Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Wednesday, January 31st 2007End of the month...wow, already? I haven't seen Long for a couple of days... Seems strange. I'm sure I'll bump into him soon. I spoke to an old colleague of mine on the phone today. To be frank I don't remember him and he doesn't remember me either. But Lorraine urges me in an email to contact Andreas who worked as the Catering Manager at the Sydney Olympics for the MPC (Main Press Center) which became the MMC (Main Media Center) for Paralympics. I was only at that venue for the few weeks over the Paralympics and never really got to meet all the team. Reg of course, and Lorraine, and many others but not the catering manager. Anyway, Andreas has been living in Hanoi for 16 months or so. He's Austrian and I'm catching up with him on Friday.
That's the funny thing with event people. No matter if you know them or not,
you know that you are part of the same family. That somehow you'll understand each other in that respect. So as soon as he finds out I'm in town, he urges me to contact him and catch up. So Friday it is. And as he's working for Sheraton in Catering as well, I'm pretty sure he knows his way around town. Tells me I HAVE TO go to Sapa. He went before Xmas to find himself he says. Says it's just amazing. One of the last untouched areas here and only for another couple of years. "Did you find yourself?" I ask. He laughs: "I left myself there I think." I'll get more information on that when I see him.In truth I tell Andreas, I've been avoiding westerners/ foreigners. "Why?" he asks. "Just yesterday" I tell him as an example " I was sitting enjoying this wonderful omelet in french bread, you know the ones...a few eggs cooked with some greens, a lovely loaf of french bread with a bit of chilli sauce...- and there was another couple of westerners who had arrived before me and were eating the same thing. When they get up to leave, the lady tells them it's a dollar each or 15 000 Dong. The man objects, wants to pay a dollar for both. The lady can't speak english but she points to me so I tell the man I've eaten here before and that's the price and I can't believe it really. I'm just watching that man thinking: just give the woman the money buddy. Very reluctantly the man parts with the correct amount but not before both him and his partner voice that it's a total rip off." A dollar...
Now admittedly some people in some locations charge more than others. But that's the same the world over. I haven't seen anyone sell that sort of thing any cheaper myself and the bread alone sells for 5000 Dong (a third of the price). And she's located close to the lake in a popular tourist area. And if you aren't happy with the price, just don't go there again or ask before you buy. But please don't try and rip off the old lady who is making an honest living on the street.
So that is just an example. I'm ashamed sometimes of being part of such an ungrateful culture and mostly I still feel guilty that I'm so priviledged when most people aren't. I'm often reminded that the color of your skin, the place where you were born determines the opportunities you will be offered.
Bye for now
Monday, January 29, 2007
Tuesday, January 30th 2007
In Hanoi I've seen it all. The art of balancing amazing quantities on your shoulders supported by a pole...Or I've seen scooters loaded with huge amounts of things, bicycles even. I will never think of my motocycle in the same way. Indeed my single cylinder 650 road/trail bike is not only bigger but much more powerful than anything I've seen here. And I've always thought myself limited by what I could transport on there. Well, the Vietnamese are capable of doing a lot with what we view as very little.
In the streets close by my hotel, yesterday I bumped into Huan, the lady from the other day who wouldn't stop trying to sell me a fan. She grabs me and makes me take a seat so she can more easily try to convince me again. As soon as I'm seated a number of other women come by trying to 
sell me fruit or something else. And then this lovely 17 year old girl sits next to me with her back to the wall. She put her fruit basket down and is just listening to Huan and smiling. No matter what the first question I always get is: "Where are you from?" which is always complicated in my case...I was born in Canada but I have been living in Australia. The second question is almost certainly: "How old are you?" which still surprises me. So, I also get to know everyone else's age like this lovely young girl yesterday. Then it's: "How many babies?", "Your husband is in Australia?" or "Are you married?" and then "Why not?". As other women gather around they brief themselves so they all know: "She from Canada, but lives in Australia, she's this old, she has no children, no husband and at the moment no home." One tells me that I look so young because I have no children. I tell her I look young because I have no husband and we all laugh. But most of them are just about my age or a few years older and
they look beautiful.
sell me fruit or something else. And then this lovely 17 year old girl sits next to me with her back to the wall. She put her fruit basket down and is just listening to Huan and smiling. No matter what the first question I always get is: "Where are you from?" which is always complicated in my case...I was born in Canada but I have been living in Australia. The second question is almost certainly: "How old are you?" which still surprises me. So, I also get to know everyone else's age like this lovely young girl yesterday. Then it's: "How many babies?", "Your husband is in Australia?" or "Are you married?" and then "Why not?". As other women gather around they brief themselves so they all know: "She from Canada, but lives in Australia, she's this old, she has no children, no husband and at the moment no home." One tells me that I look so young because I have no children. I tell her I look young because I have no husband and we all laugh. But most of them are just about my age or a few years older and
they look beautiful. "You are not in school?" I ask my young 17 year old friend. "No" she says and tells me that her family does not have enough money for that. All this she tells me with a lovely smile. "So it costs money to go to school?" I ask. I mean we are in a socialist regime...does it really cost money to go to school? She tells me yes, that only those who can afford it send their children to school. This young woman has the most beautiful smile and eyes. And-as I tell her- her english is very good. "Oh no" she says " I only speak a little english." And this I hear a lot as well. No one has admitted having any good english skills to me and I've only mentioned it to those whose english was pretty good.
The women around me (the others) after trying to sell me anything from fans, caps, bracelets and whatever else, have just been happy to sit and talk for a bit. Thankfully, I have a translator if we cannot communicate.
Later, I head off to the Dong Xuan market area to have tea with Phuong at her cafe. I spend an hour or two with her talking and helping her for her TET Menu in english. Well the lonely planet phrasebook does that for me.
And with all those people I don't know and the boys at the hotel last night helping me with my computer connection, I sort of feel I have some friends here.
Bye for now
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Monday, January 29th 2007 St-Joseph Cathedral in Hanoi- This is once again one of the paradox of this place. After months of seeing only Mosques and Temples, I get to Hanoi and hear churche bells. Of course there are also Temples and Pagodas although the meaning of these are different than in other Asian countries. A Temple here is not a place of workship but rather a monument built in honour of a great person in history. A Pagoda is a place of worship and doesn't necessarily store the ashes of the dead.
Yesterday and today start up cool and crisp but clear and the sun is out even early. It's such a beautiful sight to see the big orange ball rise behind the glassy Lake. The day warms up quickly and soon I have to peal off the layers. Truly beautiful days. Yesterday after my sticky rice breakfast and on my way somewhere else I see some ladies in different spots cooking omelets and serving them (on the sidewalk of course) in a nice french bread. So this morning I know what I want for breakfast and I'm on the hunt for one of those ladies. My breakfast almost costs me a dollar (15 000V Dong) but boy is it nice! With a bit of added chilli sauce on the lovely french bread. Yum! A few young women also at the small spot on the street confer between themselves before trying some english sentence on me. "What's your name?" "Where are you from?" so we talk for a bit.
Because of the French influence in Vietnam, you can find great bread here and the coffee is also excellent. Although Vietnamese are not always so keen on deserts you'll find all kind of cakes and patisseries here and of course the croissants. In those respects it hardly feels like Asia. In Thailand, bread is mostly some sweet cake substance. You can now dr
ink decent coffee at Starbucks in Bangkok but Donna and Marc buy their coffee overseas.
Another interesting thing is that in 1910 the latin-based Quoc Ngu (gwawk Nguhr- pronouciation) script was declared the language's official written form, facilitating French rule. This 29-letter phonetic alphabet had been invented in the 17th century by Alexandre de Rhodes , a French Jesuit missionary and today virtually all writting is in Quoc Ngu. So, there is no trouble reading signs (even if you don't know what they mean or can't pronounce them properly) as there are no chinese character or other scripts as you find in Thailand, China, Japan, India, Arabic countries etc).
After some walking around this morning, I get to a street corner around 12pm and find Long sitting having tea on a small stool. He invites me to join him and his brother and I have green tea with them. "Hot or cold?" he asks. Hot please for me. Otherwise the lady serving adds ice to a glass. His younger brother Quit (pronounced Wit) is 27 and ironically (because of the name) also sells ligh
ters. His english is nowhere near the level of Long's. I ask him about business and he says he had a good weekend but Monday is never as good.
He tells me it's not well seen for Vietnamese women to be smoking but he knows that many foreign women smoke. I also hear that few Vietnamese women drink alcohol. I tell him that smoking is becoming more and more anti-social in the western world. Many restaurants and bars now ban smoking and most work places are smoke-free. If you want to be a smoker you must go outside in the middle of winter in Canada to smoke. But many do.
Twenty minutes later when we get up, Long tells me he's already paid for my tea and might catch me later in the day. He tells me the woman serving tea is saying that I look very young for my age. "Hey thanks for telling everyone my age buddy."
Bye for now
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Saturday January 27th 2007 . Hanoi I head out last night after dark to find Hang Ngang street (changes names to Hang Dao, Hang Duong, Hang Giay and Dong Xuan every couple of streets)-the street than leads to the Dong Xuan markets- closed to traffic with stalls in the middle of the street all the way to the day market which at night become the night market. I imagine this is something that happens on Friday nights. I'm told later that it also happens on Saturday and Sunday nights. There are so many people that it's really hard to go forward.
