Continuing On

Lately I find myself transporting my mind back to my travels to South East Asia. From thoughts of becoming a soon to be broken record on repeat about my travels coming home, I now declare I AM a broken record, but a happy one of course. Actually, I'm really glad I've been able to continually share and have been asked about that part of my trip (the other part being Korea) because like I mentioned in my last post, it's been a quite dry and steady pace since returning.

It's crazy to think back how different I was a wee three months ago when starting this trip compared to now. Recalling the line up of places I went to, the food I ate, people that I divinely crossed paths with, and the highlights that come flooding back, it be a lie if I said I was not wishing I could go back.

Though, I have come to appreciate all that I have taken away from this trip. A few thoughts that have been running through my mind:

1. The concept of family is much stronger there than it is here. Even though Canada takes great care of its people, has welfare services, protection of rights, freedom of speech, and is a fantastic country to grow a family, I never felt a greater sense of family than in a country with almost nothing-Cambodia. Though I was in Siem Reap for only a mere three days, the innocence of the people untouched by the power of wealth, as said by one person touches you deeply in how much joy they have with their loved ones as for some, that is honestly all they have-e a c h o t h e r.

2. It`s funny how people always say Canadians are known for being polite and friendly, I mean I guess those two words do represent the majority of us pretty well, but it`s amazing the extent of hospitality and in return gratitude I have for the people I met in Singapore. For some reason I thought that such an advance and forward thinking country would not be so intentional on making one feel welcomed, but I was blown away. It makes me question what I have been doing with my blessings and challenges me to go out of my way to make one feel so touched by another`s actions.

3.a. Stereotypes. Bia-isms. Judgement. Despite being Asian myself, being brought up in North America has imposed on me many stereotypical judgements on people on the other side of the world that I have never became aware of until actually being in SEA. First of all, I was astounded by the amount of English locals knew from Siem Reap to Bali (yes they do know English!). Though I have to say it was hard to do any communication in Vietnam other than Sapa (the village tribes learn all their English from grade school and tourists and it is impressively FLUENT!) as people kept thinking I was Vietnamese. I know I adjust well to different cultures, but I have come to value not just communication, but mutual understanding when communicating and not have to take a double thought to consider what I am asking or saying here compared to there.

b. I think safety was another thing, I was so paranoid about being robbed or getting hurt initially (I partly blame fearful parental worries). In Kuala Lumpur, it was my very first destination on my own so I don`t know if feeling unsafe was due to my lack of confidence in traveling or the certain aspects of the East Indian population there that I was not comfortable with (ex. the men constantly staring at me and other foreign women). However, thank you Jesus that he sent many long time travelers to me while staying at my hostel that shared with me traveling tips and stories to help ease me into the start of my trip. From there on, the rest of my itinerary was much smoother. I do take feeling and being safe for granted as back home I would put my bag down almost anywhere and not have to worry about it being stolen, but in SEA I am frequently reminded to zip up my bag and to keep an eye on it even when I did feel relatively safe. Praise the Lord that I never had to deal with any of these issues!

c. Development. Besides knowing how developed and successful of a country Singapore is, there was a part of me that thought South East Asia equated to poverty and this is absolutely not true. Though some places are shabbier and obviously poorer areas than others, there are a lot of developed areas and places. This is also a bittersweet aspect that makes it so affordable to travel to SEA as you can`t complain about $3 meals and barely any money in local commute, but understanding the history of where you are traveling helps to widen your perspective on why places are the way they are. In turn, it also reminds me how little I can live on and be able to live on compared to living in Canada. Despite the lower exchange rate of the Canadian dollar when I was traveling, the money we have hear stretches much farther than in Canada.

4. I miss walking. exploring. trying something new. and the list goes on. But I think I could really do without a car. There is convenience and comfort attached to it, but also a huge price tag to driving. If I lived in a bigger city where the transport system was highly efficient and places close by, I would not even consider owning a car. I feel so lazy sitting at home so often, and I actually feel weight climbing back on as I am not constantly moving as I did when traveling. You realize how privilege life can be living `middle class`in Canada. Life also seems to move differently (no pun intended) when you walk versus driving everywhere.

