If I was left feeling underwhelmed and perturbed by my stay in Singapore, I was brought crashing back to different sort of reality when I stepped off the 'plane at Hanoi's Noi Bai airport. I was eventually greeted by the transfer driver sent by my hostel, who was a genial man, displaying an extremely toothy grin and treating me to his renditions of Vietnamese pop songs, only just stopping short of forcing me to join in. As he did this while hurtling through gaps which I was sure didn't exist in the dense Hanoi traffic, part of me definitely missed the orderliness of Singapore's roads! The ubiquity of motorcycles reminded me of my own upcoming adventure, with negotiating my way through the city's chaotic traffic at the fore of my mind.
One poster asked in an earlier comment about the ease of securing a motorcycle. My own experience has been very straightforward, to the point that I am now the proud owner of a Honda Win, a local bike with a 110cc, four-stroke engine. Budding motorcyclists have a couple of options when it comes to buying a bike. I chose to buy from a garage, dealing with Clay (more from him in a later post) from Vietnam Motorbikes via e-mail before my arrival in an attempt to save time when I arrived, the result being that I have a fully rebuilt bike and peace of mind, since he supplied me with a few spares and a number of resources to aid me in diagnosing potential problems with my bike. The other option is to buy from another traveller. This can of course work out well and often does, while for the more budget-conscious it is cheaper. Do bear in mind, though, that it may not have been looked after well: for example, I saw a traveller trying to sell a motorcycle to a young lady the other day, a bike which had a gravely buckled front wheel, a serious safety hazard. I tried to advise the girl of the danger but it was in vain, for she bought it and rode away this morning.
My apprehension was palpable once I had taken my bike from the garage, having never ridden a manual bike before and having never dealt with traffic like Hanoi's! My fear of tackling the roads by myself was quickly dispelled when Lee, an employee of Clay's, turned up and escorted me back to my hostel, from where we went on a tour of the city. This was invaluable, for I was able to practise riding the bike safe in the knowledge that experience and help was at hand.
The route which we ended up taking was also very pleasant, for I visited areas of Hanoi which I had not seen before. We focused mainly on the area around Tay Ho Lake, a very beautiful and quiet area. People sip coffee in small cafes close to the water's edge, while myriad men fish from the shores of the lake, with their casts having to be timed perfectly to avoid catching passing motorcyclists.
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| A lakeside cafe. |
The going was surprisingly easy and, provided that you can drive a car competently, I don't envisage many people struggling with riding a motorcycle. The principles are the same as driving a car, with the notable difference being the operation of the clutch with the left hand rather than a foot. The main concern is the behaviour of other motorists, something which is negated with defensive riding and being ready to evade that Vietnamese guy coming directly towards you. After enough experience, riding in the city is simple enough, since you come to understand and predict the behaviour of others. Patience and keeping your wits about you are key.
By this stage I was feeling very confident. I was able to handle the bike easily, not struggling to find gears, with only the occasional stall reminding me of my novice status. It was in such spirits, then, that a celebratory beverage was deserved, with Lee taking us to an absolute gem of a place, the Hoa Vien Brauhaus on Tang Bat Ho. The very reasonably priced beer is brewed on site, in a building paying faithful homage to a German beer hall, and comes in glasses ranging in size from a third of a litre to two litres. The clientele was largely Vietnamese, with a number of groups rolling out after boozy lunches looking very merry indeed. An excellent place to while away a couple of hours over some delicious beer, make sure that you visit Hoa Vien.
The stage is set. Tomorrow, the motorcycle odyssey begins with the trip to Mai Chau. I feel like a child on Christmas Eve.
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