Day 2: Khe Sanh to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
C: Heading downhill, almost halfway to Phong Nha-Ke Bang.
After a good nights sleep in the top floor room Thuan had booked for me, it was time for breakfast and a quick visit to the former US military base for a look at the museum and military equipment on display before we headed through the mountains to Phong Nha-Ke Bang and its incredible caves.
We drove through some beautiful scenery, lush and mountainous. Nothing like the dramatic landscapes in the North, as Thuan said, but still a great experience.
Route, day 2: A - Khe Sanh Military Base, B - Houses, C - Park Rangers, D - Buffaloes, E - Memorial Temple, F - Break for drinks, G - Phong Nha-Ke Bang.
Neighbours during breakfast in Khe Sanh.
A: Several old military vehicles are on display along the landing strip of the Khe Sanh Military Base.
A: Troop movements during the battles of Khe Sanh.
A: Bombs on display.
B: We had a quick break by a couple of small houses by the road, and the people living there proudly showed us their moonshine setup.
B: Being offered a sample shot, it was of pretty good quality!
C: Raspberries by the road in the mountains.
D: Park rangers playing cards during lunch break.
D: Our excellent park ranger-lunch.
Plenty of these guys on the roads.
E: The memorial temple for the heroic martyrs of the Long Dai ferry-boats. Two teams of fifteen voluntary youths died here when they were bombed while doing their tasks, on two separate occasions. The temple serves as a memorial.
E: This woman was running a little kiosk by the temple. Her father was relaxing in the shadow, a war veteran who was fortunate enough to survive a land mine blast while on patrol during the war, even though it took out a big part of his forehead.
G: Arrival in Phong Nha-Ke Bang, clearly marked with an enormous LED-sign on a mountain.