Vietnam - Top 't' Middle

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The plan was to fly from Hong Kong to Ha Noi with my second cousin Jill and accompany her to the Animals Asia Bear Sanctuary that she has set up in the Tam Dao national park. Things didn’t exactly start smoothly, as Jill’s assistant had forgotten to provide her with all of the necessary documentation to fly and meant she had to wait at the airport for her paperwork to arrive and take a flight later that day. I continued to Vietnam, along with Jill’s luggage (which happened to include drugs for the bears, something she told me once the bags were checked in under my name, insisting it is usually ok with Vietnamese customs. Very reassuring!) and would meet her colleague Tuan at the other end.

My first impressions of Vietnam were kind of what I was expecting from third world Asia; dusty, broken and disorganised. The drive to Tam Dao was fascinating, with overtaking manoeuvres being pulled off where overtaking manoeuvres seemed impossible, markets in full swing and people toiling hard in the fields! Tuan was Vietnamese, but had lived in Sydney for twenty odd years; his English was close to perfect and we had an interesting conversation along the way, finding out about his past, his times in Australia and the reasons for him being back home. He was also able to point out things of interest along the way, or explain the reason why certain things were happening. When conversation slowed, I was happy watching the world go by and trying and make sense of how these people are living.

The Animals Asia Foundation was founded by Jill in 1998 and is devoted to the welfare of wild and urban animals in Asia. Of the 3 flagship programmes the foundation has running, the campaign to end bear farming is the one I had heard most about, with the aim is to rescue Moon bears (Asiatic Black Bear) from illegal farms operational throughout Asia, where they are kept in appalling condition, to have their gall bladder drained of bile to be used in herbal Chinese medicine. The sanctuary in Vietnam is testament to the success Jill and her team have already had in Chengdu, China, where a far larger sanctuary already exists.

For more info, visit: http://www.animalsasia.org/

Tuan showed me around the sanctuary, which is currently home to almost 70 bears. I was able to see the quarantine dens (where the bears are first housed), the operating theatre (although no patients were present), the dens where new bears are introduced initially and also the larger dens and ‘play area’ where most of the bears call home. It was all very interesting, something I had never seen before and I enjoyed speaking to both the vets and bear manager about illnesses, treatments and typical behaviours. Some of the stories behind the rescues where disturbing, but its great to know places like the sanctuary exist, with people completely dedicated to the same cause and where no further pain can be inflicted on these animals. The bears genuinely look happy, are very playful and completely captivating. They certainly have individual personalities and are in fact very human like, especially when they stand and walk on their back legs, which is hilarious.

Jill joined us later in the day and I saw just how passionate she is about her project. Obviously you don’t set something like this up if you’re not passionate, I get that, but still, to see her engage with fellow colleagues, the bears and the projects the way she does, is very inspiring. She treats everybody with the same respect and goes about things in such a positive manner. Her enthusiasm is addictive, people respond to her and is easy to see how she has come so far. The sanctuary is a credit to her drive and ambition and she should be very proud of what she has achieved.

Whilst at the sanctuary, I was invited to the staff annual Christmas party! I was unsure as to what to expect, but Jill had warned me that the Vietnamese get very drunk, very quickly and everything should be wrapped by 22:00. They also needed somebody to play Santa Claus…and guess which luck bugger got that responsibility? Tuan had said that the kids would love it if somebody bigger than an Asian frame could take on the role, making them think he is actually real and not just some Asian fella dressed up. A combination of heart strings being tugged and me being the only western guy around worked and needless to say, that night, the boy from Essex was decked out in full Santa regalia…in size Asian! Perfect! I walked into the room of about 100 people, greeted everyone with a customary Ho Ho Ho and then sat down and handed out presents to the 30 or so kids. I don’t know what they thought of ’Santa’ but I felt a prized plum and very unconvincing…the fake white beard contrasting nicely with my now flowing, curly brown locks! All in the spirit of things…and was actually good fun!

Jill was also spot on with her prediction of Christmas frivolity Vietnamese style, in so much that the blokes all went hard out for the free beer and shots of rice wine. They are only small humans and it didn’t take long for the effects to take hold…and as soon as they did, the music was cranked to maximum volume and they all hit the dance floor. It was a strange sight; the way they act when drunk is very different to how westerners behave and borders on the immature and even camp. Most of the guys are 25+ with wives and families, but it appeared that they really don’t know how to behave. Jill said it happens every time, is completely normal and to just enjoy it. I did…right up until the point where they wanted me to get on the dance floor with them. I didn’t want to offend them by not participating and grudgingly dragged my stiff, dance less body to the dance floor. Now I don’t dance at the best of time - I know my limitations in life - and with only 3 cans of beer inside me it was by far the least amount of alcohol I have consumed before trying such moves! I felt awkward, dancing felt awkward and I dread to think what it looked like…an oversized version of the tin-man springs to mind! Thankfully the hangovers of the Vietnamese would allow for a lack of memory…and all of a sudden it didn’t even happen!

