Colors of Vietnam-Asia

The Ancient Town of Hoi An

2011-08-14T07:21:00.001-07:00

Wow, I didn’t realize it’s almost a year since I was in this blog. Sorry for my long absence but today I thought, I’ll scribble down notes on my latest travel within Central Vietnam.

I haven’t been backpacking for several months after I got caught up with a high pressured job in Saigon. But since my boyfriend Paul was leaving for a long holiday back to his hometown in England, I felt the need to go on holiday with him before his trip.

Typical scenario at the ancient town where locals enjoy a nightly festivities.

We visited three holiday destinations in Vietnam but I’d like to highlight our trip to Hoi An where I found the ancient village fascinating. I have been to several ancient villages in Vietnam during my early backpacking days but the old town in Hoi An is really captivating with those lanes and alleys full of Chinese-styled shophouses, bars and restaurants

decorated with Chinese lanterns.

On top of it all, the old town streets are closed for motorbikes at night. Amazing, I don’t have to deal with motorbike drivers insisting their way on the road nor the very annoying and rude honking even when there’s no need to honk.

All I have to deal is to look for Paul hopping around in a string of necktie shops or maybe take it the other way, Paul scouring for me in an alley of silk dress shops.

The shops at the ancient village were open even after 10pm but walking around hopping from one shop to another was quite tiresome, so we sit down in one of those modern Chinese-styled bars, Tam Tam.

Awesome, we’re in a bar with modern service but above me we’re the traditional Chinese lanterns in old designs.

Paul found Tam Tam Bar & Restaurant when he was searching for a place to watch World Grand Prix. Tam Tam is one of the few bars within ancient village with wide TV screen.

Anyway, we all have different preferences when we go travel but for me in Hoi An, I can only recommend the ancient village near the river. Hoi An is also known for its beaches but I am not a “beach person”, so I could not give justice to this destination if you take my opinion about it.

All I have is negative opinion from nothing to see when I was snorkeling except tiny little cluster of fishes which was not very visible because the water’s not clear blue. White sand beach yeah but rubbish are all over, people just throw bottles, cans or plastic bags on the seashore. But like I mentioned earlier I am not a beach person, I would rather rent a push bike for 2dollars and go around ancient village.

Hoi An by the way has no train station, in case you want to get out via train then go to Danang – all travel agencies in Hoi An would assist you for that.

We wanted to go on a train but Paul doesn’t want to be on a taxi to Danang. It’s too much of a hassle, so we decided to get on the bus. He booked all in the hotel where we were staying – it’s called Anh Hoi Hotel with little swimming pool and breakfast restaurant.

The receptionist was just too accommodating to arrange all without a hassle but the downside of it was that, we ended up in a bus we don’t like. A tourist sleeping bus with the name Luxury Open Tour but don’t be fooled by the word “luxury” because it’s nothing luxurious at all- locals sprawling on the floor or Vietnamese passengers sharing one tiny bed. Foreigners may have its own bed but I felt sorry for Paul because the seats likely were designed for Asian, so it’s too short for him.

You have one option though, fly. If you only have limited time to explore Hoi An’s ancient history and beaches then fly. Tickets for domestic flights in Vietnam are not really expensive. If I were to asked how many days ideal to stay in Hoi An- with my preference ( exploring ancient village) two days are enough.

Yeah... The Colors of Vietnam ... indeed

2010-10-22T05:59:00.001-07:00

Colors of Vietnam---when I wrote this title on my blog I think of nothing but the travel, the scenic views, the people I encountered and the diverse cultural experience I had in Vietnam.
Traveling was my only comfort to beat the odds in life.

Reality, however, told me I could not always move around and see places. I need Uncle Sam’s money to sustain my so called comfort. I joined the hospitality industry and landed in one of those high paying jobs for an Asian.

Three months ago, I thought this is it I can go around travel and enjoy life being single, happy and free - no excess baggage so to speak.

But today, I woke up sad with my head pounding like it was going to explode. Worse, deep inside I was already crying. I wanted to shout that four- letter word F-U-C-K billion times until that so called pressure will leave me alone.

I know that sounds silly because no matter how many times I’ll shout, it won’t go away. And that left me without a choice but hide under the bed cover and sleep over it, so the following day perhaps, I’ll wake up well rested and ready to face the challenge again.

Well, looks like the Colors of Vietnam has changed from my point of view now. It’s not only the scenic views I took pictures with when I was traveling, nor the diverse cultural experience I had but also that 6-letter killer word- STRESS- which is already affecting my decisions in life and my dealing with friends.

For those of you who are dying to strangle me for being a bitch and a pain in the ass, just put it this way, it’s one of my Colors in Vietnam, living as an expat. Go ahead strangle me (but sweetly ok?).

Please bear in mind though that you always have a place in my heart and I will always remember you. Maybe you can help me bear the stress from work by just looking at it as one of the Colors of your life in Vietnam. Whatcha’ think?

Hmmmm... actually, I just don’t have anything to write because I haven’t done any traveling for the past three months at all and I need to update my blog... maybe? (Sigh) I wish that’s the case though…

Dalat- Rocking it on the rocks

2010-08-13T05:41:00.000-07:00

Escaping from the humidity of the lowlands I head off to Dalat- a summer destination in southern Vietnam. I miss the cool climate of Hanoi during winter and Dalat is just a perfect alternative.

Dalat is just a small place and one visit is enough to have a glimpse of its scenic landscapes and nice looking houses with a touch of European design.

This is my second visit to Dalat, so I was wondering what would entertain me since I am an outgoing person and I don’t intend to stay in my room the entire day.

Although, the comfort and beauty of the place I stayed with gave me reason to hang around. I was in one of the apartments of La Sapinette Hotel and I could just watch TV

and dozed off in a queen size bed or drink on my own in the mini bar, stay in a hot tub or just sprawl myself on the couch at the mini living room and watch TV.

However, my gypsy character forced me to find an activity, so I decided to go out of my comfort zone and joined Groovy Gecko Canyoning Tour.

The canyoning tour is one of the famous sports adventure in Dalat that involves abseiling in a

waterfall, rappelling on the rocks, jumping on the water and sliding on the slippery falls.

Groovy Gecko supposedly would pick me up at 8:30 am but this is Vietnam, so expect that everyone is not on time. With a team of six travelers and three guides Groovy Gecko driver

was on the hotel’s door step at 9am picking me up.

The ride was not far. We get off the car after 15 minutes and started trekking towards the jungle with our helmets, no bags and all our mobile phones, wallets, and cameras turned over to one of the guides.

Because the activity was a bit rough and risky then it is advisable not to bring anything.

