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| 58 days: China and SEA | |
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| Topic Started: Apr 29 2017, 04:31 PM (1,870 Views) | |
| blizzard | Oct 16 2017, 01:16 AM Post #61 |
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Gold Star Member
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Vietnam Motorbike Trip: Day Six As with many of the previous days we had to contend with many considerably sized bovine. These lumbering beasts are not anything like our domesticated, dainty milk cows at home! We seemed to leave with the cows and arrive at our next destination when the cows came home. Also the bats were a good indication of when it was time to find shelter the mosquitoes were out in full zing. On this day we not only had cattle to deal with, we were going to visit elephants. https://unattendedgrandma.wordpress.com/2017/10/14/vietnam-motorbike-tour-day-6/ |
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| agate | Oct 16 2017, 01:31 AM Post #62 |
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Nice pictures Blizzard. Don't think I have seen a coca plant before. |
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| blizzard | Oct 19 2017, 04:05 AM Post #63 |
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Gold Star Member
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Vietnam Motorbike Tour: Day Seven This day we covered a lot of area that was significant to the war, and the eventual outcome, that should never have gotten so out of control in the first place. The Vietnamese people suffered a great deal and, in my opinion, are still working on rebuilding the country economically, physically and probably psychologically. It was not easy to visit some of the areas simply because I still do not fully understand what happened despite studying about it and being old enough to remember hearing about the war. I think I mentioned I had teachers who avoided the draft in the U.S. by moving to Canada. https://unattendedgrandma.wordpress.com/2017/10/18/vietnam-motorbike-tour-day-seven/ |
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| agate | Oct 19 2017, 07:07 AM Post #64 |
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Grim reminders Blizzard. |
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| sooty | Oct 19 2017, 01:11 PM Post #65 |
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Blue Star Member
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I'm so amazed at your resilience on that bike. |
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| blizzard | Oct 19 2017, 02:11 PM Post #66 |
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Gold Star Member
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Sooty, of course I finished the ten days already, then a four day tour that finished in Dong Hoi. I am struggling with finding adequate time to think, write, recall and download photos for my Blog. Such a problem lately I am inclined to just write here although photos would not be included. I will try one more day. |
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| blizzard | Oct 23 2017, 04:46 PM Post #67 |
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Gold Star Member
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Vietnam Motorbike Tour Day 8 Day 8I had told my guide that I wanted to take photos of a wedding if possible we had passed several and we finally found a couple standing outside their tent posing for pictures. So of course we stopped and turned around. I quickly handed over my helmet, ran my fingers through my hair and attempted to look less like a raving lunatic than I appeared before accosting the bridal party. All i wanted to do was take a photo but their photographer and the party encouraged me to join them I did not look at the photo for a few days, too afraid to! The bride looked lovely though. https://unattendedgrandma.wordpress.com/2017/10/19/vietnam-motorbike-tour-day-8/ |
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| Shorty | Oct 23 2017, 07:04 PM Post #68 |
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Red Star Member
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After the poverty and the harsh working conditions, I was shocked to see the bride in a beautiful dress. I think you do well to remember all the details you do. |
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| blizzard | Oct 26 2017, 11:20 PM Post #69 |
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Gold Star Member
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Vietnam Motorbike Tour: Day 9 and 10 (I am back in China which means spotty connections - more to come, just pretend I am still in Vietnam) Well, we were nearing the end and I was beginning to wonder what else I could possibly be shown to make me amazed, sad, surprised, or maybe angry. Then there were the visual and auditory senses, and even some emotional ones. I will start with the last one it is physically tough riding on the back of a motorbike for even an hour let alone several hours. Despite Toans insistence I say if I wanted to stop at any time to take photos, visit a place or just stretch my legs, I tended to let him determine the pace. We stopped every two hours if there was not a place to visit for more than five minutes I did choose to just sit and enjoy some scenery rather than climbing off the bike, then lining up my phone or camera in an often son attempt to capture a scene. I am not a photographer and I do not edit anything. (Fine, I do not know how to) https://unattendedgrandma.wordpress.com/2017/10/23/vietnam-motorbike-tour-day-9/ https://unattendedgrandma.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/vietnam-motorbike-tour-day-ten/ |
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| agate | Oct 27 2017, 05:40 AM Post #70 |
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Nice picture of you Blizzard. Looks like you are having a fun time. |
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| blizzard | Oct 28 2017, 05:00 AM Post #71 |
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Gold Star Member
