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.

Good Morning Vietnam

Going into Vietnam I had great expectations: warm weather, nice beaches, and a new culture to get to know. I was looking forward to a change in scenery. Three weeks in China was amazing, but I was getting worn down by the stares and general lack of consideration for one another. I was really banking on the Vietnamese people being friendlier. Turns out they are much friendlier then I could have ever imagined… however, the smiles come with a motive.

Money is everything here in Vietnam. No one has it and everybody wants it. This first became evident during the border crossing. For a small bribe you could have your passport whisked through the stack. There was no official process on getting your passports looked at and stamped. You just had to wait patiently until they got around to it. Mine was passed between four border officials before I got it back. Many people came and went while I waited. I’ve never seen such open and blatant bribery.

In Ha Noi you could get anything you needed without have to look for it. Someone was always trying to get you into their restaurant, store, or taxi. People set up carts on the sidewalk selling water, gum, ice cream, and other treats. Others walked around offering services or shoe shining, book sales, and baskets of baked goods. I didn’t find the people of Ha Noi too pushy because there were enough westerners to make a sale off of. As the capitol city of Vietnam backpackers, expats, and embassy families are plentiful. It makes for an eclectic mix of people.

Vietnam is rich with history, French architecture, amazing street food, and an interesting system of organized chaos. Below, a simple list of simple things Ha Noi has to offer:

Pho:
Rice noodle soup. It is a traditional breakfast and can be found on just about every street corner for about a dollar. Pho Bo (beef) and Pho Ga (chicken) are the most popular choices. We went on a bit of a Pho kick eating it two or three times a day. It is delicious and inexpensive so how can you resist. Best of all: you eat it at a tiny plastic table while sitting on tiny plastic stools. Quick and dirty.

Bia Hoi:
Fresh, golden, and refreshing. Yes, I am talking about beer. Bia Hoi is popular among old Vietnamese men and backpackers alike. For a whooping 4,000 VND a glass (20cents), who could or would resist? Bia Hoi is so inexpensive because it is brewed in a week and must be finished the day the metal keg is tapped. There is one corner in Ha Noi dubbed “Bia Hoi” because on each corner of the intersection there is a keg. When one is tapped the crowd moves to the next until the beer is gone. Once again, everyone sits on plastic chairs on the sidewalk. Best way to enjoy a cold one if you ask me.

Crossing the street:
This simple task requires great skills and patience Vietnam. The reason: motorbikes. Everyone drives one and stoplights are rarely obeyed. The trick to getting yourself from one side to the other is one step at a time. Literally. Evoke all clichés now: slow and steady gets you across the street safely. Just step out on the street, take it slow, and the motorbikes will plan their route around you. Intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it its good fun and entertaining.

I really enjoyed my time in Ha Noi. We met some great people and relaxed as we wandered the streets. We ate well and quickly learned just how cheap traveling in Vietnam is.

Dragon's Backbone

Before I left for China many people were asking: “why are you going there?” Not so much as a question, but as a statement implying that they wouldn’t. Many times this was followed by jokes about saying hi to Sing Pho and getting sick of eating rice. Another question I got a lot was “how are you going to get around not speaking the language?” Concern and fear of the unknown I suppose. That is why we chose China. It is misunderstood and not traveled much by westerners. The usual Asia trip begins in Bangkok and circles around to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and maybe even eventually on to Australia. I’m not knocking this route at all: in fact, I am in Vietnam right now and it is spectacular. China is off the beaten path and that is what I was looking for out of my backpacking adventure.

And this is exactly why I chose China:


As our time on the road accumulated our desire for seeing rural China grew stronger and stronger. A city is a city no matter where you go. Sure every Chinese city we have visited had something unique to offer, but the country side is what we craved. Visiting rice terraces was on top of my things to see list. We visited and stayed overnight in the Longji Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces outside of Guilin. Of course we just had to stay at the highest guesthouse in the terrace, which was called Panorama Hotel! It reminded us a little bit of The Shining: red carpets lining the creaky halls with lights that went out at any time. But the view from our third story room was amazing.



This was definitely my top experience in China. It was everything I had hoped it to be. We hiked, we ate home cooked meals made by the local indigenous women, and we woke up to a million dollar view. We also met amazing people along the way. Playing cards with Viola and Grace, our new Chinese friends, is something I will never forget. When you're traveling, where ever in the world you are, you forget about your fears you had before you left home. Communication barriers are fun rather than frustrating. Getting lost turns into just finding something else. If you have an open mind about China, you will be pleasantly surprised. I admit it isn't always easy and sometimes I have gotten frustrated, but I have to remember that I am a guest to China. I must embrace the customs, rather than comparing how different things are from home. By emersing myself, I must step outside myself. Now that I am outside of China in Vietnam I understand this a whole lot better. And now I can't wait to go back.

Not So Lazy Days

One of the best ways to see Yangshuo is by bicycle. You could stay inside the town limits and gaze at large groups of western tourists, or you could peddle your way through villages for a taste of local living. We chose the latter.

I am not much of a cyclist as you all may know. In fact, I'm famous for saying: “I hate biking.” It’s true; for the most part I would choose walking over cycling. But as they say: “when in Rome.” So we rented mountain bikes for 20Yuan and took off for the day.

