We retreated to Koh Tao for a few days, but decided the consistent rain would push us to the west coast. We did, however, reach the epitome of relaxation here with both hammocks strung on the front porch of our bungalow and more than enough time to ignore the reality of impending work that looms overhead. If you didn’t find us in our cocoons, we could have been stuck in the depths of a bean bag or reclined against a Thai cushion enjoying happy hour and the one sunset that the clouds would let us see.
Since Koh Tao is renowned as a diving mecca, we signed up for two dives even though the weather rumored to ruin the visibility. Our first dive site was a cluster of large boulders that is home to a Crayola box of sea anemone and a dozen or so school of fish. We swam up close with groups of batfish, large grouper, barracuda, triggerfish, and other tinier reef fish. Further down we caught three grey reef sharks browsing the plentiful snack options that were swimming amongst us. Because of its bounteous sea life and activity, this dive location was one of our favorite. The second was unfortunately a victim to poor visibility. We were both startled by a suckerfish who attached himself to our legs thinking we were a shark or some other hospitable sea creature. Otherwise, there was not much more to see other than the back of each other’s fins to guarantee that neither of us vanished into the murky abyss.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Koh Pha-Ngan and the Full Moon Party
We took the bus to Laos’ capital, Vientiane, and rested overnight before catching the 14-hour bus to Bangkok. We cannot go without mentioning that our double-decker bus had multi-colored lights and elaborate and quite tacky paintings on the side (it went nicely with the bright pink trim). This was our first overland border crossing—something both of us hadn’t done since separate trips to Tijuana, Mexico. Even though we had to wait and switch to the other side of the road, the transition over the Friendship Bridge and into Thailand went smoothly. We made it to Bangkok at 7 am and were to fly south to Ko Samui the following morning at 6 am. This was our marathon journey down to southern Thailand to make the full moon party on October 26th a few days in advance so that we could secure accommodation and a normal (yea right) sleeping pattern before pulling the infamous all-nighter. Before 5:30 am, we managed to drive 45 minutes out of the way to the wrong airport and make record-breaking time all the way back across the city—just barely making our flight. It was our stressful situation for the week, but hey, we’re in the land of smiles.
By the time we made it to Koh Pha-ngan, it was raining. We have been fortunate to have wonderful weather up to this point so the rain (at first) turned out to be relaxing and tolerable. Somehow we managed to get a bungalow right off the beach at Paradise Bungalows—the original home of the full moon party. While the location was right on Haad Rin, we knew we would pay the price for thumping techno until dawn even days before the main event. A little glimpse into our world on Haad Rin: a bamboo-woven bungalow with fan, cold water, and an abundance of cockroaches, centipedes, and mosquitoes to kill. The toilet “flushes” when you dump water from the nearby bucket into the bowl. One employee goes by Handsome and the other walks around in hot pink fisherman pants with a pet squirrel on a leash. The power cuts on and off sporadically, but the atmosphere was unique and we enjoyed fitting in and making ourselves at home for several days.
Backpackers migrate here once a month to partake in the world’s largest party at that time. The tradition has consumed the island and its popularity has even started up black and half moon parties for those who cannot make that one special day each month. Prices and crowds increase as the date gets closer and the sound of beach party music never seems to leave your head. The most budget beverage of choice here is a Sang Som (Thai rum) bucket. Dozens of stalls and bars sell plastic buckets with a pint of liquor, a can of soda to mix, a small bottle of Red Bull, and about 10 straws (even though no one every uses that many). The key to these buckets is pacing yourself because if you’re not careful, their strength can sneak up on you.
The full moon party kicked off around 9 pm. Fire dancers twirled flames at high speeds, police patrolled the beach, young children sold glow sticks, the main crowd started sipping on buckets, others enjoyed people watching, and the fluorescent colored lights lit up body paint to go along with the insanely loud music. The tide had receded and there was plenty of room to pack on 10,000 or so people around all the action. We both bought matching Nemo hats so that we could keep up with each other. By early morning, some partygoers had called it a night or even opted to pass out on the beach (you know you’ve had too much when you can sleep with thousands of other people dancing to terrible techno). Meanwhile, deceitful lady boys (Thai male prostitutes dressed as women—don’t ask; we don’t understand) are taking advantage of ignorant and intoxicated guys and tons of people from all over the world are dancing to a song that has probably already been played once before. Late into the night we even scored a job behind the bar serving up buckets to the brave and mighty. With the amount of people on the beach at daybreak, you would think it was only 2 am. The gradual light slowly dissolved a party that could have kept going had the sun never risen. Morning, however, was our excuse to sleep, which we didn’t think twice about. We had survived the full moon party and done it well, but it was now time to rest a body that wasn’t used to this rock star lifestyle.
