A long expected visitor and an unexpected one

We got up earlier than usual and went for coffee next to our hotel in Saigon. Today my (Ben's) sister was supposed to arrive but we didn't know when. No e-mail, no text, nothing. So we waited. The whole day. Every couple of minutes we checked the phone but nothing from her. Then, in the evening, we got a message that she had missed the connection flight in Doha and therefore will be late a day or two. Damn! We had more or less figured out what to do with her in her barely two weeks of holiday but now time was already against us from the beginning. Then another message saying that she is in Bangkok now and will arrive the next morning. Good.

We waited at the airport, above the luggage carousels in a cafe. Late again. What happened? But then she came down the stairs and surprise! My brother was with her! No one ever told me that he will join us, but here he was! I was just happy to see a part of my family after 13 months of separation. We took them to our hotel and luckily had four beds in our three bed room. We went for breakfast and started to exchange stories. But then all they wanted to do is sleep, after their almost 40 hour journey. It came out that they didn't miss the flight but that Qatar Airways changed the gates minutes before the departure without notice. Several passengers missed the flight and got a flight to Bangkok instead, paid by the airline.

After a short nap they were more or less ready for food again. Good thing to start Vietnam in Saigon. It just takes your breath (literally) with the amount of motorbikes, people and noise. They took it well and we explored the city. Next morning we got picked up for a Mekong tour. We chose a day trip to save some time for the journey later, all the way to Hanoi. It wasn't really good. But for 10$, you can't complain too much. First three hours of the tour we sat in a bus towards south. We stopped at some temple which looked rather like a tourist attraction than a holy place. Then onto a boat whose speakers almost blew my head away with a guide that repeated everything at least three times, and then all in Vietnamese too. First stop on the Mekong was a sugar cane candy factory on an island. Ride with a horse cart up and down the main road (one horse hit a truck because they blindfolded the poor animal). A small lunch was included on another island where one can feed crocodiles with meat. Seemed to be a popular attraction amongst mostly Asian tourists. We also visited a bee farm and were given the option of holding a big python for photos, which we refused by sneaking to the back towards the numerous souvenir stalls. The usual traditional music shows followed, while we were provided "exotic fruit" to keep us interested long enough. The supposed highlight of the tour, a rowing boat ride on one of the smaller rivers, finally took place at the very end of the tour. What we had expected to be a relaxed and beautiful ride was actually a hurried journey for about five minutes. We sadly had to concentrate more on the beggars than landscapes, as every person on the returning boats was screaming "5 dollar tip! Tip! Tip! 5 dollars!" as they zoomed past us in a few seconds. So we are supposed to be ready with a pile of dollars to hand them out to everyone who wants or what? We couldn't even have possibly even handed out the "tips" as fast as they passed us. Oh well, can't blame for trying, can you? After the ride the tour was finished and we headed back to the bus. The ride back was long and hot and we got to see Saigons traffic for several hours. All in all it wasn't what we normally do and enjoy but my sister and brother didn't think it was too bad, we were quite spoilt already I guess...

Then the travelling really started. On the highway to the north. First stop was Mui Ne. Beach time, one night's sleep and a ride with rented motorbikes to the same sand dunes we already visited on our way down south. The bus away from Mui Ne was late and we started to worry. When it did show up the staff was really rude and almost kicked us inside. About half an hour later we stopped next to a broken down bus on the way to Saigon. People came in to our bus and we drove off. In the next town everyone heading north had to leave, this bus now was for the stranded passengers who went to Saigon. That was weird and now we sat in the dirt with no clue what was going on. One guy from the bus company stopped each passing bus, big or small that headed north but none wanted to take us, they were all full. After a couple of hours later they sent us a minivan which took the tourists further on. The local passengers were left behind, no clue how long they waited.