This morning when I head out to run I see it has rained and it's cool. The pavement is wet but the rain has stopped. By 11am however once I've once more changed rooms (three times in three nights- but this time the room is bigger and has a window) the sun is out. I haven't seen the sun since I arrived in Hanoi on the 16th. So what a sight it is. The sky however is still gray and the sun is simply filtering through the clouds but it's lovely and warmish. Once I've had Banh Khut (some sticky rice conco
ction) for breakfast and Jai Saang (green tea) with my favorite lady who conveniently sets herself up just beside the hotel door, I set out for a walk. I haven't done 500 meters that I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Long who is just selling a lighter to a western woman. She looks at me and says: "He drives a mean bargain." which I'm sure he does although I just told him I didn't smoke. Nor does he. We chat for a while then he tells me he might see me later on when he's around another area he saw me yesterday. It's a small world because indeed later in the day- hours later in a different area- I do see him again.
ction) for breakfast and Jai Saang (green tea) with my favorite lady who conveniently sets herself up just beside the hotel door, I set out for a walk. I haven't done 500 meters that I feel a hand on my shoulder. It's Long who is just selling a lighter to a western woman. She looks at me and says: "He drives a mean bargain." which I'm sure he does although I just told him I didn't smoke. Nor does he. We chat for a while then he tells me he might see me later on when he's around another area he saw me yesterday. It's a small world because indeed later in the day- hours later in a different area- I do see him again.On the way to Don Xuan Markets a lady offers me Pinnaple pieces. How much? I ask. 15 000 V Dong. I look at her and smile...really? 10 000 she smiles back. "I'll think about it" as I turn around and then she says "5000". I haven't had to say much but I agree to the price even though it's probably still inflated 2-3 times but it's only US$0.30 so I'm not going to bargain down on that. She smiles as she gives me the pinnaple bag. Another lady urges me to buy some Vietnam caps or a fan. I don't want any of it but she puts the fan in my hand and says: "Cheap only 35 000 Dong." I insist I don't want it and she starts bargaining herself down. "Ok 30 000 bottom price." I keep saying no because I don't want it. 25 000 she insists, then 20 000 then she's down to 15 000. Maybe some other time. Later in the day-a couple of hours later-she sees me again somewhere else...puts the fan back in my hands..."10 000" she says. Well there you have it. I still don't want it though.
Later around the lake I get the boys selling postcards trying hard to sell me some. Thankfully a lovely young lady, Mai comes and asks if she can sit and talk to me. She works as an accountant (just starting out) and wants to practice her english. She tells me that many young Vietnamese conscious of the growing demand for English speakers with Vietnam joining the WTO want to improve their english. She tells me she's done many years of english at school but mostly reading and writing and she desperately needs to talk and listen. It's really quite surprising how open they are to just come and talk to someone like me they don't know. She spends all her break hour with me and tell me she comes to the lake around 2-3pm everyday during her break and hopes to find me there again. She also tells me I should hang around for TET (Vietnamese New Year- January 18th) because it's something else. I tell her my visa only allows me to be in Vietnam until the 16th and my ticket is booked. Looks like I'll spend Chinese New Year in Bangkok. However, if I'd known...
Just another day in Hanoi.
Bye for now
Friday, January 26, 2007
Friday January 26th 2007 - HanoiWell, this if peak hour traffic in Hanoi. As you can see the cars are in minority. In fact as crazy as it gets, I've noticed that crossing the streets is not as dangerous as I thought. First thing to do is check for car or buses...those you really can't argue with. Otherwise the safest way to cross the streets is to cross it blind- that is to avoid looking in each direction and just go forward with no hesitation. Vietnamese are used to traveling and avoiding obstacles no matter which way they are coming at them. So you'll most likely reach the other side of the road without injury. If you look each side you are likely to hesitate and that isn't good. For when one hesitates, the riders have no idea what he or she is doing and this simply confuses them. The other thing is that scooters, cyclos and bicycle riders are not traveling as fast as cars so they 
have plenty of time to change their course to avoid you.
have plenty of time to change their course to avoid you. I've not yet seen an accident in Hanoi which is more than surprising. And this brings up another thing I have to get used to. In Hanoi as in much of Asia I suspect, you must push your way through. If you let someone through, as I often do, then a hundred people will go through and you'll still be waiting there for an opportunity to get by. It just won't come. People bulldoze forward and so must you.
There is never a shortage of people to come and talk to me. Today as I walk around the lake, a young man approches to try and help me communicate with a man selling books. I end up sitting with Minh for a while on one of the lake benches. He's studying Civil engineering and appologizes for his basic english. I tell him his English is very good and I just wish I could speak Vietnamese half as well as he speaks English. He's keen to speak English. "Vietnam" he tells me "is a very poor country and the standard of living is very low." Well this I know...
He tells me that his parents who live 70km away give him US$50 per months to live and study in Hanoi. He's 26 years old. I ask him where he lives and he tells me he lives in a hostel in a room with six others and he pays about 200 000 Vietnamese Dong per month. Close to US$15 per month he says. He says it's always tight but he manages with the money. And I'd realised that I spent about $42US in my first week of being here and that didn't include accommodation nor going to the gym. But he says
if he graduates as a civil engineer he can earn very good money in Vietnam. "How much?" I ask. "Oh, US$200 per month or US$150"...
if he graduates as a civil engineer he can earn very good money in Vietnam. "How much?" I ask. "Oh, US$200 per month or US$150"...He's walking by the lake now because he just had an exam (which he doesn't feel he's done too well at) and has the rest of the day off.
And I think of Phi and his family leaving Vietnam when he was 7. How his life now in the USA, owning his own small company is miles away from the reality of this young man. "How about going overseas to work?" I ask Minh. "It's very hard" he says "I'd have to have US$15 000" which of course could never be acquired.
He's right. And I feel bad that there isn't much I can do about the situation in Vietnam. Betwen the guy with two amputated legs who was trying to sell me unauthorised copies of books, to the old lady who has come to try to sell me a cigarette or a paquet of gum while I'm talking to Minh, to the thousands of cyclos and motorcycle riders trying to get me to go for a ride...everyone is in the same situation or various degrees of it.
Kai, a motorbike rider who asks me if I want a ride later in the afternoon, reaches in his pocket and brings out a list of all the tourist destinations in Hanoi. His english is very very basic but he urges me to come for a ride. "Maybe tomorrow" I say. He has a beautiful smile - most of them do- and keeps trying. "Tomorrow what time?". "I don't know... I'll find you".
When I get solicited like "Madam Motorcycle" or "Madam cyclo" I usually decline but I do so by smiling and shaking my head. And more than 95% percent of the time, what I get is a beautiful smile back. Some of them recognise me now. One guy who has been selling lighters and souvenirs by foot sees me today for the third time. "Hello you again." he says to me. I tell him to call me Anne. His name is Long. His english is pretty good. "Where are you from?" he asks. "I was born in Canada" I reply. "Quebec?" he asks. I'm surprised he knows about Quebec but he tells me that he knows Quebec wanted to separate from Canada. He comes from a place 100 km away and goes back every month for a week. Comes to Hanoi to earn money. "Keep studying Vietnamese Anne" he says "in a month I think you can learn it."
I doubt that very much...
Bye for now
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Thursday, January 25th 2007The days just go by in Hanoi. A few changes however as I have to change hotels today and will again tomorrow before I'm settled somewhere else. But it's all good. Time for a change.
The streets continue to be busy by day and busy again at night but differently. Go out at night and you see things which are invisible or not there in the day. It's fun going out without going out. No need to have a destination in mind as most of what's happening is happening on the sidewalk. Yesterday as I leave the lovely Sofitel Metropole Hotel (where I go to the gym once in a while), I hear my name called out: "Anne". And surprised I look around to see a Cyclo who I talked yesterday. He was asking me if I wanted a ride then and I declined but stayed and talked for a while. "Ahh, Nam" I reply surprised that he's remembered my name. "Where are you going?" he asks. "Just for a walk in search of lunch." is my reply. He wants to take me for a ride but I tell him maybe another day. I can't very well find lunch if I'm not actively walking the sidewalk.
I pick up my week's laundry in the afternoon which costs me US$2.25. I don't know if there are laundromats around but it's not even worth finding out. I'd rather give this lovely woman some business.
And close to the busy markets I find a place to have Bahn com-the sticky green rice cakes with yellow peas inside- I've become fond of. There is something very intimate in sharing food with total strangers on the sidewalks. The first gesture from the lady or man cooking is one to invite me to sit on the small stool she points to. She motions me around her. Then serves me the food which I eat in her company and whomever is also sitting and eating at the time. I cannot talk too much but in the smiles and gestures, we sort of understand each other. This lady charges me 2000 V Dong for something I've previously paid about 5 000V Dong. So I know when I'm getting closer to the real price of things. Still it's not much so I never haggle for food. Another lady nearby is serving the black bean sweet pudding so I have some of that for desert.
I bought a Vietnamese phrasebook in a bookshop. It's the lonely planet guide ( certainly a copy) which retails for 25 000 V Dong which is just over US$1.50. On the streets young men and woman have been trying to sell me this book starting at 80 000 V Dong. I tell a boy who comes to try to sell me one at the lake yesterday that I paid 25 000 for my copy. He smiles and tells me he buys them for 5 000 V dong (about US$0.30) so he could have sold me a copy for 20 000 and still made a profit. When this boy and another leave me, Kiem who has been watching asks if he can sit with me to practice his english and so he does. So much about reading by the lake but sometimes the best laid plans are just made to be changed.
Vietnamese is not an easy language to pick up as there is six different type of accents which can impart a different meaning to any word. I doubt I can learn enough in the short time I'm here to even have a basic conversation but I'll try.
Bye for now
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Tuesday, January 23rd 2007I wander today on another side of the lake. It's a more upmarket area and it's less touristy and more quiet. It's really delightful and without any agenda I just walk up and down different streets looking at the amazing architecture of some of the buildings. They are narrow buildings, apartments of up to five stories high. All different, all very french or European. It's not a market area and I get much less solicitation and because of that even when it happens, it's not bothersome. The Cyclo who gave me a lift yesterday recognises me and greets me giving me his hand.
I stop for food around 1pm. I'm not sure what I'm seeing down there and stop at one place unsure of the food is sweet or savory. It happens to be sweet but that will do for starter
s. The first thing I get is chocolate brown in color and looks to be make with black beans. It's thick and sweet and served with a dollop of thick coconut milk or cream. Yum...When I come to pay, the woman sitting on the stool next to me points to the other desert she has been having urging me to try it. Why not? So I have a small bowl of what looks like short brown rice and served with a sweet transparent liquid on top. It takes slightly fermented, sweet and lovely. After a complimentary serve of a lovely green tea I make my way further down the street where I later sit down to some square slightly greenish rice patty fried on a large plate. When I get one it's cut for me and placed in a small plate with soya sauce and some chilli sauce and cucumbers on the side. This is savory (although I thought it would be sweet) and has some yellow peas inside and it's really nice. By the time I've had those three dishes, I've spent all of 9000 Vietnamese Dong which is US$0.56 which is totally unbelievable.I tell Phi (that was the name of the Asian American guy) last night when I see him before he heads off this morning for Halong Bay that he's introduced me to a world of sin. But I'm so glad for his introduction to some of this food and I keep trying new things it seems everyday.
