Vietnam

I am writing the first lines of this story at my homestay´s common area in Háng Múa Valley in Ninh Binh, Vietnam. Some planes, buses, boats and trains brought me here. 

After two years of discovering, travelling and experiencing Australia in almost all its magnitude, I left the country on the last day of my visa. I will never say it was easy, specially after being back in Palm Cove (my aussie home) to spend there my last month.

This trip to Vietnam was absolutely improvised, not planned and, in a way, postponed until the last minute. As I didn't want to leave Cairns area before my deadline, I just booked the most convenient ticket overseas, to a place I've never been. 72 hours later I was seated at row 64 on a Cathay Pacific flight with destination Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh city.

Seven hours after I left Down Under, I landed in Hong Kong, at night. Borders crossed, train catched, and all of a sudden I found myself capturing the city skyline, and trying to jump on a scenic wheel (like the London eye) unsuccesfully, because it was too late. Anyway, I delighted (and distracted) myself with the local singers on every corner, people dancing and boats going in and out the harbor. Past midnight, with an evident tireness in my eyes, I decided to head back to the airport and try to hit the sack on the seats.

The next day I arrived in Ho Chi Minh city, or Saigon, as you prefer; booked a hostel in district one and flattened the narrow and crazy streets of the most populated city in Vietnam. Chaotic traffic at anytime, neon lights at night and street food everywhere are the signature highlights of this asian suburb. If you haven't tried a Bahn Mí (vietnamese baguette) you haven't experienced Saigon. It will usually cost between 20.000-30.000 dong (US$1,30). 

As soon as you start walking through the narrow streets, markets and little shops, you will find uncountable amount of clothes, handicrafts, paintings and SEVERAL sunglasses and bag brands imitations. You will see the same at the Old Quarter in Hanoi. 

My journey would continue to Hoi An, a UNESCO heritage. This ancient town has a special charming on its well preserved architecture, heaps of colorful lamps, silk shops and first and second quality tailors all around, very affordable. Altough, as a marine creature, I stayed at a chill hostel in An Cham beach, 20 minutes away from town, riding a bicycle through the rice fields and bridges. A trully vietnamese postcard.

Looking for an authentic experience with locals, I made my way to Cham islands, 18 kilometres off the coast. I would stay at a really nice homestay with a family, in a little fishermen village. We would share the table every day to have lunch and dinner, just communicating with gestures and pictures. Back in land, a few days tasting the coffee shops and pulse of Da Nang didn't go wrong. Lady Budha contemplates the harbor city from its 67 metres of lenght.

To get into my next destination up north, I decided to catch the train -vietnamese railway-, on the way to Nin Binh. An unforgettable week jumping on boats through the Tam Coc River, the Trang An circuit (and under a 1 km cave!!), hiking up to the Hang Múa view point (again, 500 steps under the heat, for a strange reason I always end up in this kind of trails...), and riding many kilometres per day to discover the magnificence of Bai Din Pagoda, the big Budha and the temples around.

Next place to explore: Halong Bay. The classic postcard landscape picture of the mass structures in the ocean doesn't dissapoint. A day cruise from Cat Ba, with nice beach beds on the cover, would allow us to get tanned while we were going to the different spots, floating villages and Monkey island. After this adventure, I would make my way to the capital city with more scooters in the world, Hanoi.

How to describe it? Pedestrians have no rights, you basically put your life on the hands of the streets, and the conmiseration of the fierce local riders, going in all the directions with no time and no sense of politeness! In this city I got to meet a large comunity of expats, english teachers and exchange people from all around the world. Also, the vibrant night scene of Hanoi. The endless streets full of shops, street food trucks and sellers-of-everything will keep you busy during your stay. Here, for sure, you can get a Bahn Mí (baguette with veggies and pork/egg/chicken) accompanied with a Bia Hoi (beer). 

After Hanoi, Sapa. Termometres down, shoes on, let the hike begin!

(next post)