Nha Trang we wanted to bypass but my brother wasn't fan of a 20 hour bus ride straight to Hoi An so we used it as an overnight stop which ended up being a over two nights stop. Beach and shopping was on. An overnight bus brought us to our next destination, Hoi An. Hoi An was my personal highlight so far so I was happy to go there again. We arrived in the early morning and planned our getaway right away. We already decided to skip Hue and to Hanoi it was another 18 hours or so by bus. My brothers feelings were already well known so we voted for the train. Sadly there were no sleepers left and sitting for such a long time was no one's dream, that left only the plane then. We found flights for around 100$ each which we booked, not from Hoi An as there's no airport but from Danang about an hour away. The rest of the time we spent in cafes or in tailor shops, my sister and Anni got new dresses. We also rented bikes and headed to the beach, which was a short drive away and very beautiful!

Hanoi! We stayed in Stars hotel again, it was good the last time so why change? We had already booked a three day trip with Ethnic travel to Halong and Bai Tu Long bay which was due to start the next day. Equipped with all the things one might need on a cruise we left Hanoi, excited about what may come. The three hour bus ride to Halong city made us more tired than anything and we were just glad to be on the boat now. Finally! Since we set foot on Vietnam we dreamed about a trip to Halong bay and now it started! We booked a slightly more expensive one that goes to places others don't. Same areas but off the crowds. And it included Bai Tu Long bay to the north-east of Halong bay, almost no companies go there. The first day (or half by now) was quite misty and foggy, normal apparently on most days here. It was stunning to drive deeper and deeper into the maze of islands and rocks. A quick stop was made at a floating village where we were driven around in a rowing boat by a local woman. Then we already stopped at our overnight place where we went for a swim. Not everyone joined, some stayed on the sun deck as lookouts for the numerous jellyfish that swam around everywhere. At night we were kept awake by a neighbouring boat which had the probably shittiest disco in south east asia aboard. Not so off the beaten track after all.

After a very brief breakfast we were forced to go kayaking. I hate kayaks. But it was pleasant enough, at least we could see the jellyfish close up now. Also the weather was perfect, the sun already hot in the early morning and the view much more spectacular than so far.

After the kayaking we already had to head back to Halong city. There the boat picked up other tourists and we took a van east, to start the second part of our trip. This time the boat was smaller but pretty nice. The harbour where we left on Cai Rong island was already between some of these karst mountains and it got better every minute. After another kayaking stop, this one quite boring we drove away from the setting sun, everyone sat on the roof, admiring the surrounding landscape. By sunset we reached our overnight stop on an Quan Lan island. The advertised home stay was a massive house with rooms for all of the 12 passengers. Dinner started with a spring roll rolling course and ended up with way too much sea food than anyone could eat (as every meal so far!). The very brave ones got up at 5am to visit the fish market. We think a fish market is not better at 5am than any other time of the day. After breakfast we got bikes and rode them to a remote beach for a swim. Then further on we met our boat again for the way back to the mainland. This was probably the most beautiful stretch in these three days and we couldn't have imagined a better way to end the cruise.

This was already the second to last day for my siblings, the time passed so quick with all these activities and traveling. I wouldn't do it again in such short time, three weeks is probably the least to be able to enjoy more places with less stress. One highlight we didn't visit at all the Phong Nha- Ke Bang national park near Dong Hoi. Another was the tunnels used during the Vietnam war (or American war as it is called in Vietnam). The last of their days we spent in Hanoi, strolling through the old quarter and buying last souvenirs. The next day they left, a sad moment after such intense time but from now on we could take it easier again with no worries about other people that relied on us.

We left Vietnam two days later and were sure to come back in future, this country is big and busy and colourful, there's always something new to discover. And the next destination had the same spell on me when I was there the first time, three years ago. Indonesia.

 

Coffee break

Travelling to Vietnam took long. First several hours in Singapore, the world's best airport ever (in our view) and then the whole night waiting in Kuala Lumpur. We decided against leaving the airport and spent the hours changing from restaurant to restaurant as they were closing for the night. It was morning quicker than we realised and suddenly had to hurry because of the airports absolutely ridiculous layout (our plane to Hanoi left in the domestic area).