By the time we made it to Koh Pha-ngan, it was raining. We have been fortunate to have wonderful weather up to this point so the rain (at first) turned out to be relaxing and tolerable. Somehow we managed to get a bungalow right off the beach at Paradise Bungalows—the original home of the full moon party. While the location was right on Haad Rin, we knew we would pay the price for thumping techno until dawn even days before the main event. A little glimpse into our world on Haad Rin: a bamboo-woven bungalow with fan, cold water, and an abundance of cockroaches, centipedes, and mosquitoes to kill. The toilet “flushes” when you dump water from the nearby bucket into the bowl. One employee goes by Handsome and the other walks around in hot pink fisherman pants with a pet squirrel on a leash. The power cuts on and off sporadically, but the atmosphere was unique and we enjoyed fitting in and making ourselves at home for several days.
Backpackers migrate here once a month to partake in the world’s largest party at that time. The tradition has consumed the island and its popularity has even started up black and half moon parties for those who cannot make that one special day each month. Prices and crowds increase as the date gets closer and the sound of beach party music never seems to leave your head. The most budget beverage of choice here is a Sang Som (Thai rum) bucket. Dozens of stalls and bars sell plastic buckets with a pint of liquor, a can of soda to mix, a small bottle of Red Bull, and about 10 straws (even though no one every uses that many). The key to these buckets is pacing yourself because if you’re not careful, their strength can sneak up on you.
The full moon party kicked off around 9 pm. Fire dancers twirled flames at high speeds, police patrolled the beach, young children sold glow sticks, the main crowd started sipping on buckets, others enjoyed people watching, and the fluorescent colored lights lit up body paint to go along with the insanely loud music. The tide had receded and there was plenty of room to pack on 10,000 or so people around all the action. We both bought matching Nemo hats so that we could keep up with each other. By early morning, some partygoers had called it a night or even opted to pass out on the beach (you know you’ve had too much when you can sleep with thousands of other people dancing to terrible techno). Meanwhile, deceitful lady boys (Thai male prostitutes dressed as women—don’t ask; we don’t understand) are taking advantage of ignorant and intoxicated guys and tons of people from all over the world are dancing to a song that has probably already been played once before. Late into the night we even scored a job behind the bar serving up buckets to the brave and mighty. With the amount of people on the beach at daybreak, you would think it was only 2 am. The gradual light slowly dissolved a party that could have kept going had the sun never risen. Morning, however, was our excuse to sleep, which we didn’t think twice about. We had survived the full moon party and done it well, but it was now time to rest a body that wasn’t used to this rock star lifestyle.
Vang Vieng
Lonely Planet has named Vang Vieng a backpacker’s writ of passage, and rightfully so. Like Thailand’s full moon party on Koh Pha-ngan, backpackers from all over the world make an effort to come here (but thankfully, not all at the same time). The town is merely a small intersection lined with cheap guesthouses offering $4 rooms and bars that play commercial-free re-runs of Friends all day, everyday. All of a sudden, we’ve watched 15 episodes of Friends and eaten lunch and dinner without moving. I swear it was just light outside. The concept is socially antisocial because at almost all hours of the day a bar will be packed with people, but none of them are talking to each other. All seating in these restaurants only faces the TV and is in reclining positions with tons of cushions. We’re not sure why the obsession with Friends caught on here, but no one seems to be complaining. As a matter of fact, if it’s not playing, the bars are empty. Walking down the street you can easily catch one of Ross and Rachel’s arguments blaring two doors down or Joey’s classic, “How you doin?” We just couldn’t get enough...
The other thing to do in Vang Vieng is equally as fun and lazy. We rented inner tubes in the early afternoon and a tuk tuk dropped us off 5 km up the river. For the first time (really since we’ve started traveling), we met a group of Americans who joined us on our journey down the river. There were ten bars over the 3-mile stretch. We were lured into bar #1 by guys with bamboo poles that they would stick out for us to grab. The country’s national beverage, Beerlao, was only $1 and came in over a ½ liter bottle so we new it would be impossible to make all ten bars. Regardless, it was fun to stop and swing on the high zip lines or swings that surprisingly managed to stay in tact with their rickety bamboo structures. The current on the river was a little more than we expected, but that wasn’t a problem for the bar owners who would throw out a bottle on a string or even swim out to get you if there initial strategy failed. Unfortunately, time flew by and we found ourselves tubing the last little bit in the dark. Thankfully though, some kids ran out into the water to stop us because otherwise we would have slowly made our way to Vientiane (4 hours by bus and who knows how long by tube).
