Phnom Penh- Putting things in Perspective...

Phnom Penh unveiled to me the horrors of history that occurred during the regime of the Khmer Rouge. Between 1975 and 78 Cambodia was victim to mass genocide of its people, by its people. With communism spreading throughout South East Asia, Cambodia was in a time of great change. Once in power the Khmer Rouge sought to create an idealistic, communist style country. Farming and manual labour was of high value, however critical thinking, expression and education were seen as a threat to the new regime. As a result all intellectuals were rounded up and taken to camps for 're-education.'

As a primary school teacher this resonates strongly with me. Had I been living and working in Cambodia at the time, I would have been captured, taken to one of these camps and tortured. In cruel irony, the main 're-education' camp in Phnom Penh was in fact a former school. Once the Khmer Rouge gained control, buildings for education were seized and converted into prisons and houses of the worst, unthinkable torture. Rooms which should have been filled with the happy chatter of children learning were instead consumed with the screams of innocent, knowledgeable people being senselessly tortured.

Much of the prison has been preserved as it was abandoned during its liberation. The floor bares blood marks, tangible proof of the atrocities that were committed here. Most of the isolation cells have been left untouched. I stood inside one cell, the walls almost touching my shoulders on each side and thought for a moment of the people who were forced to spend years in silence, their mangled bodies aching following the beatings and vile instruments of torture that were inflicted on them. The torture devices were displayed in a museum section of the prison. There were countless sharp, heavy metal implements that cause unimaginable pain. Detailed pictures show the grotesque treatments these prisoners received. Words cannot express the horrors that result in a 25% reduction in population in only three years.

While the torture inflicted on prisoners was horrific, their ultimate death was even worse. While in Phnom Penh I also visited the Killing Fields. This was a sight where mass graves of up to twenty thousand people were discovered. With an audio guide I walked through the beautiful green landscape, aware that underfoot were the remains of innocent men, women and children. The result of private audio-guided tours is the creation of a serene atmosphere. There is a sense of isolation to the place, despite there being many tourists. The scale of the murders that occurred means that even today, bone and fragments of clothes become unearthed. I listened in horror to the guide at each point as it explained that prisoners were brutally hacked to death with farming tools before falling lifelessly into the waiting pits. Today the bones of the dead push to the surface as though eager to ensure that their history will not be forgotten.

To help preserve history there are documentaries where the few survivors of the Khmer Rouge prisons describe first hand the atrocities they experienced. In the s21 prison my tears fell silently as I watched an old man describe being drowned and beaten until he eventually passed out. He vividly remembers the moment the prison was liberated and joyfully reuniting with his wife as they escaped. I was so relieved to hear a happy ending to such a horrific story. Finally, I thought, there is justice in the world. No. This was not the end. His wife was shot and killed on the road out of the prison.

I left the room in silence, questioning the inhumanity of man, when suddenly a little old man gave me a wave and a smile. His eyes were so bright and his smile so genuine. I couldn't help but feel cheered up by his happy spirit. It was the man from the documentary. He had written a book about his survival and was selling it at a stall in the prison. I watched as he chatted with people, his eyes were warm and his laugh infectious. This man had suffered horrors I couldn't even imagine and yet his spirit seemed undamaged. He seemed so grateful to be alive.

His positivity inspired me. It made me reflect on my own life and really put things in perspective. All those little, things that I stress over, all of the problems that I have pale into nothingness when I compare with this man. That day I realised the privileged life I live. I felt thankful for the opportunities I have had to get an education and to travel. Even as I write this blog I am grateful for the liberty of free speech, freedom of choice and for the numerous opportunities I have in life.

Ho Chi Minh- City of History?

Upon arriving in Ho Chi Minh City it became instantly apparent that this area was very different to its northern counterpart, Hanoi. We had braced ourselves for the chaos of the city, following numerous warnings from travellers who were heading south to north. Ho Chi Minh is more populated than Hanoi however it doesn't quite feel it. In the ever crowded Hanoi, pedestrians join motorists as everyone battles their way through the heaving traffic. In Ho Chi Minh there are pavements, pavements you can actually walk on! The roads are certainly busy but there are traffic lights... and road markings... and there seems to be some kind of system in operation! That said,crossing those roads is equally as life threatening as Hanoi!  

