Saigon!

Its called 'Ho Chi Minh City' (HCMC) officially and to North Vietnamese, but its still known as 'Saigon' to the old South Vietnamese. I arrived in Saigon, Vietnam around 7 PM on Thursday (15 February) evening. It felt a bit crazy after all the laid back towns I've been to since Hanoi. This part of Saigon, the tourist district - called Pham Ngu Lao - is the closest thing to Khao San Road in Bangkok that I have seen since Vang Vieng, Laos. Its nearly a 'tourist ghetto'. One small area of town, just a couple square blocks really, packed with western tourists, tourists hotels, tourists restaurants, tourists shops, and all other businesses catering to your standard, foreign, low-budget, backpacker. But being the Tet holidays as it was, all the hotels (and even some restaurants) had increased their prices and lots of them where full. So when I found a place for $6/night that evening I took it even though it was pretty shitty for that price.

Then I went to find Sally and Carolyn, the Aussie girls I had met in Hanoi that I had been to Halong Bay with and whom I had been keeping in touch with. They had sent me an email a few days prior letting me know where they were staying in Saigon. I found them and then we went out for dinner at a really tasty place. Afterwards they were going out to a karaoke bar with some of the guys working at their hotel. I opted not to and instead went to try and book my bus ticket since the busy Tet holiday was making booking transportation more 'interesting'. I managed to book my bus ticket to Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 4 days time - departing early morning on Monday, 19 February - for double the standard price ($12 instead of $6). But at least I wouldn't be stuck in Saigon longer than I wanted or in Vietnam passed the expiry date on my visa.

Friday (16 February) morning I woke up and found a new hotel first thing. This one was sweet. Set back off the street so there is not too much street noise, large, clean, and new, satalitte TV, fridge, really comfortable beds, a good fan, and a really clean bathroom. For $7/night in Saigon during Tet, I think its a steal! Plus there is free internet in the lobby.

After a then late breakfast I went to do some sight seeing. I walked around for a while trying to follow the walking tour described in my guidebook, taking breaks often, having a nice conversation with a tout trying to sell sunglasses, before heading over to Reunification Palace, the seat of the South Vietnamese government prior to 1975. It was pretty interesting and packed with history so I spent some time there exploring all the nooks and crannies (well at least all the nooks anyways). It was strange to see a couple of tanks in one of the side lawns. The Palace was open and spacious with lots of natural light and breezes. Then I - hesitantly - went to the War Remnants Museum, previously called the Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes, but changed so as not to offend Chinese and American tourists. I think the old name should have been kept. I won't mention much about the musem other than to say war - and what it does not only to innocent civilians and the environment but also to the soldiers fighting it - is absolutely horrible. I walked out of there a couple hours later feeling sick to my stomach, depressed, and not wanting to talk to any one. I took the long walk back to my hotel slowly.

I met up with Sally and Carolyn again that evening, along with several other people - some of whom Sally and Carolyn had met in other places and some of whom I had met in other places. We spent some time drinking Bia Hoi ('fresh beer', brewed locally by locals and sold in street side stands literally cheaper than water. 6,000 Dong, less than $.40 for a 2-liter jug) at a make shift sidewalk restaurant before heading a few blocks away to a New Years Eve celebration. At midnight we helped ring in the Year of the Pig along with a bazillion Vietnamese sitting stagnate on their motorbikes in the streets. That was the most motorbikes I've ever seen in one place in my life. It was strange to watch them all roar to life once it was over and slowly move as one mass dispersing into the streets, sidewalks, and parks (!) all around. Although there were fireworks, I think our group of 11 foreign tourists were the only ones drinking and cheering. It may have been a slight cultural faux pa on our part. It was all good fun though and I got to celebrate New Year's Eve twice in less than 2 months in 2 totally different fashions.

Saturday (17 February) I slept in late and spent the day doing nothing. Really. Watching TV, eating, reading, using the internet, sitting in restaurants, and thats about it. I even managed a nap that afternoon. Finally I dragged myself out of my bed and room that evening and went down to play pool for a few hours at a bar down the street. About 11 PM I left and went for dinner, which I had skipped. Then I went to sleep. A pretty lazy day all around but I needed that apparently.