Vang Vieng is one of our favorite places. Aside from its mindless activity and leisurely lifestyle that has backpacker written all over it, the small and simple town was a break from cultural immersion and temple visits, which is perfect every now and then when the world becomes a list of dos and don’ts.
The other thing to do in Vang Vieng is equally as fun and lazy. We rented inner tubes in the early afternoon and a tuk tuk dropped us off 5 km up the river. For the first time (really since we’ve started traveling), we met a group of Americans who joined us on our journey down the river. There were ten bars over the 3-mile stretch. We were lured into bar #1 by guys with bamboo poles that they would stick out for us to grab. The country’s national beverage, Beerlao, was only $1 and came in over a ½ liter bottle so we new it would be impossible to make all ten bars. Regardless, it was fun to stop and swing on the high zip lines or swings that surprisingly managed to stay in tact with their rickety bamboo structures. The current on the river was a little more than we expected, but that wasn’t a problem for the bar owners who would throw out a bottle on a string or even swim out to get you if there initial strategy failed. Unfortunately, time flew by and we found ourselves tubing the last little bit in the dark. Thankfully though, some kids ran out into the water to stop us because otherwise we would have slowly made our way to Vientiane (4 hours by bus and who knows how long by tube).
Vang Vieng is one of our favorite places. Aside from its mindless activity and leisurely lifestyle that has backpacker written all over it, the small and simple town was a break from cultural immersion and temple visits, which is perfect every now and then when the world becomes a list of dos and don’ts.
Luang Prabang
Ah, Luang Prabang. The sigh of relief came naturally when we realized this quaint town was much like Hoi An (maybe even better). We opted to fly into Laos since apparently the only other option to the northern part of the country was by sawngthaew. While it appears fancy, the word means converted pickup truck. We may be “roughing” it, we did not consider jostling our bodies on metal benches with minimal protection for the supposed 10-hour journey from the Vietnamese-Laos border. Flying in we got a glimpse of the countryside—emerald green forests with rugged limestone mountains that live in harmony with tall palms and native tribes.
The night market off of the main street sells a variety of handicrafts from soft cotton souvenir t-shirts to handmade textiles and Lao silk scarves and wall hangings. All of the items laid out on red cloth and neatly folded displayed a wide array of bold and bright colors. Luckily, there is no buyer’s remorse here because any purchase you make is considered lucky to the seller. We realized this when Katie bought a pair of fisherman pants and the woman took her money and touched each remaining item with the bills before placing them in her pocket.
The main street was lined with outdoor seating at cafes to treat the sweet tooth and delicious restaurants specializing in Lao cuisine. The first night we sat on bean bags at a wine bar and sipped on a nice drop, which was something we hadn’t enjoyed since our time in Brisbane.
We spent a day in Luang Prabang exploring the town’s wats (Buddhist temples) by bicycle. We started off at the most impressive one, which sits at the end of the peninsula where the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers meet. Wat Xieng Thong was built in 1560 and is covered primarily in colorful mosaics and gold leaf painting. We kept with tradition and wore appropriate clothing, took off our shoes before entering, and only addressed the monks with a bow and prayer-like gesture. That afternoon we did our part for charity and enjoyed an hour-long massage at the Red Cross.
The following day we went to the All Lao Elephant Camp and enjoyed an hour long elephant ride through dense jungle. We walked through creeks, knee-deep mud, and even got several feet deep in the river. Both of us got to ride on the back of his neck and get plenty wet when he playfully splashed his trunk in the river. As a thank-you we bought two banana bushels and spoiled our elephant for her hard work. After lunch we boarded a bamboo raft and floated down the river to the Tad Sae waterfalls. However, it wasn’t that simple. The raft barely floated and somehow managed to fit six passengers who all sat on black inner tubes since the 28 bamboo sticks were submerged underwater. For the hour long ride down the river we were all killing or flicking a number of creepy crawlers that decided to come out of the woodwork. Brady found two snails suctioned to her body and spiders, beetles, crickets, lizards, and other many-legged creatures snuck up on us from all angles. While the water was a bit chilly, we enjoyed hopping from one waterfall tier to the other. On the way back to town, we drove through two rural villages and got a glimpse of their thatched hut lifestyle and lack of modern amenities that most Laos people live without.
Before catching our bus to Vang Vieng, we woke up at 6 am to partake in the daily routine of feeding the monks. We bought a bowl of sticky rice, bananas, and other food items and set up a mat to await their arrival. They walk down the main street in a single-file line with a canister that each person fills with a pinch of rice and whatever else they had to give. As women, it was respectful for us to kneel when giving them food. At the end of the procession, the monks put all of the offerings together and split it evenly.
