Ha Long Bay - Caves, Squid Fishing, Kayaking and Karaoke

(by Lauren)

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Despite our best hopes, the weather did not clear up. That didn't stop us from hopping into a van and heading out to Halong Bay. This iconic waterway has recently been named one of the new Natural Wonders of the World, and for good reason. Hundreds (maybe thousands?) of islands dot the bay, ranging from mere boulders to towers cliffs, hiding magnificent caves and tranquil lagoons. Caz and I joined a group of about 20 for a one day, two night cruise. The boat was in the style of a Vietnamese junk boat, although due to weather, we never got the full splendor of it with the sails up.

The first day started with lunch as we sailed towards some of the caves. The food was quite delicious, and we chatted happily with our tablemates: a group of Australians and a Scottish couple whose journey included an upcoming year living in Oz. Once we weredone eating, we hopped on a smaller boat and were ferried to the caves. The first was called Heaven Palace Cave. It was indeed a beautiful structure, taller than the most lavish ballroom and full of interesting rock formations. Unfortunately it was a bit overdone for tourists. Unnatural colored lights lit up the entire place as countless tour guides pointed out shapes with laser pointers. We passed a few souviner shops in the 5 minute walk to the next cave, called the Wooden Pillar cave. This one was a lot less crowded and developed, so it was a little more relaxing to walk around.

Upon our return from the caves, the ship sailed to another area of the bay to offer us a chance to swim, starting with a leap from the top of the boat. It was pretty exhilarating, and Caz and I each did it twice before a police boat came around and told us to stop. Whoops. Afterwards we and the Australians chilled out in the water (literally; it was not exactly swimming weather) until we were called in for dinner.

Dinner started off with a lesson in making spring rolls. Caz and I were all over this, as we had already had practice in Chiang Mai. The bartender/spring roll maker did not hesitate to tell me that mine were bad, although Caz made one of the best of the bunch. They went off to be cooked, and we all had a drink before sitting down to a delicious meal, including spring rolls that looked way too nice to have been the ones we made.

The evening's activity was squid fishing off the back of the boat. It looked easy enough; just drop a line attached to a simple bamboo pole, shake it around a bit, and snag a squid. Yeah, not so much. We spent a good hour or more trying to catch those teasing little tentacles, but it was a futile effort. A few others managed to get one, but we had a pretty poor showing for as many of us tried. Once we tired of that, our boat guides roped a small group of us into some karaoke. It really turned into mostly Caz and I singing while the Vietnamese guys chose songs they wanted to hear. I even attempted Mariah Carey on their behalf. That didn't work too well, but it was good fun.

The next morning we woke up early for breakfast, then sailed on to a floating village. There we grabbed kayaks and spent an hour paddling through lagoons and archways in the area used in the Bond movie The Man With The Golden Gun. It was still cold and cloudy, but kayaking was a lot of fun. There were about four boats full of Taiwanese tourists who cheered us all on, and we drove the dogs on their floating docks crazy. We took a look at some of the fish pens held by the fishermen, then got on our little ferry back to the boat. Just in time too: another tourist boat ran straight into the dock where we had been standing just as we were leaving!

Lunch was served as we were returned to the harbor, then it was back to Hanoi to catch our first sleeper bus!

Dodging Scooters in Hanoi

(By Lauren)

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The last country we were visiting was Vietnam, and we started out in the capital of Hanoi. From the airport we got in a taxi van full of locals, not entirely confident that we'd be dropped off somewhere near our accommodations. However, once all the other passengers were dropped off, we paid the driver an extra dollar each to get taken straight to our hostel.

May De Ville was the name of it, and it was extraordinary. Built to be a hotel, the owner decided at the last minute to turn it into a backpackers instead. We stayed in a dorm room, but the beds were pristine and so comfortable, and the shower was always hot and at full pressure. The next morning we partook of the free breakfast buffet, which included treats like real bacon, omelettes, and donuts. It was a pretty good way to start the day.

We only had one full day in Hanoi, and we decided to pursue our own walking tour. Our hostel was situation in the Old Quarter, a lively area full of shops, vendors, and motorbikes. Oh man, the motorbikes. They were everywhere you turned, honking incessantly and seemingly ignoring all road rules. Crossing the street was always an adrenaline rush; you had to walk slowly and steadily as motorbikes came rushing straight towards you, dodging you at the very last second. It definitely must be said that at least the drivers stayed alert.

Our first stop was the Temple of Literature, a large complex dedicated to Confucius and his teachings. It was once a center of learning itself, the first "university" in Vietnam. Now it's one of the symbols of Hanoi. The temple grounds were filled with graduates taking pictures in cap and gown and traditional Vietnamese dress. Farther in, three ladies played old-fashioned Vietnamese instruments. A floor above them was a shrine to three kings who had contributed much to the development of the temple, and on the roof money lay on the shingles, thrown as a donation to the temple, we assumed.

