730am and we are off! So the months of training, or not as the case may be, will be put into practice.
Onto the coach and then a 2 hour drive to where we start our adventure, but not without incident I hasten to add. One hour into the drive and coach number one gets a blowout according to our guide who receives a phone call from the guide in coach 1. The general consensus from coach 2 is b***** them and leave them on the hard shoulder to fry, but of course empathy soon creeps in and of course we stop to give our moral support whilst taking photos and scoffing at their situation.
Wheel sorted and then it is off again and within half hour or so we arrive to where our bikes are. this is the first opportunity to see everyone in their Lycra and I have to say that some of the guys would give Lynford Christie a run for his money and I don't mean on the track. We all fill up our camel packs with water and then we are off winging our way through villages on main roads and winding roads/footpaths which are about 1.5 metres wide with various items of traffic ranging from motorcycles, old ladies and old ladies on bikes, interesting to say the least. The route throughout the day was predominantly on these narrow footpaths through coconut plantations where the Vietnamese people live both sides of the narrow path and work the plantations. Their living accommodation ranged from wooden shacks to brick built houses but one thing that did remain consistent we're the smiling faces of all the children along the whole of the route that were so pleased to see us and would run out to the path to say hello which did make you smile a lot.
During the whole day there were only 2 casualties, it must have been D Day as both Darren and Dan managed to throw themselves off their bikes, minor leg injuries but they both did not let it deter them.
A lunch, 2 boats across an expanse of water and 65.5km later we arrive at our hotel in Thanh Pho Tra Vinh. A good first day had by all and everyone raring to go tomorrow.