Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008

1 motorcycle, 10 provinces, numerous cities, villages and towns, countless litres of petrol and oil, 6 days, 1400 kilometers, 1 amazing guide (gnok!), hundreds of photos, endless amounts of memories, indescribable feelings, unreal landscapes, 3 breakdowns, ZERO flat tires, billions of mountains, zero changes of clothes, 1 pair of muddy kicks and an indeterminable amount of breathlessness and I'm back from my motorcycle trek of the Northern Provinces of Vietnam. Safe and on my way to celebrate with my friend, Mr. Dien, at the local Bia Hoi club.

Wednesday, Mar 5, 2008

I left Cydney and Justin to return to Hanoi. The reason I returned was simple: I was to pursue an adventure that I was told would change my life. Tim, in Saigon, more than a month ago, told me about a motorcycle trek through the north of Vietnam.

After departing for Cat Ba Island I met with Dien at Footprint Travel and tried to set up a trip north but the days were "ify" and unfortunately for me there were no guides able or willing to accompany me on this trip. So I decided to leave for Cat Ba.

Now that that is behind me (although I wish I could remain there for much longer) I got back into touch with Dien and he surprised me with news that I had a guide and that if I wanted to leave tomorrow morning I could. So I took a couple buses back to Hanoi and will rest up for my trip which begins tomorrow. I won't be able to update this blog anytime in between my travels.

I will be gone for six days. Traversing the north eastern providences of Vietnam,flirting with the Chinese border all the while. I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck--my first time on a real motorcycle: a Russian Minsk--the only way to explore Vietnam, I was told by Mai in Cat Ba.

Tuesday, Mar 4, 2008

Ha Long Bay is incredible. The mythology surrounding the Karst islands is that a dragon descended into the bay and remains on earth to protect the harbor and the Northern Vietnamese people. Therefore, the islands represent the half-submerged body of the dragon (it's a big one I suppose).

The trip was magnificent. Cydney and Justin, and I chartered a private boat to discover, on our own time, private and beautiful areas of Ha Long Bay. We kayaked through a huge tunnel cave which opened to a secluded lagoon connected to another, but shorter, water-cave-tunnel. We explored the tributaries and the beaches.

There really is nothing to compare with riding on the upper sun deck of a boat into the sunset.

Monday, Mar 3, 2008

I woke early again to eat a quick breakfast and go climbing.. in Ha Long Bay. That's right, I made it here.

I arrived in Hanoi after a 50 minute plane ride and with two new friends: Sydney and Justin. We shared a hotel. The next morning I woke up and tried to organize my last two and a half weeks here . I'm trying really hard to figure out what I want to do in Northern Vietnam but it just seems like I do not have enough time do any half of anything that I want.

I decided to head to Cat a island, the main inhabited island in Ha Long Bay. So I shared my idea with Justin and Sydney and they thought it'd be a nice change from the face pace and overwhelmingly loud hustle and bustle of Hanoi--I kinda liked it though. So we set off at 1:15pm and arrived after another long series of bus, bus, boat, bus to Cat Ba Town just as the fucia sun was about to drop behind one of the karst islands.

After we settled in at another hotel I was finally introduced to Erik and Onslo, with who I have been in recent contact with concerning their climbing trips and adventure opportunities in and around Cat Ba Island. They were East Coasters and was great to meet some excited and super extroverted climbers. We reserved a climbing tour the next day at 8 with two other travelers from Holland: Yaris and Minogne--both exceptionally friendly and were perfect additions to our lonely 3.

So the climbs were great. The views were excellent. The bay is inspiring. It reminds me of Thailand's islands but if even they were all collected and pushed together their number, size and beauty would be shadowed by the islands surrounding Cat Ba. I climber three routes: two really really easy ones, and one rather difficult one (climbing it twice, once to learn the sequences and the second time to patch it all together in one shot without falling). It was a huge accompishment for me and I have been on cloud nine since I touched the anchors--I can't wait to climb part-to-full-time when I get home! I also led my first lead climb! STOKED

After watching a colorful sunset... (again, one can't really explain what happnes during these moments) we headed back to the Cai Bae harbor, passing through a sleepy fishing village. These villages float on the water, their boats (almost 5 times the size of their precariously floating huts) docked on their porch. We traveled through a colorless hanging of cloud, dusk, twilight, and mystery. Each light lingered in the mist as we hit land and went for dinner and this internet session with these massive MASSIVE blog updates.

Friday, Feb 29, 2008

Luang Prabang is really quite an amazing place. Very quiet, surrounded by two rivers and nestled in the mountains of Northern Laos. The past two have been spent just hanging out and visiting the markets, testing the foods and exporing the areas surrounding the city center.
The weather has been cold and miserable. We took a tuk-tuk to a local waterfall which was beautiful.

Joe fell in the water and may have ruined his camera but the card is alright and the pictures are saved. As for the camera, I may never know its fate. I leave the crew tomorrow, and I'm sad about it.

