Vietnam 20th August 2015. Gooooood morning Vietnam 

It was sad to leave Thialand, I've got great memories of the place. Even after the aiport fiasco, going through immigration I was stopped and asked to follow this security guard, I thought I was being stitched up for a drug bust...:-|..after about 10 minutes...and a change of underwear I was let through...not sure what that was all about but im through. The flight over was thankfully non eventful, it wasn't a full flight, quite a few westerners but by no means the 'Ryan air experience" I had last time. We touched down finally in Siagon, another dream realised. I've always wanted to come here, Vietnams history being shared in the same time line as mine. (unless I can convince anyone i'm only 25??) ...probebly not..The airport wasnt the busy bustle of China or Thailand, I got through immigrations after abit of a queue, but thankfully I wasnt given a "fake" visa in Thailand so all good. I did meet an Australian girl, who got an 'Online visa' and was having alot of trouble, they did let her out into arrivals so she could use the cash machine to get some money poor thing, I did offer her help but she was ok she said, so glad I didn't opt for the online visa....seems like there was a few having trouble. Reading my 'Lonely Planets' I had an Idea of how much the taxi would be and booking my room in advance in downtown Le Lai I was set to go. The traffic was madness, I was pre warned by Sally, but still, how there are no fatalities ill never know. They weave in and out on the motorbikes and there are a swarm of them and I mean a swarm......but I wasn't in a 'hindenburg' mobile so all good. Eventually after 40 minutes I reached the hotel. The area is obviously the main tourist hub as there are foreigners everywhere so a good choice. After checking in I went to the room, it was compact....but i've lived in and out of mobile homes for years (and believe me they have bigger bedrooms in a mobile home) but hey ho. It was clean.....not sure mom would have approved...;-) 

I decided to got out for an explore, it was about 8pm, I was hungry and itching to take a look around. Just outside the hotel are an abundance of restaurants, shops, and tourist offices selling excursions and tickets of every kind.I decided to go local and I got some rice cooked in pineapple as an authentic stepping stone into Vietnam....it was nice...it was rice...and I still have a craving for meat and veggies. I got chatting to some more Australians on holiday here, told me the places to go do's and dont's ...nice people. There are quite a few Americans here.... that did surprise me, after all 50 odd years ago the locals would quite happily have cut their gonads off with a hot blunt tea spoon...I suppose the Australians and Kiwis are in the same boat.....and dont get me started on the French!! The Americans I saw were all of mature years, most with a young Vietnamese girl on their arm....some with a boy..they spoke like they lived here, not sure if they were ex GI's, one did have the 'thousand yard stare' maybe he was pissed....maybe I've been reading too much "Apocalypse now"..there was a few 'hippy' types as well....dont think anyones told them "woodstocks finnished".....I love people watching.......It was a good first night. 

Next morning......."Gooooooood Morning Vietnam"...sorry had to say it....wont happen again. I had breakfast upstairs on the roof, they did have boiled eggs, bread, fruit and a cuppa so a rice free start. I headed to the main Saigon landmarks, I wasn't getting on any motor bike taxis....there are an abundance I can assure you, you can't walk five yards without hearing "motorbike taxi???" or "where are you from???"..."luvrly jubbly".... "I take you there good price"...I walked...My first experiance at crossing the road was a memorable one....no one stops...and I mean no one for nothing...even a level crossing ..traffic lights..I was walking along a pavement thinking I was safe to be chased down by three motorbikes who also decided the road was a dangerous place. It's madness, I got some picture but will take my video camera I think to make an extreme video..... motorbikes and cars screaming along either side of you. I didn't see any accidents though....thank goodness...My first stop on the map was the indoor market, you can buy anything designer here....obviously a copy, but cheap as chips, there was also trinkets, hangings, carvings,food,you name it. It was alot of hassle getting through, I'm used to Thailand with the hard sell, after a while it wears thin so I opted to go onto the next site on my map.....the "War remnants museum" formally called the war crimes museum but they changed the name. It took me a while to walk across town, only stopping for the traffic...diving out of the way of the pavement mounted motorbikes, stopped by the motor bike taxis "where you go "  "I give you good price"....but it's just there....."no no very far...I give you good price" .....theiving gets....I got there anyway. The museum was small but crammed, in the gardens were American jet fighters, helicopters, tanks, artillery you name it...inside were photos, pretty graphic of the war, it was  one sided the descriptions....."American war crimes" "Genocide"....they had bits of bombs, bits of planes....it was interesting and you cant help feeling for all those involved in the war, it must have been hell on earth, but 50 years on it's a different place.....time heals I guess. 

Coming out of the museum I noticed a pizzahut....lunch was served ;-). it's abit cheaper here than Thailand I think, the money is scary, they operate in hundred of thousands....Today I got two million Dong out of the ATM.....two million...I had a bloody heart attack...turns out it's 50 quid. Theres no coins, which is good, imagine having a pocket full of small change?? you could club a whale to death with the weight...anyway the place is cheap, but they do try to rip you off, either by short changing you, doubling the price it should be or trying to change the price once you got it. Were seen as rich foreigners, these people are by no means wealthy, it's natural, just have to keep your patience. Next on my list was the Notre Dame Cathedral. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it was just a church....then the heavens opened....big ol fat rain sent everyone scampering this way and that, I took shelter in the post office, which only being next door to the Notre Dame was also next on my list as it was suppose to be old and left over from the French Colonial rule....whoopy doo....as soon as the rain stopped I left for the saigon river. It was quite far but people watching you get to see the daily lives away from the tourist area, and for me far more interesting than a 300 year old Cathedral and post office built by the French. I walked for ages, even walked off the map I had, but asked for directions and set off on my way again, not technically lost...but almost. I have noticed everyone speaks English, they are really friendly, some more than others, I like it here. 

