Water stop today was a bit odd (again!). Sat down in a roadside place and I was just starting on the second bottle when a very elderly woman came over and sat next to me and held out her hand. I thought she was asking for money but she wanted to shake my hand. I put my hand out and she took it but didn't shake it and she just held it for longer than one of us felt comfortable with. It was close to four minutes. I know this because I was in Google translate on my phone typing in "I am sorry madam but I'm spoken for" and could see the clock in the corner. Eventually she let go and wandered off. I think she just wanted to be welcoming and friendly but knew we couldn't overcome the language barrier. At least she left my thighs alone.
Second puncture of the ride today. Started to do the roadside fix and a young man came over to watch and sat right next to the bike in characteristic Vietnamese style: crouching with legs apart, hands together in the midline and his bum on his heels. I said hello but he didn't respond. He just watched and then started picking up each tool and looking at it intently. He wasn't interested in me at all and it soon became clear that he had a learning disability or was autistic. I chatted to him a bit and he looked up but didn't engage in any way. He liked the tools though and opened each on, putting them down very carefully afterwards. When I finished I offered him a bottle of water and a meusli bar (courtesy of Asda) but he didn't respond or take them. I waved goodbye and rode off. It was a nice encounter.
The roads here vary a lot. Some side roads are potholed and badly damaged and then suddenly turn into smooth tarmac or concrete. Oh joy! What is noticeable is as soon as this happens the Vietnamese flag and the Communist Party flag suddenly appear at about 25 metre intervals. As soon as the smooth bit stops and potholes reappear, the flags disappear. Dominic would like this I think.
This was a nice bit of road today. The elderly man coming towards me had one more cigarette in his mouth than he had teeth. Still managed a pretty good smile though.
Last stretch of the day and I really needed to find a bike parts shop to buy a couple of inner tubes. I'd all but given up and then suddenly Long Xuyen's answer to Halfords appears at the roadside. Really helpful, generous owner who sorted me out.
A wet end to the day when a heavy shower arrived. If I hadn't had a puncture I would have missed the shower but I would also have missed meeting those two men. Worth it.
North tomorrow to Chau Doc, my final destination on the border of Cambodia. By the way, it was fried rice for tea.
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