N Vietnam

I am off on my own again. The US tour group left me and I am back to solo and budget travel! Well, sort-of. I have to say this "traveling alone" is really just a joke. Perhaps it is because I am social and like meeting people, or maybe it is because everyone is very friendly when traveling, but I have to say that I rarely find myself alone. I found a nice little hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, for US$14 a night! Here I booked two trips - a 3 day boat trip to Halong Bay and a 3 day trekking trip up to Sapa, the hills and terraced rice fields in Northern Vietnam.

I just returned from the trip to Halong Bay - it was really nice. The first day we left early in the morning - 8am, had a 3 hour bus ride to the bay, then boarded a boat where we had another feast of a meal - with fish, squid salad, bok choy, spring rolls, french fries, pork with veggies in sauce, rice and soup. I have been having similar HUGE meals this whole time with the tour group. Luckily the food is more-or-less healthy because I am eating a lot of it! Then we sailed to a cave - called the "amazing cave" - a really big limestone cave that reminded me of a star-wars movie. They have developed it for tourism, with a nice pathway and lights all around. The highlight of the cave is a large phallic-shaped rock sticking out, pointing to a hole in the ceiling! so funny.

This culture seems so discreet and serious and not sexual or emotional at all on the surface ... but I am learning that there is a lot underneath the smooth veneer. Men do check women out all the time, they just dont say anything (like in Latin America) and dont let you see them looking - it is all very discreet. I have been startled a time or two with little comments I hear or looks I accidentally see. For example, in one nice hotel I stayed in I was asking the councierge - a shy, young 20-something guy for help with directions on a map. Suddenly I hear him murmur "very beautiful" under his breath. I just looked at him in disbelief as he shyly smiled and looked down.

I have to say, after living in over-bearing Mexico, this culture is so pleasantly appealing. Whereas in Mexico things are intense, emotional, spicy and loud, here things are petite, tea is drunk slowly in tiny little cups, flirting is done quietly and discreetly, and you rarely see people getting really angry. The traditional music is melodic and soft. Though the people do sound loud when talking to one another. It is crazy being surrounded by sounds that I dont understand all the time. I miss understanding what is going on around me. Though I am glad I had time in Mexico to learn how to live with uncertainty. I am never quite sure what is happening here!

anyway, back to my Halong Bay trip ... so, after the cave, which I had actually already seen on an earlier trip to the bay with the tour group. (I liked it so much I deceded to come back on a longer trip.) We then had time to kayak around the bay a bit. I went with a nice Spanish woman I met - also traveling alone. We had a nice discussion (in Spanish, of course!) about life and working and relationships and traveling and such. I got to know the group on my boat over the next couple days - a few australians, a couple from Belgium, 2 british boys, an irish couple, a Canadian couple, a german guy and a danish girl! Quite the mix! It has been like living at the United Nations traveling here. It is just amazing. People are all so friendly and open, which is nice.

That evening we spent the night on the boat, under the stars with big Limestone rock islands and other wooden "junks" all around us. (The type of boat is called a Junk.)
The next morning we had breakfast on board, then sailed to a different part of the bay. Those of us staying another day transfered boats - yes, in the middle of the ocean bay. You have to have good balance to travel around here, as the boat trip involved trapsing over many small planks, up and down rickety stairs and climbing from boat to boat. The water wasnt very deep in the bay, though, so I imagine nothing much would happen if you fell overboard. but luckily, I did not.

Day 2 involved a bike ride on the island, then big lunch on a floating fishing hut, then kayaking around the bay - this time I went with the german guy. it was so lovely and peaceful, rowing around the islands, seeing caves, rocks and beaches. then we parked and had time to swim, but the water was a bit cold and shallow, so I just waded around the little island. Then we headed to the island town on Kat Ba island. it was so pretty there. we had a nice hotel and I had my own room with a nice view of the bay. and I went for a long walk around this beautiful walkway they had made from one beach to another around the island cliffs. And there I met 3 young hippie-chic girls from Spain, so we chatted a bit (in spanish - it is just amazing I am getting in so much practice!) and walked back to town together. Then had dinner with my boat group and went for a drink in a little bar with the Irish, Australian and German people. The next morning we boarded the boat and sailed home - of course with meals on the way!

Now I am waiting for my overnight train to Sapa ... write more soon!