It's funny when you travel like this there are many stages you go through. When I arrived and for a while I saw things from the outside. I thought everything was interesting but I also knew I could never live here or so I thought. Then one day something happens. For me it took a good 5-6 days really and suddenly I was in. I was seeing everything from the inside and feeling it from the inside. I've surrendered. Even last night walking in the street alone I was feeling completely safe and free and happy to be here. This happens most everywhere I go if I stay for any lenght of time. And if I don't, then I totally miss that and it's the best part... once you are in.
It would be nice to meet other people though just to be able to have more than three-word-sentence conversations. So in that respect it has been nice to have Phi around for part of the day in the last couple of days.
Bye for now
Monday, January 22, 2007
Monday, January 22nd 2007 
Well, it's funny what life throws at you without warning. When I get back to my room just before 6pm last night wondering if I won't just stay in for the evening instead of going out, my new neighbor who happens to be at his door as well asks me if I can recommend anywhere to eat. He's a tall Asian fellow who I assumed was Vietnamese but his english is perfect and he tells me he is American and lives in Hawaii. However he was born in Vietnam where he lived until 1975 when he was seven and the family bought their way out on a barge. But all this I find out a bit later. He's just arrived and I tell him that there are pl
enty of places to eat depending if he wants to eat off the street or out of restaurants. I show him a few places on a map but he then just asks me if I've eaten and whether I'd join him. He seems very nice and pleasant so I accept.
It ends up being a really fun night. I am the official guide for location as I know my way around the area now but he is fluent in Vietnamese and also knows about the food so what a treat it is to have him with me. We start out by finding a place on the street to eat a type of noodle soup I haven't eaten yet and we sit on the small plastic stools while eating this. Then it's off to find something sweet to eat. As my friend (I've forgotten his name which he told me at the very beginning and I've grown embarassed to tell him I have no idea what his name is) tells me, each place has it's own specialty and if you can't see it they are not serving it. He suddenly stops in his tracks at another corner and tells me that what we are seeing is desert. I wouldn't have guessed otherwise. I see balls of white stuff floating in a golden liquid. So, he orders a serving and they put three balls of what is rice flour cooked in the sweet liquid into the dish with that lovely liquid, pour a bit of coconut cream on top and put some diced cashews or peanuts on that.
Wow, this is great! Well my new friend who must have a name (!!!) is still hungry for some sweets so off we go in search of another little place to have something else. We stop further down the road and I see tall glasses of what looks like fruit salad (sounds boring to me) but suddenly the fruits salads he orders for both of us are transformed. The man serves them with coconut cream or something like that or maybe it's some other sweet concoction and puts a container of crushed ice between us. My friend tells me that you just keep putting ice in it as you eat and it's like a ice cone with real fruits and whatever that topping was. Well, that is yummy too.
After much searching around for a third desert we finally settle for fried banana (me) and plantain (him). And that will be sugar overload for both of us. And to think I never saw those places that sell sweet stuff before.
Anyway, this guy's story is amazing too. The barge they took back in 1975 (war time) was cut loose by the boat dragging it after about a week. They were hundreds of them in the boat and lost at seas for two weeks before a US ship came accross them. They took the women and kids on board and asked another boat to come and get the men (however none of them could understand english so the men thought they were stealing their wives and kids). The men were taken to Guam and the women and kids t
o another island before they were both reunited in Guam.
Anyway, long story short a Christian family sponsored his family to get to the midwest and they started a new life there.
This afternoon I'm walking the streets in search of food. I'm sort of wanting some rice dish but it's late in the afternoon and I can't find that. I try to talk to a women selling some hot food packaged in banana leaves but can't understand what it is. She sort of opens one up and I can see some congealed cooked rice flour and with no more information I buy one. Whatever. I'll eat it. Then I sit on the sidewalk with no utensiles I try to open the package and start to eat as I'm pretty hungry.
The thing is fairly jellylike and hot and fingers are not the right way to eat this. But just when I'm thinking of trying the chopsticks I have in my bag (knowing full well it won't really be easier) a lovely woman running a small cafe behind me comes out with a spoon and asks me to please come and sit at her cafe to eat. I'm so grateful and accept and come and sit on the lovely bamboo chairs she has made herself she tells me.
She quickly comes to the table with a pot of Vietnamese Green tea and a cup for me. And I long for green tea which I normally drink plenty of back home so once again I'm so grateful. She also brings me a cup of strong black coffee and urges me to drink. She sits with me and talks about her art and just life. Occasionnally she gets up to do something related to the cafe like serve someone else but she comes back bringing me mint candy and later an older woman brings me a bag with bananas and puts them on the table offering me some.
When I ask Phuong (the young woman) what I owe her, she smiles and says nothing. "Free. I just like you" she tells me. And, given the context...the fact that to most people here we are afterall a source of income. That most Vietnamese will overprice their goods to foreigners and possibly laugh at them if they accept the price etc, the kindness I'm privy to this afternoon is very humbling. "I'll come back and have lunch here Phuong so we can talk so more." I tell her.
And I walk away back to the hotel thinking back to similar experiences I've had in Africa where some people have touched me with their spontaneous acts of extreme kindness. And here this young woman Phuong has indeed touched my heart.
Bye for now
Well, it's funny what life throws at you without warning. When I get back to my room just before 6pm last night wondering if I won't just stay in for the evening instead of going out, my new neighbor who happens to be at his door as well asks me if I can recommend anywhere to eat. He's a tall Asian fellow who I assumed was Vietnamese but his english is perfect and he tells me he is American and lives in Hawaii. However he was born in Vietnam where he lived until 1975 when he was seven and the family bought their way out on a barge. But all this I find out a bit later. He's just arrived and I tell him that there are pl
enty of places to eat depending if he wants to eat off the street or out of restaurants. I show him a few places on a map but he then just asks me if I've eaten and whether I'd join him. He seems very nice and pleasant so I accept.It ends up being a really fun night. I am the official guide for location as I know my way around the area now but he is fluent in Vietnamese and also knows about the food so what a treat it is to have him with me. We start out by finding a place on the street to eat a type of noodle soup I haven't eaten yet and we sit on the small plastic stools while eating this. Then it's off to find something sweet to eat. As my friend (I've forgotten his name which he told me at the very beginning and I've grown embarassed to tell him I have no idea what his name is) tells me, each place has it's own specialty and if you can't see it they are not serving it. He suddenly stops in his tracks at another corner and tells me that what we are seeing is desert. I wouldn't have guessed otherwise. I see balls of white stuff floating in a golden liquid. So, he orders a serving and they put three balls of what is rice flour cooked in the sweet liquid into the dish with that lovely liquid, pour a bit of coconut cream on top and put some diced cashews or peanuts on that.
Wow, this is great! Well my new friend who must have a name (!!!) is still hungry for some sweets so off we go in search of another little place to have something else. We stop further down the road and I see tall glasses of what looks like fruit salad (sounds boring to me) but suddenly the fruits salads he orders for both of us are transformed. The man serves them with coconut cream or something like that or maybe it's some other sweet concoction and puts a container of crushed ice between us. My friend tells me that you just keep putting ice in it as you eat and it's like a ice cone with real fruits and whatever that topping was. Well, that is yummy too.
After much searching around for a third desert we finally settle for fried banana (me) and plantain (him). And that will be sugar overload for both of us. And to think I never saw those places that sell sweet stuff before.
Anyway, this guy's story is amazing too. The barge they took back in 1975 (war time) was cut loose by the boat dragging it after about a week. They were hundreds of them in the boat and lost at seas for two weeks before a US ship came accross them. They took the women and kids on board and asked another boat to come and get the men (however none of them could understand english so the men thought they were stealing their wives and kids). The men were taken to Guam and the women and kids t
o another island before they were both reunited in Guam.Anyway, long story short a Christian family sponsored his family to get to the midwest and they started a new life there.
This afternoon I'm walking the streets in search of food. I'm sort of wanting some rice dish but it's late in the afternoon and I can't find that. I try to talk to a women selling some hot food packaged in banana leaves but can't understand what it is. She sort of opens one up and I can see some congealed cooked rice flour and with no more information I buy one. Whatever. I'll eat it. Then I sit on the sidewalk with no utensiles I try to open the package and start to eat as I'm pretty hungry.
The thing is fairly jellylike and hot and fingers are not the right way to eat this. But just when I'm thinking of trying the chopsticks I have in my bag (knowing full well it won't really be easier) a lovely woman running a small cafe behind me comes out with a spoon and asks me to please come and sit at her cafe to eat. I'm so grateful and accept and come and sit on the lovely bamboo chairs she has made herself she tells me.
She quickly comes to the table with a pot of Vietnamese Green tea and a cup for me. And I long for green tea which I normally drink plenty of back home so once again I'm so grateful. She also brings me a cup of strong black coffee and urges me to drink. She sits with me and talks about her art and just life. Occasionnally she gets up to do something related to the cafe like serve someone else but she comes back bringing me mint candy and later an older woman brings me a bag with bananas and puts them on the table offering me some.
When I ask Phuong (the young woman) what I owe her, she smiles and says nothing. "Free. I just like you" she tells me. And, given the context...the fact that to most people here we are afterall a source of income. That most Vietnamese will overprice their goods to foreigners and possibly laugh at them if they accept the price etc, the kindness I'm privy to this afternoon is very humbling. "I'll come back and have lunch here Phuong so we can talk so more." I tell her.
And I walk away back to the hotel thinking back to similar experiences I've had in Africa where some people have touched me with their spontaneous acts of extreme kindness. And here this young woman Phuong has indeed touched my heart.
Bye for now
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Sunday, January 21st 2007The day seems to start a bit slower out there on the streets this morning which is nice. Out running early, and on my fifth out of 7 laps of the lake, I spot a western man ahead and already I know he's running slower than me. By the time I start my 6th laps I'm only a few paces behind him and wondering what to do. If I stay behind him I have to slow down, yet invariably if I pass him he will accelerate to keep up with me. So, as a woman if you pass a man (mostly western men) while running you must be prepared to race or slow down.
So, I wait a bit until there are a few people between us to pass, almost hoping he won't notice and I accelerate a bit beyond my normal pace to make it harder for him to keep up. But as expected I soon hear his footsteps behind me so I keep the pace up. I can also hear his feet slapping the pavement so I know he's not comfortable holding this pace. When I assume he's a bit tired I suddenly accelerate noticeably to lose him and keep this pace up for 300-400 meters and then slow back to a more comfortable pace. I seem to lose him for a while but by the time I start my last lap, I hear his footsteps behind so he's managed to catch up. I do the last lap simply at a fast pace which he manages to follow and at the end he start talking to me so I slow down to have a conversation. He's an Australian and I eventually meet his wife and another woman traveling with them as they are walking around the lake.
