Most Inspirational Moment
Reaching the top of the Hai Van pass having completed every available kilometre of cycling. Whilst I was a physical and emotional wreck on arrival I coul not believe what I had achieved. The cycling is very well structured and each day becomes a little harder so you build up gradually. The 100km day is actually not the toughest day as 30km is downhill from a pass that you have been largely driven up. The support from the Exodus team was superb and a major factor in my achievement- regular refreshment stops (the first hit of the ice cold lemon drink is amazing) with fruit, nuts and biscuits ensured no-one lost weight! The smiles of the staff as they directed us at junctions was great and those at the back had a great time with the engineer. The group was superb with a wide range of ages and everyone supported each other, no matter what their fitness or ability.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Loc was a fantastic leader and he was brilliantly supported by an excellent team. Nothing was too much trouble and he listened to us, informed us, entertained us and organised us superbly. He is clearly an excellent cyclist and an excellent cycling trip leader.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The scenery and greetings from the locals make this a great trip and a great way of seeing real Vietnam. I booked an extra night at each end to give me more time in the cities. If this is to be your only trip to Vietnam then I would strongly recommend this as there is little time to do normal holiday stuff. The cycling days are long so you won't get much time in places unless you are staying for 2 nights in a place. Some practice beforehand is sensible, especially if you are not a regular exerciser/cyclist, but the support staff are great and if you are struggling they are happy for you to drop out of parts of the route. The island is a great break, all the accomodation was very pleasant (and except for the train had wifi!) and often better than pleasant. Embrace the traffic and enjoy the chaos - they drive steadily and with a lot more respect than UK drivers.