Cu Chi tunnels, Nam 

Today I booked a tour to go and see the Cu Chi tunnels just ouside of Saigon. During the Vietnam war the VietCong dug tunnels underground in a vast network,so they could move underground under bombardment, infiltrate behind enemy lines and boobytrapped them to stop the Americans getting inside. But to be honest the tunnels were tiny, even I had trouble, how "Rambo" could fit down one is a miracle. We were shown how they went into the tunnels, how they found them above ground.We actually went inside the tunnels (they widened them for tourist at a small section)...I tried to take a video, but the fact it was so dark, and the poor girl crawling along infront of me didnt make for a very dignified video clip....I had 10 minutes of a bum shot really. I did take some photos and video around the place, one I posted on Youtube...and on here...check out the "videos of my trip" tab. the bum shot was deleted so dont bother looking. The museum set up was really good, they made it out to look like the camp looked with VC in uniform walking about.....it gave you a good insight into how it was. The best bit for me was going to the rifle range...you can fire an actual M16, AK47, M1..even a heavy machinegun mounted on a jeep...I had a go of an M16, you buy 10 live rounds for about $5 US. it was like a war zone with all these guns going off, deafening....you were given your gun, it was loaded by the guy in uniform, he gave you a quick idiots guide....what way the bullets come out....and I was away....shooting at targets a good few hundred yards away, great stress relief;-)..I loved it...maybe theres something wrong with me ...:-/.. I was buzzing after....With that we boarded the bus and headed back to the city, got dropped off and I went for some dinner. Whilst eating I planned the next few days. I will go to the Mekong Delta, I'll stay a couple of days as there are floating markets, swamps, and a good opportunity to take some good photos of the locals. So with my plan of action I booked the bus, got a hotel, did my laundry.....well technically I put it in a bag and gave it to a guy who will do it for me....even got a ticket for Nha Tang for Wednesday......but thats another blog....;-)  

26th August Saigon.....and moving on...

I'm back from the floating markets on the Mekong Delta, and had a great time, the towns themselves were nothing to write home about, they are all quite modern and lack the charm and culture of Saigon, so the overnight stay was not very interesting. I did go out for some dinner and found a restaurant that did steaks....sue me..I was sitting there quite happy, watching the world go past, then heard the clearing of a throat and saw a group of Chinese sitting at a table opposite the dirty gets....nearly put me off my steak. ( I hope it was steak...:-/) They do eat frogs...(obviously one of the delicacies left over from the French colonial era) dogs, snake, and just about anything else that would want to make you want to barf. In the restaurant I'm now sat in, watching the feeding frenzy opposite, they had dog, snake, frog on the menu...probably what those dirty sods are eating. 

The Mekong river I loved, we took several boat trips along it. I was with a small group and met a nice German couple Anna and Andi, from Passau.  I worked there a few years back. The guide was abit of a performer, he did karaoke on the bus...it was a two and a half hour journey!! he nearly didn't make it !!!...Im not sure if it was karma, but our first stop was on some canoes, to go paddling up the mangrove swamp, anyway it was 4 to a canoe so we all waited in line on the jetty, it was then that the guide decided to jump on a pole next to the jetty and swing round, why I don't know, and he's probebly asking himself the very same question....right up until the bamboo pole snapped and he splashed into the Mekong!! I know theres no alligators or piranah in there as I already asked, but there are snakes...and the water didn't look very inviting anyway...It comes from Mayanmar, Laos, Cambodia, all the way down....each countries inhabitants adding their little 'signature' to the already polluted river...I didn't see any floaters but you can imagine........"dont eat the fish!!!!" Anyway this poor guy was soaked, sitting at the front of our canoe, trying to dry his phone, speaker, paperwork etc....shouldn't laugh.....but it was funny....:-)....We got off the canoe further down, there was a small village making sweets from Coconut....bit of a sales pitch going onwhere you could buy these sweets.....but I wandered around carefree....still chuckling..

We finished from there and got on a horse and cart to the next jetty on a wider part of the Mekong, very ethnic. The horse was skin and bone, how it pulled four of us i'll never know. From there we boarded a bigger boat and set off down the Mekong, past the floating houses, some not so floating houses....and boat after boat, I thought the Danube was busy!!!..this place was rush hour on the river. The people here a a real mix of culture and Identities, they wore the typical round pointy hats, ( no not wizards)... and went about there business on the water. The next day I would come back early and see the market, It's not for tourists, not like the Thai floating market I went to  few weeks back, it's a real market, bustling, boats and canoes full of fruit, meat, fish and all sorts...buying, selling, brilliant it was. I got some good photos anyway. The trip back to Saigon was over four hours, they did break the journey up so my bladder didn't suffer at least. We did stop for some lunch and I had an option of rice...rice...or rice....oh and rice...It was ok i guess, some pork strips sweetened....(hope it was pork) and a veg broth...Ive got my weight back on now so rice is ok every now and then....i'll pig out in Saigon when I get back anyway. We did stop at a Buddhist temple, big statues of Buddha, saw monks eating and praying, banging drums, it was a really peaceful enviroment, you could almost feel the spirituality of the place. The trip back was Karaoke free...(must have been my visit to the temple). We got back around 5pm. I checked into a hotel, showered and got some dinner....alright it was a curry....yes with rice, but thats allowed ;-). I had to repack for a flight next morning as i'm going to Nha Trang, the central Vietnam district, to the beaches.....it's supposed to be nice, and a few days on the beach will be great....get all me white bits brown again :-) . I'll keep you posted. 

