Jamie's Global Adventures

Ho Chi Minh City - The Last Stop

jciecko — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:54:00 GMT

Well this is it, the last stop of our SE Asia adventures. It’s been one hell of a trip and what better way to finish it off than with one of the region’s most bustling cities. People warned us that Saigon was a bit overwhelming, but I found it easier than Phnom Penh and Bangkok. Maybe that’s because I’m used to the Vietnamese culture or maybe it’s the fact that crossing the streets is no longer so intimidating. Either way, the magic of this big city has left a good impression, one that I hope to explore again in the very near future.

Quick Highlights

Cau Dai Temple – This was actually a day trip from Saigon, but not big enough to warrant a separate journal entry. The temple was amazingly colorful and decorative. Cau Dai is a mix of many religions with enlightenment being attainable in one lifetime. It was very interesting to watch their noon service, one of four every day.
Cu Chi Tunnels – Again a side trip. After reading a book on the tunnels, I was looking forward to seeing the area that meant so much to the defeat of the US army. Unfortunately, it’s been turned into a tacky amusement park, complete with animatronics and a shooting range. We climbed through a 100 meter tunnel which was widened and cemented for the western tourists.
Shopping – Now that we don’t have to worry about carrying extra weight, the real shopping can begin. The markets of Saigon aren’t anything special, but the street stores and stands have some great finds.
War Remnants Museum – An excellent museum of the atrocities of war. Very well put together, but not over-the-top like the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Hanoi. The Agent Orange and napalm sections gave me goose-bumps.

It may have started with a few rough patches, but Vietnam has turned out to be my favorite country of the trip. The energy of life here is infectious and the scenery is second to none. Next time around, I'll focus my energies on the Mekong Delta, the central highlands, and the northwest corner of the country. One month was just not enough to truly absorb this amazing country.

Gallery: Vietnam - Mekong Delta

jciecko — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:28:00 GMT

Mekong Delta - I Love Floating Fruit

jciecko — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:51:00 GMT

With our trip quickly coming to an end, we needed a way to squeeze in a short visit to the Mekong Delta. It took some shopping around, but we managed to find a great two day tour that included a home-stay (Fantastic Tours). Two days certainly wasn’t enough to do the region justice, but it gave us a taste for life along one of the world’s largest river deltas.

Quick Highlights:

Boat Rides – What better way to see river life than on a boat cruising through the local channel and main waterways. We stopped a couple times to tour rice and brick factories.
Our Hosts – The people of Tra On Village were very welcoming. Sebastian had an amazing experience drinking with local farmers and I had a great evening listening to local music under the stars (or fireflies since it was cloudy). Dinner was superb – probably the best fresh spring rolls of the trip.
Motorbike Tour – We rented motorbikes and toured around the island path for a good hour. The place is incredibly lush with fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and rice everywhere you turn. Plus I got to learn all about teaching in Korea from one of our fellow home-stayers.
Floating Markets – We stopped at two floating markets on the morning of the second day (Tra On and Cai Rang). Boats are loaded with all sorts of fruits, vegetables, and enough living supplies to last a couple weeks on the river while selling ones crop. Most boats had a large bamboo pole attached that prominently displayed what was for sale.

Gallery: Vietnam - Saigon

jciecko — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 01:40:00 GMT

Mui Ne - Kiteboarding

jciecko — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:41:00 GMT

People come to Mui Ne for one reason – the wind. Its bay gets a lot of wind off of the open ocean, making it the perfect destination for kiteboarding and windsurfing. I’d always wanted to try kiteboarding so I figured why not learn somewhere with beautiful scenery and cheap lessons. I only had a small window of time to fit in the five hours of lessons so the wind needed to cooperate.

The first hour was spent reviewing the equipment and safety procedures. After that, we practiced body dragging (picture two guys hanging onto one kite while being dragged out to sea). Normally, a beginner wouldn’t be allowed to get in the water so quickly, but my instructor was freelancing and he felt it best to throw me right in. It was very difficult to keep the kite under control, with even the slightest movement changing the direction or height. I think I would have preferred a little more time learning the basics of kite flying before trying to do it with waves crashing into my face. After two hours in the water, I was exhausted and frustrated so decided to save the last two hour for the next day.

