Journal:

Vietnam, 10 Apr 2002

Our group is splitting up, with most people heading back to Thailand. Sean and I are taking a bus to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City is the reasonably new name for the metropolitan area containing the city of Saigon. The bus journey to the border felt like a seven-hour stint on a mechanical bull. And then the formalities at the border took an agonizing two hours. But these hardships were soon forgotten after we boarded the Sinh Cafe bus for journey to Ho Chi Minh City. The bus was the lap of luxury and the roads were in fairly good condition. It took us two hours to complete a journey of similar distance to the one that had taken us seven hours this morning in Cambodia.

The traffic in Ho Chi Minh City has to be seen to be believed. It mainly consists of bicycles and motorbikes. When we arrived in the city, a sea of people on bikes crammed the narrow streets. Everyone was trying to inch their way forward, while somehow avoiding hitting one another. While glued to the chaotic scenes around me, I couldn't help but think that they reminded me of bees in a hive. A couple of people on my bus had camcorders that sprang into action to record the mayhem that surrounded our bus. It is at moments like this that I wish I had a camcorder with me on my travels.

We didn't waste much time exploring the nightlife in Saigon. After settling into a couple of rooms, we joined a group of people that we met on the bus ride earlier today. Over the course of the night, we visited several of the cozy little pubs in the immediate vicinity of our hotel. Saigon nightlife appears to be even better than Phnom Penh nightlife, and that's saying something! I have a feeling that I am not going to be fit for much sightseeing while I am staying here.

Vietnam, 11 Apr 2002

My new buddy Sean is an interesting character. He is a huge man who exercises each morning, using his rucksack as a substitute for free weights. His arms are almost as big as some local people's entire upper bodies. He is a gentle giant of a man, with a very friendly manner. Thirty-five years ago he was born into an Irish family that was living in the North of England. His family was one of those typical emigrant families, living a life that was more Irish than the Irish themselves. Over the years, he has spent quiet a lot of time in Ireland and has been living in Cork for the past year or so. A 17-fight professional boxing career left him with almost as many defeats as victories. He then discovered a special talent for writing during a six-month stint as a guest in her majesty's prison system. Now he travels, teaches, and writes about his experiences. Our ranks have been joined by another English guy called Mike.

This afternoon I bought several books. The Vietnamese have perfected the art of photocopying books. The photocopied version looks like the real thing, with perfect binding and glossy colour inserts. I bought Lonely Planet China and Lonely Planet Japan for US$9. I also bought books by Bill Bryson and Paul Theroux for US$3 each. The vendor selling the books proudly boasted that, within five minutes, she could me any book title I desired. I am considering buying a few books and having them shipped home as printed matter.

I spent the afternoon immersed in Lonely Planet Japan, trying to construct a reasonable itinerary for my visit to that country. Then, in the evening, we embarked on another wonderful adventure through the Saigon nightlife. Along the way, I had the pleasure of bumping into Andrew (with whom I had visited the Plain of Jars) and his new traveling mates. With Christine (the girl from Cork with whom I was traveling in Northern Laos) and Maedbh's arrival in Saigon tomorrow we have the makings of a decent group for a party.

Vietnam, 12 Apr 2002

My hangover this morning was a testament to a great evening the previous night. I spent most of the day researching my trip to Japan. With the inevitable shortage of accommodation there during the World Cup, I am quiet keen to book something as soon as possible. Our stay in Saigon is turning into one big party. Vanessa (from Italy), Helena (from Norway), Cath (from England), and Claudia (from Germany) have entered into our circle of friends.

Vietnam, 13 Apr 2002

Good Morning Vi-et-nam!

For some reason I was wide awake at the crack of dawn this morning. I decided to make the most of my early start and see some of the city. For US$7 I hired a cyclo (which is the local name for a rickshaw) to take me around for the day. Nghia, my very knowledgeable driver, told me numerous interesting stories about life under communist rule. Like most South Vietnamese, Nghia is very unhappy with the heavy taxes and rampant corruption that are a feature of life under North Vietnamese rule. He confidently predicts a revolution in these parts in the not-too-distant future. Among the more captivating stories, was one concerning his stint in a re-education camp after the communist take-over in 1975 where his attitudes towards communism were forcibly adjusted.