Nha Trang, central Vietnam. 26th August.

I read that Nha Trang is the beach paradise of Vietnam, trouble is i think it was also in the 'Comrades monthly beach holidayski'. The place is like "little Russia", I thought I was back in Russia, all the signs are Russian, a vast majority of the tourists are Russian, I think this is where they've all been hidding.....The place itself isnt as great as it was made out, Ive been to far nicer beaches in Europe, the resort is developing and another few years will probebly look like Benidorm. Nothing against the Russians. I wanted to recharge the batteries so here seemed a good aplace as any. The flight over was no problem, 45 minutes and I had a whole row to myself, they hardly had time to push the drinks trolly out. I got a local bus into Nha Tran from the airport, it only took 45 minutes and cost around two thirds less than the taxi, bargin. The homestay I booked into was really nice, clean friendly, and right in the centre of Moscow....I mean Nha Trang. Round the corner were a few local restaurants, once I unpacked  got my washing sorted, I sat down and had dinner...granted it was rice but they specilise in seafood so tucked into tiger prawns in garlic....mmmmm bloody lovely. The family who run it were really friendly, I ended up coming a few times in th end. The first day I spent wandering up the beach, the Russians in their tracksuits and bling....women in makeup and stilletos sunbathing....I walked all along the waters edge, thinking away, until I started to feel sore, sorry mom got abit burnt, I now know how a lobster feels....I had white lines going up my shoulders still where I had a bag over my shoulder, and shoe shaped white marks on the other shoulder.....not cool..my bad. note to ones self, buy sun block!!! I booked a snorkel trip for the next day, I could have kicked myself as after I bought the ticket I went into a bar and the guy who runs it was an English man from Southend of all places....another Essex boy ;-)....he runs diving and snorkeling trips to the islands as well.....wish I'd have gone with him. (although slightly miffed he recognised my accent as soon as I opened my gob.....;-)) as if. 

I bought some sunblock that night....alright Mom....see..:-)...and walked past the bars rammed with people, at least it's not like Magaluf. Next morning I was up and out, the bus picked me up and we drove around picking up the rest of the tour....two German blokes, one french guy and his Vietnamese girlfriend, and the rest Chinese. You can tell they are Chinese as they are taking selfies every two seconds, wearing surgical masks......(dont worry checking my organs periodically) and ocassionaly clearing the throat, and coating the pavement....dirty gets....We got to the dock....feet covered in flem, bruised from selfie sticks whacking into me...and got on the boat, not saying it was old but it still had 'Titanic lifeboat 'written on it.....We were off.....Chinese still taking selfies....touching noses to their mobiles...the Germans taking in turns doing the Titanic theme off the front of the boat.....after a while they all seemed to drift off to sleep.....peace at last...I brought along me new video camera, determined to give it a baptism...you lucky people you :-) I'm abit nervous of the sea, I dont mind the shallows but when it's deep there are things lurking that will bite your limbs off, sting you, or poison you to with in an inch of your life....so as a rule I avoid the ocean, but i'm on a break so what the hell. Plus I had assurances that there is nothing lurking around that will bite, kill or sting.....not even a face sucking squid.....this comes from Steve the Southend bloke, and you can always trust an Essex boy ;-) 

Reassured I stood on the edge of the boat looking down, you can see the bottom it's crystal clear....one final check for big looming shadows approaching.....nothing...camera on...in I go! I had a whale of a time....( no Whales there either I checked ...just a figure of speech).....I did nearly drown twice, drinking in half the ocean but once I got used to it I was away. It's a different world down there, although the "Jaws" music kept jumping into my head.... I just shook it away.....I had a ball....(no Clare, didn't bring Wilson...:-)). After an hour or so I was knackered...but we were moving on to another Island. Back on the boat I watched as out came the face cloths and began the ritual cleansing of these Chinese girls, (who were in the water for 10 minutes previously, after taking yet more selfie shots on the boat from various positions...and snorkeled in a life jacket, without getting their faces wet....:-|) bless em....We did abit of fishing as well, hand lines over the side, I had a go but was just feeding the fish really, they kept nicking my prawn off the hook the little gits....next time I'll throw a hand granade in the water, lets see you nibble on that!!!! My patience now exhausted I decided to soak in the atmos. Our last stop of the day was a big 5 star resort island, if I had a choice I would rather have gone snorkeling again but hey ho....A big old Island with even more Chinese tourists....Russian dancing girls...it was like being on a set of a mad max film...We spent a couple of hours on this Island....could have been worse I suppose some Islands like Alcatraz for instance will only pale in comparison. The trip back was subdued....I think the Chinese have used up the entire memory card so couldn't take any more selfies...they all slept...thank god. I enjoyed the day, I love the sea always have, we used to go sailing with Dad down Mayland sea when I was young. Think i'll give mom and pops a call tonight. 

Today I sit here, still in Nha Trang, Ive a few hours to wait until I catch the bus to Hoi An. it's a sleeper bus, 13 hours....never been on a sleeper bus so should be different (actual beds...two tiers..aircon and Wifi...owz that for technology.....now tell the bloody Russians and Chinese about it). I packed my bag and checked out, now sitting in my favorite restaurant writting this. I'll go for a wander in a minute I think. I did manage to edit a film of the days snorkelling.....you lucky people. Ive posted it on Youtube...facebook...my website so the world is going to be sick of me ha! 

Hoi An.....note to oneself.....don't get on anymore over night buses!!

