From Nha Trang I got the overnight sleeper bus to Hue. This bus is amazing, with three rows of tiny bunk beds that go all the way back--it`s unlike any bus I`ve ever seen. To my surprise, my bed was right next to two familiar faces--a couple of Swedish sisters that I had met in Ko Pha Ngan the night before the full moon party. It was good to see them again, and since we were going the same way it was nice to have some people to travel with for a bit, too.
I left a rainy Nha Trang only to arrive to a rainier Hue. Trying to figure out how to get to the border required lots of walking around in that rain and by that afternoon, deprived of sleep, wet, and cold I urgently needed a warm shower and some sunshine. By 9 that night I had found a luke-warm shower (thanks to the guy in the restaurant that we thought was trying to scam us), which was fine and the next day Laos would bring me sunshine.
Starting at 6am, we left Dong Ha for Savannaket. 9 hours later we had made it; happy to be out of the rain, Laos was a wonderful change. The girls decided that they would go down south to check out the place where the Mekong splinters into 4000 islands, and the only home of the Irrawady Dolphin, only 100 left of the species. Because I would have to be back in Savannaket in less than 2 weeks, I decided to begin the 20 or so hours north...that I would then have to retrace.
While in Savannaket I met Jookky, a 29 year old Laotian woman who speaks very good English, has lived recently in Holland and who had many interesting ideas about her country and the world--from a perspective that is very unique. We chatted for about 3 hours--really interesting to hear what she thinks about her country, its future, government, etc.
On the bus to Vietniane I sat next to a sweet-looking old man. Since he spoke no English and I no Lao, our only communication was through sharing food with one another. The bus was surprisingly well air-conditioned and even had a TV and a good stereo system. Unfortunately, it only had two DVD/VHS tapes. The first was a compilation of music video that were hilarious. Basically all the same, it was a group of scantily clad 17 year old girls doing a very out of sync choreographed dance with moves picked straight out of Napoleon Dynamite. They formed the background for a small man wearing a tucked in shirt and leather jacket that both are too big for him, jeans and white Reeboks--awkwardly snapping his fingers to the tune he was singing. Production quality circa 1991. The second was a variety game show/comedy act--someone running around on stage with a blue wig, a man dressed as a woman--hilarious.
Vientiane is very quiet for a captal city. But that`s what makes it nice, I suppose. Been here now for 3 days and have had a nice time getting to know it. Tonight I`ll move on to Luang Prabang on the overnight bus. In two nights in Vientiane, I've managed to stay in a dorm that has the warm feel of a prison without the bars and a slightly better hotel with a sign on the wall of the shared bathroom that reads "DO NOT Throw the soap or make dirty in the water tank. Thanks" If I had known, I wouldn't have!
Before I left, though, I had to sort out my second visa for Vietnam. Because guesthouses and travel agents charge a commission, I decided to go to the Vietnamese Embassy and take care of it there. There are few I dislike more than corrupt visa/border people. The bastard was trying to charge me more than if I had paid the commission to have it brought from the guesthouse to get the very same visa. When I pointed this out to him, he told me with an evil face to go back to the guesthouse if it is cheaper there. This would mean that I would either have to wait around Vientiane or travel without my passport. So instead of paying this guy's corrupt fee, I had a copy made and will return in a week or so to pick up my passport. Hopefully I'll get my passport back, considering I already had a fight with the guy who will be in possession of it for the next 3 days.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Nha Trang
I ended up buddying up with Ryno and Devin and we left on the same bus to the quiet coastal town of Mui Ne. Once there we rented motorbikes from guys that were standing on the side of the road. We paid them $5 and with no contract, guarantee (say, passport) or even knowledge of where we were staying, they let us take the bikes. So we set off, still wearing our backpacks, to find a cheap guest house. We snagged the last two rooms and both got a good deal at Pin Pon. Then, a Canadian girl named Laura that was on the same bus with us showed up, saying that she was unable to find any rooms for a reasonable price. Even though my first impression of her, from the bus, was that she was a pathological liar--generosity prevailed (or maybe it was my saving $3 a night?) and I said that she could take the other bed in my room.