Having nothing on hand to worry about, however, turned out to be more fun than carrying something which will only bother me.I don’t have to worry about taking pictures while we were abseiling on a 25m waterfall or jumping on the water from 11m cliff

as one of the guides was assigned only to take pictures of us.

The other two guides were directing and assisting us when we abseiled or jumped.

Here’s something you have to take note though, if you are a novice and you don’t know how to swim make sure you are with a group of travelers who can swim and strong enough to assist you.

Usually travel agency would tell you it’s alright but trust me don’t jump on the water from 11m cliff because your life jacket might not stick with your body from the impact and you’ll be left strugg

ling to get into the shallow part of the water.

How do I know? Well, I don’t swim and guts were all I have, and trust me I felt the danger despite my oozing confidence. The guides will not be on your side but your team mates will be there on the water when you jump.

I don’t know my team mates personally, I just met them there but I kept bothering them for help. I was lucky they were quite nice,

couples from Denmark, Germany and England. Being Asian I’m small and I knew it was a burden to them since they have to adjust their speed for my sake.

The least I can do to compensate them of their effort to rescue me on the water when necessary, was to stay friendly and to never utter a word of complaint.

The canyoning program, however, was well planned for beginners. We started with moderate rappelling, jumping and sliding to practice us. The second leg was a bit rough, higher cliff, longer water sliding and rappelling on the rocks with water at the bottom.

The last part was the hardest, abseiling on the 25m waterfall, getting into the middle where water will push you down and

the rocks were quite slippery. I had to invest a lot of effort to control, balance and guts to let go of the rope and jump where I can get lost on the streaks of water.

Then there was the jumping on the water from 11m cliff and the so called “washing machine” where I’ve abseiled on the waterfall with water grinding me down.

The activity ended with a 2k uphill climb back to the highway where the car was waiting for us.

And if you ask me what was the most fun part of the adventure, it was the unavoidable intake of water when you

abseiled or jumped plus the dimples forming on my legs and butt from the exercise.

Tien Giang- Mekong Delta's Projected International Jewel

2010-07-28T01:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been to Mekong Delta in Vietnam? Mekong Delta comprises of several provinces and cities but I’ll narrow down my story to Tien Giang or My Tho City.

My Tho is the most sellable destination among independent travelers joining an organized one day Mekong Delta tour, the fact that it is quite near Saigon. With the newly opened express highway the travel from Saigon to My Tho City is now just an hour and a half or a maximum of two hours.

This city was projected to be the venue of Ms. World but by the twist of fate the Ms World project in that area has folded. I’m one of those expats supposedly in the frontline of promoting the project to the international market which could have a good impact to Vietnam’s tourism industry but a lightning from the media society struck its main player that sent all expats packing and I’m the last one on the line.

Now as I am packing my bags getting ready to move to my next destination in the tourism and hospitality industry, I’ll share the place to all of you who have never been there. In fairness, Tien Giang deserves this note as it is quite a rich area with or without the Ms. World project.

The province Tien Giang itself is the fruit basket of Vietnam that mainly supply the countrywide demands for mango, durian, rambutan, mangosteen , longan and other tropical fruits. And that alone is an attraction for travelers who want to explore the countryside where they can see fruit plantations.

How to get there? If you are not going to book a tour to travel agents or get a private car in Saigon then you have choices of public buses from Mailinh, Phuong Trang , Phu Vinh Long or those that park Miendong bus station.

But if you want a comfortable travel through public transport then I suggest you get on Phu Vinh Long in District 10 or call Mailinh, they’ll pick you up at your hotel but of course the fare is a bit expensive than those at Miendong bus station.

In the course of promoting Tien Giang as Ms. World venue in China, I remember someone from a corporate world in Russia asked me what to do in My Tho should she bring 100 guests. Of course at that time I was braced with information on the project I can talk a lot, convincing her that the guests have to stay at least one week to explore the place.

Indeed, with the Ms World concept you need to explore My Tho for at least one week but in the absence of that, I can only recommend a maximum of two days stay in the area.

For two days, you can explore the rich river of Tien Giang- traversing it will give you a view of the different islands- see the stilt houses, the fishing village, learn the culture of Vietnamese in the countryside, its lifestyle and means of living. You can go around see the real beauty of the countryside, its fruit plantations and the rice fields – an abundant green background that sooths your eyes.

One of the attractions in the area is the visit to the family run factories of coconut candies, rice paper, bee products, and those small shops that sell coconut product souvenirs.

There is also that supposed to be venue of the Ms. World which has been developed partially, the Thoi Son RAAS where you can go around and explore the fruit garden. In Thoi Son you can take the famous sampan rowing of Mekong Delta with that conical hat while traversing along the small canals leading to the river.

If you want fishing either in the canal or in a developed pond where you can cook the fish you caught, Tien Giang is just a perfect place for that. What is more exciting in staying at Tien Giang for two a night is the fact that you can go in its nearby province where you can watch fireflies glittering at night as well as learn the culture that the coconut religion has adopted before its monk died in 1990.

What I love most in staying there night time was the experience I had with the fireflies watch, which is a combination of fear (traversing in a foreign canals at night with just fireflies as light) and the fairyland feeling while locals paddled the sampan along the tiny canals with nothing but fireflies to light the waterways.

A farewell holiday in Vung Tau

2010-07-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

I’m feeling a bit under the weather today, so I thought it might help to divert my attention in putting into words the latest trip I took outside of Ho Chi Minh City with my friend, Rachel Clarke. Our destination was Vung Tau – a popular beach destination.

I’ve been into this place several times, so thinking about it doesn’t give me a thrill. Living in Saigon though doesn’t give me a choice, we want beach and the closest is Vung Tau.

There are two options on how to get to Vung Tau and it's either by land or hydrofoil.

If you want the fastest way of going there then get on hydrofoil at 160,000vnd or $8.50usd and after over an hour of traversing on the water you’ll land in Baria port.

I’m not keen of travelling on the water, so we took the Hoa Mai mini van at 44 Nguyen Thai Binh in District 1. And with our 55,000vnd ($3) fare, we arrived Baria public market after more than two hours on the road.

We had lunch at Baria public market then get on the bus to Hotram Beach Resort. There are several beach resorts in Vung Tau but after a day of travelling like a local, we opted to stay at a luxury resort in Ho Tram Village- the Hotram Beach Resort &Spa.

The resort has two swimming pools, tennis court, fitness gym, grandiose bathroom, internet cable, wifi, restaurant, bar and a beach where we can just lay down to relax.

