Ha Giang Loop Day 1 & 2

Day 1
We packed up our bikes, grabbed some breakfast, and withdrew cash while generously donating an outrageous fee to the local bank. About fifteen minutes into the ride, our confidence was shattered by our first police stop of the trip. Annika and Nils were fined for not having international driving licenses, which we all knew were required but collectively decided to ignore. In the end we were stopped three times on the very first day, so if you ever want to do the Ha Giang Loop make sure you have your paperwork in order. The fine was painful, but at least it acts as sort of a flatrate payment and they'll be ok to ride for the next few days (please don't question the logic behind that).
Aside from our frequent interactions with law enforcement, the ride was absolutely stunning. Will was clearly living his best life. Uphill sections were occasionally a test though, with uphill sections pushing the limits of our little 125 cc bike. For little Ny (with no passenger on her bike) they weren't a struggle at all of cause so she just casually zoomed past us, laughing more than once.
We ended the day with roasted duck, and the girls treated themselves to have their hair washed.

Day 2
It was a cold but sunny morning and after fueling up with some nice hot Pho, we rode to the Moon Stone Field and had coffee. The day was mostly about riding and going off-road, and we are proud to report zero crashes.
However, we did stop for an epic boat tour, finally tried a Vietnamese sandwich that absolutely lived up to the hype, and stumbled upon a mysterious cave that looked like an abandoned tourist attraction.
After our butts were sufficiently in pain from all the off-road riding, we decided to spend the night in a beautiful homestay in the middle of nowhere. Whilst sitting around the bonfire, our very friendly host pointed out that we could see the Chinese border from where we were sitting.
To end the night we had some nice warm
Vietnamese hot pot and then snuggled up in our beds with heated blankets.Read more