Sunday (18 February) I tried to do a little more sight seeing on my last day in Saigon and Vietnam. Just did some more walking around and determined that while Saigon had some nice buildings it doesn't have the charm or good vibes I got from Hanoi. I also managed to find someone in a nearby park to fix my sandals who's soles were almost completely detached and caused me to trip way too often. I think these sandals may pull through with me until the end of this trip even though they've been repaired countless times already. This afternoon I'm meeting someone for an 'interview' on sustainable tourism. Someone posted on the Lonely Planet bulletin board about wanting to interview people who weren't using planes as a means of tranport on their travels. Well that'd be me.

Tomorrow (Monday, 19 February) I take the bus at 6:30 AM from Saigon to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Its a direct bus and is only supposed to take 6 or 6.5 hours. My time in Vietnam has been fantastic and I would definitely visit this amazing country again. But I'm also ready to move on to Cambodia for a few days and then on to Ko Chang, Thailand.

Mui Ne Beach, Vietnam

On Wednesday (14 February) morning I took the bus from cool, relaxing Dalat down to the sandy realms of Mui Ne Beach. The bus ride was okay but I really never seem to be able to get a seat by the window which kills me.

After avoiding a slight scam by the bus drivers on the outskirts of Mui Ne (they tried to dump all the passengers at a friend's resort on the outskirts of the city so they could get a commission), we finally arrived in Mui Ne around noon. I couldn't find any cheap accomodation in Mui Ne so I had to settle with a pretty decent hotel for $8/night. I simply couldn't find anything cheaper. That is the most I've paid in Vietnam, far more than I paid in Laos, more than I paid in northern Thailand, and equivalent to slightly more than what I paid in Bangkok! There is one road that runs through Mui Ne, parallel to the beach, that all the accomodation is on. The beach side is packed full with nice, new, expensive resorts. So packed in fact that if you didn't know better you'd never guess there was a beach a couple hundred feet away. Mui Ne was really uninspiring from the road.

After checking into my room I went to walk along the beach. First I stopped at a quaint little restaurant right on the beach and had lunch. It was here that I first noticed several kite surfers. Later in the afternoon as I was walking along the beach I would witness the sea absolutely packed to the brim with kite surfers. Literally dozens and dozens of them; a higher concentration than I have seen anywhere in the world. It simply wasn't safe to swim in the water there.

And as for the silky white sand described in the guidebooks... Well I guess it all washed away because the beach - while okay - was nothing compared to the beaches near Hoi An. Garbage litterred the shoreline, the sand away from the water was crusty (from the wind perhaps?), and near the water were lots of broken shells. So in my opinion Mui Ne beach was nothing more than a mediocre, overpriced beach for old people on package tours, couples, and kite surfing expats. Definitely no backpacker scene happening there. I can't for the life of me figure out what all the fuss is about and why Mui Ne is so hyped up by travel agencies and guidebooks.

I spent the afternoon walking up and down the beach watching the kite surfers. And only watching, as they were charging extortionate prices for lessons ($200 for a 5-hour lesson which may or may not have included the equipment rental). Yet there were plenty of rich tourists willing to fork over the dough to try it. And I'll admit it did look like brilliant fun. But I could take lessons back in the States for those prices.

After dinner I went out to a bar for a couple hours that evening and played some pool but went home early as it just wasn't fun there.

The next morning (Thursday, 15 February) I had intended to rent a bike to ride out to some unique landscapes near town, but got turned off by all the places charging absurd prices to rent bikes. Then I tried booking a bus to Saigon for the next day but because of the impending Tet (Chinese New Year) holiday the buses where either not running or the prices were going up. It was frustrating business. I decided I'd had enough of culturally depleted Mui Ne and just booked a bus out of there that afternoon! I couldn't imagine spending another 24 hours there. It was a boring place for a solo backpacker. So I spent a couple more hours on the beach in the shade before catching the bus down to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) around 2 PM.