Ah well, at least we pushed each other. Might see him again on the lake in the morning if he can keep up... Me competitive? Naaah
By the way and before I forget, I got an email from Ahmed yesterday and he's back home after the open heart surgery (9 hours and 4 new arteries) still feeling dizzy and weak but the operation was a huge success he says. Let's just hope he takes better care of his new arteries.
I catch a representation of the Thang Long Water Puppets not far from the lake this afternoon. It's the most anciean art form in Vietnam and the show is amazing and different to anything I've seen before. Apparently these shows were performed on lakes and the handling of the puppets by the puppeteers is amazing. The music is also beautiful. The room is packed and the theater performs about 6 or so shows a day which sell out days ahead. I meander the streets earlier today. I keep thinking I've seen a lot of the area and keep finding areas I haven't seen at all. Today I found streets upon streets of merchand areas. One street will be full of merchants selling dry goods (biscuits, candy, rice etc), a few streets further it will be hardware, then ironworks, fresh goods etc. The first thing to do is to surrender to the fact you will get lost. It's too tedious to try to keep an idea of where you are. And no matter what, by the time you want to find your way, it's never that hard. Just pick up the map and eventually find one of the roads on there and just meander back to the lake. Or if you really want to make a Cyclo happy jump in his cart and ask him to get you back. But, tired of being asked all the time and enjoying the walk I haven't tried this yet.
Bye for now
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Saturday, January 20th 2007 - HanoiThis is a photo of Lake Hoan Kiem in the old quarters not far from where I'm staying. A drizzly day today. Not really rainy but damp, cool and drizzly.
I'm sure many of you realise that Hanoi is the capital of the Socialist republic of Vietnam despite the fact that Ho Chi Ming City (the old Saigon) down south is a much bigger centre. So what does it mean to be in a socialist country.
When I was talking to Ha yesterday in the gallery I mentioned that I thought Vietnam had enormous potential with the world trade opening up. I told her I thought that Vietnam would do much better than Thailand. She seemed surprised and commented that Thailand was 50 years ahead of Vietnam for tourism. Well, yes there is that. Not so long ago perhaps around 1990 maybe even later, tourists coming to Hanoi were often and mostly arbitrarily turned back or deported. Of course now things seem to have changed. However, you get an automatic 28 day visa on arrival at any airp
ort in Thailand. And if you leave the country even for a few hours you can get another 28 day visa up to 90 days of your first arrival. Easy. Laos, Cambodian and Myanmar visas can be purchased at the border but to get into Vietnam you must apply at the Embassy, and if you are in a hurry you pay more money. Often you have to tell them where you will enter and leave the country from and extentions are not often granted easily I hear. Although again things are getting easier.However, and this I share with Ha, I think that Vietnamese people are much more ready and willing to change and expand and much more capable of thinking laterally. Even this conversation I'm having then with 20 year-old Ha is not something I could have with a Thai person or certainly not with many.
So a few things which are noticeable in comparison with Thailand. First of all there seems to be a important number of policemen around. When I run around the Lake in the morning, I see them in various posts right around. They are also noticeable around big intersection or important roads. But not so much in the streets where I live. Also food shops are small and only hold limited goods. You may for example find 3 flavors of yogurt and only one brand or maybe that day there will be none at all. There are a few foreign imported goods like cereal and chocolate but the prices are obviously high for those goods. Goods made in the country are basic and don't have much variety.
Thailand is the
take-away society. Everyone is buying food on the street to reheat at home or wherever and it seems everyone is selling food. Plastic bottles, bags, spoons, straws are given in amazing supply and there seems to be no conscious conservation or recycling effort. Vietnam is not a take-away country. Most people either eat on the sidewalk (as they do often in Thailand too) or they eat at home. Markets selling fresh seafood, fruits, nuts and other goods exist in various places around the neighborhood and I suspect this is where most people buy their goods.Life is a bit harder for a tourist in Vietnam of course. You need to find your way, where you can eat or do what you need to do and many people do not speak English although in Hotels (small or big) and tourist areas you will find people who can speak English very well.
Other than that I haven't experienced more of what it means to be in a socialist country. I do get solicited a lot from everyone mostly taxis or motorcycle drivers but also shop keepers, children and in that you have a real feeling that the livelyhood of many people depend on the money they can make out of tourists around. Despite the poverty in some areas of Thailand, you don't ever really feel that people are going hungry because the Thai really love their food. I would say you feel the poverty more in Vietnam.
A few days ago when I ventured in a clinic to have my second "Japanese Encephalitis" vaccination, I saw a few American couples with Vietnamese children. From the conversation they were having they were from a group of five couples from the USA who had come out to Vietnam to collect their adoptive children. Another American couple there, not with this group had also come to do this and it seems all the children had fallen ill. So I guess as in China there are a lot of children from Vietnam, probably orphans who get adopted by foreigners.
Bye for now
Friday, January 19, 2007
Friday January 19th 2007
Hanoi of course still and for a while -
It's funny what I'm going through each day here. My journey is as much inner than outer. No, probably more inner than outer. It's taken a while for me to find my feet. I mean yes I can function pretty much everywhere but functioning is not really a goal in itself. Getting to a new country is always the same for me. I find myself watching, observing, feeling and seeing what I get from the outside. I haven't been able to communicate with too many people yet which has made it harder because then you need to trust what you read which isn't always true either. Or rather someone else's opinion.
Hanoi, books say it's the gem from the north operating at a relaxed pace. Well, it seems full on to me. The constant noise from the horns of scooters, the masses of people everywhere, the constant solicitation from anyone wanting to sell you something. It never ceases. Well, yes the noise ceases between 11-12pm to about 6am. There are no windows in my room but I know pretty much what time it is by the level of noise I hear outside.
I go out today in search of a few things I need to buy. I want a shoulder bag so I don't need to always hold my bag with my hand and also I want some gloves and a warm scarf and perhaps even a sweater. So I head up Hang Ngang street where shops indoor and out line both side of the streets until I hit Xiao market which is a huge building with many stall holders. From what I've been told bargaining is "de rigueur" (expected) and in fact you will be respected for the price you can bargain down to. This is not my Forte but I'll give it a go. I find a bag eventually and bargain down the prices from 130 000 Vietnam Dong to 110 000. Yes, the currency here is worth very little so one US$1 is worth 16 061 Vietnamese Dong. So I think I paid something like just under US$7 for the bag. Then I find a pair of gloves and I do much better with the bargaining. She wants 25 000 Dong, I tell her I'll give her 15 000, she says 20 000, I say 18 000, she insists on 20 000 but I tell her I'll think about it and start walking away and of course she agrees then to 18 000. And right there I can't believe I've just bargained a pair of gloves from about US$1.60 down to about US$1.12. But hey it was fun.
I walk away without a scarf or a sweater. Maybe tomorrow. I find a small road side spot which is serving food so I eat there on a plastic stool. A couple of Vietnamese people seeing me eat with the chopsticks bring me a spoon but I continue eating with the chopstick. Actually some of the best food you can eat in Vietnam is probably served like that on the side of the road. Of course you can go to proper restaurants and pay 6-10 times the price but it's not as fun.
From there I come back through the many streets around the Old quarters. I stop in a small gallery/shop and find a lovely 20 year old young woman who speaks english very well. Or the best I've come across. Her name is Ha for Hanoi. Her mother is from just south of Hanoi and her father from just North so they called her after Hanoi. Hanoi means the city in the bend of the river. She tells me about lackered painting which is typically Vietnamese and we talk about that for a while. Then we just talk about life. She is in third year of accounting and loves to work in the shop so she can practice her English with foreigners who come in. She tells me about some great little places to eat Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) and Cha ca (fish soup I gather). We talk about everything from Chinese Astrology to Vietnamese Culture. She makes me promise to come back to talk with her and I'm sure I will. Off through many streets to a Market I heard about to buy some fruit and nuts. I also spend some time with some women there looking at different scarfs and notice the prices there are so much cheaper than in shops. Again I'm talking about a couple of dollars for a warm scarf. But I'll be back tomorrow. On the way home I try one of the small Pho places along the road just down from where I live. I pay about a third of what I paid in a proper cafe yesterday and the food is noticeably better.
And it's dark by the time I make it back to the Hotel. It's not so daunting to be out at night anymore. You just have to keep your wits about you and your eye on your bag or pockets. Otherwise it's become second nature now.
Just another day in Hanoi doing not much but seeing a lot of it by foot and thoroughly enjoying it.
Bye for now
Hanoi of course still and for a while -
It's funny what I'm going through each day here. My journey is as much inner than outer. No, probably more inner than outer. It's taken a while for me to find my feet. I mean yes I can function pretty much everywhere but functioning is not really a goal in itself. Getting to a new country is always the same for me. I find myself watching, observing, feeling and seeing what I get from the outside. I haven't been able to communicate with too many people yet which has made it harder because then you need to trust what you read which isn't always true either. Or rather someone else's opinion.
Hanoi, books say it's the gem from the north operating at a relaxed pace. Well, it seems full on to me. The constant noise from the horns of scooters, the masses of people everywhere, the constant solicitation from anyone wanting to sell you something. It never ceases. Well, yes the noise ceases between 11-12pm to about 6am. There are no windows in my room but I know pretty much what time it is by the level of noise I hear outside.
I go out today in search of a few things I need to buy. I want a shoulder bag so I don't need to always hold my bag with my hand and also I want some gloves and a warm scarf and perhaps even a sweater. So I head up Hang Ngang street where shops indoor and out line both side of the streets until I hit Xiao market which is a huge building with many stall holders. From what I've been told bargaining is "de rigueur" (expected) and in fact you will be respected for the price you can bargain down to. This is not my Forte but I'll give it a go. I find a bag eventually and bargain down the prices from 130 000 Vietnam Dong to 110 000. Yes, the currency here is worth very little so one US$1 is worth 16 061 Vietnamese Dong. So I think I paid something like just under US$7 for the bag. Then I find a pair of gloves and I do much better with the bargaining. She wants 25 000 Dong, I tell her I'll give her 15 000, she says 20 000, I say 18 000, she insists on 20 000 but I tell her I'll think about it and start walking away and of course she agrees then to 18 000. And right there I can't believe I've just bargained a pair of gloves from about US$1.60 down to about US$1.12. But hey it was fun.