Those who visit Laos say the tourist experience is similar to what a visit to Thailand or Vietnam would have been like 15 years ago. As one of the world’s most bombed countries, Laos is also Earth’s least developed country. We would realize the latter on the long and windy bus ride south. Despite that tragedy, the mixture of an untouched and serene geography with their warm and genuine people has made Laos one of our favorite countries...already.
The night market off of the main street sells a variety of handicrafts from soft cotton souvenir t-shirts to handmade textiles and Lao silk scarves and wall hangings. All of the items laid out on red cloth and neatly folded displayed a wide array of bold and bright colors. Luckily, there is no buyer’s remorse here because any purchase you make is considered lucky to the seller. We realized this when Katie bought a pair of fisherman pants and the woman took her money and touched each remaining item with the bills before placing them in her pocket.
The main street was lined with outdoor seating at cafes to treat the sweet tooth and delicious restaurants specializing in Lao cuisine. The first night we sat on bean bags at a wine bar and sipped on a nice drop, which was something we hadn’t enjoyed since our time in Brisbane.
We spent a day in Luang Prabang exploring the town’s wats (Buddhist temples) by bicycle. We started off at the most impressive one, which sits at the end of the peninsula where the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers meet. Wat Xieng Thong was built in 1560 and is covered primarily in colorful mosaics and gold leaf painting. We kept with tradition and wore appropriate clothing, took off our shoes before entering, and only addressed the monks with a bow and prayer-like gesture. That afternoon we did our part for charity and enjoyed an hour-long massage at the Red Cross.
The following day we went to the All Lao Elephant Camp and enjoyed an hour long elephant ride through dense jungle. We walked through creeks, knee-deep mud, and even got several feet deep in the river. Both of us got to ride on the back of his neck and get plenty wet when he playfully splashed his trunk in the river. As a thank-you we bought two banana bushels and spoiled our elephant for her hard work. After lunch we boarded a bamboo raft and floated down the river to the Tad Sae waterfalls. However, it wasn’t that simple. The raft barely floated and somehow managed to fit six passengers who all sat on black inner tubes since the 28 bamboo sticks were submerged underwater. For the hour long ride down the river we were all killing or flicking a number of creepy crawlers that decided to come out of the woodwork. Brady found two snails suctioned to her body and spiders, beetles, crickets, lizards, and other many-legged creatures snuck up on us from all angles. While the water was a bit chilly, we enjoyed hopping from one waterfall tier to the other. On the way back to town, we drove through two rural villages and got a glimpse of their thatched hut lifestyle and lack of modern amenities that most Laos people live without.
Before catching our bus to Vang Vieng, we woke up at 6 am to partake in the daily routine of feeding the monks. We bought a bowl of sticky rice, bananas, and other food items and set up a mat to await their arrival. They walk down the main street in a single-file line with a canister that each person fills with a pinch of rice and whatever else they had to give. As women, it was respectful for us to kneel when giving them food. At the end of the procession, the monks put all of the offerings together and split it evenly.
Those who visit Laos say the tourist experience is similar to what a visit to Thailand or Vietnam would have been like 15 years ago. As one of the world’s most bombed countries, Laos is also Earth’s least developed country. We would realize the latter on the long and windy bus ride south. Despite that tragedy, the mixture of an untouched and serene geography with their warm and genuine people has made Laos one of our favorite countries...already.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Hanoi and Halong Bay
Hanoi is the capital city and a busy, crowded image of the little things we’ve noticed that make up Vietnam. Women are crouched over in a balancing act, carrying heavy baskets full of anything and everything with a wooden bar over the back of their shoulders. Young men sit on the back of their motorbikes waving and signaling for your attention for the chance to be your personal chauffer. Meanwhile, at all hours of the day you can find people sitting on teeny, backless plastic chairs crowded around miniature tables eating whatever local food is being cooked street side—noodle soup (pho), whole fish, or even steamed, fertilized duck egg (hot vit lon). If that isn’t tempting, food stalls or push carts sell dried squid, baguettes, large wontons, fruits and vegetables, or again, almost anything you can or can’t imagine. Other women are squatting in an uncomfortable-looking position in order to organize their produce for sale on the ground of a busy street or market. Motorbikes continue to honk and whiz by, some with oversized cargo strapped to the back seat. We enjoy playing spot the random object on the motorbike. So far we’ve witnessed a door frame, a melting block of ice, a family of four, and 6-foot long rolls of foam. We’ve even heard stories of cows and pigs riding on the backseat. Since we’re so close to China, shops here (and not the rest of Vietnam) are full of plastic crap, to be honest. We went to the three-story market expecting to come out with empty pockets, but quickly realized everything was “Made in China” and either plastic hairclips, toys, or junk that is mass produced and sprinkled all over the world. In other words, it was worse than Wal-Mart. Other shops in the area, though, feature ethnic styles from the northern region of Sapa. Either way, in almost every store or hotel corner, you’re guaranteed to find a religious shrine with red lights, burning incense, small gifts, and the statue of a god or photographs of ancestors.
