Farewell, Vietnam!

Currently Listening to: “Pulaski at Night” by Andrew Bird

I arrived at Hanoi last Friday after taking the night train from Hue. It was a great experience and I’m so happy I took the train as I was able to get a full night’s rest. The first day in Hanoi started with a bit of excitement. We took a taxi from the train station to the hostel and the cab driver decided to take us the long way.  After demanding he let us out, an argument ensued on the street in which no one came to the defense of the cab driver. He was angry and we refused to pay him. Eventually, he left. A local man said there was no way the ride should cost as much as the meter had said at that point. From there we walked the rest of the way to the hostel.

Ha Long Bay
I don’t know if Hanoi is less chaotic than Saigon or if I’m just getting used to the traffic. Unlike Saigon, Hanoi has many small streets where people, motorbikes, and cars all share the road. Every street is a choreographed dance of people driving in all directions no matter the side of the road they are on and people walking through that traffic.

My original plan for Hanoi was to spend very little time there and just use it as a base. I arrived on Friday and planned on leaving for Ha Long Bay on Sunday morning. Mother Nature had other plans for us. With a large tropical storm arriving in Ha Long Bay on Monday, our tour was postponed until Tuesday, my friends and I now had two extra days in Hanoi and not enough time to head to Sapa. I used one day to take care of some errands and then on Monday we all had a lazy day together and watched The Deer Hunter in the common space of the hostel.

Early Tuesday morning we were on a mini bus and headed to Ha Long Bay to spend two nights and three days swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, and being lazy on a beach. We drove four hours out of Hanoi, boarded a “junk boat” and set sail for the bay. We stopped off to view the limestone cave, for a bit of kayaking and then docked for the evening just before sunset. The next morning we drove from one side of Cat Ba Island to the other and boarded another boat for some more kayaking, a swim in some very salty water (so salty you float on your own) and a visit to Monkey Island, where the monkeys steal people’s crisps and Coca Cola. I hiked up the limestone to the top of the island barefoot, but the view was worth it. We took the boat back to Cat Ba Island and spent the night in a beachside bungalow. Today we head back to Hanoi, where I will hopefully meet up with some people I met earlier in my stay in Vietnam.

This is my last night and Vietnam. I had originally planned to stay for three weeks of my one month visa. In the end, I stayed for 25 of the 30 days. I fell in love with Vietnam and it surprised me in many ways.   (Riding north from Hoi An to Hue on the Hai Van Pass. Also, shout out to Ben for getting us there safely!)

Things I’ve Learned in Vietnam:

• An entire family of 6 can fit on one scooter and still have cargo on the back rack. You have one child stand in front of the driver and two more children inbetween the parents seated.
• Despite the country being conservative, it is socially acceptable for men to pull their shirts up and expose their belly. It’s so hot that all men do it, no matter where they are.
• The capacity to forgive is amazing. I expected to feel hostility or experience cold interactions with the Vietnamese. I have felt the exact opposite while I have been here. People have been incredibly hospitable and many tell me to return to Vietnam with my friends and family. Thuy, my seamstress in Hoi An, greeted me with a hug every day. While in Dalat, I was approached by a local man randomly, who asked where I was from and upon hearing that I’m from the U.S. he hugged me.
• The backpacker culture is incredibly inclusive. I’ve met and made friends from Canada, Scotland, Poland, Sweden, Australia, Norway, New Zealand, and England to name just a few countries. We all have vastly different backgrounds, yet we take care of each other as though we are one family. Should someone feel ill, several offer to provide medicine, should money issues arise, several people step forward to help remedy the situation. I am trying to keep up with the news from home, and it is often times so negative, so it has been so wonderful and eye opening to witness such human kindness while abroad.
• Despite what many people may think, I actually am happy to have a return flight home. As much as I enjoy my vagabond life, I do look forward to getting home. As I arrive in a new town or city, I often have the same conversations at first: Where are you from? How long are you traveling? What’s the next destination? When I have stayed in a city longer than a few days, I’ve been able to have much deeper conversations and they often lead to the question everyone at home is wondering: What happens when I get home? For some, they aren’t going home. I’ve met many who are moving to another country and starting fresh. For me, the holidays await me and the search for a new career. The feeling of dread at having to figure out my next life move is no longer there. It has turned into excitement and something I look forward to figuring out upon returning home.

 (Cham Island with people from all over the world)

Now I’m about to start a new adventure, an adventure I never had planned to embark on. Tomorrow I fly to Burma to meet up with an Aussie I met in Saigon and do some exploring together. I have no idea what to expect when I get there. I’ve heard many things about it while traveling for the past 6 weeks, yet don’t know what awaits for me on the other side of that flight.  I know it is fairly untouched, yet changing quickly. Some have said wifi and data work great, and others report the opposite. I may post an entry or two while I’m there, or I may have to wait until I reach Cambodia in two weeks, so if you don’t hear from me don’t worry. I’ll be fine!