09-Jan-2004 -- This was my first solo confluence, my first in Vietnam, and the second visit to 21N 106E. A pleasant ride in the countryside east of Hanoi.

I picked up a russian "Minsk" motorcycle from Cuong's Motorbike Adventure {1 Luong Ngoc Quyen St; 0913518772; cuongminsk@yahoo.com }. Five bucks gets you the bike for the day, an extra dollar for a helmet {recommended}. The traffic is thick and hectic until leaving the main Haiphong highway about 14 km southeast of town.

A series of banked canals crosses the countryside around Hanoi, and I thought I was seeing things at first, but large numbers of rats can be seen tearing across the dirt path, into and out of the tall grass.

I followed one dirt trail past a mudworks of some kind, a very neat hole dug out in brick-like shovelfulls. The whole area was dotted with brickworks, one of which I stopped to check out. The foreman kindly posed with me for a snap.

After reaching the end of one path just 789 meters from the confluence point, I retraced past some large flowerfields and took the long way around to the CP.

Traffic on these trails can be varied.

At the confluence point I took the N-E-S-W shots. They match perfectly the pictures of the previous visitors in Feb 2002. There's a new pink building to the east that wasn't there before.

On the way back to Hanoi at exactly 15:10, three things happened; my Minsk sputtered and died, I pulled into a covered gas station, and the heavens opened up with a heavy rain. As the rain came down, I got some gas in the tank and loads of other bikers came in for shelter. An impromptu gathering.

The gas attendant tried to see why my bike wouldn't start. Eventually as the rain tapered off, I kicked it over once more and it started. He and I shrugged. I rode wet, chilly and happy back to the Tin Tin Hotel {$10-15/night, 0903 414 394, cuong89@yahoo.com} for a hot shower and a smoke in Hanoi.