Of the tourist attractions that I visited, the War Remnants Museum left the deepest impression. The main part of the museum is obviously a communist propaganda vehicle, documenting the atrocities that were carried out by the Americans in horrific detail. Evidence of the torture of prisoners, the cold-blooded murder of women and children, and the widespread use of chemical weapons are presented in chilling detail. After seeing jars containing the preserved fetuses of babies that were deformed and died after coming into contact with agent orange, I almost left the museum. And I am still haunted by a photograph of a US marine joking as he tosses around the upper half of a Vietnamese body that had been blown up by a landmine.

Our extended group enjoyed a few sociable drinks this evening. In Sean and Mike I have found two very willing and very capable drinking partners. Although tonight we took it easy on the booze in preparation for an early start the next morning for our visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Vietnam, 14 Apr 2002

Our half-day visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels was illuminating. I have an ever-increasing admiration for the guile of the Vietnamese people. The Cu Chi people lived like ants in a 200-kilometer network of tunnels for the duration of the American War (as the Vietnam War is known in these parts). There were three levels of tunnel, the deepest of which are 10 meters below the surface. These tunnels linked a community of kitchens, living spaces, weapon stores, and classrooms. The tunnels are so narrow that western people cannot descend into them. However, the lure of the tourist dollar has led the local people to expose some of the tunnels and living spaces, allowing us to see them. The locals also built a "replica" network of tunnels (that are 20 centimeters bigger) so overweight westerners can see what it was like to rummage through them. After seeing the network of tunnels and the ingenious traps and weapons invented by these people, it was obvious to see why they have beaten the French, the Americans, the Chinese, and the Cambodians in recent wars!

After our visit to the tunnels, we relaxed before taking a dinner cruise. This was obviously the girls idea. As you can imagine, the lads would have been more than happy to eat food from a roadside stall and drink beer all night. But the inevitable happened and the girls got their way. As it turned out, our evening on the floating restaurant turned out to be a roaring success. As we boarded the boat, we were amused to discover that the evening's entertainment would be provided by a cabaret band. And then Sean's attempts to get them to play a request resulted in him getting up and embarrassing himself and all of us by attempting to sing a few songs. Being the only foreigners on the boat (most of the other groups of people appeared to be local families enjoying birthday parties) we were a constant focus of attention for those around us. Several amusing exchanges with the locals and a few beers later, we stumbled off the boat and back into the Saigon nightlife.

Vietnam, 15 Apr 2002

It was very difficult to drag myself out of bed for a one-day tour of the nearby Mekong Delta region. Just like yesterday, we took the Sinh Cafe tour. Our experience with the Sinh Cafe tours could not be better. They offer a level of service that is unusual in this part of the world. My only complaint is that the tour groups are perhaps a little too large. I have been bumping into my old friend the Mekong River for quiet some time now, coming across it a few times in Thailand and Laos. It is the sixth longest river in the world. The delta region is notable for the lush green mangroves and floating markets. The day trip was a nice day out, but I am glad that I opted for the one-day trip instead of a longer tour as there is not a whole lot to see.

Back in Saigon, I struck up a conversation with a young lady working in the Sinh Cafe. She asked me "what your country?" I responded "Ireland" expecting her, like most Vietnamese people, not to have any idea where it was. I was startled when she responded "very good music." With my Irish pride tickled, I then went on offer her some examples of good Irish music in the hopes of receiving an approving nod from her. "U2" I ventured, and received blank stares. "The Cranberries" also met with no recognition. Okay, I was now scraping the bottom of the barrel, but I offered her "Westlife" - that substance-less, but incredibly successful boy-band. Still no response. Then she said "Ireland very good Eurovision". She was referring to the annual Eurovision Song Contest. In this contest, each country in Europe submits a "pop" song for consideration and then people start paying attention for the much more entertaining voting sequence that ensues. With the exception of Abba in the 70s, this competition is reserved for groups and singers who have absolutely no self-respect. Submitting an entry into the Eurovision song contest is a sure sign that you have no career left in the music business. It is ironic then, that the Vietnamese should enjoy this competition so much. What, I ask you, does it say about their taste in music?