First thing you notice when arriving in Vietnam are the motorbikes. Millions of them. Saigon (I use the old name for this city here as it is shorter, prettier and the only one used by locals) is supposed to be the busiest place but even in Hanoi we were amazed by the constant flow of traffic and the endless beeping of the horns. We booked a hotel in the old quarter and were pretty close to everything. The centre of Hanoi is easily explored on foot and that's what we did for some days. We got addicted to Vietnamese coffee right away and got ourselves a dose every couple of hours. We were also absolutely delighted by the Vietnamese food: fresh, clean flavours and lots of veggies - just how we like it! Pho soup, tofu, fried noodles... what a change to the overly meaty dishes of the Philippines. How much a few basics can change your mood! Even crossing the streets isn't as hard as everyone says, just watching locals and the traffic helps to give you a sense for it. After some gos it becomes as natural as having a wee. Also a challenge first is to get used to the currency, the Dong. 21'000 dong are or were around 1$ which means the brain has a lot of work to do throughout Vietnam (at least mine) which is another thing that makes every country so unique.

We didn't plan to go to Halong bay right away, my sister was supposed to arrive in 3 weeks time in Saigon so we saved this experience for later. Instead we left for Ba Be national park, some 8 hours north of Hanoi. A 2 day tour costs around 350 $ so we decided to do it the usual way, by public transport. The lady at the reception sent us to the wrong terminal but we sensed something and the taxi driver also said that it's probably not the right one. He drove us to the one in the east but after leaving the cab we found ourselves at the train station. Great. Now there weren't any taxis around any more, the area was too far away from any touristy place but we found one eventually as we were walking down a street heading the right direction (we guessed). The driver said he will use the meter so we didn't agree on a price but as soon as we sat in the taxi he fixed a price. First encounter with Vietnamese business style for us then.

At the bus terminal we caught a local bus to Cha Ra, a village close to the national park. It took long and stopped everywhere but we got to talk to some passengers, the bravest ones who tried their english with the very few tourists that came that way. Arriving after dark in a small place is always a bit awkward, it's impossible to figure out the size and style of a town. The bus stopped for us in front of the only guest house there and we were invited for a cup of green tea there. After the tea the owner announced the rates of his rooms and we were quite shocked. 450'000 dong which is about 22$ for a double room in the middle of nowhere. Not even Hanoi is that pricey. We got him down to 400'000 but that was about it. Too many guys were now participating in the haggle, we had no chance for more "discount". The room was good enough but then the owner started being a prick. We read in Lonely Planet that this guy organises trips and boats to the NP. It's possible to get a boat in, sleep a night or two there and then to get back to Cha Ra by boat again. Well not with him, he refused the option of just a transfer and wanted us to take a round trip. We took it eventually as we had no intention of spending the next day looking around for a guy with a boat. The price was fair too, cheaper than staying in the park.

Next morning we left by motorbike to the river, some 15 minutes away. There we hopped on a boat and we headed downstream towards the NP. The entrance is impossible to miss, it's a mountain with the river flowing through it, creating a massive hole filled with birds and bats. Especially the bats leave remarkable traces, a smell so acid and penetrant that it's hard to spend long time in there. Then we were in absolute awe by the nature along the river. It wasn't as impressive as the river cruise in Xingping, China, but just so green with bamboo everywhere and houses and boats scattered along the way. The river leads to a lake shaped a bit like a cross and we spent some time there before we headed to a waterfall. The walk there is short but it was so hot and humid we were soaked in minutes. The fall is nice but not spectacular. Back at the start of the walk we went for lunch in the restaurant. We sat down and waited. No one came to take an order or to ask what we want, we just suddenly got the table covered with plates full of things.It was good but expensive (probably the tourist set menu).

