Hué, Hoi An, Nha Trang, and Ho Chi Minh

Traveling through a big part of Vietnam in only 10 days is venturesome and I would’ve liked to spend more time in places exploring the places less trodden by tourists. We were only in Hué for a total of 4 hours in which time I rented a bicycle with the guys I met on the boat (and who I got stuck on the bus with) and rode around looking at some of the historic sights and the pagoda by the river.  

Hué was once the capital city of the Nguyen Dynasty and there are still many famous monuments and architectural sites to look at. Hoi An is known for its many tailor shops, so there I had a blazer, jeans, and two pairs of leather sandals designed and custom made for me. The next day they were ready and I was very impressed by the quality, since the price was so inexpensive. 

Sunrise in Nha Trang

Then it was off to the beach capitol of Vietnam:

Nha Trang. 

The beach area honestly reminded me of a smaller and less crowded version of Santa Monica, with people doing Thai Chi on the beach and running along the sidewalk. It was a much different scene than I've been used to in Asia. Since we arrived at 6 am, we chilled on the beach and watched the sunrise before checking into our hostel. We did a day-long boat trip where we went 'snorkeling' (didn't see anything) and stopped at a beach. After lunch on the boat we were told we could jump off the boat and swim and a floating 'bar' was thrown overboard a long with us. Of course it was only the white foreigners who went for it. All the Chinese tourists on our boat were just excited to watch and take pictures while we floated around down below. Later Leo and I found a restaurant ran by a man who looked like he had walked straight off the ranch. I can't say I have ever been that excited for barbeque, but my mouth was watering just by the smell in that place and by the time we got our food we just shut up and ate every last bite. The man was from Texas he told us, and that was some of the best BBQ I have ever eaten, even back home. Nha Trang is also known for it's lively night life, so with some other American girls we met on the boat, we went out the the Sailing Club and danced the night away.

Motorbikes crowding the sidewalk

When we got to the Southern capitol city of Ho Chi Minh, also called Saigon, Leo and I visited the famous War Remnants Museum. It was interesting to see, but also difficult to see the pictures and read accounts from the people during that time. We had much more fun was just walking and exploring the busy streets. There were so many motorbikes that sometimes you couldn't even walk on the sidewalk, and to cross the street you just had to walk slowly into the sea of zipping bikes and let them dodge you. It was nerve racking at first, but soon we got the hang of things. To get out of the heat one day we ducked into a mall to play arcade games and watch a movie in the air-conditioning. If you are ever homesick, this is one of the best things to do because in the dark room you really could be anywhere in the world!

To get rid of some of my ‘dong’ (name for their currency) before going back to Thailand, I decided to treat myself to a facial—only $7 for a rejuvenating hour of relaxation and bliss! Traveling in Vietnam gave me a different perspective on the country and taught me a lot. I also realized that although I love the fact that Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia never colonized by a European country, I really loved the bread and coffee in Vietnam, thanks to the French!

Overnight Sleeper Busses in Vietnam

Sleeper bus (photo from Internet)

Overnight busses in Vietnam are a good way to travel when on a time crunch. They are cheap and travel at night, which gets you to your next destination without loosing a day and paying for a hotel. They have three rows of bunk beds and ‘sleep’ up to about 30 people- 30 very SHORT people. Leo and I found out the hard way that some busses are nicer than others. We bought a 4-stop bus ticket at the Hanoi Backpackers Hostel since we would be stopping in Hue, Hoi An and ending our trip in Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon). We were told that we would be given our tickets on the first bus. Well after waiting for a van on the side of the road to take a big group of us to the bus, we ended up being the last ones along with 3 other guys. I think what happened is that our ‘VIP’ but had been overbooked, so after about an hour we find ourselves boarding a bus that was almost full of Vietnamese. The woman yelled at us to get off the bus when we didn’t have tickets in hand and we told her the situation. Finally someone called our hostel to confirm our names and we were granted the last two seats on the bus; both on the top middle row. I’m not a tall person and I could hardly fit my legs into the bed without being totally cramped. The best part was that I happened to have the TV coming down from the ceiling and into my lap. To top it all off, when boarding the bus Leo fell down the side stairwell on his way to look for a seat and everyone stared at us, shocked at these crazy foreigners. I really don’t think we were on the right bus. All night I sat/lay with my knees hanging out of my bed and the neon light flashing in my face while the Vietnamese men on either side of me lay stretched out in their beds with room to spare laughing at whatever show was playing.