The roads we walked along were teeming with clothes shops. This was the first part of Vietnam where I felt fashion was a concern for the locals. Every where I looked there were girls with kookie looking hats, guys wearing braces , and sunglasses, fabulous sunglasses! 

While the clothing had an Asian vibe to, the appearance desired by people is more western. There were countless adds for products promising to lighten the skin, from laser therapy to lightening moisturisers and face wash. Pale was in! And there I had been in a bikini in HoiAn  hoping for some colour! It really made me question appearance. So many Irish girls hide their skin with heavy fake tan, many Asian women are bleaching their natural skin coulor. Why do women reject our natural beauty? After having my photo taken by countless Asian tourists who complimented my skin, I'm beginning to embrace my pale skin! 

The western influence is particularly evident in the amount of American restaurants there are. We decided to avoid KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut in favour of something a little more local. We were staying in a room we found on Air BNB which was a lot further out of the city than we had expected. Luckily this meant that there were lots of Vietnamese restaurants nearby. We chose one that had deliciously enticing smells wafting out and was particularly busy. As we walked towards a table every pair of eyes in the restaurant stared at us. We glanced at the menu while words like 'chicken carcass' and 'river eel' jumped out at us. After all the eyes staring it was too late to leave and sure, it's all part of the adventure! In good spirits, but with a little trepidation we ordered grilled goat and broiled beef with ginger. 

A plate of grey meat arrived to the table. Beef or goat? I didn't know... But it tasted... fine. Next a large plate of fat arrived, well that's what it seemed like. When the waitress saw us trying to sever the flecks of meat from the fat she brought over a scissors and spilt our food into two neat piles- a large pile of fat and about a spoonful of meat. We did our best but it certainly wasn't like the beautiful street food in the north! 

Our time in Ho Chi Minh was largely spent getting to understand the history ofVietnam more deeply. I had a passing knowledge of the Vietnam war but was interested to find out more. We visited the war remnants museum and the cu chi tunnels (a guided tour of the tunnels used by the Vietnamese to hide in/travel system during the war.) 

I was glad I visited both and would definitly encourage other tourists to visit, but I still feel a little lost in terms of why the war began initially and the Vietnamese connection with the Americans. 

The reason I was left confused despite what should have been two very educational trips was because of the propagandist approach presented to us. The Cu Chi tunnels in particular showed a video before the tour began that was actually laughable. It spoke about (and I directly quote!) "a cute, little peasant girl, who's father was horribly murdered by the bad American soldiers and must now avenge his death" and then they show an image of a girl with a MASSIVE machine gun, looking far from cute! It's frightening to think that the history available to Vietnamese people is so one sided. The war in Vietnam began when the North decided to try to conquer/liberate the south and the Americans later stepped in. I don't mean to trivialise the war. It was a horrific period in time with countless lives lost on all sides. The victims of agent orange who have been disfigured for life have my deepest sympathy. 

My time at the museums in Ho Chi Minh makes me question the world around me more. There are despicable acts of violence happening all around the world and very often, a blind eye is turned. It made me want to become more involved in preventing such terrible atrocities. It also makes me doubt governments in power. It made me realise that I need to question the world I live in, in order to make sure that it is a fair and safe place for all. 

Hoi An- Town of Tempting Tailors, tourists and the beach!

Having exhausted ourselves with our jungle exploits it was time to relax a little bit and Hoi An is the perfect spot for that! It's a picturesque little town (albeit completely commercialised and ultra touristy) with a beautiful white sand beach. We spent about 4 days there and really enjoyed dozing on the beach under our Palm tree umbrellas, sipping cocktails and addictive mango shakes! We would often break up this busy schedule with a tasty lunch. I adore the papaya and green mango salads with shrimp! Sweet,  Juicy and zesty!   

Well fed and rested, we got to see what Hoi An was prepared to offer... There is a beautiful covered Japanese style bridge, a few temples, and various other historical stuff that did not make it through my distracted eye... All I could see we're the numerous tailor shops! 

