For those of you who know me, most of you probably know about my affinity for two-wheeled transportation. I currently own 3 bikes in Canada -I commute everywhere I go year round, and have a road bike that I adore. During my travels in Asia, I have been renting automatic and manual scooters everywhere I go. A few days ago, I decided to take this one step further: I bought my first motorcycle.
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| Such a beaut! (Sorta...) |
Now, before everyone begins to think I've knocked a few screws loose in the head, let me back up and bit and explain. Vietnam is a very long and narrow country, with (relatively) well built roads between the North and South. The main form of transportation here is the "motobike" as the locals refer to them -mostly scooters, with some motorcycles thrown in, and it truly boggles the mind how many people here ride them. This invariably includes backpackers and travellers, as the country seems to be built for motorcycle riding. It is possible to drive from one end to the other in only 2 weeks(ish -this depends on how you rush), and getting out on your own two wheels really allows you to see parts of the country that are rarely frequented by tourists. There is a surprisingly big market for cheap used bikes in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and it is common for people to buy a bike in one of the two, ride through the whole country, and sell it again at the other end when they're done. Our hostel was plastered with various ads for bikes, and many of them had already been sold when we contacted them! Repairs rarely cost more than a few dollar and almost never more than $20, mechanics are everywhere, and it can be a pretty economical way of travelling the country -not to mention, it's an absolute blast as well!!
I've been travelling on and off with a friend from the US, Brandon, and we decided to get bikes together. This kind of travel is not all that condusive to doing alone. Being in an area where no one speaks English during mechnical trouble is not all that fun, so I was fortunate that he wanted to do this kind of trip as well. We ended up buying two old Honda Wins from an English backpacking couple. We paid $250 each, including a full tune up with a bunch of minor repairs, helmets, maps, raincoats, and bungee cords. Not a bad deal I think! They're not exactly the sexiest bikes I've ever seen but they're still bikes and they still give us independence. I'm really just excited to have my first real vehicle that is actually 100% mine. Kind of cool that it's a motorcycle in Vietnam!
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