We enjoyed a few beer hois at a street-side stall this evening before retiring to bed reasonable early. It was my farewell drink with many of the gang as myself and Sean are heading north tomorrow. Hopefully, we will bump into them further up the country. By the way, a large bottle of beer in a pub typically costs US$1 but two liters of the surprisingly good beer hoi at a street stall costs a mere 50 cents. This country gets better and better all the time.

Vietnam, 16 Apr 2002

Myself and Sean are taking the Sinh Cafe Open Bus tour north through this long string of a country. The Sinh Cafe Open Bus is very similar in concept to the Magic Bus that we took in New Zealand. There are several legs in the journey from one end of the country to the other. Each day, the bus drives one leg of the journey, stopping at any attractions en-route. You can stay at any of the destinations for as long as you like before resuming your journey. The cost for the entire tour from Saigon to Hanoi is US$23.

Our first stop is Dalat. The town of Dalat lies on a plateau in the Central Highlands. It is surprisingly green and fertile in these parts. This is where many of the fruits and vegetables in Vietnam are grown. Upon our arrival in Dalat, we are amused to see the gates of the hotel compound locked to ensure that representatives of competing hotels cannot entice us away. We are further amused to find that our bags have already been unloaded and moved to the hotel reception. We promptly retrieved our bags from reception and emerged from the locked compound to a frenzied scene of desperate hotel representatives vying for our attention. We end up staying in fantastic rooms with satellite television, en-suite bathroom, and air conditioning for US$4 (instead of US$8 at the original hotel).

Sean and I then spent the afternoon exploring Dalat. Christine had made two recommendations to us - see the crazy house and see the crazy monk. Our first stop was the crazy house, an Alice-in-Wonderland like abode that was well worth the visit. Then, our visit to the crazy monk was a bit of a let down, as he was just that... a crazy person who provided little or no entertainment value.

Vietnam, 17 Apr 2002

This morning we resumed our journey, traveling on to the spectacular beach resort of Nha Trang. Once more, we arrived just after lunch, affording time to explore the area before nightfall. By day, Nha Trang is a beautiful quiet beach. By night, Nha Trang is a lively nightspot. The atmosphere in the Rainbow Bar on Nha Trang beach resembles that of the Australian backpacker scene, with the lure of free booze enticing people to get into the spirit of things. And we certainly got into the spirit of things.

Vietnam, 18 Apr 2002

I blame the Rainbow Bar for missing the bus to Hoi An this morning. If I didn't have so much fun there, I would certainly have made the bus. The driver, noticing that I was a no-show, even went to the trouble of knocking on my door at 6am. I awoke to the sound of his knocking and stumbled to the door in all my naked glory. A half-hearted wave of my hand was all that I could muster as a way to convey to him that I would not be taking the bus. I could tell from the horrified look on his face that no words were necessary on my part. I spent the day enjoying some rest and relaxation before attempting to leave the following morning.

Vietnam, 19 Apr 2002

The second time was a charm for me, as I caught the 14-hour bus from Nha Trang to Hoi An. Sean, however, enjoyed himself so much that he didn't make it. The journey was full of wonderful scenery. When the road followed the coast, we had spoectacular views of unspoilt beaches. When the road veered inland, we had equally spectacular views of waterlogged, lush-green paddy fields.

I arrived in Hoi An and checked into one of the few remaining rooms in the town - a dorm room for US$3. It is quiet a while since I have stayed in a dorm. I had met one of my dorm-mates, Arti from Iceland, a couple of days ago at a roadside eatery. Arti and I went out for a meal at a nearby restaurant. A very pretty young lady with a beautiful smile waited upon us. While ordering my meal, I took the opportunity to engage in some gentle flirting with the waitress. The waitress, who goes by the name of Doung, returned and sat with us while we waited for our food. After enjoying a rather timid but pleasant conversation, the young lady served our food. When we finished our food, she joined us at the table once more, rather coyly indicating that "you single, me single". I couldn't help but smile back. "You very handsome man" she offered. "No" I humbly protested, jokingly suggesting "you ding-ding kum-kum" (the Vietnamese phrase for crazy). My attempts to show off my knowledge of the local language went down like a fart in church. Her beautiful face instantly adopted a frown and she stormed off. And that was the end of my flirtations with the beautiful Doung. Good to see you haven't lost any of your charm, Conor old bean!