The following morning we left early, Jill bound for the airport and back home to Hong Kong, me for Ha Noi, the capital. I was sad to say goodbye to Jill, it had been a great few days and I’d had a lot of fun. I’m not sure when I’ll next see her, but hope its soon! My journey with Tuan took another hour and he kindly dropped me at my hostel. The rest of the day was spent walking around town, trying to get to grips with the place, which was a complete cacophony of traffic, horns and vendors - crazy busy and slightly disconcerting! I found a place to eat and opted for Pho (pronounced fur), a local speciality of noodles, bean sprouts and vegetables in a broth, topped with either beef or chicken. Tasty, filling and cheap!

There was not a great deal to actually do in Ha Noi, but I really liked the place. It had a good atmosphere about and although busy, never seemed to be over the top. Crossing the road is daunting at first, simply stepping out into the throngs of motorbikes who try their hardest not to hit you. Once you have it mastered, getting to the other side could be done blindfolded! The lake in the centre of town is good to stroll around or sit and read…or simply people watch…who are invariably watching you. The markets are alive and colourful, selling oodles of things that you don’t really need, but my favourite activity was wandering down the back streets and seeing whatever it was there was to be seen. I had met an Australian lad, Brendan, by this point, and my favourite day was wandering round chatting to him, occasionally being interrupted by children wanting to say hello or have their picture taken, people just staring, or cheeky hairdressers suggesting I may require a trim!

The street food was pretty good and I didn’t really have a bad meal! OK, some of it wasn’t amazing, but it was certainly edible and most of the time enjoyable. Apart from meeting people and seeing things, food is by far and away the next best thing about travelling for me - you just don’t know what you can try next! Having said that, Ha Noi was the first place I witnessed dog on the menu…in fact I didn’t just witness it on the menu, I witnessed it on the side of the road, which was a bit of shock to begin with. The most disturbing part about it, is that it looks as though Fido was picked from his basket, put in the oven for 2 hours and then, removed in exactly the same position, complete with head and teeth. There is no way I could have had a bit, even though I have it on good authority that it tastes…like chicken!

I spent 5 nights there in total, although you could probably do it in 3. I stayed at the imaginatively named Hanoi Hostel, which had comfy dorms, good wifi (a must for the cricket) and a free brekky!

I also organised a trip to Halong Bay, which I had been told is beautiful. A friend of mine said it was her favourite place in Vietnam and I was therefore really looking forward to seeing it. Long story short, it was dull and overcast the whole time we were there, the water looked polluted and it was chock-a-block full of tourists. I didn’t take a single photo. Halong Bay…done. (Yes, I am bitter)!

From Ha Noi I took the overnight train with Brendan to Hue, a first for me and a more appealing way of travelling than taking the overnight bus, which are completely different to South America. A sleeping bus here is made for an Asian man; needless to say, I am too long and too wide for the space and couldn’t imagine anything less comfortable for a night of travel!

Hue was ok. We walked around town which was fairly uninspiring and couldn’t help but come across the forbidden city, which is hemmed in by a citadel. Its an attractive part of town and makes for a pleasant walk, but other than that, unless you are really into temples and pagodas then Hue wont really do it for you…at least it didn’t for me. To be fair, I was supposed to have a city tour the following day, but due to an impromptu drinking session in Brown Eyes (thoroughly recommend it) not finishing until 3 a.m. I wasn’t in the best shape to be touring anywhere! Another highlight was a sushi restaurant called TA.KE. The food was fresh, the portions were a good size and the bill was an even better size…about US$10 for 2 people. Go here!

After almost leaving my wallet on a table in a restaurant - thanks to the waitress for running after me and returning it - I was on a bus headed for Hoi An where I was planning on meeting up with Bear (aka Ian), who had been in Cambodia and was travelling north through Vietnam. When I arrived, I was accosted by a young lady who enticed me into her hotel and had me agree to $12 per night…for the room that is! I am a sucker when I arrive in places and head for the nearest or easiest, forgetting that I am a backpacker and should be ‘finding the best deal’. Sod that, saving and extra dollar or 2 does not seem enough of a saving for the extra 45 minutes it takes lugging the pack around! Anyway, Bear was coming in a couple of days, which makes the $12 only $7.50...bargain!

