The motorcycle diaries day 1

Firstly may I say that I read The Motorcycle Diaries last week, or at least the abridged version. Very enjoyable, especially having been to a number of the places Ernesto (as Che had yet to become 'Che') visited. Altogether a good read.
I must confess to the title being a bit of a swizz though. About 40 pages in to the book La Poderosa (the motorcycle) broke down in a 'dead' kind of way and the rest of the journey was done on whatever transport was available for the least amount of money!

I suppose 'Diaries of a journey through south america using whatever means o transport is available' isn't quite such a catchy title though.

Our Motorcycle Diaries will be better. Hopefully all to be completed on bike for a start! With our drivers Mr Wing and Tin Tin otherwise known as 'country bumkin' and 'bamboo'.

So at 0830 bags were ready down on the street and were hoisted aboard the bikes. Another example of bagstooheavy situation - bags on back of bike, front wheel of bike in air. Oh dear. We balanced our motorised see saws and were installed in our rice cookers (helmets) and off we went on

Day one - Da Lat to Lac Lake via coffee plantation, broom maker, ethnic minority weavers, Easter Sunday service, wedding, greenhouses full of gerbera and roses, Chinese pagoda and a stop for yummy lunch of proper vietnamese food - chicken, rice and greens with omlette.

First half day = fun, having south Vietnamese army guide show you how the Viet minh used to eat with chopsticks = priceless.

Oh and we visited a waterfall as well, very pretty. Martyn had a little issue here which apparently happened all in slow motion and I missed it - Wings and I had sped off in a 'Streethawk' like manner (remember Streethawk ? Oh dear!).
Apparently there was a small but steep hill on the way out the waterfall car park / field. I must have sped over it. Tin tin didn't quite have the momentum (I'm saying nothing about the extra weight of Martyn and his bag). Tin Tin put his foot down but due to angle of the slope Martyn couldn't get his foot down. 'jump' said Tin tin - or at least that's what Martyn decided the stream of panicky Vietnamese was. He opted for backwards over his bag in a graceful half back flip a Russian gymnast would be proud of sort of a way. The bike went sideways.

Tin tin was traumatised, Martyn was laughing. It took Martyn and 6 vietnamese to get bike the right way up again!
After that excitement we passed a few rivers, lots of deforested land (sad) and some other bits n pieces before we made it to our hotel.

And dinner.

We sat down at 7 and plates of food just kept arriving. The piece de resistance was placed on a burner in the middle of the table. It looked like a sort of Thai green curry covered n green leaves and peanuts.
'Wow, what is this?' said Martyn.
'banana' announced Wing, with pride
'Fill my glass with water please Martyn' I said, swallowing deeply.
Wing began to fill my bowl. It's amazing how much fits into these little bowls. I watched carefully and then the crowning glory was deposited on top.
'chicken' I said hopefully looking at Martyn.
'No but tastes like' said Tin Tin - who speaks French so I'm blaming him.
Frogs legs. Yes dinner was frogs leg, banana and peanut curry. I can sense my brother in fits of hilarity already. I only have myself to blame. My precise words to Martyn just before we left to walk down to dinner were
'ah well as long as it's not snake or crocodile I'll be fine.'
Should have been more specific!

Looking on the bright side

1) Wing apparently sometimes orders eel to go with the frogs leg
2) we won't be dehydrated - it took us a litre of water and a can of drink to get dinner down!!!!

Roll on tomorrow!