Vietnam, 20 Apr 2002

Before going to Louang Prabang in Laos, I had a mental picture of how a city with World Heritage status would appear. Louang Prabang did not fulfill that promise, but Hoi An does. Hoi An is a city of old ethnic dwellings and temples strewn among narrow streets that lead to a picturesque waterfront. Walking around this city cannot fail to make you feel good.

Hoi An's other major claim to fame is as a center of excellence in tailoring. There are literally hundreds of tailors in this city, offering to make any item of clothing that appears in any catalog. I visited one such tailor today and got measured for a suit, two shirts, and a fleece top. I chose a suit that I assured was the very latest in Italian fashion... little do they know that, being the least fashion-conscious person alive, they could probably make me a nineteen-fifties Romanian suit and I wouldn't know the difference.

My order will be ready for fitting and adjustment overnight. The total charge for everything, including all adjustments, will be US$60. I might not have much money when I return from my travels, but at least I will look sharp in my new clothes :-)

Vietnam, 21 Apr 2002

Today was spent drinking fruit shakes in the shade with fellow travelers, getting my newly-made clothes adjusted and then readjusted, and strolling around the lovely streets and lanes of Hoi An. I am particularly happy with the silk shirt and the fleece top. It is so unusual for me to have clothes that actually fit. With off-the-shelf clothing, I typically find that the shoulders are too narrow, the sleeves are too long, or the legs are too short. But, until now, I never considered the possibility of going to a tailor. Actually, if I think about it, I probably have the kind of freakish body that keeps tailors in business :-)

This evening was spent watching the English football in Treats Bar. Luyen, the barman, provided great entertainment for all with his comical antics. Over the course of the evening I made arrangements with Darragh, a native of Manhattan who writes articles for women's magazines, to visit My Son the following day.

Vietnam, 22 Apr 2002

In much the same way as Bagan was for the Burmese people and Angkor was for the Khmer people, My Son was the center for worship for the Cham people. My Son consists of a number of temples and towers spread over a verdant valley. Bagan and Angkor were the result of three centuries of hard toil, while My Son was developed over the course of six centuries. But, in my opinion, you would think it was the other way around with Bagan and Angkor both being much more impressive.

We returned to Hoi An and met Luyen who insisted on treating us to a local cultural experience... eating dog. Luyen, Darragh, and I made the short trip across town to a supposedly renowned "dog" restaurant. Darragh and I were both a little uncomfortable with the idea of eating man's best friend, but our desire to experience a little of the local culture was stronger than the reservations we entertained. You can imagine then how we felt when we entered the restaurant only to see the cutest little puppy, who could not have been much more than a few weeks old. He stumbled over to us, not having fully mastered the art of walking yet, and greeted us with a gleeful wagging tail. It was not easy to banish this scene from our minds as we sat down at the table. As it turned out, the meal was very good. We enjoyed three dog-meat courses, with each dish being washed down with generous measures of rice whiskey. The dishes were very tasty, with the dog meat tasting similar to beef. The total cost for the three of us to eat this feast was a mere US$1.50.

Vietnam, 23 Apr 2002

This morning I enjoyed the short trip to the city of Hue. Along the way, we stopped at a wonderful cave complex in the Marble Mountains and a beautiful deserted beach at Lang Co. The scenery along this short drive was spectacular, especially when negotiating the Hai Van Pass.

Hue was the capital of Vietnam back in the days when emperors ruled this land. The French influence is very apparent, with wide boulevards and parklands dominating the cityscape. The city is built up around an old moated citadel, with a Forbidden City (the imperial enclosure) in the center of the citadel.

I am paying US$4 for the pleasure of in a very comfortable hotel room, that has all of the modern conveniences one would expect of a first-world hotel room. For some reason, the Lonely Planet guidebook consistently overprices the cost of accommodation and tours in Vietnam. It typically quotes hotel rooms at between US$10 and US$15, whereas I have been paying between US$3 and US$6. The guidebook prices tours at between US$10 and US$25. In my experience, they cost between US$2 and US$10.