Let me just say it this way, the amenities and resort’s architectural design were worth the money we spent for.

As for food, it may not be the best but it’s nicely prepared and healthy considering that they were using organic produce. The prices too were not so expensive, so Rachel and I were having great time with the abundance of our meals.

Rachel was scheduled to head off Malaysia the day after, so we can only afford to stay one night. We, however, maximized our time lying on the poolside until the required checkout time. After that, we get on the bus again back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Rachel is a good friend I enjoyed partying with in Hanoi and our trip to Vung Tau was our last moment together as she already ended her contract in Vietnam.

To Rachel, cheers girl! Good luck to your new life back home in England.

Night Walks - Saigon

2010-06-20T06:08:00.001-07:00

My prolonged absence here manifests how lazy I become nowadays. It's just today that I finally got the desire to scribble down few notes of my night walks. Saigon is not the city I really took fancy of but since I live here I might as well share my experience. Writing about Saigon and my experience here is quite complex though, so let’s narrow it down to my night walks. The thing is no matter what colour is your skin it is quite safe to walk around the city at night.

If you want to capture colourful images then go around the city’s main area for tourists. Use your imagination and join me as I came out from the office at Saigon Trade Center walking towards the direction of Le Duan Street.

An expensive pizza at Hard Rock Café would be a good start to get ready for a long walk around the city. Hard Rock Café is located at the ground floor of Kumho Asiana building. I was walking along Le Duan Street and when I saw the newly opened Kumho Asiana building I remember Tim Scott, a good friend I met in Hanoi. He is working at Hard Rock Café, so I thought it would be nice to say hi. I went down but Tim was not there and my pride told me I shouldn’t go out not buying anything, so I ended up having an expensive pizza. Had it not been good I’m sure I’ll never stop complaining about it but because it was the best pizza I ever had in Saigon, I came out smiling. It’s not that it’s very expensive though but my point is I can get a pizza buffet in Pham Ngu Lao for the ones I paid at Hard Rock Café.

Lost on what else I want to do after that pizza stop, I sit down in one of the benches in front of Notra Dame Church where beggars and persons with disability were hanging around. Looking at them made me feel so privileged in life. Besides the lights from Diamond Plaze and the old post office across plus the elegant beauty of HSBC building behind me were nice backgrounds to the activities of the people around me. It made me think about life, how cruel and sweet life could be for various individuals.

A lottery ticket offer from one of the vendors though sent me off from my chair. Vendors can be very annoying they won’t leave you alone, so I left and walked towards Dong Khoi Street. In Dong Khoi, there’s the new Vincom building with expensive shops and spacious park outside. When it comes to shopping I am quite cheap, I don’t go for expensive one but I went inside Vincom building just for the sake of entertaining my eyes to that expensive display. Ten minutes staring at 240usd-worth of dress was enough for me to get bored and left heading towards City Opera. Few snap shots of the significant buildings around kept me busy. Then I decided to stop by few bars otherwise I can’t help spending money collecting fancy handicraft bracelets, my weakness.

In Dong Khoi Street, there’s Ice Blue Bar where I can describe as bar for old expat executives, the boring type. Few meters from Ice Blue there’s Hi Fi disco, 2nd level of the Russian market building. Then there’s also Jaspas worth spending the entire night with its cozy atmosphere. However, my trip for the night was to go around check places, so I just had one glass of lemonade at JASPAS then go around Ton That Tiep Street.

At Ton That Tiep I passed by Phatty’s Bar where most of the native English teachers working in prestigious language centers are hanging around. Spending 4usd for a drink was not my cup of tea, so one drink at Phatty’s then I had enough. Like I said I go for cheap prices except perhaps when I’m buying fancy handicraft bracelets.

From Phatty’s I went straight to Pham Ngu Lao where I spend the rest of the night sitting and chatting with friends at AK Hideaway Bar owned by an English young lad, Mat.

Hideaway has cheap drinks but the atmosphere is ok, maybe not cozy but for a bar yeah I’ll go for hideaway. If you’ve been to Hanoi’s Red Mau’s, Hideaway has the same aura, cheap drinks and nice people to talk to. I remember a statement from Mathias Baumgartner, a friend of mine in Hanoi. He told me once he doesn’t like hanging around at Red Mau’s because it’s full of backpackers and native English teachers who earned only few dollars for themselves. I hanged around with him to expensive places like Sofitel where one drink would cost at least 10usd. We used to visit 17 saloon to listen to Filipino band where a beer would cost me 4usd. If Mathias is reading this blog now I’m sure he’ll say you never change MicMic. Of course, I will only spend 1usd for a drink of vodka and orange not 20usd. Why would I spend much when I can have the same fun for 1usd? What do you think?

Easy Ride with Dalat’s Easy Rider

2010-05-11T11:59:00.000-07:00

Alright here I go with my latest trip travelling like a local in Vietnam.

Pressure from work pushed me to get on Phuong Trang bus at 10:30 pm on Friday supposedly heading Nam Cat Tien for Safari watch at Cat Tien Park. However, I did not anticipate that we will be at Nam Cat Tien almost 2 in the morning where not a shadow of human being was visible.

For me, travelling within Vietnam is quite safe but for a solo female traveller who doesn’t speak fluent Vietnamese I was having cold feet thinking I’ll be alone walking on a dark street in the countryside of southern Vietnam with just the sound of crickets comforting me, so I decided to skip Nam Cat Tien and go with the bus all the way to its destination, Dalat.

For my $8usd bus fare supposedly for Nam Cat Tien, I landed in Dalat at 5am. I left Saigon with the temperature of around 34 degrees Celsius with unbearable humidity that I wore only tank top and skimpy shorts, which was quite comfortable for the weather. But that was a bad choice because when I get off the bus in Dalat early in the morning I was slapped with a windy 19 degrees Celsius weather temperature.

For an Asian who is not used to live in cold weather, the temperature was enough to make my bones and hands shaking as I walked on the streets with my lonely planet guide book map. Dalat is not an active city like Saigon or Hanoi, so at 5am there were no guest houses that are opened, which left me without a choice but to keep on walking, stretch my body to gain more energy to fight the cold. Instinct told me that the more I move, the more warm I get.

Finally at 6:30 am, I was able to get a room at Nam Hoa Hotel along Hai Ba Trung Street. No one understands English but I managed to get a $10usd room for early morning check in. The room was clean but the windows and the door gave me an impression that it’s not safe to get out of the shower naked. But I was desperate to change into warm clothes, so I ignored everything. Besides I won’t be staying in my room.

