Song for a lazy Sunday

Santa Fe by Samantha Crain

So I'm headin' back to Santa Fe
I look back then I look away
Way that that blue sky fades
Feels like I'm runnin' away
Babe I know you see
Just how hard it is for me
To unpack my clothes and shoes
And stay right here with you
I don't know how to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cssvT1W4c8

Wanderlust

"So this is the new year. I don't feel any different."

For the last few years I've been using that line to start off my first writing of the new year. Thanks to Death Cab for their brilliance.

Truth is... I don't feel any different. And I say that in the best possible way.

My year started with leaving...

I left my job. Not by choice. I was handed my termination notice (with no better way of saying it, my contract ended) handed the notice on Christmas eve. Thanks for that. So I cried. A lot. The first week of January I worked my last week. Then I left my job, which got the ball rolling for things to come.

Next, I left my boyfriend. He wasn't so great, so that was that.

Finally, I left Canada. Within a week of suggesting a trip to China the tickets were bought. Within three weeks of purchase we were on a plane. Two months on the road. Two months out of a red backpack. Two months about not caring about what time it was. What date it was. What I looked like. What I smelled like. I let my guard down. I loosened my boundaries. I still ate in a restaurant even after I saw a rat scampering across tables. I saw poverty. Extreme poverty. I felt thankful for what I have. I am so thankful for that experience.

Then I came home.

Home to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission National Event. I shared my writing with Elders. With Survivors. I came home to my culture. One I had abandoned because I was sour at the first two things I left that year. But I came home to share the story of my Papa with people who wanted to listen. I brought those words home with me from Cambodia. I got over some of that bitterness while away.

Coming home helped even more. I got a new job. One I love. I'm 24 and doing what I love. I went with my gut... went on my trip... and still got my job. That just showed me I chose the right path.

Now, I am six months in. Six months until the end. Being home for six months only makes me want to leave again.

So I guess I do feel different. I feel sense of longing.

I feel wanderlust.

Ready to start.

I suck at blogging.
My apologies.

Update...ish.

I caught a really big fish.



I wrote something pretty while driving. Well not while driving. That's when it came to me.

My eyes well,
I don't know why,
One,
Two,
Bam, we're off.

But I do know why. It was chance that brought those tears to my eyes. Three songs in a row on the radio. Three unlikely songs to meet up late at night.

And now, now I feel inspired. I spent some time in the air. That's when I write the best. On a plane. Headed to and from.

Now I work to polish my latest piece.

This is where I was. New York, New York. I'll share a funny little picture I found.



I'll leave it with the laugh.

Beer Snake

The infamous beer snake... Winnipeg's finest.

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/top-picks/beer-cup-ban/#clip325238

This is the story that inspired my number one fan to write me such a poetic note. Here's to you Casey!

"Last night, on the news, your hair reminded me that there is still beauty in this chaotic world. The way it blew in the pleasant afternoon wind and how the sun glistened ever so gently off your brow. Your voice sounded like 10000 love birds singing their mating song. Your eyes stared through the camera, taking control of me and plumeting me into a hypnotic trance of blissfulness and solitude. Ill be seeing you at 6 today."

Home Time

It’s been a month today since we left China. Or should I say tried to leave China (not by choice of course- who wants to stop vacationing?)

I do believe I posted a really dramatic status update on facebook about flames shooting from the engine of our plane… that was not a prank. I did indeed see flames. Four to be exact.

We arrived at the airport about four hours early making sure we didn’t miss our flight. I was so happy to be on my way home. It had been a long two months. The last week was definitely the longest with Braeden being burnt and slowly developing an infection and fever. He jumped through a burning ring of fire in Cambodia and didn’t quite make it. We were really worried about his health and were anxious to get back to Canada where the health care is reliable.

The take off was smooth sailing. While gaining altitude that is when things went south- flames, flames, and more flames came shooting from the engine right beside me. I didn’t think it was normal but chose to assume it was. I closed my shutter and waited for the tvs to boot up. Instead the pilot came on the speakers announcing we were turning around. His reason—there was a little trouble with one engine—both were working fine but he wanted a mechanic to look at it. He was a little too casual which made me know something was up. Sure enough dozens of flashing lights were waiting for us on the runway.

A day we were so excited for turned into a total nightmare. For the next three hours we waited, waited, and waited some more.

I must say—Air Canada did have their act together. They rounded us all up and transported us to a hotel. We then got three free meals, cable, and a ride back to the airport. On the plus side, we stayed at the nicest hotel all trip. I watched True Blood. How fun.

Despite the drama it was nice to be taken care of and have a nice night of relaxation. One of our stays a few nights before was at a hooker hotel—but that is another story. We also got a flight voucher from Air Canada so I guess a little more travel is on the horizon. But for now we have settled back into our home lives.