Taking full advantage of our bikes, it was off we went to explore the countryside around Mui Ne. For the next two days we rode around to different sand dunes and beaches. Also, we met Manuela and Leonora from the States and had a good time cruising around with them. Leonora is good friends with one of my good buddies that I met in Argentina. Good times were most definitely had, but after a couple days Mui Ne didn't have much to offer (except good food, quiet beaches and world class kite surfing) so I hit the road again in an effort to hustle up to Laos.
Dalat was a must see before making the long trek up the coast. On the treacherous roads between Mui Ne and Dalat I met the newly engaged couple, Chris and Elissa. We shared the relief when we made it there safely, to the beautiful mountain town that smelled heavily of the pines that surrounded it. After finding the restaurant with porcupine and anteater on the menu too expensive, we settled for a place with some good western food (Vietnamese food isn't great...compared to Khmer and Thai) and decided that we would climb the Lang Bian mountain together the next day.
And what a perfect day it was. Taking the public bus to Lac Duong, we paid the 50 cents to get in, took the picture next to the fake zebra and started our way up. Chris is an avid birdwatcher, and so whenever a tit, bulbul, warbler, cattle egret, or kite hawk (that's all I remember) would appear, the binocs would be out and the bird positively (sometimes) identified. It was really interesting. And the 360 degree view from the top was spectacular. On our way down we trudged through the same forest fires that we encountered on the way up (weren't sure if they were controlled burn or not?) and high tailed it to a nice restaurant in Dalat where we splurged for a good meal after a big day or walking.
A beautiful bus ride brought me down off of the central highland plateau at sunset and I now find myself in Nha Trang. Once again by the beach. I was trying to catch the night bus for another 15 hours (to Hue) last night when I got into town, but it was already long gone. It was probably for the best because my stomach started to cramp right as I got off the bus and I was resigned to my bed for the rest of the night--luckily I had HBO (Grandma's Boy...?) to keep me company. On the bus from Dalat I met Li Li and her sisters who were coming back to visit family from their home in Vancouver and Tom and his father John, who were also refugees....Tom back for the first time and his father back to retire here. Tom and I talked the whole way from Dalat--agreeing on the sad state of our country (education, health care, defense...even agriculture...how is it that nothing is right!), he gave me an impromptu Vietnamese lesson and recommended a movie, Journey From the Fall, which I will now recommend to you. He said it is the only movie about the war from a refugee's perspective. I'm sure it's really interesting and look forward to seeing it once I'm back. He also told me his story--how they were able to get on a flight the day before Saigon fell and that his father, an algebra teacher at a Catholic school, was only able to escape fighting in Dalat's last stand against the VC when he was smuggled out in the back of a truck, under the smocks of the nun's with whom he worked.
The stomach is back to normal and tonight I'll take the bus to Hue--from where I'll continue the long journey to cross over into Laos. I'm still deciding how much of this I will backtrack when Brock comes...it'll either be back to Nha Trang or we'll just meet up in Danang and save ourselves an overnight bus ride.
Oh--one thing about Nha Trang...I've seen more guys riding on motorcycles with full size refrigerators on the back (presumably taking them home from the store) than in any other place I've been so far. Pretty impressive
Better get out of here. I've got a 7 year old sucking down Marlboros to my left and that "I swear, by the moon and the stars in the sky" R&B song blaring to my right.
Taking full advantage of our bikes, it was off we went to explore the countryside around Mui Ne. For the next two days we rode around to different sand dunes and beaches. Also, we met Manuela and Leonora from the States and had a good time cruising around with them. Leonora is good friends with one of my good buddies that I met in Argentina. Good times were most definitely had, but after a couple days Mui Ne didn't have much to offer (except good food, quiet beaches and world class kite surfing) so I hit the road again in an effort to hustle up to Laos.
Dalat was a must see before making the long trek up the coast. On the treacherous roads between Mui Ne and Dalat I met the newly engaged couple, Chris and Elissa. We shared the relief when we made it there safely, to the beautiful mountain town that smelled heavily of the pines that surrounded it. After finding the restaurant with porcupine and anteater on the menu too expensive, we settled for a place with some good western food (Vietnamese food isn't great...compared to Khmer and Thai) and decided that we would climb the Lang Bian mountain together the next day.
