Back on Track in Vietnam

After two and a half months and what felt like a mad dash to the finish line, we finally left China. We only spent 2 days in Xi'an, then took an overnight train to Chengdu to see a research center for breeding panda bears (so cute!) and buy our new camera, one day later took another overnight train back to Kunming to apply for our Vietnamese visa's, then 3 days later with visas in hand, took our final overnight bus to the border.


Mike has been playing with our new camera and found this cool setting. Picture is on a city garden in Kumning.

First stop in Vietnam was a northern village called Sapa, which is a wonderful, tranquil place nestled in the mountains. With picturesque tiered rice fields, mist surrounding the mountains and a calm that was soothing, we finally exhaled and relaxed for 3 days. There are many local tribes surrounding the small town and the women dressed in traditional attire walk daily to Sapa to sell their handicrafts. They speak English very well and engage you in conversation before pulling out their bag of goodies; very good sales tactics! There are many treks that can be completed around Sapa. We did a 3 hr one to a nearby tribal village and saw some amazing scenery. Other than that, we spent most of our time on restaurant balconies: playing chess, reading or just enjoying the view. If we had more than 30 days in the country, I'm sure that we would have stayed there a week!


View of the mountains and rice fields surrounding Sapa.

Next stop was our first major city called Hanoi. We arrived at 5am and got suckered into a taxi at the train station that had its meter rigged so high that every km we went, the counter changed. Mike was furious. After the meter reached 48,000 dong (when the trip should have only cost 15 - 20,000) he made the taxi stop and we got out to walk the rest of the way to the old town in Hanoi. Surprisingly at 5am, the city was bustling. There were people running, doing aerobics in a park, bicycling, etc. Then we found out why.... the excrusiating heat! No wonder July is low season for tourism. It's so hot, just standing makes you sweat! However, there were not many guesthouses open at this hour. A man approached us saying he had a room available, but we were so grumpy with the taxi driver and did not want to get ripped off twice before 6 in the morning that we were really reluctant to go with him. In the end we did, and found a relatively nice room with satellite tv, shower, but no A/C (which we later regretted!) and a small ant infestation for $5 USD. So nice to be in a cheap country again!

We explored the old town of Hanoi, walked around Lake Hom Kiem in the middle of the city, and saw the Temple of Literature (where for the past 1000 years scholars have studied Confusionism, which is not actually a religion but more a philosophy for governing people). We tried to see the embalmed body of Hoi Chi Minh, the reveared leader of northern Vietnam whose vision was "a democratic, independent, society that would promote peace throughout the world" (honestly, that's what the museum says!), but unfortunatley his dead body of 37 years was not available for viewing in the afternoons. Fun fact: Hoi Chi Minh's body is moved to Russia for 3 months of the year for maintenance. Russia has perfected the embalmment process with Lenin. Interestingly, Mao is also embalmed in Beijing, though in their wills, none of the communist leaders wished for this.


Mike and I in front of Ho Chi Mihn's Mausoleum


Nothing beats someone else working up a sweat while you sit in the shade. We called it supporting the local people. Others may call it laziness. All in all, a great way to see the city.

The roads in Vietnam are very chaotic. Now, being the kind of girl that likes to wait for the little white man to appear before crossing the road, the thought of stepping out into dozens of motorcyles, taxis, and bicycle carts, racing through the streets is not my idea of fun. But you can't stay on the left side of the street forever. So with a pounding heart, I attempt to cross. Now here's the trick - DO NOT RUN and for the love of god DO NOT STOP, just walk at a constant speed through the road and surprisingly no one will hit you, everyone just goes around you. I'm getting more brave, but on the odd occasion, Mike needs to hold my hand. Circumnavigating Mt. Kailish pales in comparison to crossing a street in Vietnam!

Aerial view of one of the intersection we had to navigate through - this is during a slow time!

We just returned from a three day tour to Ha Long Bay. The literal translation is Bay of the Descending Dragon, where according to legend, to protect the people from invaders, a family of dragons spit jewels into the water and created the 1600 limestone islands that protrude from the sea. The grottos are spectacular to see and the ambiance is one of awe and wonder. As a part of the tour package, we got to spend a night on the bay in a boat with dining room and small cabin beds. Luckily the boat had satellite so the men were able to watch the World Cup final at 2am (honestly Mike didn't even like soccer in the beginning and now was up until 4 in the morning watching the games). The next day we stayed on an island called Cat Ba, where we completed a 2 hour trek that was actually very gruelling, partially because of the heat, the jagged rocks, but mostly because of the enormous poisonous spiders with their webs within easy reach of passing tourists! No kidding! There was a bit of beach action (first ocean we've seen since we left Koh Tao 3 months ago), where a boat dropping off tourists almost capsized! We stayed at a swanky hotel that actually had A/C, so for the first time in 5 nights, we slept soundly and didn't wake up in a pool of our own sweat. Although we were apprehensive about being on a package tour because we've really enjoyed going at our own pace, it was nice not to have to negotiate pricing or think about where you were going to stay or eat. Plus you didn't save any money by doing it on your own, so it made sense.


This is the type of boat we stayed on for a day in Ha Long Bay.


Night view of the bay. Stunning!


Huge, poisonous spider right ahead. Yikes! It was hard to walk on the trail b/c we were always looking up to see if we were walking into a web!

We have bought an open bus ticket to travel in Vietnam. The ticket allows you to stop at any destination you want along the way and when you are ready to travel again, you go to a local travel agent and reserve your next seat. The bus has A/C which is such a treat.

We spent a day in Ninh Binh - a small town with amazing scenery surrounding it. To my chagrin, the only way to tour the sites is by motorbicycle. Don't get me wrong, I like bikes, but only when I'm in full clothing and have a helmet on my head and not weaving precariously through traffic. Not to worry though, our drivers were really professional and took a lot of back roads with minimal traffic and actually slowed at pot holes and when straw was covering the road because it was drying in the sun. The day was beautiful with bright blue skies. We saw a couple of temples, pagodas, and then took a paddle boat ride on a river with rice paddies and grottos surrounding us. The place was called Tam Coc and took our breath away. While in the boat we passed through 3 caves where the water had eroded through the rocks. Very cool! It was a perfect day, finalized with a 500 step walk up a hill that's view overlooked the Tam Coc.


Mike & I starting the river tour of Tam Coc. It's so great to be in a bathing suit again!


View from the paddle boat.


Looking out from Hang Hai Cave.


Taking a break with a local man who offered Mike a drag from his water tabacco bong.

Now we're arrived in Hue and spent the day exploring the old Citadel and walking around the fortress gates. The history here is amazing and it's interesting to see the propaganda that still is prevelant around the north i.e. at a war museum the south army was referred to as "the puppet army". We are planning on taking a boat tour to see the tombs of kings tomorrow, which we are really excited to see.

It's only been 2 weeks since we arrived in Vietnam, but we absolutely love the country!

Love and peace,

Kendra & Mike