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Published: March 13th 2009
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North Vietnam
Flying from Vientaine (Laos) to Hanoi (Vietnam) seemed a better option than trekking 30 hours overland by bus. In an hour I would be in a new country, populated by almost 85 million habitats on land area representing 1/15th that of Australia....Feeling somewhat apprehensive and excited at the same time as though I knew what i was to expect...it's funny though, travelling for such a long time now I've learned not to expect to much along the way - let it unfold. I was however repeatedly reminded on my travels through Thailand on how the Vietnamese people can be so overwhelming in your face. Touting goods and services, scamming foreigner's, grabbing you to direct you their way and chaotic traffic in the streets..Hmm....reminds me of Morroco, I thought - I was prepared.
I pre-arranged online accommodation in the old quarters of Hanoi and was gratefully thankful for the return email advising the means and directions to the hotel and warning myself of the scams of private taxi operators (any local bloke with a private car) giving you cheap rides into town, only to be told that your preferred hotel is either full or closed down or too
faraway, and suggesting a hotel of their choosing, obviously for a kick back from the hotelier. I was to get on a shuttle bus from the airport and travel to the very last stop. Stopping outside the head office of Vietnam Airlines, and walk the 200 meter distance to the hotel....Sounds simple...After weaving my way through the Airport and many private taxi operators I found the shuttle bus and confirmed with the driver, that the last stop is in fact the head office of Vietnam Airlines. Boarded the bus and soon was off. Forty-five minutes later we arrived at what seemed to be the business district and any of these building could be the head office in the dark of night. What few passengers left on the bus were soon ushered off as being the last stop for the evening.
Walking just a short distance and seeking direction and for the very first time found that the language barrier became my biggest obstacle in my travels thus far. Soon realising this did not feel right i ended up walking aimlessly for over an hour, all the time seeking assistance in the most extraordinary means of ways, I finally
found my hotel, some 2.0km from where I left the bus - My welcoming introduction to Hanoi - I think i was scammed here, as I was later told this was a regular occurrence with foreigner's. The bus driver would often stop short of his final destination usher off the remaining passengers to save the struggle of entering the busy streets of the old quarter. I was glad to find a haven in my hotel for the night.
Hanoi - the capital of socialist republic of Vietnam, 3.5 million people and one very hectic and chaotic city. Everywhere you go, you can not avoid the constant thick stream of motorbike traffic. Trying to cross the road is a scary thought let alone crossing it. After a few attempts you becoming very accustom to it with effortless ease...Just step out onto the road and walk steadily and confident into the stream of traffic, you will soon see the traffic weave around you - like Mosses parting the Red Sea, no worries at all - just watch out for the large vehicles as they are not as agile as the bikes - No sooner your out and about you become
a beacon...a magnet for the locals chasing you for your tourist dollar. From mobil book stores, guys carrying cardboard boxes filled with copies of latest releases of novels and travel books, to women selling arts and crafts and carrying sandwich-boards with sunglasses, and of course the constant barrage of men on motor bikes offering their own personalised motorbike taxi service to anywhere, and men on Cyclo's - a bicycle ricksaw with the chair at the front, the bike at the back. By night these operators become Pimp's and dealers offering you women or weed, Tourism at it's best. It's constantly non-stop "NO THANKS" and resolving to motioning the arm and hand to shoo them off. Though it was refreshing in the afternoon to find cafes offering Bia Hoi (Draught beer) for only 3000dong, about $0.25cents Australian per glass. Having little alcohol content you can down quite a few easily and with out knowing how many you had for as little at $3.00 to $5.00 dollars you soon feel the delayed affects.
From Hanoi I travelled north to Cat Ba island, laid back and oddly endearing it is the only populated island in Halong Bay. Halong Bay with more
than 3000 islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, is as spectacular as it sounds and looks on brochures. Sadly, no blues skies as my time spent there was overcast, not quite the picture post card scenery. But a worthwhile trip exploring this bay. Here I met up with an American couple Mike & Lindsay and together we chartered a private Junk (boat) to cruise the bay for two days and one night spent on the boat. Sailing, swimming and kayaking and being fed well, it was all to hard to cope....what a life. Back on the island it was more relaxing in the sun, swimming and sight seeing the island on a motor bike.
South I headed passing through Hanoi one last time and into Tam Coc, known as 'Halong Bay on the Rice Paddies' for it's huge rock formations jutting out of vibrant green rice paddies. An early morning two hour Sampan ride (row boat) was a must - meandering among the rock formation mountains in water landed area where river, mountains and rice fields merge serenely into one after one and passing through large grotto's underneath the mountains crossing the Ngo
Dong river was an exciting adventure in its self despite the crowds of tourists descending on this river by midday. This region also offered spectacular hidden landscapes, unique grotto's, relics such as Tha Vi Temple, Bich Dong Pogoda a cave with a built-in Temple and Van Lan Village famous for it's embroidery, accessible by hiring a motorbike for the day, certainly a fun way to explore.
Hue (pronounced Huway) was the next town, boarding on the central coast, just 90km passed the Demilitarised zone (The North & South divide of Vietnam during the conflict) where most of the heavy battles took place during the war, served as the political capital from 1802 to 1945 under 13 emperor's of the Nguyen Dynasty. The main attraction is the crumbling Citadal (imperial City) much of it destroyed by various occupying forces and latter heavily bombed by the Americans. Now Skilled Vietnamese craftsman, with the help of UNESCO and non-government organisations are hard at work restoring and rebuilding what remains. Sadly I don't think it can be returned to it's former glory, but it's scope and beauty still impresses at a fascinating insight into imperial Vietnam.
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