It’s actually coming to an end! I am sitting here staring
out at the lights of Hanoi
writing my very last blog post. Who knew that 100 days in South
East Asia would fly by so quickly, show us more than we ever
thought possible and teach us to view the world in a completely different
light. I vow to love harder, work harder, smile more often, and appreciate
every small and big thing that I already have in my life. I will always be
thankful when I am able sit down on a toilet (instead of squatting), and
grateful that I don’t have to carry hand sanitizer everywhere. I’m looking
forward to a real cup of tea with my mum, hugging my dad, talking to my sisters,
meeting our niece, planning our wedding, and spending time with family and
friends. Fresh air, water straight from the tap, a cold breeze, and a wardrobe
will never be taken for granted again. So many things to look forward to and
yet so many things I’m not ready to farewell…the people, the children, the
spiritually, the landscape, the food, the colours, and the adrenaline of not knowing
what to expect next. All things must come to an end and the next adventure will
start soon enough…Goodbye South East Asia.
100 Days in South East Asia
Monday, 23 July 2012
Day 96 - 99 Hanoi
Hanoi
is like being on a furious motorbike at high speed, chaotic and colourful,
street life carrying on frantically. The footpath isn’t for walking, it’s for
motorbikes, its for trading, its for food stands, its for locals to sit on tiny
chairs eating Bun Cha while sipping iced coffee. However amongst the fury of
the cities roaring engine, the old quarter and lake area awaits. History,
narrow streets, great restaurants, little boutique shops, and large trees
blocking the burning sun all join the local footpath mall to create an
authentic yet pleasant experience of Hanoi. Mike and I stayed in a great hotel
called Golden Ledged right in the heart of the old quarter. We spent nights
watching the most intense lightening storms we have ever seen while rolling
grilled pork spring rolls and eating banana flower salad. During the day we
weaved our way through the maze (taking small steps and almost closing my eyes
everytime I crossed the road), perspired a couple of rivers and visited many of
the museums including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. Being our last stop we also
decided to invest in some R&R and experience the perfectionism of Hanoi’s day spas for a
next to nothing price. Hanoi
will definitely be a stop in the near future.
Day 90 - 95 Sapa

Sunday, 22 July 2012
Day 84 - 89 Halong Bay

Friday, 20 July 2012
Day 79 - 83 Hoi An
We left too prematurely for our liking. Sun kissed skin, a belly full with the Vietnamese cuisine and bags filled to the brim with our very own personalised fashion boutiques. It definitely wasn't goodbye Hoi An, it was see you again next year (and every year after that, funds permitting). We had heard fantastic things about this beautiful heritage town in central Vietnam, but it still went above and beyond. Nestled on the banks of the river Hoi An is a timeless classic. A mixture of French architecture with a strong ancient Vietnamese influence. The narrow streets are filled with colourful shop fronts, lanterns, vines, and old fashioned bicycles. But one of the major draw cards of this stunning town is the 400+ tailors and shoe makers. You are able to design all of your own clothes, chose your fabrics, and have a perfectly made garment exactly as you requested ready for you the next day. Imagine finding a dream designer dress worth over $1000. You take the picture of the dress to a tailor who takes your measurements and recommends the type of fabric which would work best. You chose the fabric from the millions of samples on the shop floor and come back the next day for a fitting to find an exact replica the has been tailored made for your body. The final touches are made, and you take away your perfectly made personalised dress for $80. Its not only women who become totally addicted to the experience, Mike was a man on a mission and couldn't stop...resulting in 30 items. We spent 5 days there and in between fittings we lounged on the pristine beach ( yes Hoi An is even home to one of the best beaches in Vietnam). We ate some of the best Vietnamese food we have had on the trip, walked through the bustling markets, spent hours on shoe street, explored the surrounding countryside on motorbike, and even had the opportunity to catch up with old friends. Its not only our amazing experience and memories of Hoi An that we hold close it's 11 pairs of hand made leather shoes, 2 suits, 1 wedding suit, 3 pairs of groomsman pants, 4 ties, 4 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 3 dresses, 4 shirts, 3 winter coats...and an extra suitcase. Whoops, we just couldn't stop!!!! (If you ever go to Hoi An and struggle with a choice of tailor, don't miss A Dong Silk)
Saturday, 14 July 2012
Day 78 Night train to Danang (Hoi An)
There were hundreds of people carrying everything but the kitchen sink on the train tracks that night. As the slow old train pulled in at 10pm we were a little anxious to find out who else would be in our 4 berth cabin. Cramped dark corridors illuminated by street light lead us to the locked door of cabin number 7 where we waited. It only took a few minutes until we realised that we had been locked out by our cabin partners who had boarded the train in Ho Chi Minh City. It took another few minutes for our knocks to be answered by stifled groans and the doors opened...I immediately felt terrible as the old lady hobbled back into her bed, at her feet curled a little girl wrapped in a bumble bee towel. On the opposite bed lay another frail little lady with wispy white hair holding her hand up to block the light that flooded in when we opened the door. We quickly and quietly settled on the top bunks and I could sense that Mike was secretly relieved that the people below us would prove to be no threat in the night. It was pretty chilly on our top bunks as we were close to the air con unit. After we managed to put on almost every item of clothing sleep came quite quickly...we would wake up in the morning and be in Danang a few hours later (or so we thought). It was 4.30am when they started and Vietnamese are not quiet communicators...I know my Nana wakes up at this time, but she lays in bed and listens to News talk ZB, QUIETLY!! It was half an hour of what seemed liked heated discussion until the curtains were violently drawn at first light. Then it was food preparation, the kitchen pantry was reviled and breakfast was served consisting of noodles, soup and fruit. Mike and I stared in disbelief as the little bumble bee girl woke for food then fell back into a deep sleep. It was 5.30am and there was no way we were getting any more sleep. The loud conversation continued throughout the morning, music was played, train staff pushed carts of chicken soup through the carriage as we watched central Vietnam unfold. Thats when I truly saw green for the first time. Not one natural thing is ever exactly the same, and that goes for colours. I doubt that any man could ever recreate the colour of a Vietnamese rice paddy boarded by the bluest sky on a hot summers morning, it's simply breathtaking. After admiring the countryside it didn't take much to realize we were running late, we just didn't know it was 7 hours late. That's when the nightmare set in, it was truly frustrating being stuck in that cabin. Bumble bee girl was our inspiration, quiet and well behaved, finding small things to amuse herself, staring patiently out the window. If she could do it so could we...and we did. At 4.30pm that afternoon, 18 hours later we arrived.
Day 74 - 77 Nha Trang

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