There will always be setbacks in traveling. But when they hit, it's hard to have been prepared. Even harder to be easy going about it. When your whole life for the next month or few months is on your back, it's a bit of a disaster if anything happens.
After an almost 30 hour bus ride through the night and the rain, our bags underneath the bus got soaked. Luckily not mine as much, but Kathleen and Julia's were spake through. They had to send everything to the cleaners. After our days in Hoi An and the amazing time we had, it was a difficult pill to swallow.
The upside to sewage bags was a nighttime ride through rural, farm Vietnam on a top bunk with no safety guard, reading a book in a pouring rain lightning storm. Really not a bad way to spend the night.
After the rough start to the day, we had some of the best food. Just what we needed, too. We found a random place on the corner of a busy intersection, the seats were all on the sidewalk- arms length from the busy evening traffic. Small, short plastic tables and even smaller chairs you'd buy for a children's party. Not the most comfortable, but the food looked amazing. How it worked was there was a whole table piled with different skewers of fish, meat, vegetables, meat wrapped in vegetables, vegetables stuffed with meat, everything. We chose beef wrapped mushrooms, beef wrapped lettuce, bacon wrapped peppers, beef and tomatoes and zucchini, some salmon, some marinated chicken, and possibly some marinated pork. You put them in a little basket, bring it to the workers, they cook the skewers for us, bring over a little stove type contraption and put the cooked skewers on the heater to keep them warm. We also got baguettes that they grilled with a honey glaze and cut for us so we could make little sandwiches with the meat and vegetables. It was incredible. We feasted. Such a cool atmosphere too, traffic buzzing all around, meat sizzling at the table, the rush of life infiltrating you, juxtaposing. A calm, enjoyable dinner with the buzz and hum and rush of lights and traffic and speed on pavement. Something you'd never see back home. Beer, good conversation, amazing food, great company. Silver lining.
Monday, October 1, 2012
9-3-2012 History Repeating
It's amazing how prevalent history still is in this country. Posters of Che Guevara in every home and establishment. The war is still so prevalent, you don't always notice it, but the beliefs are still so strong. It is definitely strange seeing the hammer and sickle and being reminded where you are an where it all came from.
So far, I feel the best way to see a city or country is on bike or motorbike. There is a certain freedom of exploration that you feel, an exhilaration or force that compels you to go off the beaten track. Kathleen, Julia and I rode bicycles around Hoi An today. We got a little lost and ended up in a completely Vietnamese neighborhood, just watching and looking, seeing how they live. We came across a group of young boys playing a huge Congo-like drum, just hanging out together, having fun. It is so nice and refreshing to see innocent, outdoor, technology-free fun. No dependencies, no expectations. Simple smiles and friendships.
We rode along a river and met a wonderful older Australian couple who suggested a beach called An Dang. Secluded, lesser known beach with cream sand and turquoise water. Straw umbrella huts lined up to lounge under. Indescribable views and landscapes here, powerful and breathtaking. Our trip over to the beach took us through rice paddy fields with people working, things you only see in books and don't eleven is actually real until you nonchalantly ride by on a bicycle.
I think travel is mellowing me out. TW people I see and meet, the lifestyles I witness, life is too short to be worried or to spend time on meaningless options. It has been only about 5 days or a week and already I feel like I can take on anything. (knock on wood).
Another aspect of Vietnam I've fallen in love with is the people. Even when ordering our clothes the be made, the woman was laughing an joking- so conveniencing and helpful. Just a good person working for her living, brothers and sisters helping her out. Her saying for everything requested was a cheesy English line, "Easy peasy lemon squeezy." funny little things like that just rub off from one person to the next so easily, we'll be saying that for days now.
So far, I feel the best way to see a city or country is on bike or motorbike. There is a certain freedom of exploration that you feel, an exhilaration or force that compels you to go off the beaten track. Kathleen, Julia and I rode bicycles around Hoi An today. We got a little lost and ended up in a completely Vietnamese neighborhood, just watching and looking, seeing how they live. We came across a group of young boys playing a huge Congo-like drum, just hanging out together, having fun. It is so nice and refreshing to see innocent, outdoor, technology-free fun. No dependencies, no expectations. Simple smiles and friendships.
We rode along a river and met a wonderful older Australian couple who suggested a beach called An Dang. Secluded, lesser known beach with cream sand and turquoise water. Straw umbrella huts lined up to lounge under. Indescribable views and landscapes here, powerful and breathtaking. Our trip over to the beach took us through rice paddy fields with people working, things you only see in books and don't eleven is actually real until you nonchalantly ride by on a bicycle.
