Vietnam Day 5: Phu Yen to Mu Cang Chai (Moon 2 Homestay)

I will let some photos do most of the talking for today. There were four kind of standout things that I want to share: The motorcycle crash (a woman), the flat, the motorcycle crash (me), and our homestay family dinner.

The first motorcycle crash: Meeting up at (what would become) our usual breakfast time of 7:30am, we walked with Huan to a nearby place for some egg bahn mi, Vietnamese coffee and fruit platter. We were feeling rough after last night's festivities, and just needed a refuel before heading into some more off-road riding. On the walk back, we heard a loud crash behind us and watched as a woman skidded to a stop in the middle of the road, bike on it's side. There were people nearby and Huan went over to help her, as she dazedly looked down at her phone, while she sat on the road. She was rushed to the side of the road, Huan grabbed her bike, and I grabbed the thing she had been carrying - a welder and welding rods. All the while, cars and bikes still trying to move on with their day, honking and moving around us. Satisfied that she was being taken care of by people, we walked back to the hotel room.

Breakfast time

Off-road flat: The days started almost immediately with more rugged terrain for riding, Huan taking us on a single track mud and dirt trail into the mountains. We passed through a creek, and I stepped right in it and soaked my shoes.

Shortly thereafter, we came upon some road construction (something that appears to be happening everywhere) and inched our way through broken up concrete, rocks, excavators and workers. Somewhere in that, Cass picked up a nail (or maybe a staple) and ended up with a flat rear tire. We pulled off to the side of the road (see pics) and Huan opened his toolbox and went to work replacing the tube with a spare. This gave us a chance to wander a bit, watching the farmers work some nearby rice paddies, and a sheperd girl keeping a cow in the forest and out of the fields. Aside from the flat, it was picturesque. Once fixed, we hopped back on our bikes and headed further into the mountains.

Fixing the flat

The Motorcycle Crash: So I did it, I laid down my bike on a mountain road in the rain. The morning started with great weather, but as the day went on and we came into and out of valleys the rain began to soak through our clothes. Huan was leading, and Cass was behind him and I brought up the rear. And somewhere on a turn going down a hill, I just...separated from my bike. That's the best way to describe it. One minute I am riding, and the next I leaned into a turn and the lean just never ended. Then, the bike and I were apart. I was on the ground and the bike lay near me, stopped by a guardrail and still running. I jumped up (as people who go through this thing tend to do if they can) and moved off the road immediately. Grabbing the bike and bringing it upright. It is a strange thing to focus, in those moments, on what other people might think of your accident. I just didn't want to be a bother, you know? Luckily I had slid (about 15-20 feet based on the white paint my bike left on the road) going fairly slow due to the wet conditions and my fanny pack on my hip took most of the brunt of the slide. A kind woman grabbed up the contents that had slipped out and handed them to me. They asked if I was ok through looks and hand gestures and I assured them I was. Shortly thereafter, Cass arrived (after having heard the bike fall) and I told him I was alright as well. And I was. Mostly shaken up, but bodily only some small road rash on my left calf. We met up with Huan and readjusted the askew handguards and mirrors before continuing on...cautiously. I think the worst part was the existential crisis I went through as I rode the rest of the way to our homestay that night. Pondering my mortality and all of that, you know.

detachment

said the mountain road

self and bike

The Homestay: We stayed in the Moon 2 homestay for that evening. A homestay is, in the traditional sense, a night rental in a family's home. Huan said that in the old days you wouldn't get your own room, but instead you might sleep in a common room with others in the household or other travellers. The modern homestay looks more like a family home/hotel hybrid. We got our own room, and all the amenities (shower, tv..etc) but for dinner were expected to come down to the main area of the house and eat with the hosts. We were definitely not feeling social. It had been a cold ride and I was still a little shook. But, we are good guests and met up in the main area of the house. To our surprise, dinner was laid out in a big area on two large mats. Two groupings of food were laid out and we were encouraged to sit around one of them. So we sat. Some men joined us, and around the other setting, some women and older men sat (I later learned that we sat with the owner of the homestay and his two brothers as well as 3 family friends who had also come for dinner). Laid out before us was a feast of carp (grown and fished from the family pond just outside our window), pork, green veggies and springrolls. Here I had the best smoked pork jerky of my life.

Homestay vibes

Then the household wine - this time of a plum variety.

Huan had warned them that we were a bit tired from o night's birthday celebration, but each man in turn wanted to greet me and wish me a happy birthday. 10 shots of plum wine later and we were all warm and well-met. Luckily, no one took offense when we said we must leave and sleep. Everyone was very kind and gracious. Would recommend.

Cass and I lasted about 10 min cozy in our beds before sleep overtook us at 8:30pm.