The bus journey was 'abit bumpy', the roads obviously still cratered from the war, although it was a sleeper bus I didn't get much sleep, do I ever?? It was a unique experience, after removing your shoes to get on you had to navigate the little gap between the isle, no mean feat with a backpack. There were three rows of bunkbeds, not much storage space, but comfy enough. I sat there after being shown to my seat/bed and watched the rest get on. Mostly backpackers from Spain, UK, Italy, I was again surrounded by women...climbing up onto bunks.....lets just say trousers stayed on again. I'm not sure if we were supposed to sleep, they were advertised as sleeper buses, they certainly look like they were designed to sleep in.....but tell that to the driver who had his hand permanently on the horn!! it was like he had 'horn tourettes'!!.......constantly on that bloody horn.... midnight came, Ive been on the bus 5 hours now, the horn still happily blarring but less frequently, (guess there was not enough things on the road that late for him to honk at. ) It was a bumpy ride, and I drifted in an out of sleep, occasionally being woken with a start as he got bored and decided to bang the horn a few times. We arrived around 7:30 am...'horn shocked'..., pulled in and straight away you could see no one else got much sleep. There were motorbike taxis outside the station, there was no way I'm getting on one of those with my two packs....you seen how they drive!!? I got a metered taxi from the station cost me 15'000 Dong, may seem alot but it's not even a pound. Ive learnt to get the green metered taxis here in Vietnam they are state run and dont rip you off, (or they are straight down the salt mines!!..A ride on a 'Sleeper bus'.....or a week in Nha Trang ,for their crimes) The home stay i booked was lovely, not far from the old city, the lady cooked me an omelette for breakfast and let me check in early bless her. They couldn't have been more helpful. I had a shower, a power nap and headed out to explore Hoi An. 

I really love this place, I liked Saigon, but this is by far my favorite so far. The people are so friendly, the place really old world, and traditional. I've taken alot of photos!!! I walked up to the Japanese bridge, a few hundred years old and still standing. Along the quay side it's a mix of Asian and European. What I loved most was the people, from the poorest traders and fisherman to the shop owners they are all smiling, happy to see you, don't try to hassle you, and ready to pose for a photo. There's so many characters, I bet these people could tell a story or two. After a long day, I walked back to the hotel, the place still busy but a nice busy as tourist and locals walk along the river bank. Very relaxing, but I was knackered, so bed for me.

The next day I booked a tour to go and see the local villages in the fields, and the fishing village, I had a choice to go on a push bike.....yeh right...a motor bike or taxi...I opted for a taxi....(oh shut up). The guide was a young lad, called Cam...I think..He took me to a local rice farm to see the family, animals...water buffalo, and the place they work, they work all hours poor sods, this was the last rice crop this year so I actually got to see the rice ready for picking. Next we went to the "1000 star hotel"...I didn't ask either, but it turns out to be a cemetary, they call it a 1000 star hotel so the people at rest won't be alarmed at being in ....well a cemetery..Next we headed for the fishing port, and I got on a round boat, yep a round boat, I didn't take a selfie....I have street cred..;-) Its a bamboo reed boat traditionaly used by the locals. The local fisherman defly paddled us out to the narrow palm tree waterways, I saw women cutting the palm to make thatch, apparently they work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week....and looks back breaking, it kind of puts your life into perspective. They were smiling and laughing, mainly due to the fact Cam was trying to marry me off to them...bless him. Still wifeless, we paddled past another group of tourists and eventually to the fishing port with all the boats moored up, apparently they go out in these things two weeks at a time, and they are not big. It was so peaceful and quiet, a far cry from the noise of the city, the locals were all hanging about, chatting, playing card, repairing nets, some were fishing.....if I was a fisherman I'm buggered if i'd fish on my day off!..Cam started to talk about his family, and the war. The Vietnamese are really patriotic. Flags are all over the place, the red flag with the star of Vietnam and the red hammer and Sycle....every building has at least one flag on, and the roads and streets have a flag every 100 meters..Ive noticed how the locals are always talking about the 'defeat of the Americans', how they treated the people of Vietnam, but now everyone gives you a price in 'American dollars' shops sell American produce, American cars everywhere....I've met quite a few Americans travelling through here, there doesn't seem to be any resentmaent or ill feeling, which is good. There are alot of reminders of the conflict, in the fields unexploded ordenance is still a danger, 30% of the bombs failed to explode in the war. There's bomb craters everywhere, the locals squared them off and use them as wells for the fields. fearing now for my intact organs,  walking softly, or pushing Cam infront of me, incase anything goes off!! we headed back to Hoi An, what a great day.

I had a shower, and headed back down to the old town, I walked around the markets, even took a little video to remind myself of this place, by far my favorite so far in Vietnam. I think it gives you an idea of how many motorbikes there are actually here as well. The motorbikes have a 'pact with the devil' I reckon, if they are not weaving at you on the road they are parked up on the pavement so you have to walk into the road to get round them, and in so doing are motorbike fodder for the ones on the road! I bumped into a Canadian couple I met a week or so back in Saigon, I think everyone travels the same sort of route, they are heading off tomorrow to Hanoi, so I will probebly bump into them again I'm sure. 

Next day I was heading off to Hue, only 3 hours North of here. I got up and repacked, why is it nothing ever goes back in the same way you got it out...I'll be sad to say goodbye to this place, the family I was staying with have been amazing, so warm and friendly. The bus people come and pick you up from the hotel, I was abit concerned as it was only a narrow alley just wide enough for a scooter or two, and not a bus, but sure enough a little van came on the dot, cruised around picking the people up before dropping us off at the bus. The bus was a similar one to the one I came on, a sleeper bus. We all took our shoes off and found our seats and sat there waiting for lift off. Again it was packed with westeners. The driver must be related to the driver we had before, either that or he had the same 'Horn Tourettes' gene....if I could have broke his fingers I would have. We went through Danang, we didn't stop, it didn't look like anything to stop for so just as well. We did pass some great views, a dragon boat race ( it's the Vietnamese Independance day celebrations today) Eventually we pulled up in Hue. I booked a hotel ahead, so knew where I wanted to go,  had the normal haggle and negotiations with the taxis.....walking off...then renegotiate when they follow you... (tactics see;-))...agree the new price,  and was brought to the door of the "hotel friendly"....and it is friendly...not in a "GI want boom boom" sort of way....as if...