I think travel is mellowing me out. TW people I see and meet, the lifestyles I witness, life is too short to be worried or to spend time on meaningless options. It has been only about 5 days or a week and already I feel like I can take on anything. (knock on wood).
Another aspect of Vietnam I've fallen in love with is the people. Even when ordering our clothes the be made, the woman was laughing an joking- so conveniencing and helpful. Just a good person working for her living, brothers and sisters helping her out. Her saying for everything requested was a cheesy English line, "Easy peasy lemon squeezy." funny little things like that just rub off from one person to the next so easily, we'll be saying that for days now.
9-2-2012 Hoi An- Unfinished
I have so much to say about my favorite city, but haven't the words. So I will be short and hopefully sweet about the place I've loved most so far.
Beautiful Hoi An. A city of fusion- food, style, architecture. A port city, taking all of the good. A lazy river running around the outside of the city with boats resting at bay, all surrounded by beautiful colorful lanterns for their Independence Day. All of Vietnam comes alive at night. Foreigners, natives, locals, families, all come out with their friendly smiles and. Prices calling to you, inviting you, sit here, eat here, buy here. Everywhere else a nuisance, but eased by the buttercup yellow buildings and the relaxed European style buildings, it's less of an annoyance here. Tuned out by the beauty, you feel like magical things could happen here, or maybe they did- the twinkling lights, boats in the river, old town feel- like walking around in Neverland. And it will suck you in. If you don't have a time limit or place to be, there is so much to still explore that foreigners don't know about and that hasn't yet been adopted by the West. But you can feel it coming. There is a sadness to Hoi An, if you look and listen for it. One that is easily overlooked and overshadowed by the friendly smiles.
Beautiful Hoi An. A city of fusion- food, style, architecture. A port city, taking all of the good. A lazy river running around the outside of the city with boats resting at bay, all surrounded by beautiful colorful lanterns for their Independence Day. All of Vietnam comes alive at night. Foreigners, natives, locals, families, all come out with their friendly smiles and. Prices calling to you, inviting you, sit here, eat here, buy here. Everywhere else a nuisance, but eased by the buttercup yellow buildings and the relaxed European style buildings, it's less of an annoyance here. Tuned out by the beauty, you feel like magical things could happen here, or maybe they did- the twinkling lights, boats in the river, old town feel- like walking around in Neverland. And it will suck you in. If you don't have a time limit or place to be, there is so much to still explore that foreigners don't know about and that hasn't yet been adopted by the West. But you can feel it coming. There is a sadness to Hoi An, if you look and listen for it. One that is easily overlooked and overshadowed by the friendly smiles.
9-1-2012 Ho Chi Minh- captain, drummer, and floating bartender
Such an interesting, fun day. We signed up for a tour of the 4 islands surrounding Nha Trang- the 3 of us, me, Thom, Julia, and Kathleen, and a couple that Kathleen knew. The tour ended up being us 5, about 30 Vietnamese men, and 2 men from the Czech Republic. From the minute we got on the bus we were laughing. It really hit me today that every situation can be made better with humor. Every situation should be embraced with a laugh. We could have been upset at the lack of English, upset at the large amount of Vietnamese men, mad that we couldn't interact in English, but a quick exchange of words, as Kathleen was handing out nuts like a soccer mom asking if anyone wanted any, commenting "we got a whole group of 'em right here". It was true. We were all a bunch of nuts. The Vietnamese men with their cameras all smiling at our group of ladies, us delirious from waking up and laughing at everything, we were all nutty. The whole group of us. And it turned into an amazing day of snorkeling, singing, dancing, lounging in the water, drinking, singing and dancing some more. The crew of our boat brought out guitars at one point, and a contraption made of PVC pipe, a few barrels, and cymbols to form a makeshift drum set for the captain. (a man who undisputedly resembled Ho Chi Minh). We were the only tour boat to get live music. At one point, we docked and they threw out foam rings- simplest little floating devices, for everyone on board to get in the water and relax. Hoch climbed into a littlw high chair type contraption and proclaimed himself "bartender" swrving wine that tasted a bit too much like whiskey. We were thirsty. And we werent complaining. The day couldn't have been better simply because of a shift in perspective. We had the best tour guides, amazing weather, incredible company. Irreplaceable pieces of the perfect day.
