NamBusters II - Return to North VietNam

[VTRDark]

I can see London ending up looking like that one day. The increase in two wheel transport has increased over the years and still increasing dramatically. All we need now is the weather and the same Highway code. Anyone got any cows

(:-})

[firestorm996]

Neil are you mad or what that looks horrendous
I'm sure it will be worth it though, if going by your previous trips is anything to go by

I bet you can't wait

Chris.

It's only like that while you're in Hanoi, so that's the first hour or two and to be honest the sheer chaos of it is quite fun. However it is a bit of a trial by fire!

After that, well I'll let the videos speak for themselves...!

http://youtu.be/Bku8bsEVw1s

http://youtu.be/VVLBxjYhR8E

[sirch345]

It's only like that while you're in Hanoi, so that's the first hour or two and to be honest the sheer chaos of it is quite fun. However it is a bit of a trial by fire!

After that, well I'll let the videos speak for themselves...!

http://youtu.be/Bku8bsEVw1s

http://youtu.be/VVLBxjYhR8E

Thanks for the video links Neil

The first one looks brilliant, lovely roads and scenery and hardly any traffic about, much better than those rush hour photo's caos show
The second video is a completely different story. First of all I thought the video camera was on the bike riders helmet it mad me feel uneasy thinking I wish you would look where you are going, until I realised he was holding the cam in his left hand

It all looks amazing, even if challenging at times,

Chris.

[VTRDark]

Hey Neil I managed to get an RSS feed going so I wont miss anything Just been reading up on the travel insurance shenanigans and your latest gadgets for filming. Not long to go to the big trip now. How are the ribs holding up?

(:-})

[firestorm996]

Hi Carl, the ribs are more or less mended thanks! Good job too as the first two nights there we're at homestay (basically that means sleeping on the floor).

We fly out a week tomorrow, really can't wait!

[VTRDark]

Oh yeh I forgot to mention. If that go pro offers 50 fps (PAL) then use that. 60 is for the US (NTSC) and few other markets but not UK. There are subtle differences with screen resolution and refresh rates when it comes to viewing back on a TV. Plus you benefit with a little less render time when it comes to editing and save a bit of memory card space
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frame_rate

If you can get it in Nam (it's sold in Thailand) Golden Cup is great for Mosi bites etc. It's a little jar a bit like Tiger Balm and comes in a similar kind of jar with an Orange lid and Orange box packaging. I believe you can get it in small tins too. I use it for bites, rub a bit on my head for headaches, shove a fingernail of it up the nostrils for clogged up stuffy congestion etc. Brilliant stuff and wipes the floor off Tiger balm

Oh sod it, I'll take a quick pic.

Here you go....

I highly recommend it if you can get it.

I wont comment on your blog as it means me signing up to Google plus and I'm not interested in their social networking. I may post the odd comment up on here but shall keep it to the minimum.

Good news on the ribs. Have a safe journey and ride safe all of you.

(:-})

[firestorm996]

Thanks Carl, I'll keep an eye out for that. When you mention Tiger Balm I can't help but think of that aftershave 'sex panther' on the Anchorman movie

I did change the GoPro to PAL and noticed it was only offering me 50fps instead of 60, either is fine but you've clarified for me why the frame rate is different. I already decided that a good frame rate would work better on a moving image like motorbike footage.

[firestorm996]

Off to Gatwick in the morning, been a long time coming

[VTRDark]

My RSS feed tells me there is a post. I have yet to read it. Have fun and stay safe and I looking forward to your blog posts

(:-})

[firestorm996]

Well, we're all back safe and sound. 1000 miles, 2 countries, hundreds of beers, 2 dodgy bridges, 2.5km of altitude, 1 broken chassis, 1 set of piston rings, 1 comedy chicken, 2 offs, no bread, 1 set of kitchen scales and a confused customs official.

I've got a couple of days to write up on the trip blog which I hope to do over the next week.

[VTRDark]

That was quick I still need to read the last 2 blog posts.

(:-})

[Pete.L]

What! Go back and do some more! Me and the wife haven't finished catching up on the blog yet.....Don't you dare go and ruin the ending for us

Looked great what I did see Neil, you should have heard what the Mrs said when I showed her the vid of you crossing the bridge. Needles to say, she would still be there if it was her that had to cross it

Glad you Guys are home safe and Thanks again for sharing.

[firestorm996]

Thanks Pete, that was the good bridge too, you should have seen the dodgy one up close. It was half bamboo which is fine (strong stuff) but one half was absolutely kaput.

I'd go back in a heartbeat, the new lads were completely won over by the country and the people too. Hopefully we can go again, there's plenty to be explored and you can't get bored with scenery like that. We've now been to every province in the north I think.

Only issue for me is family plans next year as regards holidays etc. basically whether I can get a trip like this past my good lady wife three years straight.

[sirch345]

Neil, great blog Many thanks for sharing all of that with us, once again, brilliant
Pleased to hear you got back safe and sound
What an amazing adventure

Chris.

[firestorm996]

Just finished day 7 writeup yesterday, haven't had any free time to do it since we got back.

http://nambusters.blogspot.co.uk/