kez & hay travels 06

If we thought there were thousands of motorbikes in Ha Noi, there were millions here, weaving in and out of buses, bikes and pedestrians.  Sometimes it was safer to be on a bike than be at the mercy of a motorbike rider! 
We visited the War Remnant Museum which contained countless artifacts and horrific photographs documenting war crimes during the Vietnamese war.  Part of the Museum was dedicated to all the war journalists and photographers, and there was also graphic dispays showing the appalling effects of Agent Orange then and today.   This was the most shocking and clear picture that we had seen of the horror that was this war.  

From here we set off to the Mekong Delta and spent a couple of days messing around on the river.  We visited a few floating villages, including an ethnic minority muslim village.  We were shown how they produce the sweets and clothing they sell.  A random tourist attraction was meeting their pet python which didn't go down too well with Hayley and Kerry!

We then said our goodbyes to Vietnam as we headed for the Cambodia border crossing.

After a bit of a break from our blog. its about time we recounted what we have done for the past month. 
We left Ha Noi for Hué, a small citadel town which happened to be kicking off their 2 week festival a day after we arrived.  We never found out what the festival (which takes place every other year) actually celebrates, but it meant a big party atmosphere with fireworks, free beer and lots and lots of people.  It also meant that prices went up to capital city level and thus meant we only stayed a couple of nights.  We went on a tour to the DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) which included a look round the Vinh Moc tunnels.  These were a network of underground tunnels constructed and used by the villagers of Vinh Moc in order to escape the bombings which were going on overhead.  62 families lived here for 5 years, and 17 babies were born here.  We also stopped off at the Ben Hai bridge crossing the river which marked the official border between North and South Vietnam.  

Next stop was the beautiful town of Hoi An, a well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century.  And also famous for its tailor shops - which Kerry took full advantage of!  After buying a whole new wardrobe and sending it home (warning parents!), we worked hard at relaxing at the nearby beach. 
Thinking we needed more practice at this we moved on to the beachside town of Nha Trang, just in time to watch England's first footie match. We also went to our first Full Moon party on the beach which was like something out of Ibiza. - Enough said!

We headed onto Da Lat, a mountain top town where Vietnamese honeymooners go.  With this in mind we were quite disappointed when we arrived to neon lights and kitchy souvenir stalls.  It was only after we left the town that we found that the beauty of Da Lat lies in the surrounding area.  The town was used as a French retreat during colonial times, and we lost count of how many churches were there, including a Cathedral.  In the evening we met up with the 2 Irish lads we initially met in Mongolia and did the typical tourist thing in Da Lat - go tandem riding! 

Hanoi would seem a relaxed, easy going city, if it wasn't for the millions of motorbikes zipping in and out continuously all day.  Despite this fact we decided to hire bikes and join this frenzy, our experience biking in Beijing had made us ultra confident.  We visited the Temple of Literature, which is dedicated to doctors of Literature, and where hopeful students go to pray before an exam.

Next day we went on a tour to Ha long Bay for 3 days.  We boarded our boat which reminded us of the Agatha Christie boat from "Death on the Nile", and chugged along to the Bay.  We spent the day exploring the islets from the boat, visiting a huge cave, swimming and kayaking in the water. At night we slept on the boat, in a cabin with a window that opened onto the beautiful scenery.  We stargazed on deck and took in the tranquility of the night.

Woken up abruptly at 6.00 for breakfast and then given 10 minutes to pack our bags and leave boat.  We had arrived at Cat Ba Island.  Checked into our accommodation and for some reason still unknown to us, we had agreed to go trekking yet again, and to top it off we started at 8.00!  However this time it was more like trekking/rockclimbing as we climbed to the peak of the island.  By the time we got back to our hotel we had vowed never to go trekking again, ever.

Returned to the mainland via boat the next day, and arrived in Hanoi by the evening.

Kerry's birthday the next day and after checking in to a great youth hostel and pigging out on a big breakfast we left for the Sofitel Metropole.  Mission was to get in and use their swimming pool posing as guests.  We did quite well as it was only when we had settled onto the sun loungers, sipping fruit cocktails that the bar manager asked for our room numbers, and then told us that the pool is for guest use only.  Using the "but its my birthday" excuse we were able to come to a compromise which meant we could stay on the sun loungers but not use the pool.  The temptation became too much in the scorching heat, and we left for another hotel where we spent the day by the poolside (and in the pool as well).  In the evening we went to a restaurant which takes street kids of the street and trains them up to be first class chefs and waiters.  The food and atmosphere were excellent and it made it feel even nicer that we were helping a good cause by pigging out.  All in all a great day.

Up at 06.00 for a 3 hour journey to the Vietnamese border in an extra large tuk-tuk which should have held a maximum of 20 people but crammed 30 of us in, along with bags of grain and coconuts which Kerry had to sit on for the whole journey.  We were joined by 4 other travellers, and at the border we walked across to the Vietnamese check-point which was in the middle of nowhere.  Once we had filled in a few forms, been searched and explained that a tampon was not an illegal substance, we had no choice but to make a hair-raising journey on the back of a motorbike, with our bags strapped to the back of the bike or between the legs of the driver.  If we were lucky we got a helmet!  Hayley's driver was a 14 year old joyrider who seemed to believe this 1.5 hour trip should be turned into a race with the other drivers!  We would have appreciated the wonderful scenery as we raced through valleys, but were occupied with praying that our life wouldn't end there!  The drivers took us to a small village, to a parked minibus which was marked for Hanoi.  Here, with the help of the other travellers, we spent 40 minutes trying to bargain our way down from 30 US dollars for a ride to Hanoi - we eventually got down to 15 US dollars. So from 13.00 to 18.30 we were squashed into this bus with 30 plus degrees beating down on us.  Little did we know that the bus was not actually destined for Hanoi but a town en route.  We were quickly herded onto another small bus which then drove for 3 hours to Hanoi.  Once at our destination, after 15 hours travelling, only one toilet stop (don't ask!) and no food,  we fell out of the bus and waited for the driver to get our bags from the boot.  Only he didn't, well not until we paid him more money.  Problem was none of us had anymore money and eventually he grew weary of us and realised he wasn't going to get blood out of a stone.  We eventually arrived at a hostel with our bags at 22.00 and collapsed with mental exhaustion - welcome to Vietnam!!