8-29-2012
Being in a country in which The majority of its inhabitants don't care or need to think about superficial problems is a bit freeing, and more than a little eye opening. They live so completely in the present. It makes you stop and wonder, "Why do these issues plague me? How are these the important things on my mind?"
These people live here with no options, no choices. They don't have the option to live alone, to take time off and explore, to be who ever they want. They work to survive, to live, to help their family. Work the best job they can to make as much money as they can to live day to day. And I worry about what short to wear and how I look. The littlest things I need to change.
These people live here with no options, no choices. They don't have the option to live alone, to take time off and explore, to be who ever they want. They work to survive, to live, to help their family. Work the best job they can to make as much money as they can to live day to day. And I worry about what short to wear and how I look. The littlest things I need to change.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
8-28-2012 Vietnam War Memorial- Agent Orange
Going to another country opens your eyes. Especially one that has been so affected by your own. It's hard to not feel ashamed, disappointed. Vietnam was almost completely ruined by my country, torn apart by chemicals and metal and left alone to rebuild on infected ground.
I know you can't change the past, but it is a sad past and one that deserves reflection and both sides of the story told.
I know you can't change the past, but it is a sad past and one that deserves reflection and both sides of the story told.
The Motorbike Experience
Feet move with pedals
Rotating with engines
Revving by hand
Flowing as one
Metal bodies
Swerving, moving
Opening, closing
Waves of helmets
And headlights
Until they're a speck of red
In the distance
As soon as the darkness
Takes over the sky
The city opens its neon eyes
Swallows you whole
The night is alive
Awake, beckoning you
Granting you
The kind of peace
That only comes
From facing fears
And enjoying the ride
Wind in your hair
Fear in your heart
Smile on your face.
Rotating with engines
Revving by hand
Flowing as one
Metal bodies
Swerving, moving
Opening, closing
Waves of helmets
And headlights
Until they're a speck of red
In the distance
As soon as the darkness
Takes over the sky
The city opens its neon eyes
Swallows you whole
The night is alive
Awake, beckoning you
Granting you
The kind of peace
That only comes
From facing fears
And enjoying the ride
Wind in your hair
Fear in your heart
Smile on your face.
8-27-2012
I think I'm going to see that being in a new country is always exciting. Getting to Vietnam, you are hit right away with the rush, hurry of the scooters and vehicles on the street. Babies without helmets, children standing on their parents laps, full families of 4 on a scooter, and they move with each other. As one mind.
The first day in Saigon we experienced a fruit market and tried what felt like hundreds of strange, sweet, sticky, prickly, bumpy, delicious fruits. So muchflavpr, so much beauty. So much action in TW market. Little Vietnamese women sitting on the ground in their traditional straw hats, their goods spread out before them on thin blankets, cutting the fruit for eager, hungry customers like ourselves. Wry small market, but so full of life. A different kind of life, too. One with purpose and reason, not choices and indecision.
Following the fruit market, we found an indoor market with different trinkets and odds an ends for sale. They ranged from beautifully woven clothes and bags to chopsticks and fans and keychains. It never ceases to amaze me, the amount of things- mainly people- Southeast Asians tend to fit in one area, car, scooter, building. There must have been a maze of a few hundred little shop stalls in an open building the size of a football field.
Later on we were lucky enough to be invited to a Vietnamese family's home for dinner. An extremely modest place, 2 main rooms- one for living or dining the other a kitchen with the matriarchs sitting on the floor happily creating our meal. . They used as much space as they had to fit about 20 extended family members and a few foreigners. All smiles everywhere. Children running throughout, laughing and playing, staying outside in the streets without a care.
In the kitchen floor, the women were preparing rice paper spring rolls and steamed prawns cooked in banana leaves. Incredible food outmatched only by the atmosphere.
Men sitting around one table, each with a beer in hand, laughing, enjoying one another's company, happy to be with family. Women walking in and out of the room, making sure everyone is happy, bringing plate after plate of delicious food.
The simplicity is inspiring. The happiness infectious. The family beautiful.
The first day in Saigon we experienced a fruit market and tried what felt like hundreds of strange, sweet, sticky, prickly, bumpy, delicious fruits. So muchflavpr, so much beauty. So much action in TW market. Little Vietnamese women sitting on the ground in their traditional straw hats, their goods spread out before them on thin blankets, cutting the fruit for eager, hungry customers like ourselves. Wry small market, but so full of life. A different kind of life, too. One with purpose and reason, not choices and indecision.