I am so thankful for this trip. I had no expectations going in. A little fear, but really no concerns. China is definitely a place for the more adventurous traveler. You can go days without seeing a Westerner or speak English to anyone. It can be frustrating, but I had my brother. He was a great travel partner and I couldn’t imagine taking this trip and sharing the experience with anyone else.

Now that we’re home we barely see each other. Now isn’t that love.

Hello, Motorbike?

We finally did it. We rented a motorbike. Thanks to Vietnam’s lax safety standards anyone can drive a motorbike. Especially tourists. We found one for $3US for the day. Gas was not included and of course we got ripped off. Braeden asked for a fill up and was told it would be 60,000VND. They took his money and gave him half a tank. Oh well, it’s still peanuts in comparison to what we pay at home. Also, we had a way out of the town and away from dishonest merchants.

I felt a little nervous about getting on the back of the bike at first; Braeden was a first time driver. However, the kid has confidence in whatever he does. I mean he is pretty much fearless when it comes to adrenaline pumping activities: he bikes down mountains and tears it up at high speeds on his snowboard. Knowing he felt safe with his motorbike abilities made me feel safe too.

We grabbed our map and headed for the seaside. We encountered no less than five different types of animals alongside the road. First up, goats. They were everywhere. It reminded me so much of driving through Banff to Panorama. Well minus the fact they were like five feet away and could have walked out in front of the bike if they pleased. Second up, cows. Dad, you were right: cows did end up blocking the road and we had to maneuver slowly through the herd. We also saw roosters, a goose, ran over a snake, and almost hit a dog. Dogs clearly own the road on the island; they know people will just go around them.

The scenery was beautiful. We cruised up and down hills alongside the water. The road twisted and turned- some corners had mirrors so you could see if traffic was coming. The corners were sharp, the grade was steep (6-10%), and signs depicting cars driving off the edge of the cliff greeted us at many turns. Braeden kept us on the bike and free of road rash. Okay, I’m being a little dramatic, it’s all true and wasn’t really that scary. In my opinion, this is the only way to see the island.

Driving inland was also amazing. There we dipped through valleys between green mountain peaks. The temperature was inconsistent and we were frequently hit with bursts of cold, crisp air. The air was so clean and refreshing. The smell of pollution was replaced with floral aromas. I really felt like I experienced my surroundings on the motorbike since I was in the open air and not traveling as fast as I would have in a car. A pedal bike just wouldn’t have cut it- we definitely wouldn’t have seen as much of the Island as we did.

Renting the bike also gave us the opportunity to visit that National Park on our own schedule. No tours. No guides. Just hiking. I am pretty certain that this was the best hike of my life. Tree roots and vines were everywhere and thank goodness for that since the humid air made the trail slick. I always had something to brace myself in case I took a tumble (I did not). I did get a picture in my head of me grabbing a vine only to discover it was snake like in the cartoons… thankfully that did not happen.
Our goal was to make it up to the observation tower. The lady at the park gate told us it would take an hour to get there and another to get back. We didn’t think we would make it since it was going to get dark by 6pm. We arrived a little late to the park at 3:45, but figured we would turn around within an hour just to be on the safe side. Getting lost in the “jungle” as we called it would have been terrifying. I say this because the sound of the creatures was like nothing I have heard. At one point I asked Braeden if someone was using a chainsaw and he said no that was a bug. Imagine that at night: I get the shivers just thinking about it.

We hustled up path and Braeden complimented me on the pace I set. I am extremely proud of that. Let me gloat a little! It was a fun ascent to the top: we climbed over rocks, roots, and up rusty ladders. The ladder part was awesome: there were three guiding us up a rock face. We are lucky we have long legs because some of the rocks we had to climb up onto were high. The final ascent was a killer. It was pretty much climbing a rock ladder. It lasted only 25m and it was fun using my hands and feet to get myself to the top.

The view, spectacular. I didn’t realize just how amazing the landscape is in Asia. I kept humming the Jurassic Park theme song because to me that is what this looks like. You all know the scene where they first fly onto the dinosaur island in the helicopter. That’s it. Braeden was brave enough to climb the tower. He said it was pretty rusted out and the platform was missing a few boards. As an aspiring photographer the kid will go anywhere to get the perfect shot. Most times it pays off!

Despite being in a tourist town, and the bitching of my blog post, this was one of my favourite days of the trip so far. To add a cherry on top we ate street food for dinner: fried rice and vegetable spring rolls accompanied by a bia hoi! Surprisingly the night ended peacefully: power to the entire town went out. Before the generators kicked in the only lights were from boats in the harbor and headlights on motorbikes. In the dark we were all equal: I finally managed to walk the street unnoticed.