Next we walked over to Ho Chi Minh's masoleum. It wasn't open to the public; in fact there was white tape at least 20 feet in each direction from the building itself that indicated we weren't allowed to cross. Supposedly Ho Chi Minh's body has been preserved much like Mao's in Bejing, but we'll never know. We also stopped at the nearby One Pillar Pagoda, a small temple elevated by, as you might guess, one pillar.

From there we wandered over to one of Hanoi's many lakes to see another pagoda, but found we were not properly dressed for full entrance. Instead we bought some pineapple from a nearby vendor. She gave us chili salt as an accompaniment. It was an odd taste combination, but I rather liked it. We trekked all the way back to our starting point, then around another lake to get some pho, the well-known Vietnamese noodle dish.

We were pretty worn out and wet at that point (it had been overcast and drizzly all day, our first day of bad weather in weeks), so we headed back to the hostel to chill out. Next up was Halong Bay!

Plunging Pools, Rocky Rides, and the Capitol!

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Instead of wasting daylight hours and money on a hostel, we decided to spend one more full day in Luang Prabang and take an overnight bus to Vientiane. It ended up being a good choice. We met Elvina, Guillaume, and Matt for a leisurely breakfast. Afterwards we decided to all go up and check out the Kuang Si waterfall that all the tuktuk drivers had been badgering us about. Matt had rented a motorbike, so he went on ahead while the four of us bartered with a driver. We got the price down, but then got stuck waiting nearly an hour while he tried to get more passengers. We threatened to leave, but he kept promising just "5 more minutes." Finally, we helped him convince another French couple to hop on, and away we went.

It was a 45 minute drive to the waterfall, and it was obviously a hopping tourist spot. We found Matt, who had waited for us, then headed along the path. The first area of note was a bear rescue compound, filled with Malaysian sun bears and Asiatic black bears (called moon bears, it seemed). We also ran into our four German boys. Small place, Laos.

The waterfall was actually just as gorgeous as promised. Tier upon tier of luminescent blue water flowed down the mountain, creating serene pools along the way. A rope swing hung over one such pool, and Matt and Caz took full advantage of it. After passing the smaller falls, we came upon the main event: water plunging down a towering cliff. Despite our soreness from the kayaking and trekking, we couldn't resist climbing to the top. It was steep and slippery, and we took a few wrong turns through the squishy mud, but we ended up wading through the rock basins just at the lip of the giant falls. It was pretty fantastic.

We headed back down to grab our tuktuk and a few bags of fried bananas. We bid goodbye to Matt, then to Elvina and Guillaume when we arrived back in town. Then we did some interneting and last minute market shopping before heading to the bus station.

We've been on a lot of buses this trip. They've been crowded, and they've been bumpy, but this bus in Laos definitely took the cake. It was too dark to see just how awful the roads looked, but we could feel every bump in the 12 hour ride to the Laotian capital. We were pretty happy to stumble off at 7:30am, butts sore, legs bruised, and eyes bloodshot. The station we were let off was about 8 km outside of central Vientiane, and we had a hard time bargaining with the tuktuk drivers. They just refused to budge, and we eventually had to give in and pay up. Once in the city, we quickly found a travel agency, booked a ride to the airport that evening, and stored our bags for the day.

We went for a bit of sightseeing, hitting up the oldest temple in Vientiane, Wat Sisaket; Patuxai or Victory Monument, a replica of the Arc de Triomphe; and a statue of a guy whose name we weren't quite sure about. It was hardly even midday at this point, and we were feeling quite zombie-like, so we found a bit of shade in a park on the Mekong and had an afternoon snooze. Feeling much better after that, we found a restaurant with wifi and had our last Laotian meal. At 5 we caught our ride to the airport to fly to Hanoi.

By the way, in case anyone is wondering, flying to Hanoi was the best decision we have made this entire trip. Always fly between Laos and Vietnam. Trust us.

Hanging with the Hmong

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Our first day in Luang Prabang was pretty relaxed. We had breakfast with Matt and his traveling buddies, then shopped around town with Elvina and Guilluame for a trek. We ended up going with a company called White Elephant that promised a genuine village experience and kayaking to boot. Caz and I arranged a flight to Hanoi for the coming Monday. Then we went temple hopping with Elvina and Stina, followed by a wander around the night market. Luang Prabang lends itself to a slow pace, and we fully embraced it.

The next day, the four trekkers headed out into the jungle. Joined by Barney and Sandra, a couple from London, we were led by two guides named Thong (pronounced 'tong') and Shaolee. The first day started with an easygoing hike through the midlands. We crossed creek after creek and passed fields of hops and rice, passing hill people along the way. We had plenty of food, and it was quite pleasant to amble through bamboo groves and harvested terraces.