5. I can finally say I have mastered my minimalistic challenge compared to this madness two years ago. Can I just say how PROUD of myself I am! Throughout traveling, I found people commenting on me traveling with a 24`` luggage; friends thought I was amazing traveling with so little while backpackers may of thought I was ridiculous. But, I actually discovered so many pros to this as I was pleasantly surprised to even see a few traveler`s backpacks bigger than my luggage as a whole-I just can`t imagine their backs! Funny thing is, I don`t know the psychology behind it, but despite traveling with so little, I was force to be creative with my outfits and rarely thought I had nothing to wear when I was so limited on my choices, yet back home with my whole wardrobe, I am quick to think I have nothing to wear as I can`t decide on anything.


If you made it here, thanks for reading my rambles aka traveling thoughts. I think my next post will be on traveling blues as I sit here daydreaming about when my next trip will be.



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SEAsight

As I start becoming a broken record by sharing with others the SEA leg of my travels, I'm feeling more and more distant from this past whirlwind of a month, yet wanting to relive all these precious memories already. It's so surreal that all the time and effort I put into planning, researching, and finalizing details of this trip since January has now come to somewhat of an end. For the duration I was in SouthEast Asia, it was a quick overview, but nonetheless a jaw dropping memorable time. God never stopped providing nor did He cease to care for even my smallest needs. I ment amazing people from locals to travellers from the opposite side of the world and I am SO thankful for how everything turned out even if it wasn't according to my itineary.

Every place I went to was so different and I've learned so much no matter where I went. I feel I have enhanced my appetite with all the ethnic yet diverse flavours of SEA, gained a widen perspective on injustices and polictics in third world countries, and dare I say found a deeper calling to what I want to do down the road? Yes, it was just that SEA-mazing! I don't think words and pictures will ever do enough justice to what I've experienced in just over a month, but I can't imagine not having gone on this trip and not gaining what I have (even if some of it is weight).


Here's a quick over view of my 35 day, 4 country, 9 main cities I went to.


Highlights (will add more as I continue to reflect)


Kuala Lumpur-my test rabbit city for travelling where I'd overcome many fears and realized the potential in travelling alone
Siem Reap-getting to tour with New Hope Cambodia to see first hand the villagers and seeing poverty first hand, also made some amazing friendships I know I will be connecting with down the road
Penang-though I got sick and weak here, this lovely island was a great place to revive myself and the three ladies I met (aka my "mommies of Penang") was such a pleasure to explore with!
Yogyakarta -Mt.Bromo-Ijen tour-Bali-craziest and most wreckless tour of my life, but honestly the best experience ever as I would've never known what physical limits I was able to endure, break through, and realize what perseverance I had in me!
Singapore-being retaught what hospitality meant by the most hospitable, caring and loving people I've met and can call friends!
Hanoi-so foreign, yet so close to the heart. Northern Vietnam had so much to offer and see. Amazing country that I can't wait to return down the road!


What I would've done differently

 Having more flexibility-I love being organize and planning, but I would definitely add in "free" days where I would do almost nothing and just rest more and indulge my senses with whatever surroundings I was in.
More Time-I also wished in certain places that I had more time to spend there as especially in the beginning of my trip I was flying every 3-4 days and even though it was only 60minute flights and didn't feel rush, it did feel I was going through a race or something to do as much as I can in the time that I had
Soaking it Up-The more poeple you meet traveling, the more you learn and exchange travel stories, and the more you want to do that you may not have been interested in before. Attractions you never considered may all of a sudden intrigued your curiousity and make you want to visit them. So slot in time to soak in unexpected moments!

So keep these things in mind before you plan your trip. I think what's most important is to consider your reasons and what you want to achieve from your travels when you are planning. That way, you can ensure that your travel priorities and needs will be met, and any additional or secondary things you want to accomplish is okay if you do or don't do them (it also gives you another reason to return to that country!).