But on the topic of leaving.. as we were leaving the waterfall the sun popped out and afforded us a great sunset from atop of the central Wat in town.

[Let me digress for a moment] There were many Wats around Luang Prabang and we ended up visiting quite a few of them, each still in use. The discipline it requires to be a monk: to live in a temple (for any amount of time), and to be so reverant is actually very admirable, almost frighteningly uncomforatble--but enticing at the same time. Being in Laos has really made me think differently, about many different things. I like it.

The sunset was beautiful. It set between the mountain tops. It set slowly and underneath clumped clouds which gave a great contrast of purple to orange. The cameras of a million tourists were clicking away the last remnant of the sun before it set behind the mountains as I just watched and knew I'd never forget this place.

My flight leaves tomorrow at 1645 and I'm not ready to leave. I think it's because I'm leaving without Laos. So at some point I need to come back and get it.

Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008

Well last night deserves a note.
The sunset was incredbile. The hike was exhausting and the company was perfect, although we were sad not to have Johanneke with us--she left early yesterday for Luang Prabang.

From atop this mountain you could see the innards of this valley which were entirely flattened by the towering mountains on each of its sides. Smoke from villages could be seen while the mooing of cows was heard over the laughs and conversation of at least 6 Lao children that followed us to the summit. The four of us (Joe, Laura, myself and Joe) were speechless with this view.

Not much more can be said here about this sunset.

ANYWAY, moving on to today.

We left early and drove through fog and cloud to Luang Prabang with a brief view of heaven (to a mountain lover). The road we traveled was thin and curvy and entirely dangerous. At some points we squeezed next to a large transport truck and multiple motorbikes side by side on steep mountain passes with steep drop offs, but I'm writing this now so I've made it.

Luang Prabang is another one of the most beautiful "major" cities in Laos. It is quiet and entirely influenced by European (mainly French, I think) architecture. It also boasts one of the most impressive night markets, which I'll have to check out. As soon as we arrived (about 6 hours, or maybe 8 hours later) we arranged for another rock climbing outing. This time on a rock wall that holds a view of something a bit more rewarding than just another rock face (like the one in Vang Vien). Our lunch was prepared right in front of us and was delicious.

The CREW!But before the night before the climbs we bumped into Johanneke again, along with her and the Joes' long time travel partners Stu and Kari. So, that night we celebrated their travels and time apart with a trip to a great bar where we shared jokes and stories then moved to another bar and then went bowling.... ILLEGALLY. Yeah, but it's run by the cops. Figure that one out.

The night was long but amazing, and I am happy to have met and spent some quality time with Stu and Kari, even though they might not entirely remember all of it.

Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008

Still in Vang Vien, and happy to be. I've pretty much settled here: dinning at the favorite spots, frequenting the favorite bars, all the product of quickly settling in to this friendly place filled with unlimited adeventure opportunity.

I'm sad to say goodbye to this place. I'm sad to leave the great side-of-the-road food stalls, where two beautiful Laos women cooked me breakfast each day, lunch on occasion, and dinner when I wanted huge, cheap and tasty appetizers before a more expensive meals with my friends.

We leave tomorrow morning for Luang Prabang. Today is an off day: we napped, and read our books in hammocks overlooking the mountain range and the river which we tubed down the day before. That was a great day.

We rented tubes to laze on the river in. Picture this: 6 of us floating down the slowest river on the planet occassionally stopping at a bar for a beer, shot of Lao Lao (the really bad bad Lao rice whiskey), maybe a swing on th rope swings, maybe a game of sand volleyball, maybe more floating; and you've pictured perfection.

Now we'll go for dinner with my ladies, then go for a hike to watch the sunset from atop this mountain we heard about.

Saturday, Feb 23, 2008

The past three days in Vang Vien have been unforgettable. I will only list the bare minimum for fear that any type of literary reflection would not do justice to the experiences.

Nathan had previously visited Vang Vien around New Years and Christmas and so set us up with a nice place to spend out time. The following day he showed us some sights, which, even upon waking up, are mind blowing; the first of which was the river. Nathan had worked at a bar which sat on the edge of a river, next to countless other bars. The reason for this is that people rent tubes and lazily float down the river, about 4km, at which point the bars appear boasting free shots, cheap drinks, desserts, and most important of all... ROPE SWINGS. So good.

(that's me, cannon-balling a passerby that got to close to my jump target!)

We spent all day drinking and swinging and meeting people and caring for those around us.
The night was long, but the day even longer, and the next morning was spent quickly shaking off a hangover while we prepared for a full day of rock climbing. 7 routes lates and about 7 hours as well we found ourselves sore and ready for a big dinner. But not until I engaged in the plastic beer crate challenge. That was fun.

Oh, we also went caving to a couple of places. One with a buddha inside:

As the boys are watching futbol, and the girls are watching friends in the myriad of bars playing family guy, friends, simpsons, etc I'm catching up on my blog and listening to some tunes. I'm entirely shot and can't wait to sleep tonight.