Enjoying Vietnam, friendly people, lots of road side activity

The cycle touring is enjoyable in a sadistic sort of way, cold weather - a high of 20c today - cold compared to southern Vietnam - much more tropical and hot

Today was good, 140km - small headwind, no rain, yehooooo - all the mud/rain has worn out the bike chain - so progress a little slow - 8 hours of gears going crunch/chainslip/clack/chainslip/crunch - very painful - got here & semi repaired at a local bike shop - 2 more days to Hanoi now and will get some rest for sight-seeing - Peter, Gavin & Keith are continuing the tour through china to Hong Kong - very unchartered territory and 1500km.

Todays highlights - 2 offers of marriage - Vietnamese cyclist joins us - actually she held onto to my shirt and massaged my shoulder as we cycled along - Peter enjoyed it too. Another 500 people shouting hello, 100 shouting 'where you going, what is your country' - 1000 hand waves - 100 giggles at our lycra shorts which do look out of place here - zero drops of rain - zero postcards sent, oops - 100 roadside accidents waiting to happen, but don't - 10 road intersections like the red arrows missing each other

Great hotel last night, brilliant view of chaotic street activity, hot shower and a carpet, luxury. Met a lovely lady, but had to say goodbye as we are moving so fast, only spend evenings in the town, moving on the next day

Hope Santa bought you lots of goodies, you had a happy new year and are getting over your hangovers.