Day 9: From a Bamboo Forest to... France

• From - To: Mu Cang Homestay – Cat Cat Galerie d’Art

• Distance: 138 km, 3:39h

• Routes: QL32 – QL4D

• Accommodation: Cat Cat Galerie d’Art, Deluxe Double Room with Balcony with A/C 34 Eur per night, including breakfast

Mu Cang Homestay, located on the edge of the street, woke me up at six in the morning with the noise of traffic. I had slept for seven hours since going to bed at 11 pm, feeling refreshed and ready for new adventures. My morning ritual includes a shower, reading for an hour, jotting down thoughts, and reviewing my travel route for the day. By eight, unable to resist hunger, I hopped on my Winner and headed to the center of Mu Cang Chai. I quickly found a hipster café with a terrace overlooking the river. A cheerful guy prepared a sunny side up omelette with three eggs, served on a large plate with tomatoes and cucumbers, accompanied by a warm, butter-drenched French baguette. I hadn’t mentioned that I previously had omelettes without bread for breakfast in Ta Xua – the hosts there didn’t have any. But here was Bahn Mi, as if straight from Paris. Another great thing the Vietnamese learned from the French colonists. They refer to Bahn Mi not only as a simple French baguette or bread but also as a popular breakfast dish – a French baguette sandwich filled with meat, pâté, or omelette, flavored with vegetables and sauce, often pressed in a hot electric grill for a minute. Delicious, you could bite your tongue off! Remember to try it when you visit Vietnam – Bahn Mi.

After finishing my omelette and drinking coffee sweetened with condensed milk, I mounted my motorbike and by 9 am, I was at the start of the road leading to the bamboo forest. The first surprise was a crowd of over 50 people: mainly Vietnamese tourists, a few Chinese, and local guides with scooters, taking tourists up the mountain. I didn’t need a guide; I had my Winner! After paying 20K VND (0.80 EUR) for a ticket, the crowd parted, and I began my ascent. The second surprise was the narrow, scooter-worn, steep path with sharp turns and a dangerous slope. Motorbikes were coming from both directions! Grinding in first gear, the journey resembled a tightrope walk in a circus arena. I couldn’t stop as it would block the traffic, and turning back down before reaching the top was impossible. I had to avoid falling off the cliff and reach the top. Unaware, my front tire slipped in a mud groove, and my Winner and I tumbled off the narrow path. Due to my sturdy shoes, I managed to firmly anchor myself to the ground, stopping the motorbike before it fell off the slope. Groaning, I somehow kept the 122 kg motorbike horizontal, engaged first gear, and miraculously returned to the path. I clenched my teeth for the rest of the journey, satisfied that I was still healthy.

I recommend taking a guide's scooter for the climb to the bamboo forest. However, if you are an experienced biker or overly confident (like me), go on your own but don’t blame me if you fall off the cliff!

The 2.2 km ascent up the mountain is impressive not only for its dangers but also for its beauty. The entire Mu Chang region is dotted with rice and corn terraces, their beauty hypnotizing. This grand panorama unfolds upon reaching the platform, from where a few hundred meters walk leads to the bamboo. Two grandmothers there were busy selling tickets for 20K VND each (though I doubt it’s official), but it's only 0.80 Euro, so it’s not worth worrying about.

It was delightful to walk through a forest where... fishing rods grow (as kids in Molėtai, my brother and I used to fish with bamboo rods). Incidentally, bamboo is not a tree, but grass. So it’s not a bamboo forest, but a bamboo meadow! You live (travel) and learn.

Descending from the bamboo meadow was easier than climbing up. I don't know if it would be possible with an automatic gearbox, especially in the rain. I was very lucky because as soon as I returned to Mu Cang Homestay, clouds covered the sky, and it started to rain. I checked the Weather Radar precipitation map and saw that the rain should stop after about 20 kilometers. This was a sign to don a poncho, wear shoe covers, and start the journey.

Care is needed when driving in the rain. In the bends of the road, especially in low areas, there can be sand. Wet sand is very slippery. Nothing is worse than pressing the front brake too hard, blocking the wheel, and falling on its side in the middle of a turn. You must consider this even when driving on a dry road, but you can't lose vigilance for a moment in the rain. I felt that with experience, i.e., hundreds of kilometers on Vietnamese roads, this vigilance becomes instinctive. I unconsciously sense speed, the angle of the turn, road surface irregularities, and the motorbike becomes part of my body. I start to trust myself and the motorbike. But this does not mean that motorbiking is a safe activity. Even if you feel and control your motorbike 100%, you cannot control other road users driving any two-wheeled, four-wheeled, or other types of vehicles. Many accidents occur due to the fault of other drivers.

The rain ended earlier, after about 10 kilometers. I felt the warm sun rays, but I drove with the poncho for a few more minutes to let it dry (otherwise it would hang wet all night).

I stopped by a mountain river, looked at the clock (it was already past one) and decided to drive the remaining 110 km without stopping. The weather forecast for Sa Pa indicated rain, and I knew that I had a 15 km climb up serpentine roads to the mountain resort, so I no longer had time to admire the scenery. So I stopped only at the top of the mountain near Sa Pa to take a photo with the fantastic mountain panorama. If not for the rain, wind, and setting sun, I would have liked to stay longer in this place.

It rained all evening in Sa Pa. I stayed at the colonial architecture Cat Cat Galerie d’Art hotel with such a view of the valley that I didn't go to the shower until it was completely dark – it was so nice to sit on the balcony and smile at the mountains. Although I never do this, this time I took a can of Saigon beer and salted cashews from the mini-bar – I lacked them for a complete orgasm.