I walk away without a scarf or a sweater. Maybe tomorrow. I find a small road side spot which is serving food so I eat there on a plastic stool. A couple of Vietnamese people seeing me eat with the chopsticks bring me a spoon but I continue eating with the chopstick. Actually some of the best food you can eat in Vietnam is probably served like that on the side of the road. Of course you can go to proper restaurants and pay 6-10 times the price but it's not as fun.
From there I come back through the many streets around the Old quarters. I stop in a small gallery/shop and find a lovely 20 year old young woman who speaks english very well. Or the best I've come across. Her name is Ha for Hanoi. Her mother is from just south of Hanoi and her father from just North so they called her after Hanoi. Hanoi means the city in the bend of the river. She tells me about lackered painting which is typically Vietnamese and we talk about that for a while. Then we just talk about life. She is in third year of accounting and loves to work in the shop so she can practice her English with foreigners who come in. She tells me about some great little places to eat Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) and Cha ca (fish soup I gather). We talk about everything from Chinese Astrology to Vietnamese Culture. She makes me promise to come back to talk with her and I'm sure I will. Off through many streets to a Market I heard about to buy some fruit and nuts. I also spend some time with some women there looking at different scarfs and notice the prices there are so much cheaper than in shops. Again I'm talking about a couple of dollars for a warm scarf. But I'll be back tomorrow. On the way home I try one of the small Pho places along the road just down from where I live. I pay about a third of what I paid in a proper cafe yesterday and the food is noticeably better.
And it's dark by the time I make it back to the Hotel. It's not so daunting to be out at night anymore. You just have to keep your wits about you and your eye on your bag or pockets. Otherwise it's become second nature now.
Just another day in Hanoi doing not much but seeing a lot of it by foot and thoroughly enjoying it.
Bye for now
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Thursday, January 18th 2007 - Hanoi
Well, the weather is still overcast and cool. Perfect for walking around and it definitely gives this city a very French feel. I went running a bit earlier this morning around lake Hoan Kiem in the old quarters and there were many people walking. Also people were playing badminton until about 7:30am-8am on makeshift courts. Some were doing dancing while others were doing Tai Chi. It is a very busy little place in the morning and just perfect for running without having to deal with the traffic. It's hard enough to walk across streets, running would be very hard. And there was this old man who I saw yesterday as well who kept greeting me each time we'd met around the lake and almost giving me a victory acclaim as if I was doing something so amazing. Actually a few men seemed to encourage me today.
Old men walk the streets with berets on their heads. And with the distinct French feel of the streets and building, it would be easy almost to forget one is in Asia. After the traffic on the left in Thailand, we are back to driving on the right. As it was also in Doha. But this is definitely Asia as well. Crowded with people everywhere, scooters, cycles, pedicabs, cars. And always the constant solicitation from everyone. "Madame, motorbike?, Taxi?" I've never heard the word Madame pronounced so many times. People are trying to catch your eye to be the first motorcycle (scooter) you see so you might select him instead of the hundreds of others. Or every salesperson also tries to appeal to you.
I still have to be cautious too about taking taxis or walking in the streets at night. It's harder to do these things when you are traveling on your own and when you are a woman. Some taxis are not registered taxis and will either overcharge you terribly (if you are lucky) or you may end up hurt and without a penny if you aren't so lucky. This is where I once again realise how safe I felt in Doha. I never had to think about such things. What a relief that was. But then again I never felt as safe as I did in Doha in Canada or Australia. And yet I'm not one who stops myself from doing things. It's just the feeling.
That's it for now
Well, the weather is still overcast and cool. Perfect for walking around and it definitely gives this city a very French feel. I went running a bit earlier this morning around lake Hoan Kiem in the old quarters and there were many people walking. Also people were playing badminton until about 7:30am-8am on makeshift courts. Some were doing dancing while others were doing Tai Chi. It is a very busy little place in the morning and just perfect for running without having to deal with the traffic. It's hard enough to walk across streets, running would be very hard. And there was this old man who I saw yesterday as well who kept greeting me each time we'd met around the lake and almost giving me a victory acclaim as if I was doing something so amazing. Actually a few men seemed to encourage me today.
Old men walk the streets with berets on their heads. And with the distinct French feel of the streets and building, it would be easy almost to forget one is in Asia. After the traffic on the left in Thailand, we are back to driving on the right. As it was also in Doha. But this is definitely Asia as well. Crowded with people everywhere, scooters, cycles, pedicabs, cars. And always the constant solicitation from everyone. "Madame, motorbike?, Taxi?" I've never heard the word Madame pronounced so many times. People are trying to catch your eye to be the first motorcycle (scooter) you see so you might select him instead of the hundreds of others. Or every salesperson also tries to appeal to you.
I still have to be cautious too about taking taxis or walking in the streets at night. It's harder to do these things when you are traveling on your own and when you are a woman. Some taxis are not registered taxis and will either overcharge you terribly (if you are lucky) or you may end up hurt and without a penny if you aren't so lucky. This is where I once again realise how safe I felt in Doha. I never had to think about such things. What a relief that was. But then again I never felt as safe as I did in Doha in Canada or Australia. And yet I'm not one who stops myself from doing things. It's just the feeling.
That's it for now
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Wednesday January 17th 2007 - Hanoi
Was lovely catching up with Marc and Donna Monday night over diner a their home. Can't remember the last time I ate a home cooked meal. Certainly it's been a while now. They have such a lovely condo on the 10th floor overlooking the area where I was staying. And with the years they have accumulated beautiful things from the area. However I don't think they plan to be there much longer. Time for a change. When I come back to Bangkok (on the 16th Feb) I'll get to meet Ray who is Marc's older brother as he will be visiting. So I'll get to meet another great great great cousin.
Took a flight yesterday from Bangkok to Hanoi on Thai Air Asia, one of dozens of discount flight services. I arrived at 8:30pm and after passport checks and baggage claim was picked up by the taxi the little hotel had sent for me. So getting in was easy. The lovely 25 year old Vui was the taxi driver. He was delightful and trying hard to make conversation. His very very limited english far surpasses my non excitant Vietnamese so it was funny and we spent most of the trip into Hanoi laughing. He takes the opportunity to teach me a bit of Vietnamese...Sing jiao means Hello. Tamit means goodbye and Kamut means thank you. The rest I've forgotten already and perhaps those few words will keep me out of trouble for now. I'm amazed on the way in that indeed many buildings do seem European. I knew there would be a European/French influence here but seeing it- the rather odd mix of European and Asian- is still quite surprising.
I simply find my room unpack a bit, shower and go to bed last night. This morning I wake up to overcast conditions and enjoy a run around a nearby lake. It's the city of lakes so there are a few right in the middle of town. The sounds of horns start early and scooters are everywhere. So nice to be in cooler temperatures again. It was 21 last night when I landed. It could be less than that today.
I'm staying in a modest hotel in the old quarters right in the middle of things. I haven't yet found my way but I'll keep you posted.
Bye for now
Anne
Was lovely catching up with Marc and Donna Monday night over diner a their home. Can't remember the last time I ate a home cooked meal. Certainly it's been a while now. They have such a lovely condo on the 10th floor overlooking the area where I was staying. And with the years they have accumulated beautiful things from the area. However I don't think they plan to be there much longer. Time for a change. When I come back to Bangkok (on the 16th Feb) I'll get to meet Ray who is Marc's older brother as he will be visiting. So I'll get to meet another great great great cousin.
Took a flight yesterday from Bangkok to Hanoi on Thai Air Asia, one of dozens of discount flight services. I arrived at 8:30pm and after passport checks and baggage claim was picked up by the taxi the little hotel had sent for me. So getting in was easy. The lovely 25 year old Vui was the taxi driver. He was delightful and trying hard to make conversation. His very very limited english far surpasses my non excitant Vietnamese so it was funny and we spent most of the trip into Hanoi laughing. He takes the opportunity to teach me a bit of Vietnamese...Sing jiao means Hello. Tamit means goodbye and Kamut means thank you. The rest I've forgotten already and perhaps those few words will keep me out of trouble for now. I'm amazed on the way in that indeed many buildings do seem European. I knew there would be a European/French influence here but seeing it- the rather odd mix of European and Asian- is still quite surprising.
I simply find my room unpack a bit, shower and go to bed last night. This morning I wake up to overcast conditions and enjoy a run around a nearby lake. It's the city of lakes so there are a few right in the middle of town. The sounds of horns start early and scooters are everywhere. So nice to be in cooler temperatures again. It was 21 last night when I landed. It could be less than that today.
I'm staying in a modest hotel in the old quarters right in the middle of things. I haven't yet found my way but I'll keep you posted.
Bye for now
Anne
Monday, January 15, 2007
Monday January 15th 2007 - Bangkok
I made it to the city center at Siam station this morning. From there is was a short walk to the 'Jim Thompson House'. Jim Thompson was a fellow from the UK who is single handedly responsible for putting Thai Silk on the Map. He became a Silk Magnate but in 1967 at the age of 61 he went missing in the jungle of Malaysia. No one knows what happened to him, whether he got lost and died or whether he was kidnapped.
In any case the visit to his house is lovely. It is beautifully preserved and shows art and sculptures and porcelain from Burma, Thailand, China and all around Asia. The traditional house construction in wood is beautiful. The shop attached sells silk items and clothing. After a stop for lunch, banking and printing at the Paragon centre back at Siam, I head up Ratchadamri road to the Baiyoke Sky tower. From bottom to top the tower measures 309 meters and then there are other structures above that. And it only takes a minute an a half to get to the top in a rather rapid elevator. It is a hazy day so the view although amazing is not clear in the distance. From here Bangkok seems so huge. And the amount of tall buildings and roads are almost overwhelming.
Back down and on my way I meander along the market streets in the area where you can find anything to buy from jeans to jewelry. And if you are a shopper, you'd be really at home here. But if you are like me and shopping is way down the list after going to the dentist...then perhaps you skip the crowds and shop when you need to no matter where that ends up being.
Bye for now
I made it to the city center at Siam station this morning. From there is was a short walk to the 'Jim Thompson House'. Jim Thompson was a fellow from the UK who is single handedly responsible for putting Thai Silk on the Map. He became a Silk Magnate but in 1967 at the age of 61 he went missing in the jungle of Malaysia. No one knows what happened to him, whether he got lost and died or whether he was kidnapped.
