Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Vietnam part 1
I've made it as far as Hoi An, not even halfway up to Hanoi - there have been too many distractions along the way. As a tourist in Vietnam there's and overwhelming incentive to join organised tours for about $10 a day all in. My first trip was to the Cu Chi tunnels which the VC used to hide from the American army and at night they could control a large area outside Saigon. Our guide (a war veteran) explained that the tunnels have been enlarged to accommodate "Americans with big ass" but they are still a tight squeeze. After a few hundred yards of scrambling in a crouching position I was gasping and my thigh muscles hurt.
Next was the Mekong Delta where we travelled by bus, motorboat, rowing boat, car ferry and river cruiser. We changed vessel every few hours or so, sometimes for no apparent reason other than to stop us getting bored. The Mekong is a busy food producing region with loads to see: floating markets, rice noodle factory, coconut candy factory, rice husking factory (where transactions are calculated in chalk on the pavement outside), crocodile farm, fish farm, paddy fields, not to mention the cheeky locals. We also came across a wedding where they were serving up some exquisite food.
The Mekong tour took me back to Saigon where I stayed for a couple more days to get some Vietnamese lessons and do a sightseeing tour on the back of a motorbike. I made quite a few Vietnamese friends in Saigon, they are all keen to practice their English which is always fun. I can even make myself understood in Vietnamese which makes me feel quite proud because the pronunciation is tricky and needs to be exact or you end up saying something completely different.
From Saigon I took a bus to the hill station of Dalat which is full of French architecture and cuisine. I didn't make it out into the hills and waterfalls to go trekking - my back was killing me after the bus ride. Always bring a pillow or something! I spent a day and a half in Dalat visiting the tourist kitsch and getting my back rubbed and walked on by a gorgeous masseuse.
Next place was Na Trang which is a truly amazing beach resort along the lines of Varadero in Cuba. There were loads of activities on offer like jet skiing, surfing, parasending and kite surfing. On the bus I met some travelers who were going scuba diving. We stayed in the same hotel and got drunk together and I resolved to go diving with Kate who was very sweet and also a beginner. When I first put my face in the water, although I could breathe OK, I couldn't see much and was quite panicked. Once we got a little deeper and out of the glare of the sun, I could see clearly and concentrate on keeping calm. From then on it was a totally surreal and unforgettable experience; there's another world down there and I'm drawn to go back.
Now I'm in Hoi An which is a very "historical" place with lots of old houses to visit. Not really my cup of tea, I'm getting some clothes made while I am here. Going to Hue tomorrow.
Next was the Mekong Delta where we travelled by bus, motorboat, rowing boat, car ferry and river cruiser. We changed vessel every few hours or so, sometimes for no apparent reason other than to stop us getting bored. The Mekong is a busy food producing region with loads to see: floating markets, rice noodle factory, coconut candy factory, rice husking factory (where transactions are calculated in chalk on the pavement outside), crocodile farm, fish farm, paddy fields, not to mention the cheeky locals. We also came across a wedding where they were serving up some exquisite food.
The Mekong tour took me back to Saigon where I stayed for a couple more days to get some Vietnamese lessons and do a sightseeing tour on the back of a motorbike. I made quite a few Vietnamese friends in Saigon, they are all keen to practice their English which is always fun. I can even make myself understood in Vietnamese which makes me feel quite proud because the pronunciation is tricky and needs to be exact or you end up saying something completely different.
From Saigon I took a bus to the hill station of Dalat which is full of French architecture and cuisine. I didn't make it out into the hills and waterfalls to go trekking - my back was killing me after the bus ride. Always bring a pillow or something! I spent a day and a half in Dalat visiting the tourist kitsch and getting my back rubbed and walked on by a gorgeous masseuse.
Next place was Na Trang which is a truly amazing beach resort along the lines of Varadero in Cuba. There were loads of activities on offer like jet skiing, surfing, parasending and kite surfing. On the bus I met some travelers who were going scuba diving. We stayed in the same hotel and got drunk together and I resolved to go diving with Kate who was very sweet and also a beginner. When I first put my face in the water, although I could breathe OK, I couldn't see much and was quite panicked. Once we got a little deeper and out of the glare of the sun, I could see clearly and concentrate on keeping calm. From then on it was a totally surreal and unforgettable experience; there's another world down there and I'm drawn to go back.
Now I'm in Hoi An which is a very "historical" place with lots of old houses to visit. Not really my cup of tea, I'm getting some clothes made while I am here. Going to Hue tomorrow.
# posted by Dominic @ 1:45 PM 