Dalat, Vietnam

My last night (Sunday, 11 February) in Nha Trang I had planned to take it easy since I had to wake up at 6 AM the next morning to catch the bus. I met 2 of my Swedish friends - Patrick and Jacob - at the Why Not bar (again) and we played pool there for several hours. I had planned to head back early but didn't get home until 11:30 PM. It was a good time and the bar was much less crowded than the past few nights. Hopefully I'll see my Swedish friends again in Saigon or Cambodia since we are all going the same route, more or less.

The bus ride from Nha Trang to Dalat on Monday (12 February) morning was not very pleasant. It was packed and the seats were too small. And to make matters worse I didn't have a window seat - that kills me. After about 4 hours we stopped for lunch and after lunch I switched to an even smaller seat that was next to a window. It would have been bearable if it weren't for the guy next to me that kept falling asleep on me. Nevertheless we finally made it to Dalat.

After easily finding a cheap hotel ($4 for a great room - best value so far in Vietnam) I went to explore Dalat. The temperature was fine as Dalat is at an elevation of 1475 meters (~5000 feet). Actually it was a bit warmer than I was expecting. After wandering around the town center and market area for a bit, I walked by the large, beautiful lake right in the center of town called Xuan Huong Lake. There is a sealed track all the way around it and I was tempted to walk it, but as it was 7 km I thought it would take to long and I wanted to see a few sights. I walked by the Dalat Cathedral which was surprisingly nice. Then I walked up to the famous Hang Nga Gallery and Guesthouse - aka 'Crazy House'. I'm not really sure how to describe this architectural masterpiece (no understatement) other than its something straight out of 'Alice in Wonderland'. It was a surreal place. You'll have to wait to see my pictures - and movies - to really get an idea of it but in the meantime here are a couple of pictures I found online: http://www.reisebilder.ch/vietnam/crazyhouse_e.htm
http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/15207.html
I was blown away by this place and was giggling the entire time I was walking through it. I can't really put into words how cool and amazing I thought the place was. It was probably the coolest thing I have seen in Vietnam and it would be well worth a visit to Dalat just to see this one site. Later that evening I went to eat at a restaurant called "Cafe 100 Roofs" which was designed and constructed in the same theme as Crazy House (the 2 architects are colleagues). It was a really, really cool, funky restaurant. I took a bunch of pictures at both places.

Tuesday (13 February) morning I really slept, in I think because it was the best nights sleep I've had in a while. Cool temps, comfortable beds, and no street noise. Once I walked outside and down the street a bit, I decided to go put my sweater back in my room because it was actually hot and I wouldn't need it. My second time leaving the hotel the guy working there asked me if I wanted to rent a motorbike for the day. I had thought about it the previous day as the sights around Dalat are pretty spread out and I wanted to be able to see the country side, but I wasn't in the mood to look for a motorbike rental place or hassle with that. So his timing was right and for $5 I got an automatic motorbike. This turned out to be the perfect thing to do for the day which wouldn't have happened had it been a little cooler (and I had kept walking down the street the first time). I really love the freedom of having a motorbike and going where ever you want.

I drove all around the Dalat area. My first stop was the Quang Trung Reservoir, a gorgeous but man made lake surrounded by pine forested hills. There is a pagoda on a hill there over looking the lake called Thien Vien Truc Lam which is actually where I started. The pagoda is new so the buildings are pristine, but even more beautiful than the buildings are the surroundings. Small mountains covered with pine forests, manicured gardens, flowers, grassy lawns, and of course the blue lake - the setting was magnificent. It is probably the most beautiful setting for a pagoda that I have seen since Nepal. Several of the monks struck up a conversation with me as I walked around. Typically they want to practice their English with foreigners, but they all spoke really good English to begin with so I guess they just wanted to talk. I wandered around the pagoda and lake for a while before continuing on my sight seeing tour.