I know more reflections will come over time, but for now, I will be focussing on my second home. Here's to my second round of Korea and adventuring more through my Seoul!


한국 안녕하세요! 나 돌아왔어요!








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Jiao Hanoi!

I already know in full anticipation that one day I want to return and eat-see-do-venture through southern Vietnam. Too bad I didn't have enough time this time around, but when is there ever enough time? The more you travel, the more people and discoveries you make and there's just so much to explore through each country. Plus, it just gives you another reason to return in the future.

Northern Vietnam has educated me that there's more than just pho on menus and that motorcycle bike rides are dangerously fun even though being in the shoes of a pedestrian is life or death (I have master the art of crossing the street though!). I'm accustom to the Vietnamese language in Hanoi as it is much more soft spoken than that of Vietnamese back home (which I was informed those are Southern Vietnamese people who are loud and sounds like they are "arguing"). Most of all, having Vietnamese friends really helps you to be inform on the best of the best in terms of locality and hidden gems!

My local friend whom I met on exchange is a food enthusiasts, so when I first told her I wanted to join one of those motorbike food tours that are common here, she abruptly said I was with the best candidate ever. Turns out, this whole trip with her has felt like a scrumptious and perhaps slightly gluttonous time besides on the Sapa and Halong Bay tours.


Our last full day together, she took me to Nha Hang Ngon Restaurant (ngon means delicious in Viet) and there's also a location in Saigon as well as in Phnom Peng, Cambodia. Walking in it, I realize this was one of the fanciest places my has taken me seeing that we've literally been eating on the streets in Hanoi so often. The decor, open air atmosphere and also indoor air condition spots if you prefer made it somewhat feel like a grand and exquisite atmosphere. The concept of the food here is pretty neat as well, it's a mix of food court/hawker stall and restaurant ordering style where you can go straight up from the menu or visit any of the open kitchens to see what you like (for me, what looked the tastiest!) and order there. It felt very interactive as there's about 6-8 different mini kitchens that are designated to cook specific types of Vietnamese dishes. I finally got to try banh xeo (a thin and crispy pancake filled with bean sprouts, pork, shrimp and onions) and it is THE BEST THING I'VE EVER EATEN. I actually wasn't to excited for it initially because my grandma knows how to make this, but it's quite oily and unhealthy. Though eating it in its homemake country is such a delight to my senses and so much crispier, lighter and bigger than what my grandma can wok out. My friend said this restaurant wasn't even the best place to have it either as eateries that make it 'thy best' would sell only one specific item on the menu and not offer such a diverse selection on their menus like here.

On another note, I've never drank more Vietnamese coffee in my life, and coffee in general, but I'm having cups daily here, even multiple shots. One person even said coffee here is better than coffee from Brazil, one of the largest productions of coffee beans in the world. It only made sense that the innovative idea of mixing egg and coffee would arise, commonly referred to as "egg coffee" to the locals and intrigued tourists. When my friend first told me, I thought it sounded disgusting like a raw egg mixed with caffeine, but its nothing like that at all. Its more like whipped egg white mixed with sugar so it resembles a creamy foam over a shot of Vietnamese coffee. I cant even rave enough about how good it was, its almost like warm gelato in the mouth! We also tried other versions like egg coffee and beer/rum but it was gross and not a good mix at all, so please don't try that! Also on the topic of drinks, load up on the abundance of fresh fruit smoothies, iced teas and exotic fruit in general all over Vietnam to quench your thirst as fruit here are super sweet, cheap, and helps to refresh your electrolytes when you are sweating buckets.


This display is made from traditional Vietnamese hats
Next on our eventful itinerary was the Vietnamese Women's Museum. It's rare that I haven't visited as much museums as I usually do as I like being educated in the history of the place I'm visiting, but I knew I had to come here as having a museum focus just on women spurred my interest upon reading recommendations about this place. Basically it revolves around the history and settlement of Vietnamese women as well as their traditional religious beliefs, marriage, hard working lifestyle, and finally their fashion and what modernity means for them in today's day. I really appreciate and enjoy learning about the work ethics of Vietnamese women and especially all the sacrifices they've made during the Vietnam war. There is such a sense of empowerment, unity and strength when women come together and it inspires and propels me to never be stagnant whereever I am in life.