 Hue is the capital of the 'DMZ' ..I thought it was a band too...turns out its short for de militerized zone ...I went to a bar called the DMZ...( there was a group of American blokes playing pool, then some local girls came in and started chatting with them... you could have been back in time. It's an ok town, not as nice as Hoi an, or Saigon, I did a quick walk about, found the 'citedal' which this place is famous for, (there are a few pagodas to see but to be honest i'm abit pagodad out)....I booked a tour to go to Khe Sanh and the DMZ tomorrow, so look forward to that. 

Today was an early start, I'm off to the place the Vietnam war kicked off. On a mountain called Khe Sanh where the American forces were stationed, along the route of the Ho chi minh trail.....the VC attacked on the Tet holidays....so this piece of history is known as the Tet offensive. The hill top itself was littered with helicopters, planes, bunkers....the view was amazing, all around, set in a valley, you could just imagine back in 68 when the Americans stationed here was enjoying the same view and then the place was turned into hell. I was travelling with a couple of Brits, some French, Germans and a Japanese guy. We got taken to some bridges.....(obviously Ive never seen a bridge before, not sure if it was padding the itinery out or what). The guide was very much north Vietnamese, if we had any Americans travelling with us I would have worried. I was asked "WHERE YOU FROM!!!!!" ..(not American or French I can assure you...) he explained with glee the 'atrocities committed against the people'....graphic detail. We went to the tunnels, now these were not as good as Cu Chi tunnels near Saigon, alot bigger, and the local people.. lived in these tunnels through out the war. Some of the guides were locals who lived there during that time......  and they were all deaf....probebly rode on the buses here too....;-) when he was a kid the family lived down there for 6 years under the constant bombardment, safe underground but it must have been horrendous...(alot are deaf from the concussions of the bombs)...something you dont think about. War is hell, it can't have been much fun for the Americans here either. Ive seen the traps, prisons and photos. You have to feel for all involved. It was a long ol day, alot of driving, they are developing the roads, so alot of the journey was on "non road"...and my head prints still in the roof.

Today i'm waiting for my train, yes another train...18 hours to Hanoi, sucker for punishment, I couldn't face going on a bus there for that long, the bus driver wouldn't survive....or have a very nasty Chinese burn atleast! To fly, Id have to go back to Danang....so sod it Ive not been on a Vietnamese train, the seat61 said they are better than the Thai ones..and theres some nice scenery...so last night I payed my one million Dong and got a ticket in a soft sleeper...lets hope 'Soft' and 'Sleeper' focus highly on this train. i'll keep you posted. ....to be continued.

I made it!!....Hanoi 3rd Sept.

The hotel got me a taxi as they didn't want to see me ripped off, "trust me I wont get ripped off...." I got to the station in plenty of time, it was a small station, I looked at the board, still and hour and a half to wait, I plonked myself down where everyone was sitting and looked at the hussle and bustle around me...I love people watching. Next thing i was asked to follow this official in uniform, slightly anxious I followed him to a big airconditioned waiting room with TV, free wifi....snack shop....he beamed at me and said you wait here ....VIP...bless him, thinking i'm a VIP..There was a few more westeners waiting as well, before long the tannoy boomed and we were told in 'English' to go to the platform...there was a couple of trains there already, it was still half hour for our boarding, but absolutly no signs, boards, or officials to tell you what train was what...So I went to all of them... nope not that one...next, a train comes in and written on the side was Saigon Hanoi express SE2, my train...bonus! Even the carrages were marked with the numbers and a stewardess in uniform, smiling away ready to show you to your bunk. The train was similar to the Russian/Mongolian trains, only four bunks to a cabin, aircon, dubious looking bedding....I was on the top bunk, but to be honest I prefer that. Two Vietnamese girls joined me in the cabin....(not in a boom boom kind of way) Surprisingly they spoke no English, well I struggle but so far everyone I've met spoke really good English. We exchanged smiles, and they helped me organise my bags....trying to cram a rucksack under a bed.....(note to ones self pack lighter next time)...they looked at the beds and the look of disgust on their faces...They undid a bag which lay under the bed, it was full of old linen, then started to make the beds...even offered to make mine up...(not in a boom boom kind of way)... I politley refused....the sheets looked more minging than the beds!!!! Just then the stewerdess came in and gave us all fresh bedding, shouted at these two poor girls for putting old stuff on...I assume...so all good. The trains were clean...ish.....mom wouldn't approve, there was no dinning car, the hot water urn wasn't working at the end of the carrage....judging by the orange water coming out when I tried it it hadn't been working for some time...No tea  !!!!..aaarrggghhhh. The two girls were now laying on the bottom two bunks...mobile phones pressed against their noses...I took a wander along the train....nothing exciting..but felt like I was back on the Trans Siberian and Briann and Shane were going to appear any second..."the horror"....only kidding guys..;-)... I wont mention toilets, or sinks...both of which was the same thing...leave it to your imagination...

