Cycling Vietnam

Yes, me! .. my first time travelling with Exodus unsure what to expect and trying to get some much needed training in. Haven't ridden a bike in a very long time :D

Thought I was going all by myself for a while there!! this will be my third trip with exodus, first time cycling though they are well put together and we should have a good time. My training hasn't progressed beyond stabilsers yet but I am working on it.

Bit confused by the date. Travelling with husband -he's the cyclist, I'm just tagging along. Hopefully not too slowly, but a bit apprehensive about it all. Our first trip with Exodus and we're very excited about it.

Training.... WHAT training??. OMG .. I hope they have support vehicle.. should be a lot of fun and looking forward to it. Trying to find padding for bike seats. Understand there are some Gel padding you can get. This is my first time cycling and with exodus and travelling with a couple of gf.. very much looking forward to the adventure :D

I wouldn't be worrying too much about training to much, they do have a support vehicle and you will always be allowed to go at your own pace - perhaps you can stop and take piccies every five minutes or so. Bike seats have come a long way since I had my Raleigh Chopper all those years ago.

LOL .. last man that told me not to panic is walking with a limp now :p well either way looking forward to it :)

Not long now campers, need to start getting things sorted.

Great excitement on seeing our visas.  Went up to the Lakes and had a practice cycle around Grizedale Forest.  The so called easy route nearly finished me off!  Hoping coastal Vietnam is less undulating!  Sad news from Halong Bay this morning.

Passport - check

Visa - check

Cash - ordered

Guide book - in my possession and I have already learned how to order a beer and a made to measure silk suit. 

Kit - string vest and pants secured.

camel back - sorted.

Training - i'll start tomorrow!! honest. 

So it's getting close now, we are really looking forward to it. Do we take Maleria tablets or not, our nurse said "should be alright", so we decided to play safe and take them.  Got to get my iPod sorted, I need music while I'm away.  What about a camera, do I take the waterproof one with the less good lens or the better one and get it damp & dusty?  Decisions, decisions, but fun to be off on an adveture very soon! Look forward to meeting up with you all and sharing 2 weeks of adventure, John & Jane Gosnell. ps We cycled with Exodus in Southern India a couple of years ago, it was great. 

Hi John, Hi Jane, still looking in to the malaria thing myself and will be speaking with my practice nurse this week. Camera wise, I shall be taking a cheap and cheerful pocket digitel and my Eos for taking some extra shots. This will be my first cycling holiday for quite a few years so will be packing plenty of padding. I still haven't heard anything from Exodus about flight times yet and no confirmation from them that I am on the trip - they have sent me a luggage tag though, so I guess I am on the list somewhere.

Hi everyone,  I started training a little while ago but probably not as much as I should.  Still at least I get in a couple of hours a week.  And yes,  I was walking funny ..  LOL ..  I have got all my shots and I am taking malaria tablets with me just in case.  The shots were just boosters so no big deal.   Very much looking forward to the trip and meeting new and exciting people that have the daring and adventure to go on these tours...  :D

 Unsure about the camera to.. 

see you all soon ..

 

Hs anyone received their flight details? I received mine today and it looks like we actually exit the UK on Saturday 9th April at noon - a day earlier than I thought.

If you check my first post you'll see it was the date that confused me too!  We're not bothering with malaria tablets - 2 separate nurses said we didn't need to.  Had the usual boosters. Taking the cheapest of cameras.  Do I bring my iphone and how do I avoid crazy bills on my return?  I'm with vodafone. Read a few horror stories!  Weather in Ho Chi Minh looks great.  Seriously wet and cool in Hanoi.  Oh well, it's got a couple of weeks to sort itself out.

Liz, not sure if it will be much good to you but I did read (I think in my lonely planet guide) that it is worth buying a cheap sim card whilst you are there to use for making calls, the advice also went on to say that those little things you put in digitel cameras are cheap as chips there. I did a google search last night on 'shopping in Vietnam' and got quite a few good sites back to browse through. I remember your first post and remember being convinced (at the time) that we flew out on Sunday. 

Liz, not sure if it will be much good to you but I did read (I think in my lonely planet guide) that it is worth buying a cheap sim card whilst you are there to use for making calls, the advice also went on to say that those little things you put in digitel cameras are cheap as chips there. I did a google search last night on 'shopping in Vietnam' and got quite a few good sites back to browse through. I remember your first post and remember being convinced (at the time) that we flew out on Sunday. 

Liz, not sure if it will be much good to you but I did read (I think in my lonely planet guide) that it is worth buying a cheap sim card whilst you are there to use for making calls, the advice also went on to say that those little things you put in digitel cameras are cheap as chips there. I did a google search last night on 'shopping in Vietnam' and got quite a few good sites back to browse through. I remember your first post and remember being convinced (at the time) that we flew out on Sunday. 

Thanks, that's very useful. I need to start googling shopping myself! I'll be the one secretly buying while husband is off piling on the extra mileage! It's getting closer. Can't wait!