Vietnam, Part 4: On the Road

So, how would I get to Hoi An, my next destination??? Train? Plane? Bus? Private transfer? A fellow traveler tipped me off onto an even better option! The people you meet, the conversations you have and the tips that you get from fellow travelers are some of my favorite things about traveling.

And so I found the motorcycle tour company, Le Family Riders, that would not only drive me there, but stop to see sights along the way. They were friendly, organized and experienced. I strongly recommend that you use them if you visit the area!

I was picked up at my hotel early in the morning. We drove out of town, stopping for pictures and eventually for coffee. It was a cloudy day, but I was glad for the overcast skies because I was worried about burning since I knew I'd be outside most of the day.

A deceiving photo... I never actually drove this thing. ;)

At a traditional Vietnamese breakfast spot, I met up with other travelers in my group. We went on to visit a local fishing village.

Cloudy and windy, but not cold!

After the second stop we turned off of the main road, for a detour and another stop, curving up to a secret swimming spot. Most of the visitors were Vietnamese and they hung out under shelter, socializing and drinking beer. We decided that we had to take a dip in the water and try out the natural water slide.

A stop at natural pools and waterslides

After our dip in the pools, it was time to head towards lunch, which would be on a floating restaurant. 

A view back at the town towards the floating restaurant where we had a seafood lunch feast.

Next, it was time to go up and over the mountains, pass through Da Nang and arrive in Hoi An. Here is a video of us cruising up the hill! Mom, please note that helmets were worn the entire time. 

I guess this road is a famous twisty and turny uphill climb and has been featured in shows like Top Gear. It's a popular spot for locals to come and take photos. We saw several wedding photo shoots taking place as we climbed upwards. 

Cheese!

Looking back through the mist from the top.

These teens were playing in the wind and taking selfies - too cute!

View of the coast - the sun did begin to peek out.

Selfie on the back of my ride

Our last stop was the temple on top of Marble Mountain. A lot of the marble used to make decorations and religious statues comes from this mountain and there is a beautiful temple on the top. We left our drivers and bikes below as we whizzed to the top of the mountain in a glass elevator. From there we had some time so we explored the many nooks and caves, took pictures of the coastal views around (it is near Da Nang) and then descended via the stairs.

Winding around the different prayer spots

Garden and Buddha

Steps leading to the very tippy top of the mountain

And the view from the top!

Hi Mom! These marble statues look like Tarzi! ;)

Eventually a very long day ended at my hotel in Hoi An. Stay tuned for the last chapter in my series on Vietnam! (It probably won't be next week... we are on fall break and I will be in Thailand, where blogger doesn't work.)

I just finished reading:

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood - I think this is her newest novel and it is the first Atwood I have read. I liked it. It did get weirder than I thought it would at first, but it was pretty engrossing and definitely creative. I'm looking forward to discussing it at book club later this month.

Human Dark with Sugar by Brenda Shaughnessy - I don't read a lot of poetry, but Y recommended this book to me and Shaughnessy is amazing. It's definitely a book of poems that I will go back to.

And what I am really excited to listen to:

One of my favorite artists, Conor Oberst, is releasing a new record. You can hear it and read an article from NPR here.