Today we left Quy Nhon, making our way South toward Nha Trang. To our delight, there is an alternate route out of Quy Nhon that allowed us to escape the mayhem of Highway 1 for awhile. It’s a gorgeous, relatively quiet stretch of road that hugs the coastline almost the entire way. Beautiful! Don’t miss it if you’re cycling in the area.
As I was cycling down this beautiful coastal road I suddenly had a flashback of a day back in Tunisia. We had just cycled into Chebika, a desert oasis and very popular tourist spot. We must have caught the attention of a group of Italian tourists because they pointed and we could hear them talking about “la bicicletta”. A couple soon came over to ask us about our trip. Somehow, with basic English, a word or two in Italian and some hand gestures, we managed to communicate our route. As we spoke, the man kept patting the handlebars of my bicycle. I know that must sound ridiculous but cyclists do love their bikes. I’ll admit to giving mine a pat or two. Your bicycle is what takes you off the well beaten tourist track, what frees you from restrictive bus schedules and limited destinations. Your bicycle is the icebreaker that starts a million conversations and new friendships. It’s what allows you to feel the wind in your hair, to smell the fields of lavender and to feel the exhilaration of a sweeping descent. Your bicycle is your freedom. We talked for a long while. Before he left, he patted my bicycle one last time, smiled and said “Bella Vita! Bella Vita!” (Beautiful life). Yes, I couldn’t agree more.
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