A Winter Break Getaway!

Well, to start, we flew into Hanoi which I don’t know why I thought I was still in the tropics but was rudely exposed to cold weather. The whole northern part of Vietnam was cold, and I should have known this. But at the time I was living in Malaysia and wasn't really keeping a stockpile of coats or long underwear, as I did in Montana. So we braved the chilly weather and left for chilly islands as soon as possible!

We immediately left Hanoi and headed toward the nearest port to take a morning boat to Cat Ba island. The people thus far were welcoming and really helpful. We actually had a taxi give us directions to the local bus stop where everyone on the bus was amazed by the size of our packs, (I could tell because of the size of their eyes), and when I tried to give the driver what I thought it would cost, he just motioned for us to find our seats… to continue to provide entertainment for the locals I imagine. You can always tell if the tourists take certain routes based on how much staring and laughing you receive. Nothing, a smile and a little chuckle can't fix.

Finding ourselves in the middle of the sea off the Vietnam coast early the next morning, it felt, well, mystical. Winter in Vietnam is very overcast, but unlike my home, is filled with lush green fauna, covering the thousands of islands popping out of nowhere, while making way through the foggy rain.

Arriving at the port in Cat Ba, we were introduced to a sweet little harbor town, flocking with tourists, who might I add were appropriately dressed. We found some motorbike taxis and zoomed (well, not quite, my friend and I were both larger people and were carrying packs the size of a 7-year-old child), and within 20 minutes landed on another, much smaller boat, headed to our first destination. 

Our mini boat made its way through endless mazes of fisherman's homes, which are all made on mass amounts of floating barrels. This was so cool. Entire communities in their little wood houses, floating next to one another. Close lines, wood stoves, it all existed. Surrounding the houses were tons of nets or oceanic farms. The people of Cat Ba have a deep connection with the water. Fishing is how they make a living of course, but we're talking water world style, just not quite so primitive, (or beastly).

We ended up staying at a “resort” completely cut off from other parts of the island. Our place was on a single cove so the only humans I was forced to interact with were other guests. The place was really nice, sparkly, and new. The beach was beautiful, and the water was the deepest emerald green. And of course, the weather was cold. We had one really nice day and jumped in some complimentary kayaks, paddling our way in and out of the islands. There were so many, and they all looked the same. It’s amazing how more tourists, (or locals), don’t get lost out there.

I spent the day doing what I love most, relaxing and hunting seashells. So thank goodness we found a deep undeveloped cove full of old petrified seashells. That was a solid 2 hours of fun for me.

We enjoyed the quiet secluded feeling of majestic Cat Ba for four days, and then…headed back to Hanoi for our first long bus ride south. About 20 hours long, to be exact. We heard 16, but buses stop, slow down, yada yada. Traffic isn’t nearly as predictable as in the states. But, it's a great opportunity to hit the local market, buy a bunch of munchies which you can't identify, and get some countryside views. Which with the lack of sleep on a bus, is the only way to find comfort in the ride.

Hoi An was a sweet and charming place. If I understand correctly, most travelers prefer the visit for its quaint feel. Located on the Thu Bon River. The UNESCO historical district is filled with a market of all goods, cheap beer, and of course, traditional entertainment, like martial arts and wish-making (buying a candle in a little gift box and letting it go on the river).

Chinese Buddhist temples line the streets filling the air with the sweet smell of offerings like flowers and incense. We spent most of our time wandering the streets, people watching, and of course, finding the beach. Hoi An provided ample entertainment. You could have something tailored within hours, like business suits, dresses, leather shoes of ALL types, tops, and bathing suits! The list continues! The fabrics of Vietnam have long been exported around the world, and the locals caught on. Every other shop is a tailor shop filled with “authentic” Vietnamese silk. It’s certainly an attractive thought, but it's also an expensive one. We stayed on the budget side of things, walking and people watching.