So the most spontaneous and one of the best thing I've done on this whole SEA trip was getting new glasses. I had not planned for this at all, but because I noticed one of the "nose tabs"(don't know its technical name) fell off from my glasses, I thought getting it fixed in Hanoi would be cheap and easy. However, they didn't have the tabs my glasses have, so I couldn't say no to $25 glasses. Yes, you read that right! For the price of one pair in Canada, I can get like ten pairs of lens AND frames here. Of course I'm not sure how different the quality is, and the frames are unbranded (though mine aren't either, but if you honestly think about glasses, they are one of the most jacked up items in North America because you are literally buy two pieces of glass and plastic frames typically made in Asia anyways, but mine does have"Swarovski" printed on the inside-don't know how true that is. Anyhow, thirty minutes later, I was a happy four eyes and the frames and lens turned out really well. In Hanoi, it's common to have each street selling only one category of consumer goods, so there's a whole street of glasses frame shops in the Old Quarter area, but the most popular (and this was obvious with the amount of people surrounding her booth) is called Thanh Luan. The owner is a friendly and smiley lady who isn't bothered even if you don't decide to buy after trying on multiple styles (she definitely knows how to provide the right service and does her business right!). My friend told me they have the best prices on the block and you can definitely bargain as well.

Of course I had to get my nails done, it's what Vietnamese people are known for back in Canada! For $10, I got a manicure with nail polish and nail art done. I don't normally wear nail polish travelling, but seeing that this is the last leg of my SEA journey, I might as well pamper myself before returning to Korea for a while.  There are spas everywhere just as with Bali and Cambodia, but do shop around to compare prices and be willing to pay more for better treatments ands spa atmospheres.

Vietnam has truly fascinated me. Not only that, but the people have been fascinated with me as well. I joked I never felt so attractive and questioned before as I am use to being asked about my ethnicity and all, but being in Vietnam is a different world. Almost everyone I've met or looks at me thinks I look Vietnamese, but they are confused when I don't speak Vietnamese when they talk to me. Then they are lost when I say I'm Chinese but born in Canada. Random people on the bus or stores would try to talk to talk me because they are so curious I speak English and they even mistaken my friend as a foreigner because she's with me! One really sweet girl even said I must have Vietnamese blood somewhere in my family tree because my eyes looked so "Vietnamese". While on the tour, I was the joke of the day as my last name is 'Pho' and I always had to explain the story behind my fake last name (if you don't know, I love to tell you!). By the end of this viet-venture, I've learned some Viet words, so next time I will just say I am Vietnamese. Lets see what happens then!

Jiao Hanoi!

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Say Cat Ba See Cat Ba Do Cat Ba

I highly recommend doing a three day two night tour as if you are just doing one night on board a ship around Halong Bay, it goes by way too quick. The final destination for the second night is Cat Ba Island, farther south from where we were the first night, but the view is just as stunning. Plus, you get to stay at a bungalow on an island with less than 50 people ( depending on how big your tour group is) at a drastic fraction of what this luxury would cost in Hawaii or other tropical destinations.

The intricate process of planting a pearl
We also went to a Pearl Farm today where we got to see pearls being planted into oyster shells. There's only a 40% success rate, yet the process is very detail oriented and tedious to plant the 'seed' into the oyster. It was a quick tour but you were able to buy pearls after too. It wasn't too exciting for me as I knew I wouldn't be making any purchases, and it felt like a tourist gig to make you shop. Though, the knowledge I did cue into was interesting to say the least.