In any case the visit to his house is lovely. It is beautifully preserved and shows art and sculptures and porcelain from Burma, Thailand, China and all around Asia. The traditional house construction in wood is beautiful. The shop attached sells silk items and clothing. After a stop for lunch, banking and printing at the Paragon centre back at Siam, I head up Ratchadamri road to the Baiyoke Sky tower. From bottom to top the tower measures 309 meters and then there are other structures above that. And it only takes a minute an a half to get to the top in a rather rapid elevator. It is a hazy day so the view although amazing is not clear in the distance. From here Bangkok seems so huge. And the amount of tall buildings and roads are almost overwhelming.
Back down and on my way I meander along the market streets in the area where you can find anything to buy from jeans to jewelry. And if you are a shopper, you'd be really at home here. But if you are like me and shopping is way down the list after going to the dentist...then perhaps you skip the crowds and shop when you need to no matter where that ends up being.
Bye for now
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Sunday January 14th 2007 BangkokWell, Sunday morning in Bangkok is very quiet. It's almost eerie in the streets this morning. There are still some cars and scooters but so few that one has to wonder where they are hiding. By mid afternoon things pick up a bit but certainly there is no traffic to speak of compared to normal.
Also, as I walk out the weather this morning is perfect. The nice breeze makes the morning just amazingly perfect. By 11am-11:30am however things heat up and it's usually muggy and very warm in the afternoon. Well, of course this is nothing like how it must be normally. For Thai people, it's cold now. Yesterday waiting for a water taxi I see a Thai woman with track pants, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. I look at her in amazement. Could she be cold enough to wear that top? Next to her is a Thai boy of 10 or 12 years of age wearing of all things, a fleece top. And the afternoon is hot. Could they really be cold? Well, I'm happy I'm going to Hanoi. The woman at the travel agency tells me it's very cold there now and I suppose it will seem in comparison but average maximums is 18C. Not that cold really.
A few people from Doha have been messaging me in the last few days while I've been online. A few volunteers like Saad and MD Arif and also a new friend who was working for Al-Jazeera TV station. It's really nice I must say. And then of course some old friends like Janet my good friend who worked with me in Salt Lake City and Pierre an old friend from Montreal I haven't seen in over 17 years now. I marvel at the fact you can be anywhere in the world and still be in direct contact with anyone just like that. I remember the days in 1988 when I traveled to Australia for a year and was still writing letters. Snail mail. Things have surely change since then.
Bye for now
Saturday January 13th 2007 - BangkokI finally managed to rebook my ticket back to Australia. It's getting harder and harder to change bookings even if the tickets are open and allow changes. So I went to Qatar Airways this morning and got that done postponing the return from Singapore to Brisbane until 22nd of Feb. That could change again however.
I then got back on the skytrain and made my way to the end of the Silom line which terminates at the Chao Phraya river. There I boarded a water taxi towards the Grand Palace. This is a really cheap way to trav
el up the river and really lovely too. Plenty of boats go up and down the river. Water taxis, powered long boats, more traditional boats. The water is a ochre colored brown but it's still great and I would recommend this mode of transport in preference to any other. The skytrain is also very good, efficient and easy to take.The Grand Palace area was of course impressive with amazing monuments painted in gold and huge figurines and wall paintings. It's just awesome in a very litteral way. The complex covers an area of 218 000 square meters and also includes the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The Palace was built in 1782.
I found a place to sit down and have a bite to eat before I got back on the Water taxi. A Canadian couple from Vancouver was shown to my table so we started talking. They must have been in their late fifties and only had been in Thailand for two days but are here for two months with another couple.
"You haven't gotten sick yet" the woman asks me. "No" I smile "not yet". I mean the food here has been easy to cope with. I have had no food upsets at all except for a few numb lips occasionnally from spicy food. And so we talk about things. The woman says almost as a whisper: "You know for such kind people, they do lie an aweful lot". And then she explain that just yesterday a man asked her where they were going and when she said she was going to the Shopping Mall he told her it was closed that day. "Was there not a friend driving a Tuk-Tuk who just happened to come along?" I ask. And she tells me that yes in fact one just pulled up (Tuk-tuks are sort of open air taxis which are usually a rip-off compared to the metered taxis). Of course the Mall was opened. She tells me as well that some other person today told her she couldn't get to the river with the Skytrain which she did just as I did. So I tell her what I think. The first man was a con artist and yes, he was definately lying to her. Had she said she was going to the museum or the Grand palace or anywhere else, he would have told her it was closed for a public holiday or anything. Then, ushered her to the tuk tuk and somewhere in there some sort of scam would have been suggested like cheap gems on sale that day or silk suits etc. Or even some sort of plan where the buyer could buy some gems and sell it to a purchaser in Canada upon their arrival there. Of course all those scams are engineered and one can only lose by taking part. As the old adage goes: "If it sounds too good to be true...it probably is."
However I tell her I don't think the second person was lying. I have also had that experience today when someone working for the skytrain also told me I couldn't get to the river with the skytrain. I tell her that in my understanding most Thais would not go to the Grand Palace the way we did as we had to go south to the River when the Grand Palace was pretty much directly accross. I feel that the Thais have trouble thinking outside their reality and I really don't feel anyone there was trying to lie at all.
Anyway, back on the water taxi I exit at the wrong stop and find myself in Chinatown. And then the experience is quite out of this world. People everywhere, tiny stalls along the streets selling everything from food, to wallets, to everything you can think of and everything you can't even imagine. And it's only when I stop at a dispensary to buy something and ask my way that I realise I'm really quite a
way from where I thought. And the lovely lady takes her time to explain exactly how to get back to the river and also how to do it by walking through Sapeng Lane which is not to be missed.Of course, Sapeng Lane is amazing. Narrow lanes (no cars) with all sorts of merchants either side and many people squeezing through and again suprisingly the occasional scooter even. How anyone could do any shopping here is beyond me but of course I'm a pretty hopeless shopper. By the time I make it back to the water taxi I'm really happy I got the wrong stop. Next stop is the Oriental Hotel. Famed for being probably the most beautiful Hotel in Bangkok and I'm sure one of the most expensive, a walk through the lobby is sure to impress anyone. And so I make my way to the courtyard cafe and enjoy a very expensive green tea. At US$5-$6 it's still affordable but it is 6 times the price I paid for my lunch.
From there it's an easy walk to the skytrain and I head back to Sukhumvit soi 24 and the President Park Apartments. Happy to stay in tonight after all that.
Bye for now
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Thursday January 11th 2007 - BangkokWell of course you can't see anything on these photos but just pretend...
Had a lovely diner last night with Donna and Marc at a beautiful Indian restaurant. Over ten years and it seems they haven't changed. It's a strange story how we meet Donna and I. I may not have told you but Donna and Marc's family name is "de Champlain". This is not a common name and indeed had I ever met anyone in a French speaking country, let alone Montreal with that name I would have been absolutely flabberghasted. Yet I met Donna in Perth one day in a shop. I was working there and within minutes somehow I'd asked her what her husband's name was. She'd told me she was married to a French Canadian from Edmonton (English speaking part of Canada) and only mentioned it because she thought I didn't have much of an accent. And to make the coincidence even more unbelievable, when she realised we had the same name, she asked me whether I lived in Fremantle (which I did). In a bizarre twist of fate, Marc had checked the Perth phone book the day before and noticed my name spelled exactly the same as his and wanted to call me to see if we were related. Probably thinking better of it, he didn't. He had left for the field where he worked a month on and a month off that very morning.
And so it went that I met Donna several times and even spent Xmas at her place that year and it was only about 6 weeks later that I met Marc. They were suddenly going to be transfered to Thailand and so we had diner one night. I felt like I'd known them all my life and Marc definately had some familiar traits. However we never looked into our family trees as we said we would. We stayed in contact occasionnally but it took over ten years for me to come and meet them again. I mentioned one of my ancestors to Marc last night and he said: "He's also my ancestor." So now, I'm really hanging to get the family tree he's promised to send me so we can really look into that.
Anyway...Decided to sort myself out today rather than do some sightseeing. I really needed to take some decisions appart from also picking up my visa and getting my shots done at a hospital here and delaying this process was not a good thing. I stopped at a travel agency after going to the hospital in the morning. The lady was showing me different options for traveling with flying here and there, and this area is not good by land, and this will take you so many days and blah blah blah. I ended up leaving more confused than when I got in. I really couldn't feel any of it. And yet there must have been something that would pull at my heart. I went to do a bit of emailing and managed to clear my head. I realised I didn't want to travel all over four countries staying a few days here or there and dragging my things from one place to another in an attempt to see whatever shouldn't be missed. I knew in my heart that had I had the choice I would probably have gone somewhere (like home if I had one) and just enjoyed that. And I also realised that there was one place that had really been calling me and that was Hanoi. When all this became clear, the choice was obvious. I went to pick up my visa at the embassy to see which dates they'd given me. 16 January to 16th February. I then organised to have ADSL connection in my room and started some research.
And I've now booked to fly to Hanoi from 16th January to 16th February. Easy! Got someone from a local hotel in Hanoi picking me up at the airport and he promised that should he not be able to accommodate me for the whole period, he would find somewhere for me to stay. So I'll base myself in Hanoi and perhaps do a few side trips. And that my friends feels so good to me.
I feel so relieved. So a bit more practicals to go and then I can really enjoy the rest of my time in Bangkok since I'm here until Tuesday.
Hope all is good in your lives...
Bye for now
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
January 10th 2007 - Bangkok
Well, here I am in the big smoke as we say. I was a bit daunted by the prospect of traveling to Bangkok but now that I'm here I'm fully enjoying it. After a couple of days in Phuket town I felt totally at home, knew my way around by day or night and it was a nice feeling. The trip to Bangkok by plane was easy although just as we were to touch down the plane suddenly accelerated and took off again at rapid speed... I've taken many many flights in my life but nothing like this had ever happended before so I was a bit perplexed when it did. But, we just flew a bit more and turned around and soon came back down again without a hitch.
I have to say, it's so nice to know people here like Marc and Donna. Marc had booked a nice hotel for me and all I needed to do was get there. You can find everything from cheap backpacker to very expensive accommodation in Bangkok and what I have is extremely good value for the money. I pay 2200 THB per night which is just about US$62 per night but have a serviced appartement with full gym and everything is perfect. It's nice in fact to have this level of accommodation in crazy Bangkok as many places may not have been so safe. Also Donna and Marc who actually lived in those appartements for about 1.5 years when they first got here live only a few blocks away.