The following day I took one of the hotel bikes and went for a cycle around town. Hoi An is a beautiful town, set on a river with quaint back streets that are best negotiated on foot or by bike. The streets are quiet, the pace is slow and the place is consuming. I was sold! I rode through town and out towards the beach, which stretches for a few kms along the coast. There are two main beaches and one is far busier than the other; the ride there is picturesque, taking you through the sprawl of town, over a river and adjacent to rice fields. The beach has your typical hawkers, but aren’t too annoying, especially if the iPod is plugged in, the shades are on and you appear asleep! I rode down the coast to the quieter beach, chilled out for a couple of hours, had a beer and got chatting to an aussie girl, before returning for a shower and meeting her for dinner - the great thing about travelling - one minute you‘ve never met someone, the next, dinner.

Next morning, a knock on my door at 08:30 signalled the arrival of Bear, my mate from uni who I had met in KL for a week or so back in November. After some breakfast and a catch up, we went to one of the many tailors (Kimmy’s) - Hoi An is renowned for bespoke clothing - to get measured up for a couple of suits. I had scouted out a couple the day before and they all seem much of a muchness, although there are obvious stand out places. The owner seemed pretty professional, the service was alright and I couldn’t really be arsed traipsing around looking for an alternative. We did the sensible thing and made a couple of comparisons, but opted to go with Kimmy’s. We chose the cloth, the lining and the style, were measured up, paid the deposit and told to return the next day for a fitting. Too easy. We then had a ride around town before hitting the beach for a few ’good to see you again mate’ beers.

I bumped into Nick and Kate, a lovely aussie couple who I met in Halong Bay, got chatting to a couple of Dutch girls and also an American girl, Heather. It was a good group, all doing their own thing during the day, but meeting up for dinner and drinks in the evening, a routine that worked well. Bear and I hired mopeds one day and with Heather on the back, drove out to the caves at Marble Mountain, five limestone and marble hills about 25kms from Hoi An. There are a number of tunnels and caves to explore, along with Buddhist sanctuaries and is worth dropping into, especially if heading off towards Danang. After that we basically just went for a ride, bypassing the traffic of Danang and hugging the coastline. The roads were empty and the ride was really enjoyable, spending a good 4 hours seeing things we certainly wouldn’t have had we stayed in Hoi An. I know mopeds aren’t necessarily the safest form of transport, but in Asia they are by far the most popular and a great way to get off the tourist trail, see more places and get a better appreciation for the local communities. It was honestly one of the better afternoons of my trip!

I finally picked up my suit, after 4 fittings! I’ve never had a bespoke suit before, but am now the proud owner of one 2 piece and one 3 piece, together costing $350 - that is if they make it home in the post! I was pretty pleased with the end product, although not 100% satisfied…then again, for the money, you probably shouldn’t expect Savile Row quality.

The group - minus the Dutch girls - caught up for one last dinner before going their separate ways. The river front had been excellent for food, but Nick and Kate had stumbled across a couple of gem restaurants, neither of which I can remember their names…sorry! It was another great feed, light yet filling and as always, easy on the pocket. We had a couple of late drinks before calling it a night and retiring to respective accommodation. Nick and Kate had a few days left of their trip before being back in Australia for Christmas, Bear was heading north to Hue and Heather was heading south, the same as me. Heather and I decided to head off together, taking the train from Danang to Nha Trang, staying the night and boarding the bus to Dalat, where we had heard about a motorbike tour which we thought could be good fun. The countryside we passed through whilst on the train was beautiful and was extremely peaceful standing with your head out of the window, watching the world pass by. It was so very simple, yet the images of the sun setting behind the mountains, reflecting off of the water and illuminating the rice paddies will remain long in the memory!

What will also remain long in my memory, is the ‘boiled eggs’ I bought from a vendor on the train. To his credit he tried to talk me out of it, but I was adamant that I wanted the same as another chap in our carriage. It wasn’t until the 2 eggs were in front of me that I realised why he had tried to put me off, for in the whites of the eggs were, what were obviously blood vessels. Oh shit I thought! The hard boiled eggs I thought I had bought turned out to be duck embryos. I was not expecting that! The guy in our carriage looked on in anticipation and was eagerly encouraging me to eat them. I worked out from his hand gestures that duck embryos put lead in your pencil…good to know! I was happy to decline, however Heather was keen to try it and there was no way I could lose face to a girl. So in went the first piece of egg white…not bad…then Heather tried it…all fine. I then played around with what had obviously been a bird in the very early stages of existence and tried to pluck up the courage to try it. It wasn’t too bad. Not great, but far from rank. However, the thought of it almost made me gag and there was no way another piece was going in my mouth…ever! Even writing about it now makes my belly turn!

I had been really impressed with my first couple of weeks in Vietnam and was excited at the prospect of what was to follow!

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Photos

Moon Bear...
...evidently dont shit in the woods!

Moon Bear...
...i can actually imagine people inside!

Father Christmas...
...DO BELIEVE!

Jill...
(on the left)

Man sitting on water...
..highly skilfull

Me & Brendan
Hue