True, I went around for breakfast and that’s when I saw the signboard Easy Rider Café. Easy Rider is a group of bikers which has been established by some random Americans after the war in Vietnam and nowadays it became famous in bringing tourists to the countryside, giving a different perspective of how to explore the country.

I was at the Peace Café at Peace Hotel along Truong Cong Dinh St., where most of the members of Dalat’s Easy Rider were hanging around, waiting for potential customers when I decided to get on one of the bikes. I was given the option to either take the city ride for $18usd or the countryside ride for $20usd. The countryside ride itinerary looks more exciting, riding on the bikes up and down the hills to visit some tourist spots, so I took it.

It was fun riding up and down the hills on a bike heading outside the city of Dalat but at noontime I started feeling the heat of the sun burning my skin and the humidity made me sleepy that my Easy Rider guide, Lam decided to stop in every coffee shop we passed by, so I can rest. I even took a nap at the hammock in one of the coffee shops. Well, if you are in Vietnam you will see that hammocks are normally hanged in the coffee shop of the villages for farmers taking their rest.

At 3pm, however, rain pour hard that Lam stopped again in one for the local stores, so we can put on our raincoats.

By the way I will commend Easy Riders for their sensitivity on the needs of their guests from raincoats to stopover. Lam never utter a word of complain even we stopped by several coffee shops just so I can rest. Waiting was safer though than him rescuing me falling off his bike.

Amidst the heavy rain, we arrived Dalat City at 4pm and I paid Lam his $20usd with additional small amount for a good service. Tips, however, are not necessary but Lam was too cautious for my safety that the tips and food I offered were not enough.

Now, if you are in Dalat and is planning to take Easy Rider trip, take the countryside option and you will be able to visit the flower garden, silk worm factory, mushroom production, rice wine making shop, climb up pine tree hills, visit at least two temples, old train station, crazy house, and the elephant waterfall.
Here's the thing, there’s nothing to see in Dalat City unless you go for a countryside ride which can be fully experienced by riding motorcycle.

Siem Reap’s famous tuk-tuk phrase “lady, leedih, leedih”

2010-05-03T00:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve never known hearing the word “lady” could be very annoying but trust me it was, in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

On April 24, 2010, I got the chance to pack my bag and crossed Moc Bai – the border between South Vietnam and Cambodia.

Among the borders I’ve crossed overland while living in Vietnam, Moc Bai was the easiest. If you want to get the cheapest bus, get on bus 703 from Benh Thanh bus station or say Cho Benh Thanh Xe Buyt, so the Vietnamese can understand. With bus 703 your $2usd will bring you to the immigration control at the frontier.

However, I did not take bus 703 with my recent trip to

Cambodia

, I took Sorya bus all the way to Siem Reap that cost me $15usd for a 13-hour marathon trip. I only have the weekend, so I have to go straight and avoid too much experiment in traveling like a local or else I can’t beat my schedule.

There are several buses that cross the border like Mailinh, Sapaco, and Mekong Express, among others. But I took Sorya based on its popularity in the lonely planet forum. Although most of the reports about Sorya in the forum were not good but I was too curious to try it for myself, so I took Sorya. Besides Sorya was the cheapest with $10usd difference from Sapaco’s $25.

We left Saigon at 7:15am against the supposed to be schedule of 6:45am. The road, however, was pretty smooth, so at 9am we were already at the border taking off our back packs from the bus for x-ray inspection and waited for our name to be called for the exit stamp on our passport.

Contrary to our expectation stamping our passports took so long as it was submitted late by the bus attendant. The bus attendant took all our passports and fill in the entry form on our behalf that took us so long with one person writing all the entry forms in Cambodia, taking all our supposed to be responsibility to fill in the entry forms.

In short, we were at the border for two hours as against the possibility of being there for only an hour. The Cambodian side, however, was pretty smooth. There were only few people on the Visa Upon Arrival (VOA) window, so it was quite easy for our western companions on the bus to process their visa for a fee of around $35usd. Being Asian myself though, I was given 21 days free visa entry.

We stopped for lunch at the border and has arrived Phonm Pehn at 2:10 pm. I thought the bus will go all the way to Siem Reap but no, I was told we all have to transfer buses, the same as other bus company. Unfortunately, since we arrived late the Sorya bus going to Siem Reap at 2pm schedule was already full, so we were told to wait at the next bus that leaves at 3:30pm. For me, 3:30pm with another 6 hours journey was too late already, I don’t want to arrive late in Siem Reap as I intend to walk around and look for the hotel that Mia, the Filipino friend I was with on that trip, has arranged. Mia went ahead of me as I won’t be able to get off work until Friday. She left Saigon Tuesday and I followed her on Friday.

On the 2pm bus schedule there were still few seats available, so I get in. But the bus attendant told me that everyone should stick with the group which doesn’t make sense to me since they will leave us all by ourselves anyway.

I have been traveling by bus and I know that the bus attendant just want us to stick with the group, so others won’t blame him for being late otherwise he’ll get in trouble with his company, Sorya.

There were 15 of us foreigners and the remaining sits were only 8, so seven were expected to bark at him if he let us go. I was angry that we were thrown off the bus to stick with the group, so I started bitching at the bus attendant, telling him we are not in an organized tour, so there was no reason for us all to stick together. True enough, I saw the counter stamp on the card he was holding then he was gone and never even said bye to us.

We took the 3:30pm bus and arrived at Sorya bus terminal in Siem Reap at 9pm where we were bombarded with “tuk-tuk” drivers literally offering their service on our face for $1usd.

There was a “tuk-tuk” association for Sorya inside the terminal but for the sake of experiment I decided to get out of the terminal and look around.

Luckily, the Irish girl I was sitting next to the bus wanted to walk, so I decided to stick with her. Walking in Siem Reap was not as pleasant as walking in Saigon at night time, the roads were dark and alleys were small that you get scared. Given the fact too that I was with a Caucasian girl, “tuk-tuk” driver won’t leave us alone. We found it creepy that “tuk-tuk” driver no matter how we say no and ignore them they followed us all the way with their common statement “lady where you go, lady only one dollar, lady very cheap”.

Emer, the Irish girl and I decided to cross the streets, so the “tuk-tuk” driver can’t follow us as it was a wrong side of the road for him already but we were surprised that he went all the way using the wrong side of the road just to follow us.

Emer said we had a “professional stalker” and I was already ready to run if worse comes to worse. Luckily, just as I felt like suggesting to run we saw a hotel, so we get inside and asked which direction was the nearest to go to Pub Street, the street where everyone goes for dinner and drinks. Pub Street was the most active street for tourist in Siem Reap, so we felt safe to go there.