I’m happy to say that the bus rides got better after this one. All the rest had bigger beds, blankets, and even a bathroom on board. The only problem was that after everyone got on, they would pick up people and let them sleep on the floor in the isles so you had to climb over them if you had to pee and try not to step on anyone! Oh the joys of traveling~

‘Booze Cruising’ in Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay (picture from Internet)

After exploring Hanoi and getting a grip on the drop in temperature, Leo and I signed up for a 2 night, 3-day boat trip on Ha Long Bay, literally meaning “Descending Dragon Bay” in Vietnamese. With its thousands of limestone rock formations, called karsts, jutting straight out of the water with trees and vines clinging to their surface and caves scooped out at the bottom so they sometimes look like they’re floating, you can see why it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We boarded our boat with about 60 other travelers and sailed out into the mists. Just about a month before there had been an accident on the bay and a tourist boat sunk, killing twelve tourists, so security was very tight getting in and out of the harbor.

The cave we kayaked to

This was not your typical tour of the bay of course since we had booked through our hostel. I think everyone on board was under 30 and it quickly turned into more of a ‘booze cruise’. It was not like the pictures on the posters where everyone was in their bikinis out in the sun though; the only people who went up the ‘sun’ deck were those having a smoke. It was freezing!

Partying with new friends on the boat

Leo and I shared a room that was quite cozy, but outside the cold sinking in. We needed a way to warm up so we all cracked a few beers. When the boat made anchor in the middle of mists and jagged islands, and we were told this was the part where we could swim, everyone looked skeptical. Then the guys decided that we were in Ha Long Bay and to hell with it and started jumping overboard. I still had about 3 layers of clothes on and was not about to change that, but when I was told that the first girl to get in got a beer on the house (c’mon, they were expensive!) I went to change. By the time I got back I had already lost that bet, but my competitive side came out and I changed that by doing a back flip off the railing. About 20 feet down I hit the water and my breath caught. SO NOT WORTH IT! The water was like ice, and it’s not like I needed a refresher in the first place! Climbing up the side of the ship with blue lips, I didn’t even smile when the guys high fived me. GET ME A TOWEL!

Next up: canoeing. Seeing that I was already wet, it actually felt warmer in the canoe. We all partnered up and paddled off to explore the cliffs and the caves. We stopped at one that was particularly big to have a look around. While we were out there, small boats would come up to us trying to sell things, there was a little girl about 5 years old with her mom trying to sell us beer. Everything out here is floating on water, even villages. Some people born out here rarely set foot on land and survive by fishing and trading goods.

Our huts on Castaway Island

Later that evening after we ad all eaten and warmed up a bit, we were roped into playing drinking games. I don’t remember if they had warned us about the early wakeup call, or f everyone had forgotten, but when they started banging on doors and ringing doorbells that played “Fur Elise,” no one was a happy camper. We all stumbled out of bed and were determined to go back to our cozy courters the moment we got some coffee and grub. Not a chance. They were already cleaning our rooms getting ready for the next group of travelers! We all sat around, some of us with our heads on the tables trying to make up for lost sleep. Half the group would be returning to Hanoi and the other half of us were traveling on to Castaway Island, a small private island that the company paid a rent under the table to have access to. The island had a small beach; volleyball net, canoes, and a communal area were we ate dinner together. Along a path there were bamboo huts low to the ground so that you had to crawl into them. We all took our pick, Leo and I sharing with the only other four girls and tried to make it cozy. I think the entire trip I wore all my layers of clothing, only taking them off to take a shower once (and jump overboard). Later I went and watched a very entertaining game of volleyball (hilarious because one guy took it very seriously when everyone else was just having fun and the British guy sitting next to me kept whispering a running commentary to me that made me almost die laughing). It was a slower night of drinking that night, but a night of drinking nonetheless and when it started raining I was happy that our huts were a foot off the wet ground. I hunkered down and actually had an unexpectedly pleasant sleep.

By the time we got back to the Backpackers Hostel in Hanoi, we had just enough time to get in a hot shower and eat before undertaking our first overnight bus in Vietnam. 

And we're BACK!

I know that the last few months I have failed miserably at keeping up with my blog, but I have a good excuse! Five countries in three months without my constant companion: my MacBook. But to make sure I didn’t forget those unhinged overnight busses of Vietnam, early morning walks in Nepal, tasty morsels in India, flying through the jungles of Thailand, and soaking up both culture and rays in Bali, I diligently kept a journal and will now share all of my adventures with you.

For me the past two and a half months have been the real reason I moved to Thailand in the first place. As much as I love my experience teaching and all that it has taught me, I was born to travel, and nothing makes me feel more alive.