My next stop was Datanla Falls. Once passed the entrance gate I was surprised to find an 'Alpine Rollercoaster' on offer as a way to access the falls which are ~100 meters below the level of the parking area. Apparently someone thought the idea of constructing a rollercoaster through the forest down to the falls was a good one. It looked brand new and was really visually disruptive to the 'alpine atmosphere' but perhaps no more than a ski lift, so for 20,000 Dong ($1.25) I decided to give it a go. Nothing like this would ever be allowed in the west. You sit in your owner personal go-cart-on-rails and you are solely responsible for working the break lever. Push forward and the brake releases, pull back or let go and the brake engages. I wonder what happens when you go too fast?? It was actually a really fun ride down and took longer than I expected. The falls themselves were nothing special really and after a few minutes down there I opted to walk back up to the top.

Then I drove back into town, out of town another way and back in, around the lake, tried to find the 'summer palace' but couldn't and got lost, and then stopped for a late lunch near the middle of town. After lunch I went over to Lam Ty Ni Pagoda, which I had driven by earlier when I was lost, but didn't know what it was. In my guidebook this pagoda is really hyped up mainly because of the 64-year-old eccentric - and only - monk who lives here named Mr Thuc. I guess he is actually a local celebrity. His 'gig' is art, and his small pagoda is chalk full of his sculptures and drawings - many of which probably took all of 1 minute to create. The other part of his 'gig' is selling his paintings to tourists. So I was a little skeptical about how I was going to get out of there without buying a painting since I was the only one there. He kept encouraging me to look at his paintings. We continued talking and he asked me where I was driving to next. I told him about a few more things in Dalat I wanted to see and he asked if he could join me on the back of my motorbike because he doesn't get out much and only ever walks anywhere. I didn't particularly want him on the back of my motorbike because I've never ridden with anyone on the back and I wanted the freedom of being alone, but I couldn't shake him and we set off. As we were leaving his pagoda another tourist showed up who was actually interested in buying something, but Mr Thuc didn't care too much apparently.

We set off and he pointed me this way and that way and eventually we ended up at Dalat University where he was a student in the early 60's. He had me take a few pictures of him with his own personal digital camera over the course of our ride. I could tell he didn't want the ride to end but I finally convinced him to take us back to his pagoda where the other tourist was still waiting to see him. It was a really strange afternoon and a fantastic day overall. I coasted back to my hotel on fumes as the needle had been below empty for a while. It was much easier to drive with only myself on the motorbike!

I saw a lot today, and there isn't much more I can see (or want to see) on my own here in Dalat and I don't feel like going on a 'tour' from an agency. So I'm leaving tomorrow morning to either Mui Ne, on the coast, or Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). I'll decide which destination to go to after dinner tonight.

Nha Trang

Thursday (8 February) night I went out to eat alone at a restaurant/bar here in Nha Trang called Why Not. I met some other travelers there and ended up staying there pretty late. The drinks were cheap and it was crowded with other travelers. When that place closed we went down the street to another bar but I only stayed there about 15 minutes because it was already late and I had to wake up early the next morning for a boat trip.

So Friday (9 February) morning I woke up early and a minibus picked me up around 9 am to take me to the boat. The boat trip was great. We stopped at several islands but really didn't get to see much of the islands themselves. The first place we stopped we could snorkle around but the horrible mask and snorkle, no fins, and a stronge current made it difficult. The large number of small, mostly harmless jelly fish were a little unsettling. Then we went to another island and anchored offshore and had a great lunch on the boat. Then there was some singing and dancing by the boat crew and passengers. It was a bit silly but entertaining. Then the 'floating bar' came out which was the same guy from the boat sitting on this little half inner tube half bar contraption serving wine to people sitting in little life rings. It was pretty funny. Then we went to another island that had a nice but crowded beach. I played volleyball on the beach there and went swimming in the turquoise water. We made one more stop before heading back to Nha Trang where we arrived around 4 PM and were taken back to our hotels. I met some cool people on the boat trip and we made plans to meet up for dinner. Later that evening I met Stefani - from Australia - and Dora - from Hong Kong - for dinner. Then we went back to the Why Not bar which got busy again. We met several more people from the boat trip there at the bar.