And what a perfect day it was. Taking the public bus to Lac Duong, we paid the 50 cents to get in, took the picture next to the fake zebra and started our way up. Chris is an avid birdwatcher, and so whenever a tit, bulbul, warbler, cattle egret, or kite hawk (that's all I remember) would appear, the binocs would be out and the bird positively (sometimes) identified. It was really interesting. And the 360 degree view from the top was spectacular. On our way down we trudged through the same forest fires that we encountered on the way up (weren't sure if they were controlled burn or not?) and high tailed it to a nice restaurant in Dalat where we splurged for a good meal after a big day or walking.
A beautiful bus ride brought me down off of the central highland plateau at sunset and I now find myself in Nha Trang. Once again by the beach. I was trying to catch the night bus for another 15 hours (to Hue) last night when I got into town, but it was already long gone. It was probably for the best because my stomach started to cramp right as I got off the bus and I was resigned to my bed for the rest of the night--luckily I had HBO (Grandma's Boy...?) to keep me company. On the bus from Dalat I met Li Li and her sisters who were coming back to visit family from their home in Vancouver and Tom and his father John, who were also refugees....Tom back for the first time and his father back to retire here. Tom and I talked the whole way from Dalat--agreeing on the sad state of our country (education, health care, defense...even agriculture...how is it that nothing is right!), he gave me an impromptu Vietnamese lesson and recommended a movie, Journey From the Fall, which I will now recommend to you. He said it is the only movie about the war from a refugee's perspective. I'm sure it's really interesting and look forward to seeing it once I'm back. He also told me his story--how they were able to get on a flight the day before Saigon fell and that his father, an algebra teacher at a Catholic school, was only able to escape fighting in Dalat's last stand against the VC when he was smuggled out in the back of a truck, under the smocks of the nun's with whom he worked.
The stomach is back to normal and tonight I'll take the bus to Hue--from where I'll continue the long journey to cross over into Laos. I'm still deciding how much of this I will backtrack when Brock comes...it'll either be back to Nha Trang or we'll just meet up in Danang and save ourselves an overnight bus ride.
Oh--one thing about Nha Trang...I've seen more guys riding on motorcycles with full size refrigerators on the back (presumably taking them home from the store) than in any other place I've been so far. Pretty impressive
Better get out of here. I've got a 7 year old sucking down Marlboros to my left and that "I swear, by the moon and the stars in the sky" R&B song blaring to my right.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Yesterday and Today (1/8/08)
Dong are now the centerpiece of my world. I'm forced the think about them all the time, whether it's people asking me for them on the street or constantly doing the math to figure out how many dong I need. The Vietnamese currency, like many of their words (see Phuc) can't help but bring a smile to your face.
But smiling was not what I was doing earlier today, as the bus crossed the Mekhong on a ferry. No, instead I was chiding myself as new information has meant a change in travel plans and will force me to backtrack. I'm not sure why, but it goes against something very deeply ingrained in me to backtrack. To waste the time and money to be places I've already been is especially painful when traveling and having to buy another 1 month visa on top of that...unacceptable. But I'm coming to grips with it now and realize that this will likely be the first of two trips to Saigon (HoChiMC). In 23 days I will likely arrive here again to begin Phase III of the trip, with Brock-O.
So reluctantly I arrived in Vietnam today. It was an quick trip with an effortless border crossing. Arriving in Saigon felt very different from anywhere I've been thus far. The buildings are different, the feel of the city unique. The fast pace of development can almost be felt when entering the city. I was traveling today with an american couple, Ryno and Devin, that are my age and traveling around the world for however long it takes them. He had been to Saigon 6 years earlier and when we went to the old market that was one of his favorite spots in the city--it had become an American style shopping mall...only the tiling at the entrance and the old tiled stairs remaining. A Chanel booth, next to Louis Vitton replacing the poultry stall where birds were slaughtered after you paid for them.
I plan to only be in HCMC for a couple of days as I now need to high tail it up to Laos, the place that I expect to like the most...and to have enough time there before flying back to meet up with Brock and go up the Vietnamese coast.