Day two started right where we left off – dragging through the water. I was just getting the hang of it and was ready to move onto the board when the wind died and cut my lesson short. We practiced rescue procedures instead and finished rolling up the kite right as the wind came back to life.

All in all, I’m glad I got a taste for kiteboarding. Even though I didn’t get to use the board, I now know what it takes to fly across the water with ease (there’s nothing easy about it). I look forward to continuing my lessons back home. Maybe at the Gorge.

Gallery: Vietnam - Central Highlands

jciecko — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:49:00 GMT

Central Highlands - Easy Riding

jciecko — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Originally, Sebastian and I planned on riding the bus to all of our destinations in South Vietnam. It’s not a bad way to travel, but we wanted to venture off the standard tourist trail and see some different sights. What better way to do that than on the back of old motorcycles driven by knowledgeable and friendly locals. They call themselves Easy Riders and they were certainly a highlight of our trip.

Quick Highlights:

The guides – Our guides were Tony and Tho. Both have been easy riding since 1992 and have endless stories about their adventures around Vietnam. Tony’s English came with a bit of an Australian accent and plenty of humorous Aussie slang. Tho didn’t speak (or sleep) much, but he made sure we were very comfortable our entire trip. Almost too comfortable, insisting we choose a hotel over a village home-stay.
The scenery – We went from sea to pine forest mountains to lush valleys to desert sand dunes and back to the sea. The highlands are very beautiful, with Dalat getting up to 1800 meters above sea level. It felt like being in parts of Oregon or Northern California.
The stops – Almost every half an hour we would stop to rest our sore rumps and take in the sights. These included a brick making factory, wood workers shop, several villages of ethnic minorities (M’nong and Kaha), a silk factory, fruit stands, pagodas, churches, waterfalls, and more. We wouldn’t have seen any of these things from the bus. One sight was particularly cool – The Crazy House of Dalat. Hang Nga (as it’s known in Vietnamese) looks like it belongs in Barcelona. It still functions as a hotel, with each room having a separate theme based around the design of the fireplace.
The food – Anytime a local is picking the food, you’re in for an excellent meal. So many different dishes, each with a unique taste that all blends together so well. Tho promised us we’d each gain two kilos during our time with him. He didn’t disappoint.

If our schedules and budgets allowed it, we would have extended our trip with the Easy Riders. Seeing the back-roads of the Mekong Delta on a motorcycle would be an amazing experience. I guess we’ll save that for the next trip.

Nha Trang - Best Diving of the Trip

jciecko — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:40:00 GMT

Our guidebook said Nha Trang was over-developed so I was worried we were walking into Patong Part 2. Fortunately, my assumptions were wrong once again. As a whole, the city was very clean and friendly. It's a great stop for some sun and relaxation when working your way between the north and south of Vietnam.

Quick Highlights:

Morning Exercise - When we arrived in Nha Trang at 6:00 am on a Sunday, the beach was crowded with people young and old getting their morning exercise. There were women doing aerobics, young boys playing soccer, badminton, and lots of people swimming. If I had slept more than 3 hours on the bus I would have loved to join in the fun.
Diving - Nha Trang is one of the best dive sites in Vietnam. There aren't many big fish, but plenty of colorful corals. We signed up for 3 adventure dives which allowed us to complete our Advanced Adventure Diver Certification (SSI). The first dive focused on buoyancy techniques. Imagine using the air in your lungs to make slights adjustments to your depth. It was pretty tough, but very rewarding. The second dive was navigation and the third underwater photography. My first attempt at using an underwater camera wasn't exactly stellar. Those cute fish just don't like to sit still.
Massage Parlor Fiasco - After a hard day of diving, we decided to treat ourselves to a massage. Unfortunately, we somehow managed to pick the sketchiest place in town. After two minutes on the massage bed, Sebastian and I were running for the door. We should have know better with the cheap price and the girl's acrylic nails.
Bugerama - Guava restaurant had by far the best burger of the trip. We were supposed to hold off on western food during our last two weeks, but we felt some comfort food was in order after our traumatizing incident at the massage parlor.
I-pod Fun - 100 albums of new music for dirt cheap. Best of all, I didn't have to spend hours picking each album. I gave them specific genres and asked for all new releases. We've seen shops like this all over SE Asia, but this one was the most organized and up-to-date. Maybe it was the spreadsheets that won me over.