Saturday (10 February) Stefanie, Dora, and I planned to rent some bikes and ride out to Thap Ba Hot Spring Center. While we were looking for a place to rent bikes that morning, I ran into the 3 Swedish guys I had hung out with in Hoi An. We made plans to meet up that evening. Then the girls and I rode the 5 km out to the hot springs on too-small bikes which took over 30 minutes. Its more of a day spa or a resort than a hot spring center. It was a very nice setup. For 60,000 Dong (less than $4) we got a 'package' that included mud baths (a first for me), soaking in a hot spring water tub, and swimming in the large hot spring water pools. It was a pretty classy place actually. The soaking tubs and mud baths were pleasant enough, but it was really too hot for swimming in a hot water swimming pool. We ate lunch at the cheap, on-site restaurant (at any place in the west, a restaurant at such a place would be extra expensive) and eventually rode back to our hotels. Stefanie and Dora were leaving that evening so after seeing them off I went to met the Swedes at the Why Not bar for some pool and drinks. We stayed out late and had a big night.

Sunday (11 February) I met the Swedes in the early afternoon and we walked over to the small but really uncrowded water park. Admission - less than $2. We spent several hours there and it was good fun even though there were only 2 slides!

I've had a really varied last 3 days! Tomorrow I'm taking the bus at 7 Am to Dalat in the central highlands. Nha Trang is great, but it may have too much of a party scene for me.

Nha Trang, Vietnam

On my last night in Hoi An (Tuesday, 6 February) I went out again with the same 5 Swedes I met the previous day. It was good fun. Once again we went to the bar with the nice pool table for a while and then later to another bar. I stayed out until nearly 4 AM which is the lastest I've been out since I left Bangkok, including New Years Eve!

So of course I slept in the next day (Wednesday, 7 February) but not too late as I had to check out of my hotel. I got up at 9:30 AM, ate breakfast, and packed up. Then I caught the local bus from Hoi An to Danang around 11 AM and my train left Danang around 1:15 PM. The train ride was much better than the bus except that I didn't get to sit by a window and really enjoy the incredible landscapes flowing by. We got served a free dinner (a first) on the train and I nearly convinced myself that the meat was dog since it didn't seem quite right and the Vietnamese are known for eating dog. However I would be surprised if they did in fact serve dog as the main meal on a train. It wasn't a very good or filling meal. I arrived in Nha Trang, Vietnam around 9:30 PM and walked about 2 km to a hotel that was recommended to me. They only had a more expensive AC room but it was too late to shop around. Then I had a late dinner and finally went to sleep close to midnight.

On Thursday (8 February) morning I spent over an hour trying to find a cheaper guesthouse but in the end I ended up staying in the same place for a reduced rate. Accomodation is more expensive in Vietnam than I was expecting. I paid $7 last night and the room was not as nice as the one in Hoi An for the same price. Now I'm paying $5/night and I agreed not to use the AC which I hate anyways. I haven't had a room with AC since I left Shanghai, China! I spent the rest of the day walking up and down the beach that runs the length of the town. Although overall the landscapes in Nha Trang are stunning, including the nearly turquoise water, surrounding islands, and mountain backdrop, with all the garbage on the beach, the coarse sand, the narrowness of the beach, the built up water front, and the less aesthetic city, I like Hoi An - and its beach just out of town - better. I don't know what all the fuss is about Nha Trang, and I think Hoi An and its beach (and further afield: China Beach) are under rated. I also took a 'sight seeing tour' courtsey of the local bus!

I booked a boat tour for tomorrow to some of the surrounding islands where I can do some snorkling. Hopefully I can meet some people that way too.

Hoi An

I didn't really do anything on Sunday (4 February). I just spent the whole day watching TV in my room, walking around the town, eating, and on the internet. It felt good to do nothing. I thought about doing stuff all day, but didn't end up doing anything. What a strange, uncharacteristic day for me. That evening after dinner, I went to the bar I had been to the first night I was here. They had a nice pool table so I spent a while playing pool there where I met some Aussies. Then later we went out to another bar until about 2 AM.