Hence I spent the morning with Donna at their beautiful home and it was lovely to reconnect and talk about our lives and also about what to do in Bangkok and in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia. I really haven't done my research on this and so their help is invaluable. Spent part of the afternoon at the Vietnam embassy to get a visa because it's one of the place you need a visa before you go. I also intend to go around and do a bit of sightseeing while I'm here but I doubt I'll do everything before I go. I can do the rest when I come back through. If anyone wants to come to Bangkok, I can say that this time of the year is best as the weather, while still muggy in mid afternoon is delightful in the morning and evenings. I can imagine it being very different in summer or during the rainy season.
But, it's the city with shopping malls and restaurants and tiny food outlets on the street and scooters, cars and tuk-tuks. And also plenty to see. Donna pretty much outlined the MUST DOES to me and hopefully I can start on that tomorrow. I may actually have to stay until Monday because I feel I have much to do before I go to plan my travels and how much time I'll be away from Bangkok. I'm lucky to be able to leave some things like my computer and many things I will not need with Donna and Marc and will pick them up upon my return here. Shopping-I'm sure you all know- is a national passtime here. A bit like in Doha in fact. Shops are everywhere and according to Donna it's not that cheap. Well, the word is you get what you pay for. So if you buy cheap, you get cheap and for good quality you'll pay just the same or more than anywhere else. That being said she pointed me out to some IT Market where you can find anything for your computer, discounted copy software, movies, etc etc and there are bargains to be made there of course.
Having diner with Donna and Marc tonight. I haven't seen Marc yet as he works long hours everyday (even weekends) and from what I hear I don't think they will be here much longer. The long hours over the years have taken their tool on Marc. They have lived over ten years in Thailand now, two in Phuket and 8 in Bangkok. When I met them, Marc was posted in Perth and doing on the field work on Oil rigs for Halliburton. This type of position sends you out for 28 days and then you have 28 days off. But then they moved him in the office to fill in for someone temporarily when they came to Bangkok 8 years ago. With his attention to detail they just continued to promote him so that now he is the Country Director or South East Asia director for all I know.
Had a meal on the street last night at a ambulant food stand. Sitting down on a plastic stool. The food was eggs on steamed rice and the man next to me who was waiting for his take away order smiled at me impressed that I was eating there. He handed me a spoon when he saw me trying to eat with a fork, and then the soy sauce, the chili sauce and the mint sauce. And we laughed because I thought the chili sauce would be too hot. Of course he couldn't speak a word of english.
Bye for now and more soon
Well, here I am in the big smoke as we say. I was a bit daunted by the prospect of traveling to Bangkok but now that I'm here I'm fully enjoying it. After a couple of days in Phuket town I felt totally at home, knew my way around by day or night and it was a nice feeling. The trip to Bangkok by plane was easy although just as we were to touch down the plane suddenly accelerated and took off again at rapid speed... I've taken many many flights in my life but nothing like this had ever happended before so I was a bit perplexed when it did. But, we just flew a bit more and turned around and soon came back down again without a hitch.
I have to say, it's so nice to know people here like Marc and Donna. Marc had booked a nice hotel for me and all I needed to do was get there. You can find everything from cheap backpacker to very expensive accommodation in Bangkok and what I have is extremely good value for the money. I pay 2200 THB per night which is just about US$62 per night but have a serviced appartement with full gym and everything is perfect. It's nice in fact to have this level of accommodation in crazy Bangkok as many places may not have been so safe. Also Donna and Marc who actually lived in those appartements for about 1.5 years when they first got here live only a few blocks away.
Hence I spent the morning with Donna at their beautiful home and it was lovely to reconnect and talk about our lives and also about what to do in Bangkok and in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia. I really haven't done my research on this and so their help is invaluable. Spent part of the afternoon at the Vietnam embassy to get a visa because it's one of the place you need a visa before you go. I also intend to go around and do a bit of sightseeing while I'm here but I doubt I'll do everything before I go. I can do the rest when I come back through. If anyone wants to come to Bangkok, I can say that this time of the year is best as the weather, while still muggy in mid afternoon is delightful in the morning and evenings. I can imagine it being very different in summer or during the rainy season.
But, it's the city with shopping malls and restaurants and tiny food outlets on the street and scooters, cars and tuk-tuks. And also plenty to see. Donna pretty much outlined the MUST DOES to me and hopefully I can start on that tomorrow. I may actually have to stay until Monday because I feel I have much to do before I go to plan my travels and how much time I'll be away from Bangkok. I'm lucky to be able to leave some things like my computer and many things I will not need with Donna and Marc and will pick them up upon my return here. Shopping-I'm sure you all know- is a national passtime here. A bit like in Doha in fact. Shops are everywhere and according to Donna it's not that cheap. Well, the word is you get what you pay for. So if you buy cheap, you get cheap and for good quality you'll pay just the same or more than anywhere else. That being said she pointed me out to some IT Market where you can find anything for your computer, discounted copy software, movies, etc etc and there are bargains to be made there of course.
Having diner with Donna and Marc tonight. I haven't seen Marc yet as he works long hours everyday (even weekends) and from what I hear I don't think they will be here much longer. The long hours over the years have taken their tool on Marc. They have lived over ten years in Thailand now, two in Phuket and 8 in Bangkok. When I met them, Marc was posted in Perth and doing on the field work on Oil rigs for Halliburton. This type of position sends you out for 28 days and then you have 28 days off. But then they moved him in the office to fill in for someone temporarily when they came to Bangkok 8 years ago. With his attention to detail they just continued to promote him so that now he is the Country Director or South East Asia director for all I know.
Had a meal on the street last night at a ambulant food stand. Sitting down on a plastic stool. The food was eggs on steamed rice and the man next to me who was waiting for his take away order smiled at me impressed that I was eating there. He handed me a spoon when he saw me trying to eat with a fork, and then the soy sauce, the chili sauce and the mint sauce. And we laughed because I thought the chili sauce would be too hot. Of course he couldn't speak a word of english.
Bye for now and more soon
Monday, January 08, 2007
Monday January 8th 2007 - Phuket Town
It's rather nice to be in Phuket town. More real it seems. More like Thailand somehow than where I was before in the last few days. The little hotel I am staying is cute. Not fancy but the people downstairs are lovely. We can't really communicate with words of course but they always greet me and smile and somehow we communicate that way.
I went for a run this morning and found my way to King Rama IX Park. Took me 15 minutes running to get there but once there I decided to do a good part of my run there. There were many Thai people there walking or running. It's not fun to run in the streets with the traffic and it's probably not that safe either. But this park was lovely and I must have stayed there a good 40 minutes before I headed back. I've done this so many times in my life, just leave somewhere for a run and I just trust my ability to get back. Most of the times, I'm fine. I've learnt to set my bearings and look at landmarks. I did veer off track coming back this morning but only marginally and got back maybe five minutes later than I would have otherwise. But that was not a problem. Just wandered today for a while. I had to purchase a couple of things so did that. I also located a gym and did a workout just to try to maintain a bit when I can.
It's finally nice to be within walking distance to many things and be able to amble out at night to find a meal and just look around. I couldn't do this from Kamalaya in Koh Samui. I had the scooter of course but it was some distance to ride to get anywhere. Tomorrow I'm off to Bangkok which sounds like a crazy plae. Called my friends Marc and Donna last night to inform them of my arrival. I haven't spoken to them in over 10 years so it was really nice to talk for a while. They have lived in Thailand for over ten years. Two years in Phuket and 8 in Bangkok. Just talking to both of them got me excited about my travels. I can't wait to sit down and talk to them more about it so I can get a better idea of timeframes and what to do and not to do. And, to catch up of course after all these years. They have been kind enough to research some options for me accommodation wise so I feel I can relax about all that and just go.
Bye for now and lot's of love to all of you.
It's rather nice to be in Phuket town. More real it seems. More like Thailand somehow than where I was before in the last few days. The little hotel I am staying is cute. Not fancy but the people downstairs are lovely. We can't really communicate with words of course but they always greet me and smile and somehow we communicate that way.
I went for a run this morning and found my way to King Rama IX Park. Took me 15 minutes running to get there but once there I decided to do a good part of my run there. There were many Thai people there walking or running. It's not fun to run in the streets with the traffic and it's probably not that safe either. But this park was lovely and I must have stayed there a good 40 minutes before I headed back. I've done this so many times in my life, just leave somewhere for a run and I just trust my ability to get back. Most of the times, I'm fine. I've learnt to set my bearings and look at landmarks. I did veer off track coming back this morning but only marginally and got back maybe five minutes later than I would have otherwise. But that was not a problem. Just wandered today for a while. I had to purchase a couple of things so did that. I also located a gym and did a workout just to try to maintain a bit when I can.
It's finally nice to be within walking distance to many things and be able to amble out at night to find a meal and just look around. I couldn't do this from Kamalaya in Koh Samui. I had the scooter of course but it was some distance to ride to get anywhere. Tomorrow I'm off to Bangkok which sounds like a crazy plae. Called my friends Marc and Donna last night to inform them of my arrival. I haven't spoken to them in over 10 years so it was really nice to talk for a while. They have lived in Thailand for over ten years. Two years in Phuket and 8 in Bangkok. Just talking to both of them got me excited about my travels. I can't wait to sit down and talk to them more about it so I can get a better idea of timeframes and what to do and not to do. And, to catch up of course after all these years. They have been kind enough to research some options for me accommodation wise so I feel I can relax about all that and just go.
Bye for now and lot's of love to all of you.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Sunday 7th of January 2007 - Phuket Town, Phuket Island, Thailand
Well, after a day and a couple of nights in Surin Beach I realised it was time to go. It was a very resorty area. Nothing like Thailand really with mostly tourist there only staying in the resort. And even if one did leave the resort there was just nothing much there. I ran this morning on the road towards Kamala beach and as I came down the hill to it I could see that this place had been very affected by the Tsunami. Signs on the side of the road read: Tsunami Danger area. And others pointed to "Tsunami escape route" and showed the way to safer grounds in case of another Tsunami.
It was cloudy and overcast and some rain was coming down as well. It seemed stormy. In the afternoon I took a taxi to Phuket Town and found a room in a modest hotel. Just a small room with a bathroom and a TV (seems TV's are everywhere). I'll only be there for two nights.
