Linh, who now lives in Da Nang City, has been biking since late 2022. He started solo riding across Vietnam in mid-April this year.

Linh said he began thinking about riding around Vietnam when realizing the benefits the sport could bring to him, both physical and mental. He wanted to have time to relax and re-energize after a period of working hard.

“Before taking the trip, I rarely traveled. My life just revolved around computers and work. My space was only in a working room and I was too lazy to go out,” Linh recalled.

“But later, in February 2023, when I met and chatted with a man from Cao Bang who took a cross-country trip, in Da Nang I felt more determined to take a trip of my own to challenge myself,” he said. 

He departed in Da Nang, and the first stopping point was his hometown in Ninh Binh. From there, he went to the northwest and, after that, rode back to the south and finished at Ca Mau Cape.

He prepared for the trip very carefully to be sure that everything would be safe and favorable. He learned from friends who had taken similar trips before, and prepared personal belongings such as clothes, drugs and bandages. And he maintained a happy spirit and readiness to cope with difficulties during the journey.

Regarding accommodations, he said he was not demanding. He just wanted a place to shelter from the rain and sun and to freshen up.

Of the sections of road he passed, he had the strongest impression of Cao Bang, where he once again met the man who inspired him to ride bicycles, and friends with the same hobby.

“On the day when I left Cao Bang to continue my journey, friends rode 50 kilometers on bicycles to see me off,” he recalled.

Linh said the trip was wonderful as he enjoyed beautiful landscapes, though he sometimes had accidents. 

To date, he has spent 74 days riding a bike throughout the country with a total distance of 4,261 kilometers. The total amount of money spent was VND30 million. After five months of riding the bicycle, he lost 30 kilograms in weight.

Phan Dau