The exchange rate here is a ridiculous 15,000 Vitenamese dong to one US dollar. However, the Vietnamese have notes with reasonable denominations, so it is not a big problem. Also, US dollars and Vietnamese dong can be used interchangably almost everywhere. My policy of using my ATM card has not been successful in Vietnam. Only Saigon and Hanoi have banks with ATM machines. However, getting a cash advance on a credit card is possible in most places.

This afternoon I went to the post office to send my newly-acquired clothing back home. Because of the burocracy and corruption that is endemic in communist countries, this proved to be an arduous task. It took me more than an hour to fill out four lengthy forms and have the items closely inspected by a relevant authority. I then entered into protracted negotiations over the cost of sending the four kilos of clothes to the States. The post office clerk opened negotiations at US$50, but after a lengthy session we ended up settling on approximately US$25 (which included a present to ensure it's safe handling). I don't feel confident about ever seeing those clothes again.

Vietnam, 24 Apr 2002

This morning I got up at 5.30 for a tour of the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The DMZ is an area that reached 5 kilometers from either side of the demarcation line between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. It is an interesting area, with significant sites on both sides of the line. Our tour guide indicated her loyalties soon after launching into her commentary when saying that "both sides wanted a united Vietnam, the south were fighting for a capitalist American-backed government, while Ho Chi Minh was fighting for freedom." Among the more interesting sites that we visited were an abandonned US base that was one of the key battlefields of the American War, a section of the Ho Chi Minh trail, and the Vinh Moc Tunnels.

The Vinh Moc Tunnels housed a village of 300 people. The tunnel network is spread across three levels, the lowest of which is 23 meters below the surface. It is similar to the Cu Chi Tunnels that I visited in the south, however these tunnels have not been altered to facilitate tourism. We negotiated a 500 meter stretch of the tunnels before emerging by the sea. One story from our visit to the tunnels that provided soem food for thought concerns the fact that 17 people were born in the tunnels, and all 17 of those people are still alive today, and those people are the same age as me.

Over the course of the day, a little group within a group formed, with Chris (from France), Daniela (from Austria), and myself hanging out together. Solo travelers usually obey an unwritten code that they look out for one another when it comes to making arrangements for food and drinks in the evening. If you come across another solo traveller, you usually invite them into your group. It makes for a very sociable existance and, typically, a series of very pleasant evenings. Today I must admit to feeling a little guilty after asking Daniela out and not inviting Chris along. But that guilt was short-lived as Daniela and I enjoyed a lovely evening together.

We enjoyed a rather expensive, but very romantic, Indian meal before retiring to the Thu Wheels Cafe for a few beers. Daniela is a lovely girl, very pretty and intelligent. In six months time she will be a fully-qualified doctor. She is currently on vacation in Vietnam. Everything was moving along nicely between us when Minh, one of the owners of the cafe, joined us for a drink. He was mired in a drunken depression because of other people stealing his business. If a business is successful in Vietnam, it is quiet common for other businesses with very similar names to pop up nearby. This is currently happening to Minh after he received rave reviews in the Lonely Planet guidebook. Minh, in his drunken rantings, went on to completely destroy any vestiges of the romantic atmosphere that I had carefully constructed. After Daniela made her excuses and went back to her hotel, I felt almost as depressed as Minh.

Vietnam, 25 Apr 2002

I awoke at 7.00 in the morning after agreeing to a motorbike-led tour of Hue. Minh led Frank, Bernie, and I on a five-hour tour of the area. Frank and Bernie are a very nice couple from Dublin that are making their way back home after a couple of years in Australia. Minh showed us all of the hotspots in the area, providing great insight in his commentary. If you ever visit Hue, I would definitely recommend Minh's tour over the big bus and boat tours that everyone else takes. We visited a number of pagodas and temples, some great vantage points, some local monks (or local monkeys as Minh like to refer to them), and the Royal Tombs.

Each Vietnamese Emperor constructed a Royal Tomb for himself and his family. These tombs were actually residences that became tombs after the emperor's death. One tomb that we visited was very large with a lake and several buildings that housed the emperor, his 104 wives, and countless concubines. Minh derived great amusement from referring to this emperor as the big banana. However, it turns out that the emperor was as potent as the Scottish Football forwards, producing absolutely no offspring.