It was hard to persuade the driver to keep moving, he had some local liquor and also tried hard to make us drink and made fun of us when we didn't want to. He then just wanted to sleep but we were ready to head back. Eventually he got up and we headed upstream back to Cha Ra. It took about double as long as it took downstream and we enjoyed every minute of it. Not the racing with other boats though, the booze made the drivers a bit too boyish. Back at starting point we embarked and as we walked to the motorbike the driver asked "you walk back now?" We were confused first and said no, we want the motorbike back. Then we realised that he really didn't want to drive us back but it was too far to walk and besides that we didn't really know where the way back was. After some arguing he offered us a ride but for some money which we weren't willing to pay. So we argued that the trip includes pick-up and drop-off and after some more arguing he angrily agreed and drove us back. After all we enjoyed the trip and would recommend it. It's a long way to go there but you'll be away from tourists all the time. Only on the lake did we see some day trippers from Hanoi otherwise it's just you and Vietnam.

After another day in Hanoi we booked our first big bus trip in Vietnam to Hue. It's always interesting how transportation works in a new country and we had no clue about these "open tour buses" in Vietnam. We got picked up by a van at the tour agency and driven to the big bus. It was one with beds, similar to the one we used in China, just more comfortable. We were amazed how good we slept and arrived in Hue pretty relaxed. Sadly Annis belly started to work a bit too fast and we extended our stay day after day. Luckily it was the end phase of the ice hockey world championship and we were watching it every night. Sadly it was always on very late so we ended up going to bed at 3am and sleeping until 11. Very sadly Switzerland lost against Sweden in the final but I was still very happy with that result. The only thing we did outside the hotel was eating and visiting the citadel which was nice. But it was so hot that we had to escape to an restaurant with aircon. For the first time in our lives we were grateful for these machines!

 

Then off to Hoi An, a short ride away. One of the few places spared by the American bombs, Hoi An is a beautiful preserved old town with yellow houses along a river. We absolutely loved it and spent 5 days in shops and cafes. Hoi An is famous for its tailor shops where it's possible to get a tailored suit for 60$ in 24 hours. I got myself one for 120$ including a shirt in one of the shops. It's impossible to tell how good or bad those shops are, there are hundreds of them, we just chose a decent looking one without pushy staff. I think it's quite an OK suit but since this is my first ever I wouldn't trust my judgement and wouldn't be surprised if it would fall apart the second time I'll be wearing it.

Nha Trang wasn't on our list first but we gave it a go, mostly to break down the journey down south. It was as we feared, big, busy, modern and full of package tourists. On my dive trip to the outlying islands I was the only person aboard from a country west of Poland. And there were quite a few fellow divers on this trip. I read many times that diving Vietnam is not worth it or that it is disappointing but I really enjoyed it! Visibility was around 15m and there was loads of coral in much better shape than in the Philippines. What's missing is the big fish or fish in general. It's pretty empty. But then there's more time to concentrate on the small stuff which is plentiful, nudibranchs, crabs, needle fish and so on. And all day with lunch for just 45$! So diving in Nha Trang is good but the rest is nothing to come back for, unless you want to improve your russian or buy a stuffed baby crocodile waving at you holding a silver ball in its mouth. The beach is fantastic but you get the same beaches elsewhere without the hassle of all the touts.

Mui Ne is a weird place. It seems to stretch along the shore for ever and the beach is often enclosed with walls but we had a good time there. We found a cheap place opposite an amazing restaurant somewhere at the beginning of the beach. The further down you go the more upscale and russian it gets. One day we visited the famous sand dunes by motorbike and one day we just chilled. Then we went on the last stretch between us and Saigon. We also skipped the Mekong delta because we wanted to do it with my sister who was due to arrive in Saigon in two days. So we checked in in a nice hotel a it outside the tourist area of Pham Ngu Lao and got a 4 bed room for 400'000 dong to have a bed for my sister. And then we went for coffee.