Unique formations on the way
Can't believe this hasn't fallen over
My highlight of today was going biking at Cat Ba National Park where we got to ride to the Viet Hai Village. Vietnamese people settled here way back when and the population is only around 500 if I recalled right. I asked our guide if anyone ever leaves this island and he said no and I couldn't understand. I think I've become too much of a city gal to ever be able to stay still and just settle on some random island and start farming. Despite my comical perspective, it was neat to see them grow only organic fruits and vegetables for themselves as they don't sell any of their plants. I got to see various chilli peppers, taro, lychee, rice and sticky rice plantations which was really educational. I didn't know bettlenuts grow on trees did you?

What really made this experience was the actual biking part. I haven't biked in years, and doubling up on a tandem five years ago doesn't count as that wasn't a very smart move for someone who hasn't biked since possibly junior high school. I don't know why I kept away from biking and partaking in outdoor sports (perhaps my dislike of gym class in grade school?) but biking reminded me of how exhilarating and thrillingly fun it can be. I was very wobbly and unstable at first, but once I got my balance down, everything came back naturally except for going uphill where I had to get off my bike to push it up. I don't have the greatest stamina getting back into things right away, but I'm glad I didn't just quit or chicken out either. I only regret not taking any photos of the mesmerizing view biking through the limestone formations as I was highly concentrated on biking and keeping my balance. It felt like learning to drive all over again as I was worried that even turning my head back to check my blind spots would end in me colliding into something or someone. Thankfully that didn't happen and the rush of adrenaline already has made me anticipating for the next chance to bike. Its so awesome that Ive gained so many opportunities to accomplish so much physical activities while travelling as Im usually not like this. Yet, I'm really appreciating this adventurous and outdoorsy spirit of mine and I hope it stays even when I'm back home.

On another note, I'm so turning into a beach girl. I love the tranquil and calm aspect of just getting lost gazing into the water, the surroundings and the horizon. It feels as if time stops just for you to capture these moments eternally and what better way than on such a peaceful and quiet island which makes it seem  like its just you and the world ahead? Its been such a blessing and I feel so ridiculously blessed its overwhelming.

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Pirates of Halong Bay

Ahhh so exquisite and pleasant and so worth spending on a better tour. I feel like I'm living like a King being toured on a "luxury" named boat, being able to sit on the boat deck to relax and take in the view, and converse with tour mates from all over the world. I didn't expect to be on a tour with so many older couples and groups, but it's nice because they act like my mom and dad home away from home.


To get to the port of Halong Bay it takes about 3-4 hour of transit time from Hanoi. Along the way we had a pitstop for washroom and of course a shopping break if you choose to buy local handmade crafts and art here. This time, I definitely knew the company we were touring with and we also have a funny and informative tour guide joining us every step of the way from Vietnam Open Tours which made the tour even more enjoyable.


Aboard what was known to me as a 3 star boat upon booking, the facilities, rooms (most importantly washroom to me), were all comfortable, clean, and aesthetically simple, but well made. Paying a tad more from a shoestring budget really makes a huge difference. We found out later that the 2 star boar didn't even have water available for purchase. For lunch we were served family style, which again, exceeded expectations. Afterwards we got to enjoy the view on the ship's deck which was gorgeous! The limestone islands covered in bushy evergreen vegetation surrounds the view all around you and the illusion of farther islands acting as if it was the closer one's shadow made the view stunning like a water painting. The horizon is like a washout ombre colour effect-you got to see it to believe it! Did you know Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed here? So much for the 'Caribbean' part, but it makes so much sense as filming in Vietnam is probably way more budget friendly. And why not when the view creates so an aura of mystery and adventure right?
We also stopped at an island to see the largest cave in the area known as Sung Sot Cave or "Amazing Cave" and the beauty of it was so surreal that it felt manmade rather than natural. It also contributes to establishing Halong Bay as one of the top wonders of the world. It was well preserved and topped my prior cave experience at the Batu Caves in KUL as it wasn't plastered with Hindu gods and shrines all over, rather just showcasing creation at its best-pure and raw form.
After this wondrous experience, we got to go kayaking!!! I of course did not join this tour as a couple or as a group so I wasn't sure how it was going to work as each kayak had two persons (you could go alone but I would not have managed as a first timer), but thankfully some of the people didn't plan on kayaking and one of the couples' boyfriend needed a partner so I got to paddle with him which worked out to my favour as he sat in the back and did most of the work. Another first! but my arms are sore now even for the little work I did. I highly recommend kayaking though as the view is even better up close and personal and so much fun!
In the evening we had a family style seafood dinner which was all very tasty and fresh. There was a fried fish dish in which they mixed in dragonfruit and pineapple cubes which I thought was odd at first, but the flavours became more of a sweet and tangy one and was interestingly remarkable.After dinner I tried my hand at squid fishing, but I've never been a fisher nor did I have the patience, so that quickly ended.

