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Published: August 31st 2009
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Okay so let's begin from the beginning... I left Laos after two weeks for Vietnam, ready to find some adventure in a new country. And adventure is exactly what I got. I left from Savannakhet, Laos and after 26 hours, three buses, a rip off of a taxi, and a sleep outside of a restaurant at the border in the middle of the night, i arrived in Hanoi. It a beautiful city, spotted with lakes and parks, and a constant flow of motorbikes like a river down the streets. Old architecture, stylish cafes, the works. After spending a few days exploring, I went up to Sapa, a small green hill station in the Northern Highlands. It is a beautiful place, surrounded by rolling green hills, with rice patties etched into each hill face making it look like God's stairway to heaven. Three days spent there were divided between eating Pho in the market, playing with and being harassed by the cheeky local tribes children, and hiking into the surrounding hills, oh and avoiding the monsoon rains that were a major part of every day there.
After Sapa, I headed back to Hanoi for a night, and then took a
tour to Halong Bay (once voted one of the 7 wonders of the world *hey claim to fame!) I did an overnight boat tour there and magically, two friends from my volunteer project in India happened to be on my boat! I had a great day with them, swimming in the turquoise waters and catching my breath as we weaved in between the massive rock formations shooting out of the water. We slept on the boat under the stars wrapped in silence, and rocked to sleep by the gentle sway of the ship in the water. It was a perfect night; vivid, dreamlike.
The next day, I had the boat drop me off at a small island which is renowned for its climbing. I went immediately and signed up to join a trip going out the next day. It turned out to be one of the best experienced I had in Vietnam. It started early, we headed to a private beach with a massive rock face off to one side. They set up 4 top ropes on some interesting routes, and let us get started. While the climbs were fun and challenging, the real treat was getting to the
top and turning around to look at the most picturesque view I have possibly ever seen. After the morning climbs we had lunch on the boat, and then me and three others took kayaks to do some deep water solo climbing, which essentially means that we rowed out to a rock wall jutting out of the water, got out of our kayaks directly onto the wall, barefoot, and climbed until our arms gave out and we fell into the water. it is how climbing should always be, so free, unrestrained, full of life. After a few more hours of top roping on another beach, and a little bouldering, we came back to the boat and collapsed on the roof, exhausted from the PERFECT day.
After Halong bay, I made it back to Hanoi, and started my move South. On the bus to Hue, I met a Dutch guy at a rest stop, and when i ran into him the next morning at breakfast, he was in the process of booking a trip to Hoi An on the back of a motorcycle. So I decided to go with him. We spent the entirety of the next day on the back
of bikes, our bags strapped behind us, cruising down the beautiful Vietnamese highways. The views were out of this world, and riding on the back of a bike as we flew down the open road was so exhilarating that terror was never even an option. And the best part was that by the end of it we were in Hoi An, a beautiful town of tailors and old French buildings that seemed like one giant clothing boutique.
My main goal while there was to get some suits made, since it is the best quality and cheapest price in Asia, and I will be attempting an entrance to the proper work force when i get home, and I hear you need suits for that. So I got some made, (and a pair of shoes) for a fraction of what I would pay back home. They are now all in a box in the middle of the ocean making their 2 month journey back to the Lake of Salt.
So, the rest of the time in Hoi An, I rented peddle bikes and road around the city, and to the idyllic beach 4 km outside of town. Hung out with
some cool people, ate some of the BEST food, and drank sugar cane juice by the river in the mornings. I was sad to say goodbye, and felt the 6 days wasn't nearly enough.
After Hoi An, I headed to a beach town for a couple more days, took a boat ride, did some snorkeling, and some dancing, and a little more layin on the beach. Just a mini holiday vacation... in Vietnam.
Then there came Saigon, which I am aware is presently labelled Ho Chi Mihn City, but I just seem to like original name more. It was an awesome town, reminiscent of the crazy cities in India, big and noisy, dirty and thick with contrast. The poverty was heavy, the traffic was mad, and the alleys were narrow. The streets were almost too vivid. Constantly abuzz with life pouring out of the food stalls and open shops.
I saw the War Remendants Museum and the Cu Chi tunnels, and learned a lot about the Vietnam War, and what it means to be an American. I can't say that in my hours at these places, I never once felt ashamed to be American. Embarrassed, angered, or
hurt. As I looked at the graphic pictures of the atrocities from the war I understood a lot about my government and also about my individual role in the world. I can say it was much more than just a learning experience.
After Saigon I went on a tour of the Mekong delta. Saw some floating markets, fishing villages, and beautiful scenery. After a night in a floating hotel I arrived at the boarder of Cambodia by boat and prepared myself for my next adventure.
I am currently writing this from a tiny town in a fishing village in Southern Cambodia. I am on the only internet in the tiny city (which is actually just the guest house owner's laptop), and drinking Cambodian coffee outside of my garden bungalow. I will spend the next 2 weeks here and then head back to Thailand to meet up with two friends that are coming to visit and then I will write again. Thanks for following my adventure.
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Rosie
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Ho! Ho! Ho!
I've just read you blog on your Vietnam trip and it sounds AMAZING. I am hoping to go there for a month over xmas and New Year. Two of my friends are on a round the world trip and I am flying out to meet them for New Year. As I only have a month would you recommend going to Laos as I am struggling to fit everything in? Thanks and nice blog.