We heaved a sigh of relief though to find the tuk-tuk driver gone after few minutes. But then again it’s Siem Reap “tuk tuk” drivers are everywhere and when you are with a white skin people it is an attraction for them to offer their service literally on your face, thinking white people is money. And this means that the “tuk tuk lady one dollar” offer didn’t stop after we successfully get rid of one “tuk tuk” driver. More offers came as we walked.

It is quite annoying as I could pass for a Khmer look and escaped all those as long as I don’t open my mouth and they won’t know I don’t speak their language. But I have no choice since it is fun meeting people too.

Mia and I joined Emer for dinner and that was the start of the

expansion of our social network in Siem Reap. We stayed at Pub Street going from one place to another and for that night, Mia and I made more 10 friends including the two Filipino bar tenders working at Angkor What bar, Clem and Shednie, and a cool chick, Tamelyn who was enjoying her last night in Siem Reap.

We went back to our hotel at 4am and woke up at 5am to chase the sunrise at Angkor Wat. Unfortunately, the weather was not smiling. Worse, at 8am rain started to pour that we got stuck up inside the Wat for like an hour. There are more than 10 ruined temples to visit but since Mia and I were pretty much knackered from the night of adventure at Pub Street, during the visit to the last few ruins we didn’t go down but take pictures outside and stayed at the “tuk-tuk”, take a nap while it’s moving and avoid the scourging heat of the sun.

Because we were too lazy to go down and explore the remaining few ruins we finished earlier than expected. At 4pm we decided to go straight to Bac Hai Mountain and wait for the sunset.

The sunset, however, was scheduled at 5:45pm yet we arrived on top at 4:30pm. We were the first tourists to arrive on top considering how early we finished exploring the Wat. We had more than an hour to wait, so we slept on top of the stones. We were just awaken by the voices of people started coming. Mia kept asking me to go and skip the sunset wait. On my part, the stones look like bed already, so we went down as everyone was going up.

The regular tour for “tuk tuk” within the ruins for one day was $15USD but we gave $20USD to our “tuk tuk” driver as he was so nice bringing cold water in the bucket for us, acted as tour guide, and keeping the vendors away from us as we took a nap at his “tuk tuk” while one of us take turns in going down to take pictures. I would recommend our “tuk tuk” driver, he is “tuk tuk” number 93 at Mekong Express terminal. The planned rest was gone as soon as we took our shower, so we went out for Apsara performance at the Temple along Pub Street and have our dinner too. Since it was our last night Mia and I decided to stay around and do some people watching where we enjoyed observing how prostitutes work, how tuk-tuk driver run to offer their service when they saw white people went out of the bar, how the kids as young as 5 years old made money from foreigners, tourists getting drunk throwing out on the streets, and white girls going out with Asian guys, among others.

It was fun and after three hours of people watching, we went to our favorite bar, Angkor What and met our new friends. Our eyes, however, would already give up on us, so at midnight we went back to our hotel.

We walked on the streets and as usual because they know we are foreigners we were followed by “tuk tuk” drivers with that annoying offer of “tuk tuk lady one dollar”, ‘lady tuk tuk”, “tuk tuk lady”. We heard those words in every corner that as I went to bed the “lady tuk tuk” phrase kept playing on my head.

The following day Mia and I found a phrase to tease each other and that’s “lady tuk-tuk, one dollar lady” which we pronounced as “leedih tuk-tuk, one dollar leedih” ” leedih tuk tuk”.

In Phonm Pehn on our way back to Saigon, every time a “tuk tuk” driver started approaching us we said our famous phrase of “leedih tuk tuk leedih” just to irritate the driver and leave us alone. I know it was mean but go to Siem Reap and you will know what I mean. “ Tuk Tuk” driver and vendors literally selling their stuff on our face with that title “lady” “leedih”, and “leedih”.

Mia and I wondered how they addressed the men, hoping they’ll do the same as we get tired of hearing the word “lady” ‘leedih”. Trust me you’ll feel how we felt once you get to Siem Reap. We arrived Saigon at 9pm and without caring our filthy look from a marathon trip of 12 hours, we sit down at Linh’s bar along De Tham Street in Pham Ngu Lao just to neutralize our system from the “leedih, leedih, leedih, lady” trauma we encountered at Siem Reap. Let me tell you then, ‘leedih” Siem Reap is worth a visit, so don’t skip it “leedih” if you are traveling Southeast Asia “leedih”.:-)

Shanghai at a glance

2010-04-13T22:52:00.002-07:00

Alright, let’s take a break from my backpacking activities and hear what I have to say with my luxurious trip to Shanghai, China. I said luxurious because I stayed in a 5-star hotel combined with the pleasure of having a chauffeur driving us around, which were all perks from work.

To make this more helpful to travelers especially for Philippine nationals, I’ll start my story with my Chinese visa which I obtained in Saigon. Here’s one important thing to note, if you are a Philippine passport holder with a tourist visa in Vietnam applying for Chinese visa, forget it you’ll just be frustrated of being denied.

Before applying for a Chinese visa I made my inquiries to the Chinese consulate office through emails and I was advised to present some document, including proof of onward travel. The inquiries were made through email since the first person who screened my questions was the security guard who can hardly finish one paragraph of explanation. The Chinese consulate office answered my inquiries, a day after I sent them email. But by the time I finished preparing all the requirements, I don’t have much time left for the target date of travel, especially that they’ll only accept visa application in the morning. The regular visa processing is $30usd but mine was rushed, so I paid $50usd which was issued to me within 2-working days.

I left Saigon with a group at 1:30am on April 7, a red eye flight of Shanghai Airline which I was not fond of. I don’t mine the wee hour schedule but I have a trauma with turbulence, so red eye flight usually makes me uncomfortable. The flight, however, was not as rough as I was expecting and I was just too happy to land in the Chinese territory at 6:10am. I was happy too that the English literacy of airport people in Shanghai was high, it made things easy. Except for the nail nipper on my make-up kit alarming the airport security scanning machine, everything went smoothly.

I stayed at Grand Mercure Hongqiao along Xian Xia road with the group, a 5-star hotel but since my stay doesn’t cost me a cent, I don’t have to worry at all. The truth is I never stay in a 5-star hotel if I’ll pay. For a 5-star hotel, I can say Grand Mercure is ok. I have a room overlooking the city, which comes with basic kitchen amenities from microwave, kettle, fridge and stove. There was also washing machine and iron that I don’t have to pay extra for my laundry or fix my crumpled clothes. There was only one thing that bothered me, the water which I have difficulty adjusting between hot and cold. I am not used to cold weather, so having a hot shower was just great but the water fluctuated aggressively that I kept adjusting. Other than that, Grand Mercure was a nice hotel although not really located within the central area. However, it is just within walking distance to the zoo and the French concession area, which are recommended for sightseeing.