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Sapa Day 2

I wasn't too sure what conditions to expect today as I was told we would be trekking twice as long from 9-3pm with lunch in between. Don't be surprise that I actually expected the worse coming from the Indonesia tour, but praise the Lord it was so much better than that! Our same tour guide, Mai, from yesterday led the way again, but today we had more ladies from her tribe tag along as it was a longer tour and one that would eventually lead us to their village. Later we found out the main reason was so they could sell us stuff once we got there, however it was still very pleasant to trek alongside the native people of Sapa and exchange backgrounds and stories. Unfortunately, the weather was mistier and much more foggy than the day before, so in terms of the view, we didn't get to see as much.

The wonderful ladies made these by hand for us, from leaves!!
We were guided to hike the Muong Hoa Valley and onto many small trails to the Y Linh Ho Village where the Black H'mong Tribe resides. The route was downhill most of the way and for a third of the journey we were walking on paved roads which made it fairly easy. It got challenging as we headed into green pastures and fields as the wet factor made it harder to for us to trek and the mud and soften clay ground made some people from our tour slip and fall easy. A part of the way was also on the edge of  cliff with no railings or anything so our conversations all of a sudden fell silent as we were all heavily concentrated on our next step. Not going to lie, it felt quite dangerous to be trekking like this and I was beyond impress that these ladies were doing so so effortlessly AND with their babies strapped on their backs. They must be use to these conditions or else they are just plain fearless.
It was quite treacherous due to the fog and muddy conditions





We had a simple lunch at the entrance of Lao Chai Village, but it actually wasn't very pleasant as the village children and ladies kept pestering us to make purchases from them. I bought from one girl who helped me through the trek, but honestly as hard as it is, it's better not to purchase from them here because once you buy from one, you will feel guilty for not buying from another. The children's pestering voices turned into a white noise of chanting to our ears but they eventually moved onto another group of tourists once they realize we weren't going to make any more purchases. We also sited another tribe at this entrance as they were here to meet foreigners and of course try selling us stuff at a later time (they don't do it when the other tribe sells to us-must be a misconduct to do so I assume).

Calling this a humble experience would be an understatement. I was deeply touched by how simple their lives are, yet how happy they were with just what they do have. It reminded me that the simplest things in life are simply the best and that happiness and joy aren't ever found through materialistic means.
One of the young moms & their baby
A few stories stuck out to me. I was told one of the ladies trekking with us got married at 16, had a child by 17, and divorced shortly after as they didn't work out (apparently divorce is allowed in the tribes just like in western cultures). However, her ex-husband now lives in another village and doesn't take any responsibility over their child, so it is just up to her to raise her son up. Some of the village ladies actually have told her to sell her son so it's easier for her to support herself/re-marry, but she  said she would never do this (and how can any mom consider this?). Interestingly, it was also made known to me that one of the older ladies with a baby on her back (whom I assumed was her grandchild), actually bought this baby girl when she was born from another village as she always wanted a girl having had four grown sons now and not being able to have kids anymore. She saved up 5 million Dong (~$250 US) for this baby-crazy isn't it? I guess perhaps having lots of children is a safety net sort of thing that selling one off for money isn't unusual or as insane as it seems from a first world perspective. I felt more culture shock than I've ever been, the village way of life is so absurd from what I've been brought up with.