On Monday (5 February) I had to do something, so after a late breakfast I rented a bike ($.65) and road out to Cua Dai beach about 5 km down the road from Hoi An. I was really surprised by what I found - palm trees, clean, white sand, almost blue water, and not many people. A really great beach setting. It made me wish I would have gone out there the day before instead of doing nothing in town. I could have done nothing on the beach! I met a group of travelers on the beach and hung out with them that afternoon there - 3 guys from Sweden, 2 girls from Sweden (seperate groups of Swedes), and an Australian girl. I had met one of the Swedish guys the night before at the bar. That evening we all went out to dinner, less the Aussie girl who left Hoi An. Then one of the Swedes and I went to play pool for several hours at the bar. It was a fun day especially compared to the previous one.

On Tuesday (6 February) the Swedish guys invited me to join them on some motorbikes. So we all rented motorbikes and went cruising around. First stop was China Beach - of American War (as the Vietnamese War is known in Vietnam) fame and the same as the old TV show - a really large, long, empty, pretty stretch of beach. There was no one else there besides a few local fishermen. The whole beach runs for a continuous 30 km between Danang and Hoi An. The place we stopped at was about half way between the two. Then we went to some hills close by know as the Marble Mountains. From a distance the mountains (hills actually) look like limestone Karsts, but once you are hiking around on them you discover that the rock is actually marble, hence the name. But some of it had to be limestone as there were several caves. We had some nice views from the top and checked out some really cool caves up there. Then we went back to China Beach, a different stretch. After lazing in the sun for a while we rode the motorbikes down the beach (i.e. on the sand) for several kilometers. It as a lot of fun but not so easy, as you can imagine. Then we headed back into Hoi An for a late lunch.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, 7 February) I'm taking the train from Danang to Nha Trang. Although a bus would be cheaper and more convenient - I have to catch a bus from Hoi An to Danang first as Hoi An is not on the rail line - after the last bus ride I'm swearing off buses in Vietnam. Its a day train as there are no night trains on this stretch so unfortunately I get into Nha Trang at 10 PM. It'll be sad to leave Hoi An as I really like it hear, but my Vietnamese visa expires on 20 February and I need to keep moving as I have several more places I want to see.

Hoi An, Vietnam

After I arrived in Hoi An on Friday (2 February) afternoon I spent a long time walking around looking for the famed 'best bargain rooms in Asia'. But apparently those must have been in Vang Vieng, Laos as the best I could do in Hoi An was $7/night. There were a few places for $5 or $6 but they weren't very exciting or in bad locations. For $7/night I do have a great location, satellite TV, and a large clean bathroom... Its actually an HI 'hostel' and I think they might have dorm rooms, but I didn't bother inquiring for some reason. I spent the rest of the day walking around the small, historic town. Hoi An is really a special place I think, if you can get past all the tourists and all the touts trying to sell you stuff. I got in contact with Sally and Carolyn from Hanoi and we made plans to meet up later that evening which we did. They were leaving the following day however.

Hoi An is famous for being the place to shop for cheap, custom made clothes. After 8+ months of wearing the same 2 pairs of pants and countless repairs on them, I decided this would be the place to pick up a new pair. So on Saturday (3 February) morning I - blush, blush - went shopping. I really, really hate shopping and Hoi An has not changed that in me. The problem with buying anything in Asia is you have to shop around a lot to make sure you are not getting ripped off. So after visiting numerous clothes shops - which are set up side by side on every street around - I ordered a pair of custom pants for $8. 'Custom' as in I want this fabric, color, design, pocket, zipper, here, here and here. Not bad. Then I went to a barber and got a $2 haircut, before eating my $.65 lunch in the market. While in the market I found a button down, short sleeve shirt for $1.50. Its nice to have one shirt that is not a tee shirt for once.