I had planned on staying in Hue one more day, before going to Hanoi. But I knew that Daniela was taking the overnight bus to Hanoi this evening, so I changed my plans in the hope of seeing her again. By the time I got to the bus, I was a little late and the bus was fairly full. You can imagine my delight then, when I saw a free seat near the front of the bus next to Daniela. I smiled at her and asked her if the seat was free. Before she could utter the words to say that the seat was free, I was comfortable in the seat beside her. In normal circumstances, this 14-hour overnight journey would be hellish. But I was more than happy to be spending 14 hours talking, laughing, and drifting in and out of sleep next to Daniela.

Vietnam, 26 Apr 2002

We arrived in Hanoi at 6am, two hours ahead of schedule. After checking into a hotel and making arrangements to see Daniela later that evening, I set out for the Chinese Embassy to get my Chinese Visa. I want to get a double-entry visa, allowing me to get a flavour of the Southern half of the country before the World Cup and return to see the Northern half after the World Cup. The guidebooks, however, say that you should go to Hong Kong to apply for a double-entry visa. But there are several reasons why I don't want to go to Hong Kong. I was delighted then to find that I had no problems getting a double-entry visa in Hanoi. At the embassy, I also had the pleasure of bumping into Arti - my little Icelandic friend from the dorms in Hoi An.

I spent the rest of the day exploring the Old Quarter of Hanoi - a maze of 36 narrow, merchant-filled streets. I followed the Lonely Planet walking tour, as did many other people judging from the number of familiar faces I encountered along the way. The Old Quarter has got a compelling atmosphere, with a mixture of French architecture and Asian market life filling every street.

After a short power nap, I then enjoyed food and drinks with Daniela, Sean, Marc (the guy I was travelling with in Burma), and Karen (from Belfast). For the previous two evenings the mutual attraction between myself and Daniella was obvious. However on both occasions circumstances conspired to prevent us from acting on our feelings. Tonight circumstances were kinder.

Vietnam, 27 Apr 2002

I didn't do much sightseeing today, instead spending the day getting to know Daniela. My only activity of note was a successful expedition to buy some music CDs. Hanoi is the least expensive place yet to purchase music CDs, with copies of almost any CDs you could want available for a mere US$0.66 each. Hanoi is also the least expensive place that I have come across in South East Asia for purchasing t-shirts (at US$1).

Vietnam, 28 Apr 2002

Today, I was mired in a mild depression. For the past few weeks, I have been living life on a tremendous high. I have been so happy, feeling great about everything. This is going to sound strange, but I have even felt euphoric at times. There I was, very happily making my way through a wonderful web of experiences and encounters. And then I met Daniela.

Daniela is wonderful. I am so lucky to have met her and to have shared this short time with her. However I can't help but feeling that, once again, I have met someone special on this trip that will inevitably disappear. That, unfortunately, is the reality of the situation. The fleeting nature of traveling relationships is one aspect of this lifestyle that can be difficult to come to terms with.

Vietnam, 29 Apr 2002

I left yesterday's mild depression behind me and had a great day exploring the city of Hanoi that lies beyond the Old Quarter. I spent most of the day exploring the tree-lined boulevards that house many of the state buildings and museums in this city. This area has a distinctly communist feel to it, with viewing gallaries lining the wide streets and socialist-style monuments and posters at each intersection.

While making my way around the city I made quick diversions to collect my passport from the Chinese Embassy and to purchase a train ticket to Guilin in China (costing US$50 for a bed in a soft sleeper compartment). I also stopped for a while at an internet cafe. The internet cafes in Vietnam probably offer the least expensive and best quality connections in South East Asia. The cost for an hour of reasonably quick internet access varies between 25 and 50 cents (with 25 cents being the norm in large cities).