The food trolley came round with rice, or rice...or rice....oh and rice...I went upmarket and pointed to the expensive menu...(45,000 dong....a pound) I got rice...surprise surprise, a savaloy sausage cut up with a pair of sissors...hot sauce poured over....and some soup...(could have been a finger bowl.....but I doubt it..)..Jamie Oliver eat your heart out!!!!.. I didn't finish it...the two girls were eating next to me on the bunk huddled around the little table, they shifted up so I could sit with them, and helped me navigate my food...it did not taste good! I decided to head upto my bunk...moved the bags around so I could get comfy, made up the bed...and started to read, it was already dark out and as guilty as I feel for not enjoying the window views there wasn't alot to see anyway, at least the train driverwasn't laying on the horn every two seconds!!!. It was a bumpy ride....memories of the depth charging came flooding back to me as I relived the horror of the Siberian express....but at least I wasn't suffering from post traumatic stress from blarring car horns!! . I drifted in and out of sleep, and continued to do so until the lights came on at 5am to signal we were arriving in Hanoi...It wasn't a bad trip, I was still knackered..it was really early, but alot better than 'the bus of death'. 

Coming out the station it was the normal...'Taxi'...'good price'....'where you go'...I was in no mood for hassle, I knew it was a short distance....'100,000 dong' .."ill give you 20,000 and no more"...'no no it very far' off I walk...'ok ok 50,000 dong' ....off I walk...'ok ok...in I get.... The hotel was in downtown, I knew I couldn't check in that early, even woke the poor sods up trying to get in...but they woke up, put all the beds away in the corridor and worked out what time I could check in...even made me a cup of tea. I left my bag there so I could wander about for a couple of hours...it was 6am by this time..I walked to the lake, it was busy as you like, all these old people doing thai chi....or bending over touching toes....lifting an arm up...it was like a geriatric ballet...I watched for ages. A cafe opened across the road, it was a French style place, they did bread, crossants...pastry..even a fry up...I sat down in there and was joined one by one by other "westeners" obviously just come in on the train as well. I eventually went back to the hotel, and was able to check in at 10am...so after a shower, a quick power nap, I headed out camera in hand. I like Hanoi, it's very colonial, cultured and friendly....still busy, still 10 million mopeds zipping about but chilled for a city, people pack the pavements with street food vendors...(well when mopeds are not parked on them) people going about their business...The lake was still busy, I decided to visit the war museum here in Hanoi...similar to the one in Saigon, full of French defeats, photos, tanks, planes...next I walked to the park...down the back streets....avoiding charging mopeds...a good first day. 

Next morning I booked my Halong bay cruise, 3 days two nights (one night on a boat and one night on an Island) I also booked a trek to Sapa, about 13 hours north of Hanoi on the boarders, Ive heard really good things about it so treated myself. The bloke who works in the hotel is English, a young lad from Surrey. He decided to live here after backpacking around, good on him. With my next week organised, I went to the 'Hanoi Hilton.' A French built prison which was used to imprison downed American airman during the war. They had it layed out as the French had used it, to "break the will" of the revolutionaries....complete with cells, guillotene...and photos....no wonder they bloody rebelled...I suppose, UK and Spain are guilty as well in other parts of the world. From there, seething at the 'Bloody French' I went to the temple of literature. Its old, set in a big garden not unlike the China temples. very relaxed, and chilled. From there I wanted to see the markets. I wasn't technically lost, but a few hours was spent navigating alleys packed with shops, mopeds, and people spray painting, welding...you name it. Every area seems to have a certain type of shop or tradesman, you walk up one street and they have fans of every shape colour or type, fan repair shops....bits of fans shop...then another street is signs, painting, designing,bill boards...at least you know where to go if you want something spcific. .quite an eye opener really the alleys were an endless maze...I didnt think I get out!...I did eventually find the main road, looked at my map..got my bearings on a phone app called "maps.Me" you should download it pops, off line map that tells you where you are (good as google) off line though(No wifi). Then I saw a vision like a mirage from heaven infront ....."pizza hut"....lunch is served!!!! see getting lost has it's benefits.

Halong bay....Paradise....7th Sept.

Next morning I packed for a couple of days, I didnt want to take my heavy pack with me,  and the hotel will look after it while I'm gone...and do my laundry..;-) I got the bus to Halong bay, 3 hours of... horn blarring....weaving...breaking sharply..but we did make it in one peice, and driver survived with his fingers in tact. The town it's self didn't look anything special, we pulled up at the harbour and it was rammed with tourists waiting to go on or coming back from the tour. I met a lovely Spanish couple in the hotel and we travelled down together, luckily we were on the same boat "imperial Legend" ...(hope it will be) then we met the rest ..two young couples from Edinburgh and Newcastle, and an American guy. There was only 8 on this boat, but it was a good click they were great company and made it a good experience, thanks you lot. The scenery was amazing, I took far too many pictures...Lunch was served and it was some of the best food I've tasted here in Vietnam...dog cat..horse...just kidding. seafood mainly which I love!..We stopped at some caves, whoopy doo....along with two million other boats...it was ok.... but come on, a cave....be different if it was the "Bat cave"...he took great pride in pointing out the different looking rocks....'thats a angel'...'thats an elephant'....."still looks like a rock to me!"...he even had a laser pointer...hi tech. We then stopped at the nights anchorage....(very nautical;-)) My cabin was great, all wood....(great for floating) bathroom shower....real toilet....(tell that to the train people!!!!) aircon....well it is bloody hot. and a big ol window looking out onto the bay. I got a kayak, and after being reassured there was no sharks, aligators, sea monsters or floaters...I paddled arount the steep rocks...in my element I was, I took some film....lucky people you..(might even add some music for ambiance...be nice, wont it pops ;-) ). After dinner, it was Karaoke, I didn't...'contribute' , otherwise it would have been a scene from the 'Mary Celeste'...people wondering for years what happened to all on board...."Paul sang...it was awful..we had to go overboard"....The others, they were all really good though, I enjoyed it listening to them belt their hearts out, so lovely. 