Following the fruit market, we found an indoor market with different trinkets and odds an ends for sale. They ranged from beautifully woven clothes and bags to chopsticks and fans and keychains. It never ceases to amaze me, the amount of things- mainly people- Southeast Asians tend to fit in one area, car, scooter, building. There must have been a maze of a few hundred little shop stalls in an open building the size of a football field.
Later on we were lucky enough to be invited to a Vietnamese family's home for dinner. An extremely modest place, 2 main rooms- one for living or dining the other a kitchen with the matriarchs sitting on the floor happily creating our meal. . They used as much space as they had to fit about 20 extended family members and a few foreigners. All smiles everywhere. Children running throughout, laughing and playing, staying outside in the streets without a care.
In the kitchen floor, the women were preparing rice paper spring rolls and steamed prawns cooked in banana leaves. Incredible food outmatched only by the atmosphere.
Men sitting around one table, each with a beer in hand, laughing, enjoying one another's company, happy to be with family. Women walking in and out of the room, making sure everyone is happy, bringing plate after plate of delicious food.
The simplicity is inspiring. The happiness infectious. The family beautiful.
8-26-2012
The day of departure. Such a fun night last night. Enjoying and laughing every minute. Never idle, constantly being present, and just happy in Rena's company.
After a day of odds and ends, a night of carefree dancing, laughter, gifts, good food, good people, good night.
I'm a bag of mixed emotions now on this plane. People around me taking pictures, excited, happy faces ready for what lies behind Gate 1. Am I ready for this? For all of this? Leaving, goodbyes, moving on, exploring, living? I think the emotion I'm feeling most right now is fear. There's no going back. I've made my decisions, there's only forward.
The plane is taking off and I feel as though there are strings pulling me in all directions. The people behind me, the adventure ahead. Although I am afraid, I want to know what I am made of. And so I go forward.
8-19-2012
One week before my journey- 7 days. I'm a well of emotions. Unfortunately, sadness is at the front- followed very closely by excitement- but still sadness is my main emotion these days. It is difficult to remember that a window is open when you're stuck watching a door close in slow motion... For seven more days. Some of the most incredible people I've met have been on this leg of the journey. Ones I'm not ready to live without. I think the fear of never seeing these people weighs heavily on my mind. That such an impact on my life will only be a freckle, a speck of dust in the past, when given time. Amazing to see how time makes everything minute. And it never stops.
One thing I do think about is, if I could stop time, choose one moment to stop time and live in forever, even though I love everything about here right now, I know this wouldn't be where I'd choose to stop moving. I have south growing and changing to do. And though I'm sad to leave and scared of what lies ahead, the thought that I'm not ready to stop growing and changing propels me forward. Gives me hope. It feels now, after writing this and thinking a bit, that my sadness is giving way to something more tangible, something more appreciative. I feel gratitude. To my family, friends, country- old and new, the past, the present, the future. I'm ready.
One thing I do think about is, if I could stop time, choose one moment to stop time and live in forever, even though I love everything about here right now, I know this wouldn't be where I'd choose to stop moving. I have south growing and changing to do. And though I'm sad to leave and scared of what lies ahead, the thought that I'm not ready to stop growing and changing propels me forward. Gives me hope. It feels now, after writing this and thinking a bit, that my sadness is giving way to something more tangible, something more appreciative. I feel gratitude. To my family, friends, country- old and new, the past, the present, the future. I'm ready.
So it begins...
I am now 25 days and 4.5 books into my travels and I've decided to start blogging everything I've been writing in my journal. These are my thoughts and emotions while being in different countries. I've begun to see that every country, every city, just as every person is different. In order to fully appreciate a place for what it is you must go in with an open mind and that's what I will be and have been trying to do. I have loved every place so far for better or worse and hopefully will continue to do so as I move from place to place. I hope anyone that reads this will take to heart that experiences vary from person to person and will still be encouraged to explore and experience these wonderful places on their own, regardless of anyone else's opinion. The world is, more and more everyday, an incredible place. We are lucky as human beings to be able to have adventures of this magnitude, whether in our own backyard, another city, or another country. Maybe the old saying isn't as accurate as we once thought; "A rolling stone gathers no moss." I feel I've gathered my fair share- whether it e people, sights, emotions, things, insights, to prove this untrue, if only for myself. For those reading this that are too timid or intimidated by the world, I would have to say- it is a scary place. But it is also an incredible one. As someone who was intimidated, and honestly terrified, to journey alone, I have found that with the right mindset and outlook, it can be done. And if it's something that weighs you down, always on your mind, do it. You might not find what you're looking for, but you will find what you didn't know you were looking for. Roll on.
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