As I wanted to spend a couple of days in Saigon, before flying home on the 20/5, it was time for me to move on south along the coast. Part of the route went along the QLAH1 that runs the entire length of Vietnam, south to north. If you want to cover some mileage, it’s really your only option. The road is generally in great condition, with two lanes in each direction separated by a concrete wall. Initially I was surprised about the lack of traffic on the roads, however, the ratio of car ownership to number of people is only 23/1000, way below f.inst. Thailand where it is 250/1000. Cars are expensive in Vietnam and it will take about 12 years for an average income family to save up for one. Apart from a couple of old trucks, I have seen no old and dilapidated cars on the roads. Most are not more than 5 years old, shiny and immaculate - obviously an object to be taken care of. 99% of the cars are driven around at painfully slow speeds, almost like the driver has just gotten their driver’s license. Driving at 80-90 km/h on the AH1 on my little 150cc, I was NEVER overtaken by cars - but only an occasional tourist bus blasting past at 100 km/h, horn blaring! With such low numbers of cars, there is obviously huge potential for car manufacturers in the future. I spent a night in Quy Nhon in a homestay a couple of hundred meters from the beach. For my evening meal, I stuck to western food, and had a delicious vegetarian pizza at a place called The Social. The place was dominated by a billiard table in the middle of the room. Billiard is very popular in Vietnam, and even smaller towns have one or two “clubs” where one can play. After karaoke, I think it must be the most popular pastime. The seaside town of Nha Trang, further south was my next stop. Nha Trang is the sort of place you either like or dislike. I belong to the latter category! With 500.000+ inhabitants it’s a fair sized city, with long stretches of sandy beaches, great diving sites just off the coast and a number of temples. It is also VERY touristy, and certainly the place where I have been hassled the most by insistent hawkers, rickshaw drivers, massage parlors, and eating places. For me it was just a convenient stop along the way. As I had been checking out accommodation options on the net, an offer from booking.com popped up on my screen - 4-star Apus Hotel. Normal price 1.000.000 Dong, now 300.000. An offer I couldn’t resist, and after a 5-6 hour ride from Quy Nonh, I checked into my room with a sea view on the 14th floor, quickly changed into my swimming trunks and took the lift a further 5 floors up to the rooftop pool. What a pleasure with a refreshing swim after the day’s ride. Two chimichangas later in a local Mexican restaurant and a walk to the evening market, I was ready to call it a day, and returned to the Apus for a great night’s sleep in my room on the 14th floor. The following morning I would head towards Mui Ne, my last coastal stay before heading inland for Saigon. I was planning to stay two nights in the little seaside resort of Mui Ne.