Vietnam - The last month

Hanoi, Vietnam
Fun with Traffic and Ovenight Busses
Ha Long Bay and Traveling Companions


Apologies for not having written for some time. I've been completely absorbed into the heat and congestion of Vietnam, and arranging all the things I want to do with the last remaining 5 weeks of my trip. I return to the USA late August.

It's been a whirlwind of overnight busses and walking all over small towns and cities. The traffic in even the small towns of Vietnam is a completely chaotic experience. Waiting for the rare gaps in traffic simply isn't practical, so one gets into the local habit of simply walking out into the engulfing traffic, and hoping for the best. Mostly, drivers are quite skilled at avoiding whatever crosses their path. I have a strong feeling that this probably comes from a lifetime habit of people jetting out in front to take advantage of an unsaid rule "the first one there has the right of way". The result, is an extremely inobservant populous, that constantly cuts each other off. As you can imagine, this can cause a lot of excitement.

One of my favorite pastimes, is simply sitting anywhere shady outdoors with a cool drink, and watching the near misses of vehicles, pedestrians, and women hauling pendulous huge loads swinging from both ends of shoulder poles. It's especially impressive in Hanoi, the bustling "Paris of Vietnam". It's amazing how ambitious and effective everyone is at squeezing through even the most tightly packed markets, sidewalks and streets. Cafe cooking and seating sometimes extends out into the street, and motorbikes often drive on the sidewalk.

I was lucky to meet a like minded traveler (a Brazilian software engineer of German decent), so we've been braving the streets, foodstalls, and beer gardens of Hoi An, Hue, and Hanoi. On a practical level, the more bodies (read: the larger the road block) the more likely the traffic will observe you and flow around. I wouldn't be nearly so adventurous about going out at night and to predominantly male outdoor eating and drinking areas. Although it would likely be very safe even if I were alone, I find it less intimidating to be stared at when entering a new place. It's been entertaining as people try to guess our nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, and relationship. I'm glad the timing was such that we had a chance to meet on the open tour bus. He's a lovely person.

Speaking of tour busses, don't count on getting much sleep on any overnight ones in Vietnam. Even on "luxury" busses advertising comfortable reclining seats, the typical SE Asian experience that you will be bounced and jostled all the way and spend the night being awakened by oncoming traffic lights, and frequent stops for loud frieght trains, toilet breaks, and mysterious pitstops not mentioned in brochures. Vietnam has the added charm of drivers that honk contantly to warn the aforementioned inobservant populous that they should get, or stay, out of the way as the honking vehicle barrels through impossibly crowded intersections and passes on mountainous blind curves. Most of the traffic is bicycles and motorbikes hauling whole families, vegetables, long poles, rebar, and everything else under the sun. Some of these loads are awkwardly wide or slow. Mercifully, most people are in bed after 11pm... so at least the constant honking is minimized. Another unfamiliar situation to a Westerner, is the Vietnamese habit of assuming to share any available airspace, even if that means pressing up against you. This wouldn't be so bad except that most people are tossing and turning as much as you, to get "comfortable" in the unforgiving bucket seats. Perhaps I'm overly sensitive, but I prefer to know someone a little better before feeling their hot bottom and bare feet pressed against my thigh.

After much logistical research (mostly on Dieter's part) and travel agent office time, Dieter and I will spend 2 nights and 2.5 days boating, Kayaking, and swimming around dramaticly craggy rock filled Ha Long Bay, off the coast of Hanoi. We leave early tomorrow (Friday) morning, and return in time for the Sunday sunset in Hanoi.

Immediately after, sadly, we will part ways. Dieter goes off to about 6 more months of travelling in Laos, Thailand, India and Tibet, and I will return to picturesque Hoi An for about 3 weeks, to find a simple cheap accommodation for the remainder of my Vietnam Visa. There, I plan to paint and work on my children's storybook sample on Bali. It will seem strange and a bit intimidating without him, but I look forward to settling down in the same place and developing a work routine. Hopefully, we will keep in touch and cross paths again!

Hoi An, Vietnam, is a lovely and a fine place for artistic inspiration. I believe that between one friendly local family, and an accomplished gallery painter, that I will feel comfortable. The painter said he would help me find a cheap place when he get's back from his opening in Japan. I love his artwork, and he conducts art classes for children, so we are sympatico on quite a few levels. There seems to be a small expat community there.