In mid-November, Truong Nguyen Hong Nhung (25 years old, Da Nang) and a friend started their journey driving a scooter from Da Nang to Ha Giang and Cao Bang for tourism.
Nhung was the main driver and it took her 3 days to reach the Ha Giang Km0 milestone. The total distance was nearly 1,100km and cost about 480,000 VND for gas. She spent a week exploring Ha Giang and then moved to Cao Bang.
When Nhung shared about her journey on social media, many people were surprised, thinking that Nhung was "reckless" when traveling on a difficult road like Ha Giang by scooter.
"I don't encourage people to travel by scooter. However, I am someone who likes to conquer new challenges, so I decided to choose this vehicle. Before the trip, I prepared very carefully and had practical experience driving a scooter on the highway," Nhung said.
Nhung studied tourism at the Russian Peoples’ Friendship University. When she returned home, she spent a lot of time traveling to learn about the cultures of regions in the country or countries in Southeast Asia.
The young girl from Da Nang used to drive a car to Laos, explore Thailand by many different means of transport such as motorbike, train, ferry... Before the journey to Ha Giang, Nhung used to drive a scooter and a large-displacement motorbike to the Central Highlands provinces such as Kon Tum and Gia Lai.
"For a long time, I have cherished the trip to Ha Giang, traveling on the Happiness Road," Nhung said.
National Highway 4C, also known as Happiness Road (1959-1965), connects Ha Giang City with 4 mountainous districts: Yen Minh, Quan Ba, Dong Van, Meo Vac, with a length of 185km.
Happiness is a vital route, connecting trade, economic and social development of ethnic minorities in Ha Giang province and the West - Northeast region, and is also an attractive tourist route, converging the beauty and majesty of the far North.
Before the trip, Nhung took her "war horse" for a thorough technical check. She calculated the details of the personal belongings she brought, making sure they were sufficient but as compact as possible.
During the trip, Nhung arranged driving and resting time appropriately, not wanting to go too fast.
When going downhill, her experience is to control the speed, stay in the correct lane, keep a safe distance between vehicles (do not drive too close behind trucks or passenger cars to avoid brake drift), skillfully combine front and rear brakes when going downhill, do not brake continuously to avoid burning the brake pads, apply the "braking by gear" method with scooters...
From the Km0 milestone, Nhung and her friends drove to famous places throughout Ha Giang such as Quan Ba Heaven Gate, Co Tien Mountain and Hill, Tham Ma Slope, Pao's House, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Lung Cu Flagpole, Lo Lo Chai Village, King Meo's Palace, Nho Que River, Tu San Gorge...
"November is buckwheat flower season. I drive through mountain passes in the middle of majestic forests and flower fields, beautiful as fairy tales. When I want to admire the scenery, I will choose a safe location and stop the car. Nho Que River with its clear water, winding under steep cliffs is truly impressive," Nhung said.
As a culture enthusiast, besides sightseeing, Nhung spends a lot of time experiencing the life and cuisine of the Mong and Lo Lo people in Ha Giang.
"When I came to Lo Lo Chai, I not only loved the peaceful scenery and traditional rammed earth houses here, but was also impressed with the way the people preserved their culture. The people were extremely friendly and hospitable, creating a feeling of closeness," Nhung shared.
Regarding Ha Giang cuisine, the most unique dish she tried was au tau porridge - a very elaborately prepared poisonous porridge.
Porridge is made from the root of Aconite (also known as Aconite, Aconite). Aconite is classified as a poison in group A but is also a precious medicine ranked 4th in the "four great medicinal herbs" (ginseng, velvet antler, cinnamon, Aconite) after careful preparation.
To “neutralize” the poison in the au tau root and make a nutritious porridge, Ha Giang people must clean this root by peeling it, soaking it in rice water overnight, then simmering it for 4-5 hours until it is soft, crumbly, and mashed into a thick paste. Then, continue to cook the au tau root mixture with rice and bone broth from pig’s feet, adding a little sticky rice to thicken and give it a fragrant aroma.
Nhung had a safe journey with favorable weather. The only incident she encountered was dropping her phone when she reached Ma Pi Leng Pass.
"When I discovered that my phone was missing, I was really worried, because it contained many bank accounts, documents, and souvenir photos. I called the phone number but the signal in this area was unstable. Luckily, two foreign tourists picked it up and answered the phone.
Thanks to a kind local tour guide, I found two tourists. The kindness of the tour guide and the two tourists warmed my heart and made me happy," Nhung shared.
At the end of December, Nhung plans to travel from Da Nang to Ca Mau, following the route to all the Central Highlands provinces and down to the Mekong Delta provinces by scooter.
Photo: Wandering with Nhun
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/co-gai-da-nang-phuot-ha-giang-bang-xe-tay-ga-ke-su-co-khi-toi-ma-pi-leng-2354621.html
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