Shanghai is all about big buildings, a metropolitan place for shopping, nightlife, conventions, and meetings. In fact, Shanghai’s number one attraction is the Bund where the skyscraper, the Jin Mao Tower and the Oriental TV tower are located. The Bund depicts a well-developed Shanghai. Soon to open next month is the widely- talked Expo that again showcases a very developed Shanghai. I don’t have problem looking into the map as the street names and establishments have English translation below the Chinese character. Also, I took a taxi once and I don’t feel being ripped off or overcharged compared to taking a taxi in Vietnam.

As for getting into the attractions in Shanghai, I can only say the hotels offer tours from half day to full day with prices ranging from $35usd to $50usd. I usually challenge myself in going into places on my own using public transportation but like I said it was a company sponsored trip, so the visit to different places was with a private vehicle. One thing I want you to remember though, Shanghai is getting expensive with the development that’s taking place. Take off the notion that because it is located in China, it is cheap from food to shopping but trust me it’s not, unless perhaps you know how to bargain seriously at the flea market.

Also, don’t forget to visit Yuan Garden if you want to see Chinese inspired design commercial buildings. It’s quite crowded but it’s a nice place to see real Chinese or let's put it this way, the Yuan Garden manifests the reality that there are indeed great number of Chinese population.
It's like a more enhanced China town in your place, if you have one of course or let's say a more authentic Chinese lifestyle.

And to end my story, there’s no facebook, no twitter, no youtube, and I cannot even access to my blog when I was there. I'm just too glad to be back in the land where I can see rice paddies and hear the unending horn of "motobike" while playing around with the so called social network in the cyber world. :-)

Messing around Laos

2010-02-05T22:57:00.000-08:00

Laos is one of the destinations I have been eyeing in the past, and luckily today, I’m in Laos backpacking all the way from Hanoi.
I was planning on the route suggested to me in the Thorn Tree Forum, travel from
Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu by public bus - grab a “xeom” from there to Tay
Trang and cross the border to Luang Prabang.
Looking into Laos map, however, gives me the feeling that I need at least three weeks to get me to Vientiane on that route, unless I’ll go on a marathon trip overland.
For me, marathon trip overland is like “a journey to hell.”
Well, this is Southeast Asia and those that can stand long distance journey are mostly locals, which means, you will be with them 48 hours.

It’s not that I don’t like to be with them because I love Vietnamese and Lao people, after all I am Asian. It’s the bad habit that I can’t stand, like spitting a loogie everywhere. You can hear the sound “quack, quarst” from people every now and then that sometimes when I get off the bus I lost my appetite remembering all those yellow phlegm you can see on the floor, or worse on the wall.
It is that kind of experience that makes me decide to take the shortest distance in crossing the border of Vietnam and Lao, which was Hanoi- Vinh and cross the border of Nam Phou to Vientiane.

I’m a big fan of lonely planet, so I used its book as my guide in backpacking. The book says the Hanoi-Vinh-Nam Phou-Vientiane route is a 24-hour trip which for me is tolerable.
I bought a 20usd bus ticket in Hanoi and at 5pm on Wednesday, February 3, I found myself with a group of American backpackers. We waited for our ride to the bus station that showed up an hour after. The travel company said we will leave at 5pm but our ride came past 6pm. It was okay though since we started getting to know each other, sharing backpacking experiences and expectations of our trip, so we don’t mind waiting.
I was the only Asian in the group, so I asked them to back me up if I was thrown in the middle of the road walking to the borders as I read stories of tourists being dumped on the road. The group I was with, however, was quite warm and friendly that I don’t have trouble getting along with them.

At 7pm, the bus picked us up along the road of Tran Thu Do where we walked at least 10 minutes from the highway to get into that remote street. It was not the kind of bus that everyone was expecting but because this is Southeast Asia, we knew shits can happen, so we all decided to make the most of our journey.
We arrived at the Vietnamese Frontier in Vinh by 5am and we have to wait for the immigration people for an hour before queuing in to get departure stamp. At the frontier, we were all instructed to pay 1usd or 20,000vnd which we inserted to our passports.
We don’t know what was it for, but to be positive on everything, we just thought it was a departure tax. After getting the departure stamp we queued in outside the Vietnamese frontier building where immigration officer would check whether it is really us in the passport before they’ll let us go walk towards Laos border.
We walked around 500 meters to Nam Phou (Laos border) immigration building on a dusty road passing through a small bridge where trucks and busses passed by.
My advantage of being Asian was that, at the immigration building of Nam Phou, I don’t have to queue at the visa upon arrival window instead, I went ahead like locals or Vietnamese. The rest of my group were getting their visa and paid 36usd for it while I took mine for free, although, I have to pay an entry fee of 1usd or 10,000 Kip.

I was exempted on visa payment since I am a Filipino national and under the bilateral agreement between Laos and Philippines we are given free visa for a month.
The departure and visa processing took us three hours at the border, so it was almost 9am when we left. Here’s the thing, if you go by bus bring food with you otherwise you’ll be starved because the bus driver won’t stop for breakfast and lunch. None of our group knew about it but fortunately we have cookies and snacks we bought in Vietnam that we shared until we reached Vientiane by 4 pm, an hour early than the 24-hour trip as published by Lonely Planet.
By the way, don’t drink a lot of water while on the bus because it’s not like the buses in Vietnam where toilet can be found inside. The bus has no toilet and worse the “pee stop” was just everywhere along the road. No proper toilet, so you have to go through the bushes and hide unless you are a man where you can just stand near a tree and that’s it.
We were laughing at it, making a joke to wait for civilization for personal necessities to avoid encountering snakes. Well, it was an experience worth laughing at.

In Vietnam it is easy to find accommodations because there are hotels, guesthouses, hostels and dormitories everywhere even during peak season, so everyone was confident to immediately find a place to live with, which means none of us pre-booked a hotel.
Unfortunately, it was not the case in Vientiane, hotels and guest houses were fully booked that it took me almost an hour walking with my backpack to look for accommodations.
I visited 14 guest houses before I found one available room for 100,000 Kip (around 12usd) at Youth Inn at the corner of Fa Ngoum Road across Mekong River. There are cheaper guest houses like Chantha as recommended by Lonely Planet but if you want to get rooms in those places better book in advance because it’s always full. My room at Youth Inn, however, was spacious and clean. I don’t have problem with AC and hot water plus the fact that I can view the sunset at the Mekong River from the window outside my room was perfect for me. My only complain is that they don’t have toiletries except toilet tissue but the rest are ok for the price I paid for.