Getting tailor made clothes is a highly  overwhelming but extremely enjoyable task. I had a good think before finally deciding that some kind of a coat would be a practical option. Dresses and tops can be bought quite cheaply at home but coats tend to be expensive. With that in mind the lady in the shop steered me in the right direction. She had an iPad with lots of different styles of coats they have made previously. Even better than that though was the fact that you could just google any style you wanted and then make any modifications. I saw a coat I loved but preffered it in a winter white. It had a lovely high, dramatic funnel neck but unfortunately with my height I would have the 'coat wearing a girl' kind of look! The tailor said that was easily changed. She measured me in about 5 minutes, I returned the next day to try on a fully made coat, all that was left to do was see on the buttons! 

That would have been wonderful if I had stopped there.... But it's all so tempting!!! I've always wanted a cape.... This time I got to design the cape I've always dreamed of! Grey and charcoal with a rich red check running through it, double breasted in a slightly military style with a high neck. I wanted to wear it home from the shop but unfortunately it didn't quite match my shorts and flip flops! (Plus I don't think it's the thing for 40 degree heat!) 

The next most memorable part of my time in Hoi An was the cooking class I took part in. The ads began with a trip to the market. Our teacher explained the names of many different fruits and vegetables and their uses for both cooking and medicinal purposes. Green tea- good for weight loss, Tumeric with a spoon of honey- good for digestion problems and if rubbed on the skin helps you tan! Breathing the steam from a bowl of lemon grass and boiling water helps soothe a cold. It was so interesting to see  such an array of fruits and vegetables that I had never seen before. Even better when we got to taste them! I was overwhelmed by the colours and smells and noisy shouts of the sellers that punctuated the market. It was a complete feast for the senses! 

We then took a boat down the river to get to the tiny island village where our teacher grew up with her grandmother. Sadly it was a piece of land that was made an island during the bombings of the vietnam war. It has made life much more difficult for the community, who are already in a remote area, as their access

To the all shops, schools, medical care was cut off until a bridge could be built which took years. 

The cooking class was brilliant although I was definitly in the low ability group!! Our teacher would ask us to finely chop the garlic. No problem, where's the garlic crusher? No, no!! I needed to use the giant meat cleaver/machete!! While I chopped slowly and carefully to avoid loss of limbs, the rest of the group sped on ahead! I watched them add their finely chopped garlic to the dish and then added my own sort of chopped chunks of garlic! 

The recipes we learnt were all easy to prepare with ingriendients readily available at home. I will be a lot more comfortable using my own utensils though! Flipping a full fish with chopsticks is a lot more difficult than a fish slice! 

Marinated pork skewers. 

Fresh spring rolls

Papaya salad. 

Caramelised tuna steak 

The cooking class was a wonderful experience and one I would strongly reccomend. Hoi an is a great place to go to relax at the beach, go for a few drinks and eat well. A lot of the restaurants have been too westernised for my liking. The best food in Hoi an was without doubt  the street food, and of course my own home cooking!! Next stop Ho Chi Minh City! Looking forward to my next Asian adventure! 

Phong Nha: Trekking in the jungle!

I though trekking through the rice fields in Sapa had been good but that was nothing compared to my time in the jungle.... We travelled from Hanoi to Dong hoi, a city on the coast, by night bus and decided to spend a day there before moving inland to the jungle area of Phong Nha. Dong Hoi was lovely and relaxing! We spent the day at a super swish beach resort and dozed in the sun. Well deserved after the night bus! 

After a nice day chilling, we took the public bus from Dong Hoi to Phong Nha. It was the cheapest option to get there and it was also really interesting being the only tourists on the bus. It gave us the chance to see the little villages and typical houses along the way.  We arrived in Phong Nha and were met by Minh, whose house we were staying in. He took me, my rucksack and backpack on his little motorbike a few kilometres up the road to his house. 

Staying with the family was an amazing insight into life in Phong Nha. Minh didn't have much english other than hello but his cute little daughter looked after us. She brought us a huge selection of home cooked food and showed us how to eat it with a lot of pointing to help get the message across! 

While we were eating our meal we were wondering what the pump, pump, pump of dance music was about across the road. This was a tiny little village, but across the road a marquee had been put up, complete with colourful decorations. It turned out that it was her uncle's stag party that night and we were invited to go!! 

I changed into the one nice dress I brought with me and made my way across the road, excited by the thudding music and glaring lights. I love parties!! 