I was actually surprised at how excited I was for this adventure. It was beautiful to be away from the crowds and experiencing nature. Picture this: green fields and mountains all around you, clear blue skies free of pollution. Just what I needed. I really believe the landscape distracted me from the fact that I was cycling. I just couldn’t stop looking around. Every turn in the road brought new breathtaking views of the country side. Our first adventure was an eight kilometer ride to Moon Hill, which like its name suggests, a moon cutout in the top of a mountain top. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the site they wanted to charge us admission. Not even nature is free in China, so we opted not to take the hike. We biked a little further down the road for a free look and a picture then continued on the route Braeden planned out for us.


Our final destination was Dragon Bridge. Braeden found a route less traveled that followed the river and passed through several villages. It was great, not a white face for miles. I know that sounds bad, but like I said- we were in the Banff of China so wanted to get away from the tourists. After about four kilometers we arrived in the first village, Dragon Village. The streets were narrow and the people were just living life not noticing us as we rode by. There were no advertisements and no one trying to call us into their shops. We figured we finally found some peace. We were wrong. A man saw us approaching, jumped up, and blocked us from biking by. He produced a paper from his pocket that said 20Yuan. We didn’t know what was going on. There was no official signs for a toll booth or tourist attraction: just a man sitting on a stool waiting until westerners approached. Well out of pure principal we refused to hand over money because all we wanted to do was pass through the village. The man then produced a book that showed a bunch of rooftops. Apparently the village architecture was something to pay for. I don’t think so. We attempted to take a back lane to go around him. No luck. He met us at the end of the ally and tried to make us pay again. We left. Our backroute was ruined by some jackass trying to take advantage of our white faces. We had to backtrack and take the road more travelled.
I was seriously pissed off over this, but we quickly got onto another road and headed towards Dragon Bridge. This route was amazing: we road alongside a river, across fields, and through twisty streets of small villages. Several times our ride was interupted by farmers herding their cattle down the same narrow path. We ended up being guided by this guy on a scooter who just kept driving up a head of us, waiting, and then pointing us in the right direction. He lead us down this crazy route , which we wouldn’t have found on our own. Turns out he had a motive: he tried to sell us a bamboo ride once we arrived at the bridge. We politely declined several times as he followed us over the bridge and back to our bikes. Thanks buddy!


By the time we arrived I was exhausted. We had been riding for almost four hours, with only a few short breaks. Braeden assured me it was only nine kilometers back to Yangshuo and we got back on our bikes after downing a bottle of water. We rode probably a kilometer when I saw a bus with a wrangler shouting “Yangshuo?” I said yes, yes! He put my bike on the bus and I road back to town in comfort! Braeden was glad to be rid of me because I was slow. However, in comparison to him about 99% of people are slow. He is a year round commuter after and a biking enthusiast after all. When we got back to the hostel he told me I biked approximately 30 kilometers, maybe more on account of the windy roads. Not bad for a girl who hates biking.

Photo Op
Yulong River From Dragon Bridge

A farmer and his water buffalo hard at work The wonderful windy route

And Chengdu has the pandas....

Momma and Baby


Four hungry buggers




my personal favourite


The group goes where the food is put out for them



Proof that I really saw Pandas, the elusive black and white bears


Proof that Braeden thinks pandas are stupid

Beer Fish

Yangshuo has a number of specialties: bamboo rafts, rock climbing, country side bike tours, colourful sundresses, and banana pancakes. One specialty stands out as a must try before leaving- beer fish! Our hostel roommate from Shanghai was pleased to hear ate it because it is the local dish. We chose a restaurant based on the “Gold Medal Beer Fish” banner over top of the door way. However, I think we got a whole lot more then we paid for.

We started off our restaurant experience much like any other- pointing at another table’s food to order. To accompany our main course we ordered what else but a couple of beers. However, before we could even tell the waitress what we wanted she said “beer?” I love how most servers just assume we want beer. Nine times out of ten times they are right. We even went as far as learning how to say beer in Mandarin. Well actually a drunken Irishman we were partying with told us.

As we were enjoying our local brews a fish flopped out of the Rubbermaid container it was being housed in. A server tried pathetically to catch it with his bare hands. After several futile attempts a woman with a broom came over and swiftly swept the struggling fish out from under the table. The server then picked it up and hurled it onto the pavement. I’m not talking an “opps it slipped from my hands” throw; I mean an “I’m going to kill you” throw. This slaughter happened right beside me. Nice. I was shocked and appalled. I couldn’t believe what just happened. The servers heard my whimpers and saw me turn away in grief and then laughed at me. And then the same server proceeded to kill again. Three more times. I couldn’t bear to watch, so Braeden informed me that one of the fish's eyeball popped out as it hit the patio floor. By the end of the massacre, the ground beside me was covered in blood.

Needless to say I didn’t have much of an appetite after that whole scene. I have seen fish killed and gutted before, but this was just wrong. Honestly who kills the main course right in front of the paying customer? Especially ones who are just about to eat. Well when our delicious looking beer fish arrived I couldn’t get the sight or sound of fish being hurled at the pavement out of my head. But my hunger eventually beat out the disturbing images in my head. Not only did I have a tasty meal, but also an eating experience I am not bound to forget any time soon.