We took an overnight boat trip of Halong Bay to escape the “organized” chaos that is Hanoi. We booked our tour with Sinh Café, a backpacker’s travel agency throughout Vietnam. T
heir success in the country has lead almost every single travel agency to copy the name and logo as an attempt to attract more business. We caught on quickly when every other booking agent claimed to be the “real” Sinh Café. We were fortunate to have a business card from Hoi An with the correct address. We boarded a typical, wooden Halong bay junk (boat) with three stories and a pagoda-like design. We lucked out with nice weather since northern Vietnam had just endured two grueling typhoons during the two weeks we were here. Vietnam’s most famous World Heritage Site and its biggest tourist destination, Halong Bay means descending dragon because of its 2,000+ islands of irregular shaped limestone formations that jut out of the ocean. Floating through the protruding rock cliffs was serene and mystical and its hazy and silent demeanor in the early morning was eerie. We stopped at two caves with probably fifty other junks, which made us realize this beautiful, natural site has been consumed by tourism. Lying out on the top deck and kayaking around smaller islands helped distract us from this unfortunate reality. There are floating communities in Halong Bay with families residing in old, small wooden boats and working on fish farms. They also enjoy the perks of small sales thanks to the daily foreigners that drop in. We stayed on board overnight with a group of about 15 and returned to Halong City the following morning.
Vietnam presented us with a bunch of new experiences and introduced us to a not-so-Western way of life. We've seen a variety of amazing places and enjoyed sampling the cuisine. Overall, you can say Vietnam left a great taste in our mouth.
We took an overnight boat trip of Halong Bay to escape the “organized” chaos that is Hanoi. We booked our tour with Sinh Café, a backpacker’s travel agency throughout Vietnam. T
heir success in the country has lead almost every single travel agency to copy the name and logo as an attempt to attract more business. We caught on quickly when every other booking agent claimed to be the “real” Sinh Café. We were fortunate to have a business card from Hoi An with the correct address. We boarded a typical, wooden Halong bay junk (boat) with three stories and a pagoda-like design. We lucked out with nice weather since northern Vietnam had just endured two grueling typhoons during the two weeks we were here. Vietnam’s most famous World Heritage Site and its biggest tourist destination, Halong Bay means descending dragon because of its 2,000+ islands of irregular shaped limestone formations that jut out of the ocean. Floating through the protruding rock cliffs was serene and mystical and its hazy and silent demeanor in the early morning was eerie. We stopped at two caves with probably fifty other junks, which made us realize this beautiful, natural site has been consumed by tourism. Lying out on the top deck and kayaking around smaller islands helped distract us from this unfortunate reality. There are floating communities in Halong Bay with families residing in old, small wooden boats and working on fish farms. They also enjoy the perks of small sales thanks to the daily foreigners that drop in. We stayed on board overnight with a group of about 15 and returned to Halong City the following morning.Vietnam presented us with a bunch of new experiences and introduced us to a not-so-Western way of life. We've seen a variety of amazing places and enjoyed sampling the cuisine. Overall, you can say Vietnam left a great taste in our mouth.
Tomorrow, we're off to Laos!
Hoi An
Hoi An’s uneven streets are lined with yellow stucco buildings whose chipped paint and decay add to the old town’s character and charm. Every other building is a tailor shop displaying the latest fashions and their ability to recreate almost any style to fit you. Custom-fit clothes designed to our liking were hard to turn down, so we didn’t. We both got fitted for winter jackets and suits—a small touch of reality for what’s to come in the next few months. We denied that fact, however, and enjoyed picking out fabrics, liners, and getting measured, which was also a nice escape from the blistering heat.
We wandered through the large covered market, which kept away the hot sun by draping torn cloths together. Hundreds of Vietnamese women sold everything from cultured pearls to dead (but fresh) fish to dragon fruit and underwear. The mixture of humidity and dried seafood stench made us gag and forced us to turn around and exit quickly, gasping for fresh air. French colonialism is most evident in Hoi An with an influence on the town’s architecture, cuisine and cafes that beckon the weary traveler. The shaded outdoor seating is perfect to escape the midday sun and enjoy a refreshing fruit shake or cocktail (it always seems to be happy hour somewhere). At night these cafes and quaint restaurants are decorated with large lanterns that provide dim, but colorful light and a relaxing ambiance. At any time of day, we enjoyed sitting on the balcony or patio to rest our feet and watch the world go by.