When we went inside the marquee it became apparent very quickly that this was not like an Irish stag! I was dazzled by the lights, the music and aware that a lot of people were staring at these tourists! When one of the guys we met at Minh's motioned for us to sit down we did so gratefully! It was only then that I really took in my surroundings! There were two long lines of tables with the women sitting at one line of  tables and the lads (and us!) at the other line of tables! Now it made sense why all the guys were laughing! Politely we smiled and went to sit with the girls! 

So we sat and quietly watched the entertainment provided... There was a band singing techno-karaoke. It was so loud that it was practically impossible to talk so most people just sat watching the singer. A very strange experience! 

The strange experience became stranger when most people had left the party but the band were still belting out the tunes until silly o clock in the morning! 

I seriously needed to get my sleep because the next day we were going trekking through the jungle with a tour organised by the amazing 'jungle boss' Well, I thought it would be trekking. Trekking, climbing, crawling to be more exact! I knew I was going to the jungle but I guess I expected it to be a little like the jungle book movie! The reality is incomparable! 

The jungle is HOT, the jungle is HUMID, the jungle is HARD WORK! Our guide went ahead slashing branches out of our way with a machete! The track we took was one that had rarely been used. It was dense with trees and plants and briars and sticky plants and thorny plants and plants that look really delicate but that catch your ankle and are as strong as a rope! The result... Me falling over... A lot!!! 

After hours of trekking to the jungle we reached 'The dark cave.' The place is appropriately named... It's a cave, it's really dark! The rocks were really sharp and my trousers were not very strong... The result... I was crawling, terrified through this dark cave with my bum hanging out. I was so scared that I was clinging to the rocks and trying to slide down them rather than actually climb! The result... very torn trousers and a very scratched bum! 

After hours of endless walking and climbing and sweating, being scratched by thorns and bitten by bugs (despite tons of insect repellent) we arrived at another cave. Our guide lit a fire and rustled up a delicious barbecued picnic while we swam through the cave. 

Throughout the day I laughed more than I have ever laughed in my life!! After the first 5 minutes of walking I was bright red in the face, huffing and puffing unable to breathe properly! I turned to Orna who thankfully was a similar shade of scarlet and said I needed a break. We looked to the two other people we were trekking with. The Austrian was tanned and glowing, her hair perfectly smooth. I tried to catch my breath for a second whilst simulataneosuly  trying to pick bits of tree out of my hair. As the day went on the Austrian and the muscular Scot would be miles ahead of us, waiting for us to eventually catch up with them. We were gasping for breath, knocking back piles of water while they did a few lunges in case they got too stiff! The only option was to see the funny side, which we certainly did!! We laughed hysterically much to the Austrian's bemusement! 

The picture above was taken early on in the day. For censorship reasons I couldn't show what my trousers ended up like! They were pretty much a waistband with a few flitters of material hanging down! It was all worth it when we finally emerged from the jungle! I felt a massive sense of achievement! I pushed myself to levels I need knew I was capable of, did things I never thought I would have the courage to do and for to see one of the most beautiful places in the world. 

That evening after the trek we moved to a different homestay for a few nights. This time we got to stay with 'The Jungle Boss.' The place is so peaceful and tranquil, located right in the heart of Phong Nha countryside. The rooms were spotlessly clean and completely bug free! I'm pretty sure I fed all of the bugs in the jungle with my blood during the trek but it  great to know that no one was returning for desert! 

We ate with the boss, his wife and family. They were such warm, kind people with a great sense of fun! The meal we had was like a feast. There were tons of traditional Vietnamese dishes and every one of them tasted gorgeous! There was such a lovely family atmosphere between the three groups of guests and the family. The food was in serving dishes on a colourful mat and we all sat around it on the floor chatting together. That evenibg we sat outside sting cards and drinking rice wine. The boss and his family and friends we met had such a strong impression on me. These people have such a youthful spirit regardless of age. They have a warmth and joyfulness about them that is infectious. 

Having survived the jungle I was ready to return again and see where I was. While trekking through the jungle every moment is so intense that it's hard to concentrate on anything other than where to put your hand or foot! The trees are so thick that it's practically impossible to get a sense of what the jungle actually looks like! I wanted to get a motorbike but the boss said it probably wasn't a good idea... I can ride a bicycle, I can drive a car sure I'm half way there! It's basically a crossbreed of the two! Instead we took his advice and went on a motorbike with a driver. Probably the better idea as the roads were so steep! We went up and down massive hills while jeeps and busses came tearing around the corner! The jungle was such a dramatic place to see! 

