Vietnam

We have just returned from our 9 day sojourn in Vietnam. This is a country that has been top of our travel wish list for some time now, so we were really looking forward to it.

This was a ground breaking journey for us in many ways. For the first time I pre arranged most of the transport and activities. For someone whose trip prep usually consists of booking the air flight………and that’s it, I was slightly nervous that the structured and comfortable travel required with toddler in tow, would impact on its edgy appeal. We experienced our first overnight train journey and spent a night on a boat. In fact, like many good travel adventures, the modes of transport ran the full gambit of air, sea, and land – with varying degrees of enjoyment.

The capitol of Vietnam, Hanoi was our first step. Driving in the taxi from the airport (pre arranged of course), we knew that this was going to be a major departure from our Asian lifestyle in KL. Our hotel (3 star – again very different from my backpacking days) was in the Old Quarter. This place is old school Asia. A bombardment of the senses, where life goes on before your eyes as you walk the motor cycle-dominated streets. Unlike other old parts of town that have become tourist fun parks (e.g. Macao, even Venice), the Old Quarter remains the real deal for it’s inhabitants. We saw no ‘sights’ and visited no museums, art galleries or other such fill-ins. We walked the streets and soaked in the incredible atmosphere, stopping for a ferocious Vietnamese coffee (or hot chocolate) when a break was required.

Our next stop was Halong Bay, which was a nice change of pace. Halong Bay is a 3 hours drive from Hanoi, and with a portable DVD player available, it made the trip much more tolerable for Isaac. In fact this device was our saving grace on many occasions when boredom potentially progresses quickly to tantrums. Don’t leave home without it.

We spent the night on a junk in Halong Bay. This piece of water consists of hundreds of small islands and is a beautiful spot to enjoy what turned out to be a luxurious cruise. There were several other young children which we were thankful for, but I know a few of the childless couples were hoping for less background noise on their holiday. One of the older Australian gentleman would put his hands over his ears when the decibels rose. We learnt that you can’t be to thin skinned when traveling with kids, however most people were understanding when Isaac turned the monster switch on.

From there, a bus back to Hanoi followed by the overnight train to Lao Cai on the Chinese border. This form of transport was something I had been looking forward to as Isaac loves trains – and I have a soft spot for them also. Many of my favourite travel memories involve crazy train journeys in Europe and Africa. Things started off well with Isaac quickly lulled into slumber with the rythmic rocking of the carriage. Unfortunately his slumber (and the rest of the carriage no doubt) was over at 3 am. That boy sure does have a pair of lungs. The train journey lark had completely lost its romance by the return leg when I was woken at 2am by the thud of Isaac falling off the bed bunk. This was one of numerous knocks on the head suffered throughout the trip for the poor fella. Tables, chairs, floors, you name it – he hit it. This bodes well for a rugby career in the front row like his Pappi.

Onto the town of Sapa, accessed via Lao Cai, and is the gateway to trekking in northern Vietnam. I love trekking, and have done so in Northern Thailand, Nepal, and now Vietnam. But part of me wishes I could have done it before it became the industry that it is now. I don’t doubt that the local hill tribes are better off financially and would never begrudge them a living, but the experience is lessened for me when I know I am merely another number in a long line that day. They tell me 15 years ago, the place was unrecogniseable. You can’t halt progress.

Despite misty conditions, we were able to appreciate the spectacular landscape of rice paddies and corn fields within the valley, the hillsides sculptured by hand-made steps as far as the eye can see. Very beautiful. And Isaac was well behaved in the backpack throughout. The various hill tribes in the area live a very tough life. They work the land by hand in muddy conditions. Children the same age as Isaac watch their parents working, half clothed and filthy. So, despite laden with a heavy little boy and a western guilty conscience, we made it back to our 3 star hotel, devoured French pastries, and thanked our lucky stars………

We enjoyed one more day in Hanoi before flying to KL. I was surprised with how I felt with our departure looming. It was not related to Vietnam actually. It was the feeling of going back to KL. It was the feeling of going home. Proving that home is where you make it. And currently we have made that home in KL. Kia Kaha!!


Make sure that you scroll down to the video at the bottom of the page. It is a Hanoi street scene.

Isaac making friends



Dining out

Great street food. BBQ meat. 2 metres to the right is one of the busiest intersections in Hanoi

One of the junks on Halong Bay

Atop the hill of one of the islands in Halong Bay

We had to have a swim. Along with plenty of others.

Beautiful sunsets

A friend of Isaac's on the junk.

And the sister as well!

Laising with the Vietnamese officialdom

Hanoi cafe

A visit to Vietnam is not complete without eating spring rolls

Cheap beer. 80 US cents.

Charming the locals

The night train. During the good times.

Isaac with our guide - Dong

Entrance to a local market

Locals at the market

I don't know if Isaac is very welcome here!

The livestock section of the market

We are enjoying the best chocolate drink in Vietnam

Setting out from Sapa on a trek

A real pea souper

Thankfully, we are going down

Locals collecting firewood and taking it home

These hands have seen some work in their time

Waiting for the bus in Lao Cai

Isaac took over this girls bedroom

A torrential downpour in Hanoi

Hotpot is a common street food in Vietnam

Throw in some meat and leafy veg.....

and some maggi noodles.....

a few mushies as well

The strongest coffee I have ever had. Lina initially thought there was booze in it.

I love this video. It really captures the experience of walking down a Hanoi street.