One full day of hot (oh, yea, we're back in warm weather at this point, thank goodness), sun, and the pacific ocean, we found ourselves burnt to a crisp and jolly little American travelers. On the beach in most of SE Asia, locals wander up and down the long sweltering beaches selling trinkets of all kinds. Most people, including myself, give some sign of “no” (shaking the head, motioning no with the hand) before they can even approach. This is the best way to avoid spending ridiculous amounts of money on things you’ll find are only a novelty while abroad, but we forget that sometimes the conversation can be made without busting out the wallet. I try to find the balance in this, not rejecting so early in the game, but actually meeting the sellers. This however is a selling scheme, telling their story…..but if you're a lover like me, you’ll want to give them something in the end, money or not. One woman and I talked for a bit, she told me that she had been selling on the beach for 16 years, and had only met a handful of Americans. Her message to you my fellow Americans, “ Please, come see my country. People of Vietnam were so angry with America, but now, people understand, and we want to share our country." She told me her grandfather was in the American war (Vietnam war), and for a long time hated Americans. I carried this uneasy notion the whole time I was there. She said that now he understands better and he couldn’t spend all his life hating people (saying that about travelers these days who were generally not associated with that war). I was glad to chat with her about it, and whether it's the majority who think this way, it's hard to say. But it certainly began something inside of me. More of that self-identity thinking.

After a week or so in Hoi An, we ventured off to Ho Chi Min city, it was time to start planning the next country..

Ho Chi Min is a city, like any city. Whatever you're into, you can find it. Traffic and panhandlers, cuisine from all over the world, and endless people watching. Ho Chi Minh wasn’t exactly a perk for us but was the only way to head to Siem Reap, Cambodia, without backtracking north. Uh, well.. let's see…in the big city, we did some gift shopping and I had the best Pho I’ve ever tasted.

We left Ho Chi Min city early in the morning to cross into Cambodia via a land crossing. A rather smooth transition I might add. I’ve come to feel really comfortable with border crossings, for the most part, I don’t have any problems. The only struggles come from making sure your ride is on the other side (if you plan it this way). When we took a bus from city to city and had to cross a border, the original bus would stop on the side you were coming from, and from there, it's a guessing game. Walking in between borders, making sure you’ve landed in the right areas, and last but not least hoping your bus is waiting on the other side, is still waiting. You must always trust...and go with the flow. And low and behold, there is your bus. 

From Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam we ventured on yet another everlasting bus ride to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Siem Reap held a single purpose for us, as it does many. Angkor Wat. After agreeing to the four-day tour, we learned this city has so much more to offer than just this incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Known for its economic insurgency of tourists, Siem Reap has certainly learned how to “reap” the benefits. Cambodia is a poor country, probably the poorest I’ve been to, consistently caught in political battles and squeezed between two outside controlling forces of Thailand and Vietnam. And with most poor countries, you still manage to find happy people all around you. Whether it’s due to the cash you’ll be handing over at the end of the day, or the simplicity of livelihood, the people are as expected….amazing. 
 
Not 10 feet off our bus from Vietnam we were pleasantly surprised with English-speaking tuk-tuk hustlers. Not in a bad way, but they certainly hustled for the business. The man who caught us was honest, but still a businessman. We had no idea where we were staying, but with the budget in mind, he brought us to a hotel off the beaten track. I imagine the only people who find it are his exhausted customers stumbling off a bus from their long journey to Cambodia. 

The next morning there he was, calmly greeting us to enchant our ideas with tour options for Angkor Wat and surrounding areas.  It’s impossible to see all the temples in one day, and actually quite tiring. So with three more days of exploration with our new guide, we learned and felt the ancient beauty and mystery of this incredible place. 

Angkor Wat was more than any blog or any written word could ever describe to you. The emotions you feel from crawling about ancient temples are exhilarating!  It’s difficult to explain it, and hard to find it, especially when you're surrounded by 10 major bus tours, and hundreds of others rocking the tuk-tuk. Not to mention those who tough out the heat and cycle the entire thing (I wanted to do this, but our wise driver talked us out of it). Every photo, every moment of peace, every time I turned a corner, new history, design, and dedication flashed in front of me. It was holy. True holiness. You could feel it seeping from the stone walls around you.

It was a challenge to close my eyes and imagine these temples being built. Absolutely incredible. Made from the earth, and stories upon stories inscribed on their walls. Etched, by hand, in the cold hard stone the walls bear. It was also nice to be amongst the monks in Angkor Wat. It was even nicer to see them avoiding the tourists, taking the side paths, and acknowledging passing tourists, only when they had no other option. They showed me that they were there for a purpose, a holy one, and not for the mass donations and photobombs. Hundreds of pictures, enchanting moments, and bottles of water later, I experienced Angkor Wat. But not nearly enough. I will journey to this land again (and do several years later)!

From ancient temples to bustling Bangkok. The journey continues.

The border crossing from Cambodia into Thailand was one of the more unique systems I’ve experienced. It works though and apparently has been the way for quite some time. When you buy your ticket to go to Thailand, your bus will randomly stop (most do every couple of hours for pee breaks and grub), at a road stop, this one, an automotive repair shop. After I found the toilet, I stumbled upon my friend, trying to ask the repair shop employee why everyone was lined up in front of the shop. What were they buying? Having a bit more experience in communicating, and being the leader/bossy/ take control kind of person I am, I felt free to join in. 