My time in Phong Nha was probably my favourite part of Vietnam so far. It is relatively unknown by tourist and so is true to itself. The people were some of the friendliest I have come across. There was a real sense if a small community about the place but as a tourist we were welcomed into that community. So often tourists are exploited and taken advantage of. I entered Phong Nha as a stranger but I left with loads of Facebook friends and memories to last a life time. Phong Mha is certainly a part of my Asian Adventure that I will never forget! 

Sapa: Rice Paddies and home stay with a tribal family.

Trekking through the rice fields in Sapa has been one of the most memorable experiences of our trip so far. Sapa is a small area in North Vietnam, very close to the boarder of China. All booked through our wonderful Serendipity hotel in Hanoi we travelled by an extremely comfortable night train to the lush, green fields of Sapa. Huge amounts of rice are produced here and we were about to embark on a 2 day trek through the paddy fields.

 The trek in the humidity was so difficult! I thought Hanoi was sweaty but Sapa took me to a whole new level of sweatiness! Within minutes I was drenched, but when we reached the top of our first peak I realised it was all worthwhile. The views were stunning! Below me and could see the rice terraces carefully cut out in strips like a never ending flight of stairs. The rice itself is planted by hand, neatly in rows. The organisation of it all created this serene kind of vibe. As I regained my breath and my face went from bright scarlet to slightly less scarlet I noticed the people working in the fields. This is a process that has changed little over time as much of the work is done by hand. Later that evening as I feasted on rice, the most predominant food staple here, I felt a deeper sense of understanding of Vietnam and its people. There's  a feeling of timelessness about the place. Yes Vietnam is a developing society but it is firmly rooted in the culture and tradition of  its heritage. 

 

 

Our 2 day trek took us through the rich rice fields, through newly grown bamboo forests and past rolling rivers with the occasional water buffalo casually cooling himself in the sun! This beautiful land was a far cry from the frantic chaos of Hanoi! 

An occasional stop at a make shift shop for water or lunch led us to see the kids of the mountains. These raggedy little kids looked so different to the Milanese kids I'm used to working with but yet they still had that same childlike spirit. We passed boys brandishing sling shots, a little girl playing with her kitty and countless kids who would shout 'hello, hello' before falling around in helpless giggles! Kids are the same everywhere! 

The day before our trek the monsoon season made another appearance, raining heavily on the fields in Sapa. The result was that the trails we followed wereTREACHEROUS!!! We had to make our way precariously down a steep incline on a muddy, slippy narrow strip of land. It was so narrow that you couldn't even fit two feet beside each other on it, instead we had to go tight rope style down the mountain. Naturally within about a minute I was the first to fall on my arse! I wasn't the first, nor the last though! Nor was it my last time to fall! I must have fallen at least 4 times! To make our way without possible death we had to scrutinise the ground before us, choosing where to step, trying to ascertain whether that rock was grippy or slippy!! Orna really summed it up when she wailed to me "the rice fields are so beautiful but all I can see are my feet!!!" Without doubt for the first few hours, I barely saw the beautiful views! 

Luckily, we had some help along the way! Sapa is home to many tiny villages belonging to many minority groups. A group of women from the Hmong tribe got chatting to us in the main town before our hike began. Luckily Orna and I are pretty friendly. We chatted away with them, not realising what was in store for us next. When we joined them in the trek and remembered their names they were delighted!! Luckily for us Mee latched onto me and Sue latched on to Orna. They helped our hands in a vice like grip the whole way down that trecherous mountain!

 The knowledge they had of the land was an instinctive, primal one. They knew exactly which step was dangerous, which was safe. They would occasionally leave our trail and rummage through the leaves returning with berries they would share with us. They knew the names of plants and their uses, which ones were medicine and which was poison. It made me think about education and how that term is so much broader than people often suggest. These women had deep knowledge of which I was completely ignorant! 

That night we spent the night in a family homestay. There had been about 12 of us trekking together and we all stayed on mattresses in the upstairs of a family home. The connection between the trekking group was something magical, which I never expected to experience. We were a complete mixed bag! 

Ages ranged from twenties to seventies! We came from all over the world. The more mature members of our group had  such deep world knowledge, name a country and they had been there. But the  best part was that there was no ageism, no divides. Falling in mud and then helping each other up is certainly a good ice breaker!