We reached the first Hmong village in the afternoon. It was a small place, comprised of only 30-someodd families. There were animals and children all over the place. Everywhere you looked were fat, snuffling pigs and bobbing chickens and kids in states of half-dress. Thong, a Hmong himself, taught us a little about these highland people, and then we were allowed to wander. We took pictures of the kids, who found it endlessly entertaining; they would stand perfectly still and solemn while the shots were taken, then giggle and shriek when showed the photos. We bought some handmade bracelets to support their school, and then it was goodbye to continue our trek.

The second half of the hike was quite a bit harder, as it was mostly uphill. Even Thong, the more experienced of our guides, had to call for a break. We reached the next Hmong village about an hour or so after the first. This one was a bit bigger with 50 families. We got a tour of the old shaman's house and watched a younger shaman bless a sick man's home. Then we were shown to the house were we'd be staying, a simple affair of raised platforms with blankets and mosquito netting. Left to our own devices until dinner, we all split up and checked out the village. Caz and I took pictures of the many animals and watched the kids play all sorts of games. While trying to interact with one small girl, I ended up playing Pictionary in the dirt with a handful of kids, which led to them teaching me the names of body parts in Hmong. Even some of the older ladies joined in, although it was clear by all the laughter that my pronunciation was atrocious.

Back at our homestay, Shaolee started us a fire. It was a hit with the kids as well, and we all huddled around it to stave off the chilly mountain wind. Girls as young as five were carrying their younger siblings on their pack, showing immense strength and care. Little boys wearing no pants shrugged off the cold like it was a warm spring day. They were really tough, these children. They were shy with us at first, but by the end of the night we were exchanging vocabulary lessons and fart noises like old friends.

In the dark kitchen of the homestay, lit only by the fire they cooked over, our guides made us an amazing dinner. We ate our fill and more, then rejoined the fire. The kids put us to shame when they were still bursting with energy when we all crashed at 9pm. Our hosts were incredibly gracious and made us lovely beds, but sleep was still piecemeal, broken by the surprisingly cold temperature, crowing roosters, and the early motions of the village.

We were ready to move by 8am the next morning, after a delicious breakfast again supplied by our guides. We said goodbye ("she jee dua") and thank you ("ua jao") to the village and headed off. Our next stop wasn't far off: it was the Khmu area of the same village. The Khmu speak a different language, build different houses, and come from a different background from the Hmong, but they live together amiably. We quickly learned hello in Khmu ("smile luh"), only to be confused when we were told that a few families of Hmong also lived in this section (so it was "your jong" for them!). 

After a quick tour of the Khmu village, we trekked back down to the road to meet the driver. Then it was a 20 minute ride to the river for the kayaking part of the journey. It was my first kayaking experience, but luckily I had Captain Caz to lead the way! She directed me with skill and ease, and we cut smoothly through the water with out trouble. We didn't even flip when we hit the rapids! (Can't say the same for Elvina and Guillaume though; sorry Frenchies!) The scenery was stunning: green mountains towered on either side of us, and the river curved gracefully around rocks and trees. It felt pretty amazing to be a part of it.

The ride was full of fun detours. We had a few splash wars, Sandra and Barney got boarded and flipped by a gang of Laotian kids, and we stopped on the side of the river to see a gold panning operation. By the time we reached our destination, my arms were ready to fall off and be left behind. It was great fun, an amazing experience, and a much needed workout, though, and definitely one of the highlights of our trip so far.

We all took a much needed rest after we got back into town, then met up in the evening for a drink at Utopia to toast our awesome trekking experience. Ua jao, Thong and Shaolee!

Slow Boat to Laos

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After such an amazing and productive time in Chiang Mai, the day finally came to say goodbye and begin the journey to the third country on our list, Laos. A van came to pick us up at our hostel, but believe me, ladies and gentlemen, when I tell you that this van was unlike any other van we have ridden in on this trip. It was equipped with wide leather seats, air-con control for the back, and even drinking water. There was quite a sound system and a drop-down TV as well, but they didn't get broken out on our drive to the border. We shared the van with an Italian man, a German couple, four German guys just out of their studies, and a couple of young Aussie girls. It was a full car, but still the most comfortable ride yet, and we had fun chatting with Sasha, one of the German guys, and playing Monopoly on my Kindle.

The van made two stops on the way to the border town of Chiang Khong. The first was at a cashew nut factory. Along with a quick lunch, we sampled all sorts of flavored cashew nuts and saw an example of what exactly a cashew nut looks like as it's growing on the tree. It looked something like a red mushroom. A little bit strange, if you ask me.