The lovely Taxi driver was a woman called Gae. We start talking. She tells me she is the only woman taxi driver in Surin Beach. I wonder if many Taxi drivers are woman. Maybe 10% but no more. I comment on the weather and the fact it's raining quite hard. "Before the Tsunami (26 December 2004), it never rained at this time of the year. But since then the weather has changed." Surin beach, she tells me, had no dammage from the Tsunami but just down the road in Kamala (as I noticed this morning) there was a lot of dammage and deaths. I ask her if she knew anyone who died. "Yes, my brother". She tells me he was 25. Then she tells me that she might normally have been working that day but took the day off. Had she not, she could have been swept like many others. She doesn't seem too bothered to talk about this. I admire her strength.
Well, onto new roads and new beginnings in 2007 whatever they may be. All the best to everyone who may read this.
Bye for now
Well, after a day and a couple of nights in Surin Beach I realised it was time to go. It was a very resorty area. Nothing like Thailand really with mostly tourist there only staying in the resort. And even if one did leave the resort there was just nothing much there. I ran this morning on the road towards Kamala beach and as I came down the hill to it I could see that this place had been very affected by the Tsunami. Signs on the side of the road read: Tsunami Danger area. And others pointed to "Tsunami escape route" and showed the way to safer grounds in case of another Tsunami.
It was cloudy and overcast and some rain was coming down as well. It seemed stormy. In the afternoon I took a taxi to Phuket Town and found a room in a modest hotel. Just a small room with a bathroom and a TV (seems TV's are everywhere). I'll only be there for two nights.
The lovely Taxi driver was a woman called Gae. We start talking. She tells me she is the only woman taxi driver in Surin Beach. I wonder if many Taxi drivers are woman. Maybe 10% but no more. I comment on the weather and the fact it's raining quite hard. "Before the Tsunami (26 December 2004), it never rained at this time of the year. But since then the weather has changed." Surin beach, she tells me, had no dammage from the Tsunami but just down the road in Kamala (as I noticed this morning) there was a lot of dammage and deaths. I ask her if she knew anyone who died. "Yes, my brother". She tells me he was 25. Then she tells me that she might normally have been working that day but took the day off. Had she not, she could have been swept like many others. She doesn't seem too bothered to talk about this. I admire her strength.
Well, onto new roads and new beginnings in 2007 whatever they may be. All the best to everyone who may read this.
Bye for now
Friday, January 05, 2007
January 6th 2007 - Surin Beach, Phuket Island, Thailand
Well, Thailand is interesting. I tried all I could to find out the itinerary of how I was getting from Samui to Phuket but no one from the company I booked with could tell me. I left Samui Island yesterday and took the bus from Nathon Pier. This was taking us to the ferry pier. The ferry ride was really nice. I reflected that for someone who had worked out at sea and lived on two separate boats for a year and a half all these years ago, I really couldn't remember being on a boat since. I left the Nimrod III at the very end of December 1991 which was just about 15 years ago. But in thinking about it I remembered that there were in fact a good many small trips like the boat rides to Hinchinbrook island in 1993, the ride back from Rottnest Island a few years later. A few ferry trips in Sydney of course. But, I don't think Kayaking the swan river, or rafting down the Zambezi river counts however. It has been a while just the same and I really enjoyed the boat trip yesterday. It was just over an hour and a half. Then, we reembarked on the coach on route for Surat Thani. Up until then things were pretty good. I'd been told the trip would take about 5 hours so by the time we arrived in Surat Thani to change bus, it was 2:15pm and we'd been traveling almost four hours.
We were told the bus to Phuket wouldn't leave before 3:15pm and then I was told the trip to Phuket from there would take 4-4:30pm hours. The hardest thing in Thailand is that often time when you are asking questions, you are not understood. So, when I embarked for this next part of the trip, I and indeed we- every passenger in the bus- were continually in the dark about where we were and how far we were. We seemed to stop here and there to let people out and take more people in. I was supposed to do this part on a mini bus but I heard that the mini bus in question had crashed, hence we were packed in a coach and many people had to stand for the whole trip. In the end I arrived in Phuket town at 8:45pm.
I had to find a taxi to take me to Surin Beach and finally off loaded at 9:30pm which was about 12 hours after I left my accommodation that very morning. So, it was a bit of an adventure. A soft one really but one just the same. It was dark last night so I couldn't tell much about my surroundings but I could feel it was warmer yet here which is normal because I have traveled south from Samui. I marvel at the fact I have resisted looking at any guide books for Thailand. In fact when I booked my trip to Phuket I had the idea that Phuket lay north of Samui and that I would somehow be making my way to Bangkok slowly. So I was a bit surprised to see on the map the day before my departure that I was in fact traveling south.
Now that I'm here I wonder a bit what I'm doing here. I haven't seen enough to make that judgment of course but it all seems a far cry from what I would be interested in. It's more populated that Samui of course. People here do mostly wear helmets on scooters which was rarely done in Samui. Even I ditched the helmet a couple days in. And it seems more like a city. Just as Surat Thani did also. I hadn't seen cities or towns in Thailand yet. Just tiny settlements. So I guess Bangkok might be a shock.
As for my friend I have just met up with. It's nice to see him but I feel we have little in common and it would probably be a challenge to travel with him. So, still I'll give this a few days before I decide where I go next and book my flight out.
Bye for now
Well, Thailand is interesting. I tried all I could to find out the itinerary of how I was getting from Samui to Phuket but no one from the company I booked with could tell me. I left Samui Island yesterday and took the bus from Nathon Pier. This was taking us to the ferry pier. The ferry ride was really nice. I reflected that for someone who had worked out at sea and lived on two separate boats for a year and a half all these years ago, I really couldn't remember being on a boat since. I left the Nimrod III at the very end of December 1991 which was just about 15 years ago. But in thinking about it I remembered that there were in fact a good many small trips like the boat rides to Hinchinbrook island in 1993, the ride back from Rottnest Island a few years later. A few ferry trips in Sydney of course. But, I don't think Kayaking the swan river, or rafting down the Zambezi river counts however. It has been a while just the same and I really enjoyed the boat trip yesterday. It was just over an hour and a half. Then, we reembarked on the coach on route for Surat Thani. Up until then things were pretty good. I'd been told the trip would take about 5 hours so by the time we arrived in Surat Thani to change bus, it was 2:15pm and we'd been traveling almost four hours.
We were told the bus to Phuket wouldn't leave before 3:15pm and then I was told the trip to Phuket from there would take 4-4:30pm hours. The hardest thing in Thailand is that often time when you are asking questions, you are not understood. So, when I embarked for this next part of the trip, I and indeed we- every passenger in the bus- were continually in the dark about where we were and how far we were. We seemed to stop here and there to let people out and take more people in. I was supposed to do this part on a mini bus but I heard that the mini bus in question had crashed, hence we were packed in a coach and many people had to stand for the whole trip. In the end I arrived in Phuket town at 8:45pm.
I had to find a taxi to take me to Surin Beach and finally off loaded at 9:30pm which was about 12 hours after I left my accommodation that very morning. So, it was a bit of an adventure. A soft one really but one just the same. It was dark last night so I couldn't tell much about my surroundings but I could feel it was warmer yet here which is normal because I have traveled south from Samui. I marvel at the fact I have resisted looking at any guide books for Thailand. In fact when I booked my trip to Phuket I had the idea that Phuket lay north of Samui and that I would somehow be making my way to Bangkok slowly. So I was a bit surprised to see on the map the day before my departure that I was in fact traveling south.
Now that I'm here I wonder a bit what I'm doing here. I haven't seen enough to make that judgment of course but it all seems a far cry from what I would be interested in. It's more populated that Samui of course. People here do mostly wear helmets on scooters which was rarely done in Samui. Even I ditched the helmet a couple days in. And it seems more like a city. Just as Surat Thani did also. I hadn't seen cities or towns in Thailand yet. Just tiny settlements. So I guess Bangkok might be a shock.
As for my friend I have just met up with. It's nice to see him but I feel we have little in common and it would probably be a challenge to travel with him. So, still I'll give this a few days before I decide where I go next and book my flight out.
Bye for now
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Thursday January 4th 2007
Sorry I've been off line for a bit. Was hard to get connected at the resort which is where I was donig this before.
Today is possibly the most beautiful day since my arrival here. Not that it's been bad weather, just a bit overcast and hazy.
I've decided to change my plans which were to fly to Bangkok Saturday and plan something else from there. I've canceled my flight and am leaving tomorrow Friday instead by ferry and bus to Phuket to catch up with a friend who has just arrived there last night. Seemed if I headed to Bangkok we'd never connect. And with the current climate in Bangkok maybe waiting a bit might be best. So now, I'm off to Phuket, the tourist capital of Thailand. I can't believe it because I'm not at all a beach person and I've just spent nearly two weeks on an island and now I'm headed for the beaches of Phuket. Ahh well, we'll see what happens. It's not like I had some really hard and fast plans anyway.
Saw Bao at the gym this morning. We talked while he assisted me. What a sweetie. He even offers to give me a lift to Nathon Ferry in the morning since it's his day off. "Do you have much luggage?" Well, yes perhaps too much for his scooter. When I leave I give him a cap, key holder and pin from the Doha Games. Now I wish I'd kept more of these things with me rather than send it all back to Australia. I'd find people all over Asia who might love them.
Time to move on. More news from Phuket.
Bye for now
Sorry I've been off line for a bit. Was hard to get connected at the resort which is where I was donig this before.
Today is possibly the most beautiful day since my arrival here. Not that it's been bad weather, just a bit overcast and hazy.
I've decided to change my plans which were to fly to Bangkok Saturday and plan something else from there. I've canceled my flight and am leaving tomorrow Friday instead by ferry and bus to Phuket to catch up with a friend who has just arrived there last night. Seemed if I headed to Bangkok we'd never connect. And with the current climate in Bangkok maybe waiting a bit might be best. So now, I'm off to Phuket, the tourist capital of Thailand. I can't believe it because I'm not at all a beach person and I've just spent nearly two weeks on an island and now I'm headed for the beaches of Phuket. Ahh well, we'll see what happens. It's not like I had some really hard and fast plans anyway.
Saw Bao at the gym this morning. We talked while he assisted me. What a sweetie. He even offers to give me a lift to Nathon Ferry in the morning since it's his day off. "Do you have much luggage?" Well, yes perhaps too much for his scooter. When I leave I give him a cap, key holder and pin from the Doha Games. Now I wish I'd kept more of these things with me rather than send it all back to Australia. I'd find people all over Asia who might love them.
Time to move on. More news from Phuket.
Bye for now