Allow me to veer off the story a bit. When you're traveling, if you know something, help people. If you don’t know, help them figure it out. There’s nothing like being lost or confused in a foreign country. I’ve made it a personal rule to assist fellow travelers, even when I think they’re headed in the right direction but seem unsure. 

Okay, back to the program. So after the employee put my friend on the phone with someone who spoke a bit more English, we were still at a loss. The bus driver, after watching this production, decided to finally come and help.  He told the woman to give us two black stickers (of course we didn't know what in the world was happening). Apparently, when you buy a ticket to cross the border, you must get one of these stickers to continue to your bus on the other side of the border. Once you cross the border, you find yourself sitting under a tent randomly on the Thai side, with other assortments of travelers. At this point, you're once again left to the wind. Having no idea what this black sticker is going to offer, after about an hour or so we were relieved to hear a man calling for “black stickers”. The system is totally worked! Trust. Go with the flow. From there we were carried away to a local restaurant, where we waited 2 hours for an unbearably tight minibus. I really can't complain since I’m short. But my poor friend! Being 6 ft. something was sacrificing years on his joints, every time we loaded into that minibus.

I had been once before and knew what it was all about. The only thing that changed was the cheap fads being sold up and down the rows of Khaosan Road. Bangkok. We spent a leisurely two days picking up some souvenirs for friends and family. It was something that is inevitable when you visit Khaosan Road. The buses don’t even take you to the bus station. They know you’ll end up staying in a tourist mecca, so you conveniently get left there. The best highlight of Bangkok was a Muay Thai fight my travel companion insisted on attending. I was so glad we did! By far the most fun I've had in a bustling city. 

There were 9 fights, all of them of different weights… I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Not only because there were hot sweaty Thai men fulfilling their masculine dream, but the skill involved was unique, as most of us know. My favorite part was the ritual performed before each fight. Each fighter had to “give thanks” by circling the ring and performing prostrations. With a blessed ring and a traditional warm-up dance, the drumming began!

We thought the six hours of fighting was going to be too much, but by midnight, I could have sat for five more hours. Each fight was unique, because of the fighter's weight group and ability. Must like boxing I presume (and know nothing about). The young boys, they couldn’t have been more than 13 or 15, were the lights...I think around 105. The heavys were around 140. Ha! I’m still heavier than the heavy! I was told fighters from all around the world come to train in Thai KickBoxing, it's a skill that's mixed with our boxing back home, such an incredible sport to witness. 

Before I could drop money I didn’t have on fake Muay Thai shorts, we were off to Kanchanaburi. When I was in Kanchanaburi last, I was 20 years old and fell in love with the convenient western lifestyle offered in this city. I spent far too long in Kanchanaburi, meeting Canadians, falling in love with Thai motorcyclists, and really wasting my time doing what I already did back home. But this time was different, with my head a bit more on my shoulders, I enjoyed the beauty of Kanchanaburi and learned more about the bridge over river Kwai and the history of this place. It was time to return to the much-wanted beach time before the school called my name back in Malaysia. And off we went to yet another venture whom every foreigner in Thailand will at some point enjoy. Phuket.

Phuket was a place I’d seen once before. But this time, we rented a motorbike, and instead of secluding ourselves on only one beach, we traveled about for three days, hitting up different beaches, seeing the sights, and enjoying the fresh sea air. I love motorbikes by the way. Even though driving one there was terrifying. I absolutely love sitting on the back of the bike, taking it all in. We stayed in a hotel in the middle of Phuket Island. Which at first seemed to be a preventative measure of getting sunburns. But with my insistent love for the beach, we found one every day. Our favorite was on the last day. In between two main beaches, there perched a long stretch of untouched sand. Between a few hidden rock outcroppings, we made our own little heaven. It was beautiful. With crystal clear water, tropical fish, and an excellent tan, I felt that I had gotten my “vacation” and was ready to head back to the real world. Island hoppers alike, aside from the incredible view of saturated glass blue water, Phuket is only as good as the money is, and it was certainly racking up a bill. 

The return to Malaysia came without difficulty. I missed my friends and new family in Malaysia and was ready to get back to my footstall and Batik classes.  Traveling to Malaysia for a full year changed me. And returning back to the US would be a completely different experience, making me a completely different person from those days forward.