 After a massive feast of delicious home cooked Vietnamese food,  and a few too many shots of rice wine, we had a sing song. One Spanish girl sang a childhood favourite game of mine, a clapping game/song called hanky panky. Next thing I'm suddenly teaching the group how to play and we all play the game, squealing with laughter like kids when someone was out. Totally bizarre but soooo much fun! 

I was sad to leave Sapa, it was such an amazing experience but I'm excited to continue my Asian Adventure! 

Hallo Halong Bay- no wait.... Goodbye!

Finally! The day was here! It was time to see the place I've been most excited about. When I first considered visiting Vietnam, I did a Google image search and was bombarded with images of Halong Bay. The bay contains almost two thousand tiny rocky mountain formations rising out of the sea. I was so intrigued by the sheer number of these formations and then even more enticed by the lush greenery and deep caves contained within them. I had to see this magical place!   

As the four hour bus ride progressed I noticed the sky becoming darker and darker and the clouds becoming thicker and greyer.... As a good Irish weather women I recognised the ominous signs of rain.... Nothing could dampen my spirits however because, yes it was a bit grey, yes it was a bit misty but I could see the islands rising majestically out of the water! 

More excitingly even than seeing these islands, was soaking up the atmosphere around the islands. Weaving through the bay were traditional Vietnames boats, converted to accommodate tourists like me, on for an overnight cruise around the bay with the addition of activities such as kayaking, fishing and cooking demonstrations! As I looked out across the mists, nothing could dampen my spirits! Yes the bay was full of tourists but also dotted around were tiny traditional rowing boats with people fishing. Rickety little wooden row boats became make shift shops as strong women towed alongside your boats "you buy! YOU BUY!" came the call! 

Suddenly our tour guide arrived looking anxious... Bad weather....bad news.... No stay in Halong bay....  Unfortunately, monsoon season had finally decided to make its presence felt. We couldn't stay on the boat that night. We couldn't do any water activities. 

Luckily out fantastic hotel, Serendipity in Hanoi, with whom we booked the tour rearranged everyrhing for us, putting us up in a five star hotel and then also giving us a small refund as compensation. While other travellers were frantically calling tour operators and googling hotels I had time to visit some of the famous caves located in the bay. The atmosphere down there was magical. The place was dark but lit cleverly to show off the interesting rock formations and mighty stalgmites and stalactites. It really made me appreciate the power of nature and time. This cave was created by the elements  day by day  

over thousands of years.

Having built up an appetite in the caves I was ready for the massive Vietnamese feast on board our boat. For once I was distracted from eating by the presence of not one, not two, but 4 Irish people! I've travelled half way across the world, crossed continents to have the chats with a few paddies! And chat we did! It's great meeting other travellers as you can swap stories and tips, where to go, where to avoid and so on. Tips swapped it was time for 'the craic' you can take the Irish out of ireland but we'll never lose the craic! A few of us decided to make the most of our five star hotel swimming pool followed by drinks in the swanky rooftop bar. Suddenly a pack of cards came out and our noise level finally became loud enough to join out the karaoke "singing" that is so popular here in vietnam. Unfortunately we weren't quite loud enough to over power the screeching but thankfully the torrential rain and bellowing thunder showed its might by killing all of the electricity in the city. 

Our sign had come, time for bed. Happy, but slightly terrified of the storm, we crawled into our individual giant double bed in our enormous air conditioned room ready to continue the big Asian Adventure another (drier) day! 

Tough Girls and Street Food!

After the excesses of yesterday's luxury lifestyle, today seemed the day to do things in true backpacker style. We had spent time discovering the surface chaos of Hanoi,  wandering the narrow streets and taking it all in but a trip to The Women's Museum helped me to get a greater sense of the people and their history. 

This was a wonderful experience. I wasn't sure what to expect before entering, but by the time I was leaving I fully understood that Vietnamese women are bad ass!! The exhibition highlighted the involvement of women in The American or Vietnam war. The women were involved in production of essential materials but also were involved in armed combat. These were women who shot down planes, carried the wounded to safety and engaged in hand to hand combat. When I discovered more about the lifestyle and work these women did, I could understand how they were able to be such valiant heroines! Some of the women I have been taking photos of, carrying their baskets through the streets, work from 2 am until 8pm and return home to their families who live in the country side only once a month or so. 