Next morning we moved off towards the hotel on the island...I slept like a log, so peacefull. We did make a stop on a floating 'Factory', like something from the film "water world" It was a pearl farm... I know..I know... lets say I didn't buy anything. We were offloaded to a smaller boat and taken to an Island which was like the 'Bounty advert' it was paradise on earth. The cabins were set on the beach, mine had two sides of windows overlooking this amazing place. There must have been about 40 +  tourists here, all different nationalities. It was hard to think where to start....do I swim...kayak...sunbathe...It was a really good atmosphere, everyone was really friendly, I got chatting to my neigbours, two Australian couples, then a group of German girls who spoke better English than me. I got the kayak out a few times....even in a storm....the rain was absolutley drumming down but so refreshing....I did get concerned about the lightning going on around me....I was holding a metal paddle aloft, my GoPro camera....would I look good with a perm?!! they would probebly find the canoe with two smoking flipflops!!! A few hours later the sun was out and the tide went down so you saw all these little beaches under the huge sheer rocks....I paddled out to a remote beach and scrawled 'SOS' in the sand and took a selfie.....has to be done...."Wilson" done a runner already. That day was one i'll never forget. The night time, we all sat round a big open fire on the beach....wish someone brought a guitar it would have been perfect. I went to bed and looked out the window as I layed there, life doesnt get much better than this....I can't believe how lucky I am.....how chilled. 

I must have drifted off to sleep. I woke up with the room being engulfed in light and the loudest crack of thunder you have ever heard. The rain just fell down almost deafening....I went outside, Id liked to have taken photos but it was raining too heavy. Im not sure it would have made a good photo anyway....It was about 4am...we were getting up at 7am for breakfast, saying bye to the Spanish couple as they were staying an extra night, wish I did really....Gracias Vitoria y Pau ....We left our slice of paradise...and back to Halong. Eventually all being dropped off at out hotels, saying our goodbyes, I'm sure I'll bump into some of them again. I did arrange another hotel when I got back but for some reason he said he was full, but has another hotel...."Very Nice"..."very cheap"...what a dump!!!...Luckily I asked to see the room first....it must have been the 'Hanoi Hilton' the American prisoners stayed in.... I walked away and eventually found a decent enough place, not far from where I stayed before, after some dinner, a shower, I caught up on the internet, facebook, whatsapp....Ive not been online for a few days you see..and drifted off to sleep.

On to Sapa.....10th Sept ....

This morning I sit here now fully caught up with the blog, I added some photos last night, but they really do not do it justice....I'm repacked...bag stored ...having breakfast...and now lunch in a little backpacker place. I have to get the train at 8:30pm tonight, its another sleeper, 13 hour overnight....what can go wrong......to be continued....   

Sapa North Vietnam......another train.....

After a long wait, the time eventually came to go to the station. I met up with some fellow trekkers as we thundered our way through the Hanoi traffic, what the trail of destruction was left behind us, i'll never know I had my eyes shut ;-0...The station was nothing special, but I had to wait another hour for the train. I did meet a Thai and a Taiwanese girl travelling together, it turns out we were sharing a cabin anyway so i got chatting to them. The train arrived and we found the carriage, I was yapping away....as you do..and was oblivious to this bloke taking the girls ticket and proceeded to 'escort' us to the train, (we were going the right way anyway....there's only one way to go!) then asked for 10 dollars.....yeh right!..see you later...so we just boarded leaving him on the platform scratching his head. The carrage was probebly one of the better trains I've been on. Clean sheets (always a bonus) complimentry water and towel....nice...even the toilet had a self flush, (what a brilliant idea!!!..if they can tell that to the dirty gets in China it will solve all their problems!!) We set off, and everyone was tired, they got ready for bed.......I got myself sorted (trousers stayed on)....and I went upto the top bunk...it was 10pm anyway...I didnt count on getting much sleep as we shunted our way out the station, but at least I could be reassured nothing will be biting me, living on me, or crawling in my ear as I lay down ..;-)...We stopped at a station around midnight...the speaker was belting out some lengthy description in Vietnamese about how we have just stopped in a station....honestly it sounds like someones playing a record backwards at double speed....This young Vietnamese couple came in, I thought they got the wrong cabin as there was only one bunkbed left.....(should have told them about the Chinese trains..) anyway they get up on the top bunk over from mine....It's only just wide enough for me!!....I wondered if they were on there honeymoon or something....and this was like some "Orient express" luxury trip....I was just hoping they werent going to consumate like bunnies!!!....thankfully there was nothing...The rest of the night I just twisted this way and that, trying to get comfortable through the depthcharging....then I had to go to the toilet...perfect!!..pitch black, I stumbled off the bunk..went to the toilet, still amazed that the Vietnamese people...(after all they are fellow 'Comrades') hadn't told the Chinese about these self flushing toilets....maybe they're just saying "let them dirty gets slip in their own urine and crap...we're ok"....back to bed I went...still under relentless depth charging...!!

