some have passed the motorbike without incident…

After a good night’s sleep, I decide that I will do this: try the adventure to Cambodia! I am happy, ambitious when I open my emails and receive a message from a friend of a friend: "I arrive today in Ho Chi Minh, I learned that you are selling your motorcycle, I am very interested and wishes to leave the next day ". Well … I torture my brains a bit and end up selling him the bike. It will be $ 200 to go and discover Cambodia … quietly installed in a bus !

Living your dreams !

To conclude this Vietnamese adventure, I could only encourage those who wish to experience a roadtrip in this country to do so. I confirm: it’s safe, there are garages everywhere and the prices are really very low.

And then, like everywhere in the world, you will meet people, more or less welcoming, you will live more or less difficult moments, the weather will be there or not … In short, living your dreams is for me one of the most beautiful projects that can exist in life and which opens unimaginable doors.

I took this risk, I remained aware and safe and I am happy to have discovered so much life, emotions, pleasure and desire deep within me … Whatever the destination: the road is long, the road is beautiful, it is a symbol of freedom.

ENORA

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