The museum also had a whole section about marriage customs. After the culture shock I received, where everything seemed so alien to me, it was comforting to read of many shared customs. Ireland and its people seem so different from the Vietnamese way,  however, fundamentally, we are all the same. For a wedding, the bride and groom wear extremely elegant clothes and attend a ceremony surrounded by friends and family. There is feasting and dancing and much celebrating! Sounds just like an Irish knees up to me! It's amazing to think that people so far away, who seem so different, at heart are just like us. It made the people I met on the streets after seem more real, more human. 

Feeling empowered by Vietnamese women's bravery I worked up the courage to try some of the street food. A tiny lady had an equally tiny disposable barbecue on which she was grilling the most delicious smelling, spicy pork skewers. At less than 50c a pop this was definitely backpacker prices. I was a little dubious at first but one bite later I was converted! It was gorgeous! The outside was crispy and smoky while the inside was moist and spicy! A quick wander away from the touristy hub took us to the Mekong River. The scale of the river took my breath away! 

Showered and changed, and still feeling brave, we decided to up the ante on the street food and get a full dinner. Don't eat the street food, the guidebooks say. Don't eat the street food, the doctors say... Well I say, don't eat the street food,  unless you want one of the most delicious meals of your life! 

We asked our hotel for a recommendation, just to be safe, and made our way to a tiny roadside cafe. It was a small garage, complete with tools and parts on the wall,  with tiny plastic tables and mini stools dotted around. A man had set up a barbecue/cooking station in the entrance. His ingriendients were neatly placed around him, on the cooker, hanging off it and in buckets on the floor. 

We plopped down less than gracefully on the tiny stools and within a minute were served up steaming bowls of chicken noodle soup. The chicken was so moist and succulent and perfectly cooked. Bright green, fresh herbs like coriander and chives swam around in the salty soup. I sprinkled in a few scarlet chillis to give it a kick and a dash of lime juice and OH Mamma!! It was delicious! Incomparable to the slurpy, gritty chicken noodle soup I've had at home. Everything was so fresh, the flavours were all so vibrant! Honestly it was one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Without doubt, eat the street food!!! Although here come the lessons...... 

After we ate we went to pay. "How much?" "70,000 dong " Cue peals of laughter. Now I may not speak Vietnamese but I know when someone is taking the mickey. Yes it only cost about $3.50 for 2 but clearly this was way overpriced. So firstly, ask your hotel how much it should cost, then before ordering ask the cook how much it should cost! To us it was practically nothing, so after a few feeble negotiations we paid up and shut up. Well worth it for a delicious meal! 

Feeling a little cheated we took a stroll through the night market and stumbled upon a temple. There was a band playing the most entrancing, hypnotic museum outside. What better way to get over things than with a bit of a dance! For once I wasn't the one taking photos of strangers for my blog. A group ofAsian  tourists, delighted by our  exuberant dancing whipped out their phones and iPads and captured the crazy, sweaty western girls dancing alone to the catchy temple tunes!  It's all part of My Big Asian Adventure! 

Backpacking... in style!

 Although I'm carrying a backpack I'm not sure this evening was a true 'backpacker' experience... Firstly, I escaped the 40 degree heat to cool off in my backpacker bedroom with air con! At 14 US dollars per person per night Hotel Serendipity is certainly backpacker price but with a little touch of luxury! 

 

After a cold shower I ventured out into the now 'cool' temperature of 34 degrees. Not feeling quite brave enough for street food yet, we headed to a fancy Vietnamese restaurant for some grub! Dinner was delicious! So delicious that I didn't even manage to take a compulsory foodie blogger photo of the beautifully displayed food on its presentation platter! Instead I hoofed my noodles and meat into a bowl and got stuck in!! We shared a spring roll, 2 mains, 2 waters and 2 huge beers and the whole thing only came to about 12 dollars!! 

After dinner we took a stroll through the streets of Hanoi and admired the lake by night. The whole place looked beautiful. I adored the Orange flower decorations that frame the streets. 

When the heat became too much for us again we decided to venture up to the top of a twenty story building to have a cocktail. The rooftop was sky high as were the prices but all worth it for the breath taking views. Our drinks cost about three times the price of the dinner but the twinkling lights of the city made the experience priceless. 

