After just one day in the beach town of Nha Trang I’ve made an escape from the busy streets and taken to the road on the back of an ‘Easy Rider’ motorcycle. My driver and guide is a friendly gentleman by the name of Chow. For the next two days we’re going to thread our way through the valleys and highlands of central Vietnam before arriving in Da Lat where I’ll catch a bus to Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City as it’s more commonly known these days.

I had initially planned to take the train all the way to Saigon, but I was desperate to get out into the countryside and see some rural life and Vietnam’s highlands that I’d heard were beautiful.

‘Easy Riders’ are common in the tourist hotspots of Vietnam. You can use them as taxis or take longer tours lasting several days. They’re certainly not the cheapest way to get around, but they have to be one of the most enjoyable ways to see the country. I had a fantastic day in the sun, feeling the wind on my face and generally getting that buzz that comes from being on a motorcycle.

I could have chosen any one of many pictures I took of the places we rode through today. From the fishing port and market to the rolling hills, and from the peaceful rice paddies to the ‘restaurant’ where chicken walked freely among the tables. Or from the coffee plantations to the glorious mountains that wore clouds like expensive wedding hats. A photograph of any of these scenes would have been just fine.

In the end though, this silly picture of me waving at my own shadow sums up the day for me. It sums up just how I was feeling, how broadly I was smiling, and how much I’m enjoying this incredible adventure through 366 pictures of 2012.

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