We survived the night...around 5:30 am we finaly reached the station, I didn't sleep much, if at all, we were met off the trains by tourguides who would ferry us up the mountain in a mini bus. The sun came up and the view was amazing. Eventually we reached the SaPa grand view hotel...and they did mean the outside view, because the place on the inside was like you see in horror films..They did give us breakfast, and I was introduced to another Taiwanese lady of mature years, who would also be trekking with us. Don't ask me her name...I was just trying to work out why she was making a note of everything on the menu in her little book...then asked me what my breakfast was??? "it's banana pancake.." then asked me if she could take a picture of it...???whaaaatttt??? ...(selfie extreme?)..new Tiawan craze??? who knows? after several photos of various angles I was allowed to eat my pancake...although abit uncertain to be sitting across from an obvious loon!. why me???. I finished my breakfast and left her writting in her little book the contents of the sauce jars on the table....Outside was aload of women all in traditional 'Hamong' tribal clothing..( I went through a few Hamong villages in China and Thailand)..lovely people. They were all waiting outside patiently to sell their bags, jewellery to the newly arrived tourists.....either that or avoiding the mad Taiwanese women! ..We later met our guide, I think her name was Mimi...or Nini...anyway she looked about 14....but I later learnt she was 22 and has 2 kids...she looked like a baby herself! she spoke excellent English, and called out the names of the rest of the group to go trekking. In all there was 10 of us, 5 Spanish, one Colombian one Indian and 3 brits...I met Heather and Dominic in Hanoi on the way up, it was a really good group and we all got on well.....oh and the Taiwanese lady so 11...

We set off around 8:30am....straight into the trekking....hardly any sleep, stupid oclock..and it was a 17klm trek to the village we were staying in overnight....hope it's bloody better than the "grand bloody view hotel!!?"..It was a homestay, so I wasn't expecting anything fancy....(It wasn't)...The day was gorgeous, sun was out, scenery fantastic, company excellent...we were travelling with a few of the villagers we met outside the hotel..they were helping us down slippery tracks showing us the way to cross etc, so lovely. We did have a few rest stops, it was knackering, but the views blew you away. We stopped for lunch at one little village, it must have been the main cross over point as it was rammed with trekkers from all walks of life. The Taiwanese lady was in her element taking notes on each of the signs...menus..(honest, not pulling your leg). We finished off lunch and set off again. I think we were all getting tired at this point, it was a long ol day, but eventually we reached the homestay in the Hamong village, a maze of rice fields, marajahuana trees, little houses, mills, shops and restuarants..... (by the way they make clothing from hemp, it's not a bunch of hippies walking around looking spaced out singing Beatles tracks). It's a big ol house we were all staying in... very much Chinese style, and a courtyard, where we all sat down round a big table, there was a little outside toilet and shower...and upstairs in the roof was matrasses on the floor with a mozzi net and some bedding which weighed more than my ol nans used too...they place was very ethnic, the people were so lovely. After getting ourselves sorted, beds claimed,  we all headed off to the river, we were sweating so a welcome relief, so refreshing and the views were amazing sitting there. Fully refreshed we headed back to the village and had dinner...yes it was rice based...but it was food. after dinner and sitting chatting round the table we all went to a bar up the road.....I love travel.

Next morning we were all up and about, trouble was it was pouring!!! no it was FALLING down!! We all had water proofs, but the day was another hard trek up a mountain and not possible with the amount of rain that was coming down. We tried anyway, but even going a few kilometers we were wet through, I was dry up top but we were literaly wading through water upto your knees...thighs...and it was slippery..even the water buffalo were sobbing...we had to turn back when a torrent of water was passing infront too fast to cross safely. ( i know;  i tried!!!) By universal vote we all decided to go back to Sapa, Mimi...or Nini..whatever her name was,  called the company to get a mini bus and we waited in a small cafe. We eventually got back to sapa, I got a hotel for the night, the Spanish girls and Pamrod the Indian guy were heading back to Hanoi on the overnight bus so we had a final meal out together and said our goodbyes, Heather and Dominic were leaving on the train before mine the next evening. Smashing people all of them, thank you all for a memorable experience. I had a great day walking around Sapa, it reminds me of Guatemala and Nepal...I got some great photos. It was chilly as well, either that or my wet boots had given my pneumonia. ...don't worry mom, all good x 

Today I sit here in Hanoi again. I got back at 5am yesterday morning, got a taxi to the hotel, the taxi driver tried to charge me 400 dong for the fare (4 times what it should be) I was in no mood for a haggle so I gave him a 100 and after alot of shouting from him, I probebly learnt some colourful Vietnamese....I took out my phone and started taking pictures of the meter, him and the badge.... told him to get the police...he shot away quicker than a dog seeing a vietnamese with a meat clever......don't mess with an Essex boy!...I kept looking over me shoulder as I walked to the door of the hotel incase he came back with his army issue AK47....he didn't ...all good. I was knackered so had a lazy day, washed my stuff...or rather gave it to the laundry... even my walking boots, which was soaking still...I had to wear bags on my feet whilst wearing the boots so my feet would stay dry...ish...boy did they stink. I went to bed early and this morning got my bits sorted ready for tomorrow...got some dollars for my Laos visa..tea bags...taxi booked...haircut...(both of them..)...re packed....re re packed...confirmed my flight and now I will treat myself to a nice authentic......Indian chicken tikka Massala....bloody lovely!!;-) 

Tomorrow I'm going to Laos, it's abit less developed than Thailand and Vietnam I hear, not even sure about the wifi or internet. I will miss Vietnam, it's on my top 5 places I loved the most now, the people are so friendly, the place is amazing to see, they are passionate about their country and belief. It's a real eye opener to see. The motorbikes are just insane....even when they are not being driven you see motor bike after motorbike parked on the pavement so there is literally no where to walk except into the road...I love the people eating outside on the pavements between motorbike carparks...on tiny stools it's like every centimeter of space is being used by motorbikes or food....I love the fact they always smile even when carrying heavy loads, working all hours in the rice fields or fishing villages...it's a lovely place. Thank you Vietnam for the memories.