Feeling a little jet lagged with tired feet from all of the walking we decided t continue in our theme of luxury. What better way to follow a cocktail than with a foot massage! When the massues asked us to change into pyjamas I thought yes, finally I've arrived in heaven. The 'foot' massage began with having the head knocked off me! The guy punched and pushed and pressed till I thought I could bear no more, until eventually I felt this sudden lift of tension! I don't know what he did but it was fabulous! 45 minutes later I was almost asleep. 10 minutes of walking with my tension free feet flopping around like dead fish we reached our hotel and within a minute I was asleep, and dreaming about continuing my Asian Adventure! 

Hanoi- Sensory Overload and Literal Meltdown...

As I marched determinedly towards the visa checking officer I began to notice my surroundings. This airport was not the dilapidated, make-shift building I was expecting. Still and all, appearances  can be deceiving and I had read enough travellers' holiday hell stories to realise that the fancy chrome and glass facade  could conceal a guard ready for extortion. I was almost disappointed when he stamped my visa and waved me a way with a cheery smile! I was ready for the blackmail, ready for the threats! But nothing came.

As we made our way from the airport I knew we were definitly in Asia. I didn't have enough eyes in my head to see everything I wanted to see.  There were farmers  cultivating rice in the fields, wearing those cone shaped hates, there were hoards and hoards of motorbikes, all beeping and honking frantically while the riders remained completely cool and collected under their  nose and mouth protective masks.  

As we arrived in Hanoi city the motorbike drivers were joined by fearless cyclists. There were woman carrying fruit in baskets slung across their shoulders. On every street my nose was accosted with rich smells, spicy pork was mixed with fish and stagnant water.  Every where I looked there was something weird and wonderful to see. There were groups of men sitting on tiny footstools  while little women beside them tried to sell fans, and water to the melting tourists. Oh. My. Lord.... THE HEAT!!!' It's  38 degrees Celsius today.  It's so hot that I could feel the ground burn my feet through my sandals. I am actually melting.  

A quick pit stop to buy some water and  we braved making our way through the chaos of  the city to reach Hoam Kiiem Lake. The pathways are filled with parked motorbikes or else little Vietnamese people sitting outside shops on stools. The only way to get where you need to go is to join the motorbikes and hope for the best.  

After a few sweaty minutes of walking we arrived at the lake. It's an amazing ,calming  area  in the midst of all of the chaos. There was a light breeze which helped to slightly lessen the melting. The lake itself is beautiful as is the  traditional red, wooden bridge that connects the land to the island temple.  While the temple was an impressive building, I felt it was taken over by tourists so it lacked that spiritual feeling. However after visiting the temple I felt much more calm returning to the madness off Hanoi's old town.  The first few hours were a complete shock to my system but anow I'm feeling excited to continue my Asian Adventure! 

Almost in Asia....

The Plan: 

Thanks for joining me on my Asian Adventure! The  plan is Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand with the lovely Orna. The rough plan is: fly to Hanoi (North Vietnam) head to Halong Bay for a boat cruise through the islands, trek through the rice fields in Sapa, not sure where next !! Then onto Ho Chi Min city (formally Saigon.) Next we travel up the Mekong river into Cambodia to see phnom pen, some reap and the temples of ankor watt (known as the 8th wonder

Of the world.) Finally we have 2 nights in Bangkok before heading home! 

Preparation: 

I've had all my shots and jabs and vile tasting drinks which allow me travel safely around Asia. Although I must say some of the side effects made me seriously consider chancing getting cholera or typhoid!

 Note for future travellers: spread your vaccinations out as much as possible or ensure you are always close to a bathroom...

Malaria tablets costed a bomb and so does the extra strength jungle spray that will keep the pesky little buggers at bay!! 

My Visa has arrived. Luckily Irish people can avail of a loose leaf (stick on) visa which means you never have to part with your passport. Thank goodness for neutrality! Fairly straight forward to organise through the vietnam website, and the staff there answer all emails within 24 hours! 

Flights are booked and paid for (Dublin via Paris to Hannoi in Vietnam with Air Framce) 

All that's left to do is pack up a bag and go!! Wooo! Mo and Om are off on our Asian Adventure! Xxx