We took a half-day trip 35km outside of Hoi An to visit My Son (mee-sun). These Cham empire ruins date back to the 7th century. Though some areas were damaged from bombs during the war, there are still remnants of the ancient lifestyle with red brick temples, religious statues, and intricate stone carvings.
We wandered through the large covered market, which kept away the hot sun by draping torn cloths together. Hundreds of Vietnamese women sold everything from cultured pearls to dead (but fresh) fish to dragon fruit and underwear. The mixture of humidity and dried seafood stench made us gag and forced us to turn around and exit quickly, gasping for fresh air. French colonialism is most evident in Hoi An with an influence on the town’s architecture, cuisine and cafes that beckon the weary traveler. The shaded outdoor seating is perfect to escape the midday sun and enjoy a refreshing fruit shake or cocktail (it always seems to be happy hour somewhere). At night these cafes and quaint restaurants are decorated with large lanterns that provide dim, but colorful light and a relaxing ambiance. At any time of day, we enjoyed sitting on the balcony or patio to rest our feet and watch the world go by.
We took a half-day trip 35km outside of Hoi An to visit My Son (mee-sun). These Cham empire ruins date back to the 7th century. Though some areas were damaged from bombs during the war, there are still remnants of the ancient lifestyle with red brick temples, religious statues, and intricate stone carvings.
Nha Trang
We arrived in Nha Trang after a 10-hour bus ride through rural Vietnam—rice paddies, salt mines, coastal villages, and roaming livestock. The Lonely Planet let us down here. We picked a hotel and dive shop—one that had been closed and the other that had moved 3 years ago (so much for an up-to-date guidebook). We opted to take the advice of a tout whose $8 room with pretty pictures was appealing. In order to check it out, we took our first motorbike ride, propping our giant body bags (read: backpacks in black airport covers) over the handlebars and clutching to the back. We met two Aussie girls at the trendy, but budget bar Guava. Over a delicious frozen bellini, they advised us to sign up for the famous Mama Linh’s boat trip the following day. Mama Linh is the successor to Mama Hanh whose tremendous success (thanks to some free substances onboard) put her on house arrest in the late 1990s by the communist government. The boat was full of 30 people from all over the world: Russia, America, Canada, Israel, Ireland, Germany, and Asia. We left the marina at 8 am and headed to Mun Island first where we jumped off the boat’s roof and watched others snorkel since the tiny jellyfish were itchy and irritating. 
The second stop was Mot Island where we had a huge lunch spread out for us banquet style in the middle of the boat. Afterwards the house band, Pots n’ Pans, played international music to get everyone singing and dancing. Turns out, they should have done this after the floating bar. We hopped in the water and they gave everyone inner tubes and a small glass that never seemed to be empty thanks to the bartender that floated around with us. He would suction tiny cups to his pecks and chant the Vietnamese version of bottoms up: “Yo! (Vietnamese for Cheers) Up your bum...don’t tell your mum...no babies!” He was hilarious and kept all of us laughing since the local red wine he was pouring made us grimace; we only swallowed it because it was free. Tam Island was our third stop for the day. We passed up water sports for a cold Tiger Beer to keep the mid-afternoon buzz going. We opened up a second, makeshift floating bar instead of visiting the aquarium. Several other people thought it was a better idea and joined us as well. We rejoined our group at Guava that evening to top off a really fun day.
We were up early again for our second boat trip in two days, this time with Rainbow Divers—Vietnam’s most well-known diver operator. On our first dive we spotted a moray eel, but the other reef life was familiar from previous dives. It was nice, however, to be able to recognize and identify fish and coral underwater. The second dive included a swim-through cave with a current that pushed you back and then forcing you out, shooting you through a wall of small fish. Both dives struggled with visibility since a typhoon had recently passed through the area, but it was great to add a couple more to our log. That afternoon we took a motorbike ride out of town to soak in the mud baths and hot springs. We even added a massage to the mix for a total of less than $10. The massage was perfect; however, halfway through you could tell she was using her elbows and knees to knead particular muscles. Then she started walking on our backs with the help of a bar on the ceiling. It was quite relaxing, but we’re sure that we wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face if we had actually seen her do this. The following day we continued to pamper ourselves with a French pedicure and foot scrub (they needed it!). This was necessary since we needed to kill time before our overnight bus left for Hoi An.
We got ripped off by a couple of motorbike drivers while trying to get a quick bite to eat before our bus left. They said the ride was 15,000; but when handed a 50 they quickly changed the price and refused to give change since the two numbers sound conveniently similar in a Vietnamese accent. From speaking with other travelers, we learned that this tactic is more than common and it’s pointless to argue with them. We’ve come to the realization that for every good deal here, there is also a rip-off. Fortunately, it was not a large sum of money, but for a $22/day budget, it was dinner. We were rushed to catch the bus and dine on bread, cheese, and moon pies that we picked up at our gas station stop. An Ambien and a nice reclining chair passed the 12-hour bus ride perfectly. The only time we woke up was when we had already arrived.