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As already mentioned, I am back in China after spending nearly a month in Vietnam. My camera needs cooling down and my iPad need more storage. As does my iPhone. I thought it would be nice to go back to just writing for a while without worrying about adding photos. I will catch up eventually but for now my recent adventures. I left Hanoi by train two nights ago. I had a bottom berth in a four berth compartment. I chatted to two young women (28 & 30) who were returning to China after writing their IELTS exams for applying to study in New Zealand. They had both quit their relatively decent jobs to prepare for this. Then it was time to sleep. Until we were Dudley awakened to go through Vietnamese Customs. This meant lugging everything out of the compartment, down the two steep steps - a major problem when short and carrying a heavy backpack. Other passengers had more than one piece of luggage. It was all a bit of a blur. Climb back aboard, put on the eye mask, fall asleep again. Only to be told to get up for Chinese Immigration. I did know these two stops would happen. I did not know I would fall into such a deep slumber. Trains tend to lull me. Once again we dragged our belongings off the train. I knew I must be approaching the Chinese border when everyone was rushing to be first in line. Did they think the train would leave without them? (This rushing to be ahead is common in China) We ended up being delayed about an hour when the computer system shut down. Stranded in the little outpost (probably 2-3million people) of Pingxiang! I arrived in Nanning, headed for the metro after talking to the host of the hostel - and exclaiming how surprised I was there was a subway system in Nanning. I made one foray into the city to visit the school I taught at - the subway goes directly to it! Some changes, it was rest time and it was doubtful anyone would be there from 15+ years ago. Back to the hostel (in an apartment) where I met a very interesting German woman who has been travelling the world on her bicycle. Small world - her cousin lives in Sooke! (I believe a friend of mine knows the cousin) She did ride on Vancouver Island and visited Sooke. The next morning I was headed to the train station to buy a ticket for Yangshuo, the area that has inspired Chinese painters for centuries with its misty of karst mountains. I foolishly booked a hostel for four nights thinking I could easily handle being where I had visited before. Fine, probably 15-16 years ago. Not only did I have to take an hour long bus ride from the train station that had not existed, I was dropped off in an area I had absolutely no clue to find where I was booked! A couple of phone calls, one motorized pedi-cab driver's attempt to gouge a high price, and my determination (um, anger?) to not allow this minor setback get the best of me, I headed down the road, pack and bags swinging. It was not too long before a motorbike came up behind me with the driver asking if I wanted a ride. I think he must have felt sorry for me - said only 10CNY, I showed the address, hopped on and we were off. Those 14 days on the back of a motorbike had paid off. Although I was still wearing my backpack I managed to hold on with one hand, no helmet and a silent prayer to whichever gods chose to listen. I was brought right to the entrance. Just as well, even if I had made it to the correct street I would not have found the place as there does not appear to be a sign in English until the first flight of stairs is approached. The saying, you can't go home again, was ringing true and I wanted to go home. Yangshuo is no longer a backpacker Mecca. I was horrified to discover just down the cobbled street there is a McDonald's; around the corner from that is a Starbucks; on the main cobbled road (it still exists) is a KFC and Pizza Hut. Where had I landed? I did find some upscale street food for 10CNY. I also took advantage of the AC at McD after dealing with roommates unhappy with the AC in the room. (This is a problem and no respect for my age, drats) Sleep was warm. Someone turned the AC completely off. However, I did have coffee from Vietnam and had the wisdom to buy milk the night before. Also some fruit and yogurtvfor breakfast. If the milk lasts one more day I will be happy. Up relatively early I decided to check out a Li River cruise, although not in my budget, after not looking at a map to visit a smallish town. (commonly considered a village) I think this was what I needed. The river, the karst hills, knowing I would be on a boat for a few hours, helped me to just relax. It is impossible to effectively describe the majesty of the hills. They are not as magnificent as the Rockies if considering sheer size. However, they are magical at times, so often in a haze or mist that they appear as though shrouded and untouchable. It was easy to become quite dizzy trying to view everything while meandering along the river. Most cruises still begin in Guilin, with passengers either stopping to stay in Yangshuo or take a bus back to Guilin. Some say the views are better - I think it is more a matter of turning around. We did not go as far as Guilin, nor do I think it was necessary. I eventually put away my camera and my phone to just enjoy the views. The only downside of the whole day was upon our return - the guide (five foreigners on the boat) did not speak English so when I tried to ask which direction to get back to West Street she waved her hand in my face, said "no,no,no" then sped off on the back of a motorbike. The four of us who had returned to Yangshuo were dumbfounded. Time to pull out my brand new map - I bought it in the morning - take a look at Maps.Me that the youngest person had - smart - and we were off. About a 15 minute or so walk. I hope I have as little trouble I. The morning when I venture out to Xingping, a village with a long history that outside of Yangshuo. |
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| sooty | Oct 28 2017, 06:37 AM Post #72 |
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Blue Star Member
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Wow, your resilience and perseverance amazes me. As always, travel safe. |
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| swing | Oct 28 2017, 11:55 AM Post #73 |
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swing
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I echo Sooty's comments Blizzard ~ Be safe! |
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| Trotsky | Oct 29 2017, 01:44 AM Post #74 |
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Big City Boy
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That was fun, Blizzard. (Now I remember why I hate to travel laugh123.) For other readers, 10 CNY = $1.50 USD Christ almighty, does one have to travel to the Moon to escape the clutches of stultifying Starbucks? Edited by Trotsky, Oct 29 2017, 01:47 AM.
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| blizzard | Oct 31 2017, 01:00 PM Post #75 |
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Gold Star Member
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Vietnam: the food photos! Saving the best for last. These cover my month of eating my way through Vietnam. I never did recover my lost pictures which means that, considering how many photos of food I still have, I ate a lot! Of course I tried to share with my pandas. When my daughter was with me I did not take as many pictures she complained too much. This means Hanoi is but a delightful gustatory memory. (I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed eating) https://unattendedgrandma.wordpress.com/2017/10/30/vietnam-the-food-photos/ |
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