I may have gone a bit overboard - by my traveling standards at least - as late in the afternoon I also ordered some custom board shorts for $5.5o. But I figured if I was getting a new pair of pants I also needed a new pair of shorts, as both pair of my zip-off pants are looking pretty worn. So I got a button down shirt, custom made shorts, and custom made pants for $15!!

All of this has made me realize that its going to be really, really difficult to return home and pay western prices for things once again.....

Some time during the day I bumped into someone I met in Ninh Binh and I met her for dinner that evening. I was also suppose to meet up with some other travelers I met the previous night but they either forgot or stood me up. Its was a pretty mellow and actually boring night.

Ninh Binh, Vietnam

On Wednesday (31 January) morning I finally left Hanoi and took the bus to Ninh Binh about 90 km south of Hanoi. Ninh Binh doesn't have as many tourists as the other 3 cities I had been to in Vietnam which was a nice change of pace. This means there are fewer touts harassing you for "motorbike ride", "sir, room", etc. I checked into a dorm room at the Queen Mini Hotel which was nice enough for $3/night. After lunch I rented a motorbike and rode out to the city of Phat Diem and the Phat Diem cathedral. It was a pleasant if slightly busier than I was expecting 30-km ride. The cathedral complex was not very busy and I didn't see any other westeners there. I spent about 30 minutes walking around before driving back. Back in Ninh Binh I took a stroll through the local market and then went back to the guesthouse for the rest of the evening. The food at the guesthouse was so good and cheap I ended up eating all 5 of my meals there. This was also due partly to the fact that there are very few tourist-friendly restaurants in Ninh Binh.

Thursday (1 February) morning I walked the 100 feet down the road from the guesthouse to the train station to try to book a ticket leaving Ninh Binh that evening for Hoi An. They told me to come back one hour later for some reason but I didn't feel like waiting around so I again rented a motorbike for the day and rode out to Tam Coc, "3 caves". Tam Coc is about 10 km from Ninh Binh and has amazing scenery. The Ngo Dong river flows through flooded rice paddies set between more beautiful karsts. They call it the Halong Bay of the rice paddies and I really wasn't expecting such beautiful scenery. The thing to do in the Ninh Binh area is to hire a row boat and driver to row you down the Ngo Dong river which flows through 3 different caves. It was amazing. Most of the rowers are women and the woman on my boat rowed for 1 hour straight up the river, took a 3 minute break after the last cave and then rowed for 1 hour back down the river. Some of the locals there paddle with their feet which is pretty amazing to watch.

After Tam Coc I went back to the train station but this time they were out to lunch for another 2 hours! I said enough of that monkey business and just booked a bus ticket through my guesthouse. I wasn't even sure there would be a bed on the train to risk waiting until later in the afternoon. Then I took a ride through some back roads around Ninh Binh trying to reach another popular site of the area. But I took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up back in town and unable to find my destination. It was a great ride nonetheless. Along the way I came across a little 'park' - called Hang Mua resort - that had stairs up to the top of one of the karsts (~100 meters) which afforded fantastic if hazy views of the area and the Ngo Dong river, which I had boated down earlier. Back in town early that afternoon I walked around Ninh Binh a bit more and was happy to be leaving that night as the town doesn't have much going on.

My bus to Hoi An left around 10 PM that evening. It was a pretty shitty bus ride all together. We stopped way to freaking often and our second stop of the night was a 'dinner break' at 2 AM. I didn't sleep much that night. 14+ hours later I arrived in Hoi An, Vietnam around noon on Friday (2 February). I'm really going to make every effort to try to take the train on the next journey south.

Halong Bay photos!

I happened to have some photos on a CD from my recent weekend out to Halong Bay on the northeast coast of Vietnam so I thought I would post a few....

Halong Bay karsts:


House boat and local fisherman:


Born to be bad.... David, Sally, and me on the 'hogs'


David, Carolyn, me, and Jean chilling out top-side on the boat:


Another tour boat cruising the bays amongst the karsts:


David and me on the top of the boat: