#HaiVanPass

So it looked like there wasn’t much chance of avoiding death traps altogether but I did find a way that it wouldn’t be me piloting it. I was headed to the Hai Van pass that has been made famous by the TV show Top Gear, I remember watching it years ago and thinking, “I have to go there!” And now here I am! My guide collected me from my hostel and strapped my huge backpack onto the back, I took comfort thinking if we do capsize the bag should take the impact first.

I hopped on the back and it wasn’t long before we were zooming through the traffic dodging the oncoming bikes and cars. He drove me to past Da Nang and onward over the dragon bridge. At the weekend, the dragon throws fire and water out of its dragon face, unfortunately I wouldn’t be there long enough to see it.

I had a stop at marble mountain. It wasn’t the most beautiful or large mountain I’d ever seen but it housed some interesting caves complete with bats. It was really slippy on the marble so I walked like a 98 year old up and down the stairs, again I was regretting having a

hang over.

Next we headed to the pass. I was already in awe of my surroundings before we hit the main route. The ocean was clear and long wooden boats bobbed on the top gently, mountains stood tall in the distance covered in a blanket of vivid green plants.

As we got closer, it got prettier and prettier, soon the city was a distant dot in the distance and it was just me, my guide and the bike cascading through the hills and up the mountainside. Occasionally he stopped for me to take pictures. I hadn’t mastered getting on and off the bike and he had to hit my leg once or twice to remind me not to get off the side with the burning hot exhaust.

We stopped for lunch at a beach with a lovely view then headed off to finish the drive. The road wound itself around the mountain like a

coiled snake, below was the glimmering ocean, it was like being in New Zealand where everywhere you look you’re just surrounded by beauty.

Near the end of the trail we stopped at a fishing village. The water was mucky but the time of day cast a beautiful light over it all. The old boats were lined up in neat rows, behind was a village. The stone buildings spoke of little money and a very small community but with a million dollar view.

The last leg of the journey was the scariest, we had left the pass and were hurtling down the busy city street heading to Hue. He ducked and dived between cars and I instinctively tried to make myself smaller to avoid being taken out by one of the offending obstructions. Relief washed over me as the bike was parked, I got it off it once more, legs shaking but happy to have survived and even happier that I had taken the risk to see the beautiful route.