Before coming here I research a lot about Vientiane and read a lot of nice stories about places to go and things to do. But here’s the thing everyone has different taste that sometimes those stories you read online might fall short of your expectations.
For example, I read a lot about massage and spas and after a day of walking around the city, I did register myself for a massage. And for me, it turn out that Philippines still has the best spas and massage, cheap but world class facilities.

I’ve been walking around Vientiane for hours with only a map on hand, visiting different places but my camera screwed up, so I kept going to look for camera repair shop. But all the camera shops I went into have no repair services, so I decided to go online and look for camera repair shop. My search led me to Samsung services in Vientiane, unfortunately I was told that their one and only technician often comes to work twice a week, if not will never show up for work in one week. Desperate to have pictures, I went around to all digital shops listed online but the common statement I heard, “bring it to Bangkok,” so I gave up. By the way, establishments here accept Thai Bath.

Anyway, to get rid of my frustrations for not having pictures of the great sceneries I saw around, I cracked a joke, telling myself “Ha! Micmic don’t mess around with men in saffron robes or your camera will be cursed and won’t work.” Ummm actually having just experienced winter in Hanoi I find Laos so hot that I decided to wear my t-tank top and shorts in going around temples. I know it is inappropriate dress for temples but I have no intention of going inside and get a close encounter with the monks, so I thought it’s alright since I saw a lot of tourists wearing shorts and sexy top anyway.
At the temples, I just avoided the look of the monks I encountered, so I won't feel guilty about it. I took pictures of the temples despite my inappropriate dress but then few minutes after, my camera stopped working.

“Duhh! My camera went straight to hell and saved the monks from distraction with my shorts and t-tank top.” LOL… well cracking a joke out of it is the only way to appease myself. Look, I’m here sitting in a café across the Mekong River, drinking cold Pepsi, waiting for the sunset which I have been dreaming to capture on my small camera since the day I arrived. How would you feel if you’re camera fails you? But then again, that’s life shits can happen, so the best thing I can do to avoid frustration is smile and crack a joke out of it. I took few shots though before my malnourished camera gave up on me, so have fun! I’ll just try to get some nice shots next time my feet landed in this country again. Cheers!

Halong Bay's grotto and its charm

2010-01-03T11:23:00.001-08:00

An Australian friend of mine once asked me, what’s your favorite attraction in Vietnam? I responded, “Halong Bay.” Shrugging his shoulder he muttered, a “tourist trap.”

OK. Obviously for foreigners who noticed nothing but the hundreds of boats lining up in the port, Halong Bay is just but a “cheesy” tourism attraction that cruise companies are making money at.

Honestly, watching all those junks coupled with a number of cargo ships and passenger boats passing the bay, I know how other people get the “tourist trap” impression.

Located at Quang Ninh Province, in northern Vietnam, Halong Bay which literally means Descending Dragon bay is a pride of Vietnamese people. It has been declared by UNESCO as World Heritage site, listed as one of the world’s seven wonders. With that title, it is expected that every month, a junk will be launched or businessmen are just too eager to build new boats.

But look beyond those hundreds of junks, there exist the thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes, offering a magical beauty to explore even for a regular visitor like me.

At 8AM on December 24, Bhaya Cruises shuttle service picked me up for a three-hour ride to Halong City. It was my fifth time to explore the bay within 15 months of staying in Vietnam. I was working in Ho Chi Minh City for 11 months but I flew twice to visit Halong Bay. I cruised with at least two different cruise companies but most of the five cruises were with Bhaya.

I could have had enough of it but different activities and luxurious accommodations enticed me. Bhaya Cruises organized a party at Thay Cave to welcome Christmas and I can’t just let it passed by.

Have you ever had gorgeous young Vietnamese ladies throwing petals on the aisle as you enter the cave blazed with Christmas lights and lighted candles in a glass, while a band is serenading Christmas songs as you rave on a sumptuous buffet dinner? I bet, like me you can’t stop talking about it when you get home. Spending Christmas away from home wouldn’t be a sad story for someone exploring another experience.

A gala dinner inside a grotto combined with kayaking activity and culture interaction with the local people at the fishing villages while cruising the bays of Halong and Bai Tu Long would never be a “tourist trap”.

Bhaya Cruises operates one of the most luxurious boats in Halong Bay. I was with them on September 26 - New Hanoian Meet up and I had all the luxury chilling out at the bar lounge and star gazing at the upper deck as the bay’s breeze caresses my skin.

On Christmas cruise special, I had the luxury to seek comfort from cold weather in my clean warm bed sheets of Bhaya 3’s cabin 103, no sounds of engine and rats disturbing me from a deep sleep, nor sight of cockroaches or spider sharing my room with me. The cabin, aside from its spacious room with separate shower and bathroom, has a little balcony where I can enjoy my afternoon tea while waiting for the sunset.

Now, can you blame me if I can’t go with the description of Halong Bay being a “tourist trap”?

2009 Christmas holiday cruise with Bhaya

2009-12-28T01:31:00.000-08:00

Pham Ngu Lao before the eyes of her lover

2009-12-10T22:34:00.000-08:00

If you are not a Vietnamese, try walking along Pham Ngu Lao Ward at night and get a taste of its real face beyond those lighted alleys, sparkling disco bars, and western restaurants.

Don’t be surprised when a motorcycle driver approaches with marijuana packs and says “motobike you 5dollars”, or a cigarette vendor with their colloquial pronunciation “mawiwana”, if not bystanders on the streets saying “ecstasy madam eight dollars”.

Locals are selling these stuffs blatantly like pancakes that in almost every corner of the bars you can smell weeds or see tourists having pot session.

On Fridays and Saturdays, grab a chair in one of those Vietnamese noodle and seafood shops in De Tham and Bui Vien streets. There you can witness the drama of those gorgeous Vietnamese ladies clinging to those white guys from all ages hoping to get passport outside Vietnam or hoping to earn money for the night, the so called “boom-boom cheap cheap” (prostitute very cheap).

Sex tourism is condemned in this country but one says “this is Vietnam just speak English and the authorities will leave you in peace”. Could it be because they cannot understand when these foreigners start speaking English? Or could it be because these visitors are spending money that benefits the country’s economy? Or could it be a deeper reason behind that? Or if it is true or not at all.

For whatever reason, one should wonder the statistics of HPV cases or other sexually transmitted diseases otherwise the neglect of responsibility to protect their health, might end up in desperate needs of antibiotic shots.