Halong Bay: Piece of Paradise or Tourist Trap?

It is 5:45am on Cat Ba Island and the town is alive. From my second story balcony I see a harbor full or boats, people walking the streets, scooting around on motorbikes, and serving up breakfast on plastic tables by the road. Here the people rise with the sun.

Cat Ba is a lively little town full of tourists hailing from all over. Pretty much anyone who travels to Vietnam visits Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island. There are two ways to get here: a traditional Chinese Junk boat or a hydrofoil. We opted for the Junk Boat because of the spectacular wooden design. This boat is the one to take for a leisurely tour of the Bay. It was an amazing trip; we weaved among luscious green peaks jutting out of the South China Sea. The water was calm and we could hear the small waves lapping up against the side of the boat. It was overcast when we made the trip, but the grey sky allowed for us to sit on the third floor observation deck in comfort.

Halong Bay is whatever you make of it. I say this because it is one hell of a tourist trap. Everywhere you go someone is trying to sell you a service. Walking unnoticed down the street isn’t an option here. The merchants even come right into the restaurants while you are eating to solicit their goods. The key is to say no or just plain ignore them. Tourism is their livelihood, whether it is in an official form or not.

Tours are abundant in the Halong Bay area with overnight boat cruises as the main attraction. The bus terminal/boat dock is full of foreigners waiting to board Chinese Junks. It is a really strange site to see: people of every shape, size, color, and age are brought together in their dream of sleeping on a boat. One can pay anywhere from $40US to $140US- one poor bastard did indeed pay that for a three day two night cruise. From what I hear you get what you pay for… well that’s what travel agents tell you when they’re trying to sell you a package deal. They like to discourage people from booking the inexpensive trips by telling horror stories of poor quality and rats running throughout the ship's cabin. However, the trip itineraries are the same regardless of what you pay: the first night is spent on the boat and the second in a hotel on Cat Ba Island. Also included are meals, kayaking, biking, and a trip to Monkey Island (yes to see real monkeys). Conveniently booze does not come with the deal.

Tours are a little pragmatic for my travel style. I do not want to be told to stop doing an activity or leave a location because my time limit is up. We took a half day trip to the Great Wall of China because of the sheer convenience of arranged transportation. We were given a few hours to walk the wall and then forced to socialize over lunch with this Italian couple who spoke little English. It was an awkward experience despite us trying to communicate with each other. The convenience of an arranged trip is also more expensive. We find it fun looking for deals on transportation, hotels, and activities. Sometimes it is hard, but you get a good story out of it.

Now let’s go back to the boat cruise to Cat Ba Island… we were let off at a ferry port about 20kms outside of Cat Ba Town. On the boat the tour guide tried and tried and tried to get us to book a hotel and transportation through him. We had read up on these topics and knew transportation was available for 10,000 Vietnamese Dong (VND) and hotels were a dime a dozen. The exchange rate is about $1 Canadian to 18,000VND. We politely declined. When we got off the boat we were swarmed by men saying motorbike? Motorbike? We were considering this option but had our big packs with us and figured our safety may be compromised. We opted for the bus and walked away from the wolf pack. However we were followed by three men. The motorbike drivers are also conveniently bus drivers. I really hate being pestered and pressured into buying services from people like this. I walked away and sat down with Braeden to discuss our options. Guess what? One of the annoying drivers pulled up a chair, sat down in front of us, and just stared. We basically had two options- grab a bike ride or take the bus. We finally negotiated with one of the men and ended up getting charged 80,000VND. We seriously got ripped off. As Braeden says; “when they’ve got you by the balls what else are you supposed to do?” A couple of Aussies managed to get the bus for 50,000VND, so I suppose we weren’t ripped as bad as we could have been. It is the principal of the matter: there are just no set prices and they have no hold ups on overcharging. It has become a common practice to compare how much we paid with other travelers. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and it all kind of evens out in the end. To compensate for the boat experience we got our hotel for 150,000VND a night- less than $8 Canadian.

This way of doing business just doesn’t sit well with us and we are bailing after only two nights. We were looking forward to getting away from the hustle of Ha Noi, Vietnam’s Capitol. Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which reinforces just how beautiful it really is out here. There are plenty of nature based activities to do like: kayaking, cave exploration, mountain biking, and hiking through the National Park. However when everything comes with a tour and an attached price tag, the adventure aspect is compromised. I am a little soured on Vietnam right now. But it is just Halong Bay. I loved Ha Noi and the people. I guess what I am learning from this experience is that the tourism industry can be a really ugly, ugly thing.