The second stop was the White Temple that we'd heard so much about. Our first impression was awe as we were blinded by the pure white walls and the silver tiles lining the bridges and rafters. It looked like a glittering ice palace, a miracle in the middle of such a hot place. Every step closer, however, revealed just how strange this temple really was. Demonic heads warning against drinking and smoking guarded the entrance, along with a half-buried Predator. The bases of the sculptures showed distorted bodies and grotesque faces. To get to the entrance of the temple itself, you had to cross a bridge surrounded by disembodied hands reaching upwards and towards the vistors, some holding skulls begging for change, and others making lewd gestures.

The weirdness continued inside. It looked rather innocuous at first: a golden Buddha statue, per norm, and a wax figure of a praying Gandhi greeted you as you walked in. But when you turned around, you were faced with a very bizarre mural. Amongst purple demons and billowing smoke were brightly painted images of modern characters. Among those represented were Neo from the Matrix, Avatar, Sailor Moon, Batman, Spiderman, Bart Simpson, and Goku. There was also an image of the burning Twin Towers and a gas pump. It was unclear if the artist was condemning these things, or if they were fighting the demons. Either way, it was pretty freaky, and I was glad we hadn't made a special trip just to see this place. As it turned out, it was very new, with construction just finished in 2008. I wasn't a fan, but from far away it was quite beautiful!

It was back in the van for a couple more hours before we arrived in Chiang Khong. As part of the package we booked, our accommodation was already sorted for us. Nothing fancy, but we at least got free dinner. Caz and I explored the local market while we still had daylight, then snuck in one last Thai massage after dinner. We joined a couple of the German boys, both named Andreas, for a drink at the bar in the same building as our guesthouse. Someone mentioned that there was live music down by the river, so we went to check it out. Unfortunately, it turned out to be just a couple of drunk Thais singing very bad karaoke, so Caz and I called it a night.

The next day the whole crew grabbed their bags, and we took a wobbly little boat over the river into Laos. We took some time to get through customs and get shuttled around to an office, where we all exchanged money and signed up for a guesthouse in Pak Beng, the first stop on our two day slow boat trip. Then it was on a little pink truck that looked like it came to pick us up straight from Disneyland. It took us to a little store, where we chilled out and had snacks until we were told to go to the pier.

We were prepared for the worst as far as the boat went. We had heard that they were usually overcrowded, and that the wooden seats got pretty painful. We had even purchased cushions to help this situation. As it turned out, we needn't have bothered. All the seats on the boat were sets of car seats, both front and back, mounted on frames that could be easily moved around. Our boat wasn't at all full either, as it was the second one to be launched that day, so we and the four German guys (the last one was named Marc, for reference) moved a few of them around to face towards the middle of the boat, giving us plenty of leg room and the ability to chat. Caz, blonde Andreas, and I played Monopoly, and we all passed around snacks. Later we got some card games going with some of the other passengers, an American named Matt and a French couple named Elvina and Guillame (I am totally guessing at the spelling of the last two names). It was a very relaxed and enjoyable boat ride.

We pulled into Pak Beng before sunset and settled into another passable basic room. The town itself didn't have much happening besides guesthouses and restaurants, so Caz and I went for dinner. We were joined by Matt and a Swedish girl named Stina, and they were very good company. Thanks to Caz's clever ordering, we were introduced to the delious Laotian dish called laap, a concotion of minced meat, coriander, lime, and chili served with sticky rice. Delicious. After dinner we hung out on the balcony of our guesthouse with the Germans for a while, and saw the hugest cricket either of us had ever laid eyes on. It luckily wasn't a fast mover, so we weren't worried when we went to bed.

The next morning we were up early to get some breakfast and sandwiches for the second half of the boat ride (peanut butter and banana! It was good to get our fix!). Then we headed to the pier, dawdling a bit so as to get on the second boat again. When a second boat did not seem to be coming, we found out that there would be only one this time. Bummer. We still managed to find seats, but it was significantly more crowded. Still, it was a really nice ride. We perched on the side of the boat and dipped our toes in the Mekong as we slid past lush mountains and stilted villages. So what if there were a few extra people aboard? The slow boat was hands down the best journey we've had in Asia.

Upon arrival in Luang Prabang, we teamed up with Matt, Stina, and the French couple to find some lodgings. We turned down a couple, then finally gave in to a guy who was petitioning hard for our business. His guesthouse was actually pretty nice, so it was a win-win deal. We went to a cool little restaurant/bar called Utopia for dinner and passed our first evening in Luang Prabang drinking BeerLao and smoking hookah. Not bad. There was an 11 o'clock curfew in place, so the night didn't go on too long, and soon we were asleep after a hard couple days of sitting.