The second stop was Mot Island where we had a huge lunch spread out for us banquet style in the middle of the boat. Afterwards the house band, Pots n’ Pans, played international music to get everyone singing and dancing. Turns out, they should have done this after the floating bar. We hopped in the water and they gave everyone inner tubes and a small glass that never seemed to be empty thanks to the bartender that floated around with us. He would suction tiny cups to his pecks and chant the Vietnamese version of bottoms up: “Yo! (Vietnamese for Cheers) Up your bum...don’t tell your mum...no babies!” He was hilarious and kept all of us laughing since the local red wine he was pouring made us grimace; we only swallowed it because it was free. Tam Island was our third stop for the day. We passed up water sports for a cold Tiger Beer to keep the mid-afternoon buzz going. We opened up a second, makeshift floating bar instead of visiting the aquarium. Several other people thought it was a better idea and joined us as well. We rejoined our group at Guava that evening to top off a really fun day.We were up early again for our second boat trip in two days, this time with Rainbow Divers—Vietnam’s most well-known diver operator. On our first dive we spotted a moray eel, but the other reef life was familiar from previous dives. It was nice, however, to be able to recognize and identify fish and coral underwater. The second dive included a swim-through cave with a current that pushed you back and then forcing you out, shooting you through a wall of small fish. Both dives struggled with visibility since a typhoon had recently passed through the area, but it was great to add a couple more to our log. That afternoon we took a motorbike ride out of town to soak in the mud baths and hot springs. We even added a massage to the mix for a total of less than $10. The massage was perfect; however, halfway through you could tell she was using her elbows and knees to knead particular muscles. Then she started walking on our backs with the help of a bar on the ceiling. It was quite relaxing, but we’re sure that we wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face if we had actually seen her do this. The following day we continued to pamper ourselves with a French pedicure and foot scrub (they needed it!). This was necessary since we needed to kill time before our overnight bus left for Hoi An.
We got ripped off by a couple of motorbike drivers while trying to get a quick bite to eat before our bus left. They said the ride was 15,000; but when handed a 50 they quickly changed the price and refused to give change since the two numbers sound conveniently similar in a Vietnamese accent. From speaking with other travelers, we learned that this tactic is more than common and it’s pointless to argue with them. We’ve come to the realization that for every good deal here, there is also a rip-off. Fortunately, it was not a large sum of money, but for a $22/day budget, it was dinner. We were rushed to catch the bus and dine on bread, cheese, and moon pies that we picked up at our gas station stop. An Ambien and a nice reclining chair passed the 12-hour bus ride perfectly. The only time we woke up was when we had already arrived.
Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta
We flew Tiger Airways to Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon), stopping in Singapore for several hours since it is a point-to-point, budget airline. We had to laugh at what they called a budget terminal with the tagline: Enjoy the difference (read: you get what you pay for). Our first challenge in Vietnam was crossing the street. It is no exaggeration to say that there are over 1 million motorbikes in Saigon, all of which seem to be dodging you as you attempt to make it across the road alive. It proved to be a slow and unnerving process, but we gradually got the hang of it. Just to clarify, there are no crosswalks or traffic police; therefore, the life threatening situation is inevitable—it’s a survival of the fittest.Our first order of business was a treasure hunt for a 1970s gas tank for BJ’s motorbike. We found the piece with little hassle thanks to some local advice, clear diagrams and photos. The hardest part, actually, was getting to the post office to mail it back to Australia. Since the taxi driver did not speak English, we resorted pointing at the word in the key phrases section of our Lonely Planet. We made an attempt at pronouncing it, but the mixture of a southern accent and a foreign, tonal language ended up being a communication disaster. The same word can be pronounced ten different ways, and therefore, have that many meanings. For all we know, we could have asked him to take us to the fart or light switch instead of the post office. Nevertheless, we made it and posting something was a piece of cake compared to the chaotic bureaucracy in India.
The following day we arranged a day trip to the Mekong Delta, where the rich nutrients from the Mekong River are deposited at the mouth of the South China Sea.