Hoi An - Shopping Spree!

jciecko — Sat, 7 Mar 2009 01:06:00 GMT

Hoi An is beautiful, but dangerous for anyone with bad spending habits. It's home to French colonial architecture, traditional houses, and Chinese assembly halls, all of which miraculously survived the war. Unfortunately, most people miss out on the rich history because they're distracted by Hoi An's other main attraction - custom clothing. We were no exception. We spent hours browsing some of the 500+ tailors and shoemakers. Despite our best effort to save money, we ended up buying enough to fill another suitcase. Most of the items we bought turned out great, but others left us disappointed. A word to the wise - don't fall for the promise to "match any style". You'll get a great fit, but you can't match today's styles using cheap fabric, old sewing machines, and no treatment processes. You end up with something your grandparents would like. Stick with the classic items, like suits and dress shirts.

Hoi An also has some excellent food. It’s home to a number of dishes that aren't found anywhere else in the country. We tried something new with every meal and were never disappointed. Hopefully our new clothes will still fit by the time we get home.

Gallery: Vietnam - Hoi An

jciecko — Fri, 6 Mar 2009 23:16:00 GMT

Gallery: Vietnam - Halong Bay

jciecko — Wed, 4 Mar 2009 23:07:00 GMT

Halong Bay - Life On a Junk

jciecko — Wed, 4 Mar 2009 01:54:00 GMT

Halong Bay is a truly magical place. It’s completely overrun with tour boats and all of the waste that comes along with them, but somehow it maintains its tranquility. We spent three days touring the different bays on a deluxe junk boat. The weather was wet and gloomy, which only added to the mystique of the cloud shrouded limestone mountains. Though I enjoyed our tour, I think I’d approach the bay a little differently on my next visit (maybe a week long eco-kayaking tour or a private adventure with a local fisherman).

Quick Highlights:

Food! – We ate huge meals, each of which included delicious seafood. I never order seafood at restaurants, so this was a nice treat.
Kayaking – Even with the rain, I thoroughly enjoyed kayaking through the different bays and grottos. We had one small incident with some inexperienced kayakers, but everyone made it out okay. Just a few cuts and bruised egos.
Floating Village – Not as colorful as the Cambodian floating villages, but certainly located in an amazing setting. The kids all row to school in bamboo boats.
Titop Mountain – Sebastian and I attempted to run to the top of the mountain via the steep stairs. I was wheezing hard half way up. Great 360 degree views while I caught my breath.

Sapa - The Hills Are Alive

jciecko — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:43:00 GMT

Sapa is like the picture perfect postcard. It’s a beautiful hillside town with thriving communities of ethnic minorities. It’s surrounded by high mountains, terraced rice paddies, and deep green valleys. It’s no wonder that it’s become a must see stop in northern Vietnam.

Quick Highlights:

Black H’mong Women – Quite possibly the toughest sales women you’ll ever meet. They’ll walk alongside you for miles, asking friendly questions, and taking in the sights. Just when you think they have nothing but good intentions, they pull out their handcrafts. It’s hard not to buy something from someone who’s followed you up and down mountains.
2 Day Trek – We signed up for a trek that took us deep into the heart of the Sapa district. Each day required almost 20 km of hiking. We passed through numerous villages of the Black H’mong, Red Dao, and Xu Pho people. Our hosts were incredibly welcoming, including us in a feast of young pig. The rice wine flowed freely as we all toasted each other’s company. It even loosened up my vocal chords for some late night karaoke (Nam Singing Karaoke).
Construction Crew – While hiking through one of the hydroelectric construction sites in the Ban Ho valley, we were waved down by a group of construction workers taking a break. We were invited to join them in smoking tobacco from a water pipe (my first time). They got a major kick out of me getting light headed and almost falling over. We also ran into them at the village karaoke bar. Incredibly friendly group of guys even though we couldn’t communicate much beyond the clinking of beers.
Hot springs - The video says it all.
Underwear Swimming – On two separate occasions we stripped down to our undies and took a dip in mountain streams. It was so very refreshing, even with the random stares from villagers.

Gallery: Vietnam - Sapa

jciecko — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:34:00 GMT

Gallery: Vietnam - Hanoi

jciecko — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:09:00 GMT

Hanoi - Capitol City Fun

jciecko — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:31:00 GMT

Hanoi was a pleasant surprise for me. Despite the loud traffic and fast paced lifestyle, I found the city very enjoyable. It’s an easy city to navigate by foot, so we spent hours wandering the streets, absorbing the different neighborhoods, markets, parks, and monuments. It’s definitely a must see in Northern Vietnam.

Quick highlights:

Street Food – I love street food and it’s absolutely everywhere in Hanoi. In fact, it’s difficult to walk on the sidewalks because they’re always blocked by the little plastic chairs of a noodle shop and the motorbikes of the patrons.
Water Puppets – Traditional puppetry performed over a water stage. Incredibly artistry and fun stories even though we didn’t understand the dialogue or lyrics.
Temple of Literature – The first university of Vietnam. A very beautiful and peaceful break from the buzz of the busy city.
Old Quarter – I’m a sucker for small streets lined with women selling everything from fresh donuts to eels (and dog!).
Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – We were the only non-Vietnamese in our tour group, but I’m glad we got to pay respects to the man this country holds so dearly. It did however feel a little odd looking down at a man’s body, knowing his last wishes were to be cremated.

Hanoi will be our base for the next week and a half. We’ll stop back through here two more times - once on our return from Sapa and then again from Halong Bay (in route to Hoi An).

Gallery: Vietnam - Ninh Binh

jciecko — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:06:00 GMT

Ninh Binh - Halong Bay Meets Rice Paddies

jciecko — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:13:00 GMT

Ninh Binh was a difficult, but incredibly rewarding short stop in our trip. Difficult because of the circumstances by which Sebastian and I arrived there (separately thanks to a dumb fight) and rewarding because it gave us a chance to experience life in the Vietnamese countryside.

Quick highlights:

Bus Ride – The most crowded public bus I’ve been on to date. At one point I counted 13 people in the first row where there were two seats. I was crammed up against a window for 4 hours.
Motorbike tour - The rice paddies were bright green despite the grey and gloomy weather. It was interesting to see that even the country homes are built of brick and cement – very different from the other countries we’ve visited.
Mau Cave – Over 500 slippery steps, high into the clouds. Great views of the surrounding countryside.
Tam Coc Cave – Paddling up stream in a small boat that the owner operates with his/her feet. The scenery was breathtaking – tall karst limestone hills, rice paddies, caves, temples, and more.
Hoa Lu Temple – Strong Chinese influences, but lots of other religious elements making it uniquely Vietnamese.
Bai Dinh Pagoda – This massive complex is still under construction, but it will be insane when it is complete. I’d love to see it again in 10 years.

Vinh - Welcome to Vietnam

jciecko — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:56:00 GMT

After 11 hours on a bus, we made it to our first stop in Vietnam. The border crossing was a breeze and the scenery coming down from the mountains was as beautiful as expected.

Compared to Laos, Vietnam is loud, fast-paced, and aggressive. The change in culture left me feeling defeated at first, but a conversation with a young Vietnamese man over breakfast helped renew my traveling spirit. This is our last country so it's time to crank up the adventures.

Gallery: Laos - Phonsavan

jciecko — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:06:00 GMT