My last day in Phnom Penh was pretty amazing. I was taking it easy, renting a bike to go to the Central Market and to do a couple of errands. On the way back from the market however I was riding and thought I recognized the guy riding past me on his motorcycle in the opposite direction. 2 seconds later I hear a crash and he and his passenger have collided with a blue car that looks like an old Nissan Sentra in the intersection through which I have just passed. It was a really bad accident--I rushed back to see if I could help but even before I could get to the accident there was a swarm of people around him, someone presumably trying to help. I didn't want to get in the crowd of Cambodians so I hung back and watched, hoping that someone would pull him out of the mass of people and take him to a hospital. 5 minutes passed or maybe more (it felt like a really long time) and finally an ambulance came. Not sure if he made it, but it was a crazy thing to have seen. And interesting how the Cambodian people in the area were reacting (some laughing and joking, others honking their horns to get the traffic out of the way, others visibly shocked). I rode back to the hotel cautiously and pretty stunned from what I had just seen.
I made it back to the lake for sunset and was recounting my story to Lorri, another Canadian that I had been hanging out with when I read in the Cambodian Daily (I was looking for information about the tribunal for Bill C.) that there were 40,000 cases of Dengue Fever in 2007. 1 in 100 people affected died, a significant improvement from the 1 in 34 fatality rate from 2006. Once again I slathered on some extra deet and was once again impressed with how many ways one can meet their end in Cambodia.
One last amok from my favorite place and one to go for breakfast and I was all set to head off the next day.
But smiling was not what I was doing earlier today, as the bus crossed the Mekhong on a ferry. No, instead I was chiding myself as new information has meant a change in travel plans and will force me to backtrack. I'm not sure why, but it goes against something very deeply ingrained in me to backtrack. To waste the time and money to be places I've already been is especially painful when traveling and having to buy another 1 month visa on top of that...unacceptable. But I'm coming to grips with it now and realize that this will likely be the first of two trips to Saigon (HoChiMC). In 23 days I will likely arrive here again to begin Phase III of the trip, with Brock-O.
So reluctantly I arrived in Vietnam today. It was an quick trip with an effortless border crossing. Arriving in Saigon felt very different from anywhere I've been thus far. The buildings are different, the feel of the city unique. The fast pace of development can almost be felt when entering the city. I was traveling today with an american couple, Ryno and Devin, that are my age and traveling around the world for however long it takes them. He had been to Saigon 6 years earlier and when we went to the old market that was one of his favorite spots in the city--it had become an American style shopping mall...only the tiling at the entrance and the old tiled stairs remaining. A Chanel booth, next to Louis Vitton replacing the poultry stall where birds were slaughtered after you paid for them.
I plan to only be in HCMC for a couple of days as I now need to high tail it up to Laos, the place that I expect to like the most...and to have enough time there before flying back to meet up with Brock and go up the Vietnamese coast.
My last day in Phnom Penh was pretty amazing. I was taking it easy, renting a bike to go to the Central Market and to do a couple of errands. On the way back from the market however I was riding and thought I recognized the guy riding past me on his motorcycle in the opposite direction. 2 seconds later I hear a crash and he and his passenger have collided with a blue car that looks like an old Nissan Sentra in the intersection through which I have just passed. It was a really bad accident--I rushed back to see if I could help but even before I could get to the accident there was a swarm of people around him, someone presumably trying to help. I didn't want to get in the crowd of Cambodians so I hung back and watched, hoping that someone would pull him out of the mass of people and take him to a hospital. 5 minutes passed or maybe more (it felt like a really long time) and finally an ambulance came. Not sure if he made it, but it was a crazy thing to have seen. And interesting how the Cambodian people in the area were reacting (some laughing and joking, others honking their horns to get the traffic out of the way, others visibly shocked). I rode back to the hotel cautiously and pretty stunned from what I had just seen.
I made it back to the lake for sunset and was recounting my story to Lorri, another Canadian that I had been hanging out with when I read in the Cambodian Daily (I was looking for information about the tribunal for Bill C.) that there were 40,000 cases of Dengue Fever in 2007. 1 in 100 people affected died, a significant improvement from the 1 in 34 fatality rate from 2006. Once again I slathered on some extra deet and was once again impressed with how many ways one can meet their end in Cambodia.
One last amok from my favorite place and one to go for breakfast and I was all set to head off the next day.
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