As we were approaching the Vietnamese customs at Mocbai, there was much anxiety within the Singapore and Malaysia teams. Previous entries into the country with the CAITA convoy were plagued with many problems. The authority restricts right-hand drive vehicles and approvals are only granted on a special case basis. This year, the organisers did not take any chances. As a result, our worries were unfounded. Other than this madatory disinfection wash, the border crossing was business as usual.
Seen in the background is First Hotel. It is an old-style hotel that provided us with cosy and comfortable accommodation during our stay in Ho Chi Minh.
Next morning, the streets were crowded with motorcycles as we inched our way out of the city.
We thought that we were able to increase the pace once we were in the rural areas. Not for long. We were frequently slowed by brigades of cyclists who seemed to have the right of way.
On the other hand, the drive along the coastal road of Vietnam can be rewarding. We spotted this modern eco-power generating site.
There are hills and valleys too.
Champa is located in central Vietnam . It was one of the earliest kingdoms in S E Asia and her people were known for their stone inscriptions skill. The rocky hill in this picture during our rest halt may provide a little hint regarding the historic past of the Cham.
After spending a night in Nha Trang, we continued our northbound journey towards Hue . We were constantly greeted by either the view of the Central Highlands on the left or the spectacular shore lines on the right.
Whenever we were on dual carriage ways, we would quicken the pace to make up time.
The highlight of DAY 8 must be the mountainous route in the dark, shortly before arrival in Hue . We, the self-proclaimed rally drivers, could not resist the sight of the steep and winding turns. It was akin to throwing a fish into water. We put up a spirited drive (faster than we should!) and arrived at the hotel for a late but satisfying dinner.
The following day, we made a quick stop at the 17th parallel – the boundary that divided North and South of Vietnam during the Indochina war which ended in 1975. I stood in front of the monument erected in the heart of the former Demilitarized Zone for this photo.
We witnessed an unusually high number of burial grounds throughout our drive in Vietnam . This is probably due to the long period of warring years that resulted in the great loss of lives. However, the country remains very populous. In Hanoi , this picture tells a thousand stories.
By Day 10, we were coming to the end of our memorable drive. As we left Lang Son – a border town that was briefly captured by the Chinese troops during the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese war, some drivers were donning their cars with national colours.
Finally, at Yuyi Guang (next to the Chinese CIA), the sense of home-coming was written on everyone’s face.
And here’s the happy ending to yet another well organised CAITA.