We visited the towns of Mytho and Ben Tre, both of which are benefiting from the economic opportunities the delta provides. We crossed the [very brown] river by boat to one of the delta’s islands, stopping at a floating fish farm to see thousands of (soon-to-be-sushi) fish harvested in small confinements. On the island we were treated to tastings at a honey bee farm and coconut candy workshop. Two American men on our tour were former soldiers 40 years ago returning to Vietnam, this time for different reasons. One mentioned that the scenery triggered flashbacks—something we cannot imagine. After lunch we took a row boat along a winding creek that cut through the island. As we floated along the water, we were surrounded by lush green vegetation and enormous palm leaves. The experience was complete with two cone-shaped Vietnamese straw hats that we wore in order to blend in more with the locals (it didn’t work). On our return to Saigon, we rode a boat back up the river and got a glimpse of life along the water. Hundreds of boats travel up and down the waterway daily transporting anything from massive tons of dirt to several thousand pieces of fruit. The people in the area thrive on the benefits of the delta and it’s proximity to Saigon—perfect for supply and demand.For our full day in Ho Chi Minh City we opted to go sight-seeing and market shopping. Sight-seeing included a stop at the War Museum and a walk by their version of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Reunification Palace. The War Museum was a horrific collection of photos taken during the Vietnam War (which they call the American War). It was a tribute to the photojournalists and soldiers on all sides whose fates were determined by the brutality of the war. A large group of people wandered through the museum at the same time we did, staring at the gruesome photos and reading their captions, which left most everyone speechless. The Reunification Palace still looks the same it did on the day in 1975 when it was seized by the Viet Cong (and communism won). Surprisingly, when asked by locals where we are from, we’ve only received warm welcomes when they hear America and sometimes even a thumb’s up.
After we waited out a torrential downpour, we pressed on to the famous Ben Thanh market where we found very good imitation designer items for more than reasonable prices. Hundreds of stalls were packed with Lacoste polos, silk scarves, token Vietnamese souvenirs, Gucci purses, sunglasses, food, toiletries, and almost anything you could ever need.
Cairns, Cape Tribulation, and Darwin
We arrived in Cairns in time to celebrate our final Oz Experience, so to speak, at the famous backpacker bar The Woolshed. Lucky for us, we ran into our favorite bus driver, Greg, who happened to have a VIP membership to the bar entitling him to free drinks all night long. He was kind enough to share this privilege with us since our funds were running low against the Aussie dollar. Too keep a long night short; we’ll jump to 3 am. Being the responsible backpacker that Laura is, upon exiting the cab she screamed, “Where are our backpacks?! What happened to them?!” (even though they had been safely locked in our dorm room for several hours). Then, after adamantly denying she had eaten any pizza (in order to get more), Laura found herself thinking the men’s restroom was our hostel room. Needles to say, the night justified a late morning feast at McDonald’s (we’re not proud). We spent the remainder of the day exploring Cairns and its one million tacky souvenir shops and dive/tour operators. The next day we jumped on board a bus that drove and sounded like a tractor, but nonetheless, took us north to Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation. We had a brief breakfast stop in star-studded Port Douglas, which is well-known for its upscale holiday options and posh dining venues. Further along the windy Captain Cook Highway, we stopped at Mossman Gorge. Our scenic walk around lush rainforest and moss-covered boulders prompted the question, “How do rocks grow?” by a brilliant American study-abroad student. She went to Duke (just kidding). While we wish we could have spent more time here, we were unfortunately whisked away to lunch at Cape Tribulation where we enjoyed a makeshift picnic on the beach. We stayed at the Cape Trib Beach House, which reminded us of summer camp since the bunk bed-filled cabins were surrounded by the rainforest. North Queensland is home to the most dangerous bird in Australia, the cassowary, which can disembowel a human even though it diets on rainforest fruits. Every time we heard a rustle in the leaves, we feared an attack by this ostrich-sized bird. Caution signs line the roads about every 1km, but we were never graced with their presence. We did, however, see a rare tree kangaroo perched on top of an indigenous circular palm tree (how geeky does that sentence sound?). Cape Tribulation is unique in that it is the only location in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage sights meet: the rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. The second day of our tour included a crocodile safari along the Daintree River. Fortunate to have another eagle-eye guide, our cruise spotted 6 crocs—one measuring over 4 meters long! The following day we said goodbye to Queensland and flew to Darwin for two reasons: their famous 2 liter stubbie (oversized beer bottle) and our gateway to Southeast Asia. Darwin, however, was a little bit of a letdown compared to the rest of Australia. The sweltering heat and humidity put us inside craving the air-conditioning or a cold shower. The well-known Kakadu National Park is relatively close, but dwindling funds kept us wandering the one-street, 3-block town instead. It was not, however, a distraction from the wonderful time we had exploring the rest of the country. We can’t pinpoint whether or not Oz is an English version of the US or an American version of England, but in its own right, Australia has its own island personality and ambiable character that continues to lure travelers from all over the world.Farewell meat pies, hello white rice...Goodbye Aussie life and Good Morning Vietnam!
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