motorcycle diaries (route 19)

In and around Quy Nhon we found some of the better preserved Cham temples. With few tourists at these sites, this was the perfect opportunity for me to practice my jumping photo.


Finally ending our three day game of chicken on Route 1 we turned west on to Route 19 to head into the central highlands. The road was a little tamer and trucks could only barrel past us on the downhill portions. As we wound our way through the mountains along the An Khe Pass we enjoyed the more relaxed pace and the beautiful view.

Ari, backpack and our Honda Wave

Surprisingly once we learned the Vietnamese words for guesthouse and hotel, we found that even the smallest of towns had at least two or three options. Even more surprising is that almost every guesthouse has wifi. When we stopped in An Khe (population approximately 63,000) we were pretty excited about our CLEAN $5 room that included wifi, satellite TV, private bathroom, and even hot shower.

The next day we took the short ride to Pleiku, where we planned to meet Fran and Fil (friends we had met in Laos) and ride north together along the Ho Chi Minh trail. Arriving a day earlier than them, we spent the afternoon navigating the city and finding local food. The next morning while we waited for them to arrive, we rode out of the city to a nearby volcanic lake. The beach was littered with dead fish - clearly the perfect spot for Ari to have one more go at fishing...