Sitting on a small chair in one of the “bia hois” (local shops offering alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages) is interesting as you meet a lot of different people from fake to real ones.

In those “bia hois” at Pham Ngu Lao, one can claim to be a doctor, lawyer, or journalist but turn out to be a mere traveler who will go home jobless to their own country.

Light is breaking up as the sun rises. Tourists coming out drunk from disco bars will shake the entire Pham Ngu Lao village, shouting, if not run half naked on the streets.

This scenario is coupled by foreign lovers fighting like cats and dogs, or a local girl complaining for not being paid for her service, or worse white drunk guys punching each other as they fought who can take home the local girl they met at the disco bar.

Morning comes, stores, souvenir shops, hostels, and travel agencies open up for their daily business operations.

Getting a bowl of “Pho” (Vietnamese noodles) at the corner of Pham Ngu Lao street is famous among party goers and late night observers alike. However, expect a Vietnamese Pho wait staff slamming the chopsticks, fork, and spoon holder in the table as they served your order. Customer relation aspect in this tourism area of Vietnam is not commonly practiced.

Walking back to my room, I saw tourist buses already lining up on the streets while waiting for their guests having coffee or breakfast in one of those western restaurants at Pham Ngu Lao village. Normal daytime activities go on- with Vietnamese nationals from vendors, tourism executives, plumbers, utility workers, "xeom" drivers, and lineman- make a living while tourists are busy with their holiday activities.

Ahhh...Pham Ngu Lao, I’m already getting familiar of your face, your nagging nature, and aggressiveness towards unregulated “tourism pleasure” activities.

Hot weekend in Nha Trang

2009-12-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

It's hot, hot, hot! And I am not only talking about the summer weather or the typical Vietnamese spicy foods but all the things a tourist can do in Nha Trang at night.

Tired of seeing the busy streets of Saigon, I took a nine-hour bus ride out of the city to spend a weekend in Nha Trang. Full story was originally published here...

Hue’s royal tombs showcase culture and history

2009-12-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

If you are interested to get a glimpse of Vietnam’s royal past, Hue is the right place to go.

Located at the central part of Vietnam, Hue is the country’s ancient capital and the stronghold of Vietnam’s royal families some 60 years ago.

My holiday wandering brought me to this place, which I have been targeting for an educational trip, for quite sometime.

Full story was originally published here...

Mui Ne behind the lens

2009-12-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

For photo enthusiasts, Mui Ne is one place for you to snap away and capture various scenic views.

This coastal resort town located some 200km northeast of HCMC, is one of my favorite places in Vietnam. Full story was originally published here...

Halong Bay-a dream wedding destination

2009-12-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

Known to the Vietnamese as “The Descending Dragon,” Halong bay remains a paradise that tourists worldwide long to experience.

The bay in Quang Ninh Province in the north is about 170 kilometers northeast of Hanoi and can be reached by bus for over three hours ride.

Its picturesque limestone islets and wonders of nature are now becoming an awesome wedding destination for lovers. Full story was originally published here...

On foot to the rugged north

2009-10-13T20:24:00.001-07:00

It had been a long time since I trekked hills, climbed mountains, and walked in the villages. Sometime along my journey as practicing broadcast and print journalist in Mindanao, covering “lumad” (indigenous people) issues was my favorite. I get to walk in the mountainous area, have a close encounter of the people in the villages and learn its culture and tradition. Born with a backpack shoulder, I brought my passion for that kind of adventure in Vietnam. And on foot I toured the rugged north with some independent travelers and a team of professional tour guides of Columbus Adventure Travel & Tour. Northern Vietnam, where Sapa is located, is blessed with amazing landscapes, rice paddies, and a home to diverse ethnic minority groups. It is a place to visit if you want an ultimate experience of Vietnam’s culture and traditional daily lives practice of various Vietnamese tribes. With the number of tourists visiting Sapa, Columbus guides offered us a new place. Instead of the main tourist area in Sapa they brought us to a village called “Hidden Tibet” where there’s not much tourists. The village as situated on top of the hills overlooking the wonderful view of rice paddies and the green lush view of the forest. No one speaks English, so we were all dependent to our tour guides who were so helpful in explaining to us the culture of the “Hidden Tibetians”. However, even with the presence of the guides I always remember one thing, a lesson I would never forget when I was still covering armed conflict, and that is to be sensitive to the culture and tradition of the people I met, so they’ll always treat you like their best friend. Dressed in their traditional costumes, the people assist our guides in showing us around the village. As an Asian myself, surprisingly I received a warm welcome. Well I have to say this, I look like a Vietnamese but my color is tan that oftentimes I got mistaken to have come from the countryside of Vietnam, a farmer color of skin so to speak. If I don’t open my mouth I’ll expect a cold gesture. People here love foreigners. For them, tourists or expats means money, if not someone they can learn to speak English with. True, they’ll be very happy to hear you try to learn their language but you’ll also be the number one target for overcharge. In almost a year of living and traveling in Vietnam, I’ve mastered identifying the “rip me off” taxis and souvenir shops.The people from the villages, however, did not try to sell things like in the market of Sapa, so I did not worry getting bombarded with girls pushing stuff into my face and won’t leave me alone until I’ll buy from them. Girls were all over me, not to sell things but because they find it amazing that I look like them and yet I don’t speak their tongue. I took pictures and showed it to them that attracted them more to hover all over me. It was fun and the most gratifying experience I ever had with the locals in the countryside. I’ve been in the countryside of Saigon, joining a group of expats setting up trail for the weekend Hash Run but camera trick and a Vietnamese look with a foreign tongue didn’t help, I got chased like a goat eating their crops.
The “Hidden Tibetians” that Columbus experts brought us, however, offered blood from the snake they caught and cut in front of us, as a warm welcome. To show gratitude, I didn’t say no despite the fact that I was dying to vomit just by the thought of drinking that unfriendly smell and fresh dark red color sticky syrup look like in front of me. I’ve eaten snake which I ordered in some restaurant in Saigon but it was prepared in the hidden kitchen, not like a ritual to welcome us. I was proud of myself though, I did not vomit and I was still wearing my sincere smile for them. I heaved a sigh of relief and murmured to myself, “Ha! I’m a real backpacker now”. The journey for me was not long. I opted not to join the group for an overnight homestay adventure as I know I will have a lot of that in the near future. Besides I broke my camera and I can’t take pictures anymore. A taste of culture from northern people of the country that hosted me is enough right now. With more time, I intend to get a closer encounter of the real world of Vietnam’s ethnic minority group. North Vietnam promised an exciting adventure yet to be explored.