This evening Daniela and I made the bold move of ordering pigeon for dinner. The sparse amounts of meat on the pigeon were very tasty, even if the presence of the pigeon's head was a little off-putting. We then rounded off the evening at a nearby jazz club. Because of the significant French influence, jazz music is considered on of the hidden gems of Hanoi. There's nothing like the intimate atmosphere of a jazz club when you are on a date - the dimly-lit room, the little tables for two, the entertaining instrumental solos, and the rippling applause all conspire to create a lovely romantic atmosphere.

Vietnam, 30 Apr 2002

Today is National Liberation Day in Vietnam. It is the day that celebrates the capturing of Saigon and subsequent unification of the country. It is the second biggest national holiday after Tet - the Vietnamese New Year.

In the North of Vietnam, we have discovered that Ho Chi Minh enjoys a God-like status. I don't think I have ever come across a people who genuinely revere an individual as much as they do Uncle Ho. And today - National Liberation Day - is the day that most people choose to pay hommage to their hero. The crowds visiting his mausoleum, residence, and museum had to be seen to be believed. Of course, today, the busiest day of the year, is the only day that Daniela and I are able to visit these sites.

Our visit to the mausoleum was an interesting experience. The mausoleum houses a glass sarcophagus displaying Ho Chi Minh's well-preserved body. The guards closely examine everyone entering the mausoleum to ensure that they are dressed respectively and behaving appropriately. I saw guards berating a local who had the temerity to smile... trust me, he wiped the smile from his face very quickly. One of the more interesting rules that must be obeyed while viewing Ho Chi Minh's body prevents people from putting their hands in their pockets. I guess it is a disrespectful act.

On my way through these buildings, I discovered that Ho Chi Minh was actually one of a number of aliases that the man used. I also discovered why he might have chosen the name Ho for himself... he had childern with a number of women, including his Vietnamese wife, his French wife, and a hill-tribe woman.

Daniela and I spent this evening - our last together - slowly making our way around the lake in the center of the city. This area of the city was the center for Liberation Day activities, with several stages hosting local entertainment. We also seemed to provide some entertainment value for the locals, as they constantly greeted us with smiles and laughter.

Vietnam, 01 May 2002

This morning I embarked on yet another tour, this time to visit Halong Bay, and Daniela returned home to Austria. I am going on a 2-day tour of the bay. It is costing a mere US$16 for air-conditioned coach transfers, 10 hours of cruising the bay, overnight accommodation on Cat Ba Island, national park entrance fees, and all meals.

Our tour group was a bit on the quiet side, with most people keeping to themselves. I quickly settled into a little clique with Kevin (from France), Paul (from Wisconsin), and Mr. Kim (from Korea). Kevin is a very nice guy who is balking at going to his intended destination of China after hearing other travelers reports from there. He instead plans to return to "comfort" of Laos and Thailand before going home. Paul is surely a contender for the title of the Most Boring Man Alive. He is so boring that there is literally nothing else that I can say about him. Mr. Kim spent most of the trip nodding his head and smiling and at everything I said. I could tell that he did not understand a word I said. It was strange then, that he should later offer me a job teaching English at his school in Ho Chi Minh City.

Halong is the fourth and final World Heritage Site in Vietnam (the others are Hoi An, My Son, and Hue). It is listed as a World Heritage Site for its natural beauty. Even though Halong Bay is one of those places that people had been building up for quiet a while now, it proved to be more spectacular that I had imagined. It consists of more than 3,000 vegetation-covered karst peaks that shoot out of the sea. It is similar to the landscape on the west coast of Southern Thailand, except for the fact that there are a handful of these islands off the Thai coast while there are thousands in a small area of Halong Bay. We spent the afternoon cruising among these islands and exploring a couple of caves before spending the evening on the national parklands of Cat Ba Island.

Vietnam, 02 May 2002

The morning was again spent cruising among the islands of Halong Bay, before returning to Hanoi. Back in Hanoi, I stocked up on CDs and other items in preparation for my trip to China.

Vietnam, 03 May 2002

I have a few chores to take care of before boarding the train to China late this afternoon. I have heard from Sean (who undertook this journey while I went on the tour of Halong Bay) that it is a 24-hour journey from hell. At least I am now prepared for the worst.

Spending:

$675 for 24 nights, including:
    - $60 to have clothes made
    - $25 to mail the clothes home
    - $65 for the Chinese visa
    - $50 for the train to China