Lastly, I noticed in the villages that the husbands and children don't wear the traditional Black H'mong costumes. My tour guide told me because they don't want to nor have to as the villages are heavily westernized now and some of them even have cellphones and all. In fact, the ladies don't typically wear their costumes at home either, so it's mainly a tourist gig which is understandable as people do come  here to see these tribes and seeing them in the costumes makes it easy for them to be distinguish and also for them to sell their handicraft. Though I think it's quite sad really.
Sapa has taught me a lot about the beauty in the smallest things and come to appreciate all that  you have. If you are coming to Vietnam, do make a trip here, I guarantee you will see the world differently by the time you depart. When I was telling Mai I hope to see her in the future, she was so sweet and told me to bring my husband next time-it must be crazy to them that I'm 22 and not yet married. At this age, you're expected to have a kid already-say what?!

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Sapa Day 1


I feel I am getting so cultured through this trip, and being in Sapa is no less if not even more of a cultural immersion. I enjoy the opportunities I get to talk to locals and its a bonus when they are able to communicate in English as that makes it easier for me to further my understanding and comprehension of their stories, backgrounds and lifestyle.

Taking the overnight train from central Hanoi (~9 hours) to Lao Cai and then transferring for an hour van ride to Sapa wasn't bad at all. Maybe I'm use to long commutes now, but it was a pretty smooth ride and another first to add to my list as I've never been on a sleeper train before. Either Vietnamese people are much more organized or this tour is worth its price because I felt way more on the same page than compared to my Indonesian train wreck of a tour. Our early morning arrival followed with breakfast and a time to freshen up (though you can't check in yet, the hotel (Sapa Summit Hotel) is smart to offer shower rooms for guests to use).

Our wonderful tour guide & I
At 10am, we started our 4km trek towards Cat Cat, Sin Chai Village where we saw the people of the Black H'mong Tribe weave and embroider clothes to be sold. It was so awesome to see them still use traditional weaving machine to weave hemp yarn into fabric, dye the lot of fabric by hand in indigo, and then sew them into various products (I am a textile student you know!). Fun fact of the day: marijuana is legal here and grown commonly here, though not for drugs, for clothes-it was so bizarre to us tourists how much "illegal" drugs were upon this beautiful land.


There are a total of six main tribes in Sapa and three main religions: Shaman is the main one (traditional beliefs) followed by Catholicism and to my surprise, Christianity as foreign missionaries have come here to evangelize and reach out to these people groups. I was also quite surprise that females typically get married by twenty if not younger and our tour guide (a female from the Black H'mong Tribe) shocked me when she said she had a 9 month old daughter at home as she was only twenty and looked too young to be a mom! Another difference from the western world is that usually the wives/moms work by giving English speaking trekking tours (they are educated up to highschool where they become fluent in English and Vietnamese) and make most of the handicraft to sell while the dads/husbands stay home to watch the kids or look after the animals they farm and usual village chores so to speak.
Amazing hand carved craftwork!

Some things I didn't know was that these tribes learn Vietnamese because though Sapa is in Vietnam, these tribes technically have Chinese roots and have ancestors from China. From the sharing of one kind lady, she said due to the war over 200 years ago, her ancestors fled China and settled in Sapa, which is not far from the Chinese border at all. Though, she said they don't really consider themselves Chinese anymore as their culture, way of life, and traditions have changed over time and as a tribe, they are so different from what others may define as Chinese.

In terms of Sapa, the view is gorgeous! I hear people often say they would love to wake up to an ocean view, but I wouldn't mind waking up to the sight of these vibrant green pastures and highlands each day. I did come here thinking the tiered cuttings of the plantations and greens on these mountains were natural, but farmers actually dug them to be this way and maintained it over the years as it is easier for them to farm and trek up and down than on a completely steep hill. I just cant imagine how much work it must've took to dig such perfect looking strips of land when seen from afar. Its a beautiful work of art in its entirety and the fresh scent of air after rain and elevated atmosphere is like walking on clouds for the eyes.
Sapa is cooler as it is in Northern Vietnam and higher elevated, but as it is a small 'town' they also don't have as much resources to keep places as warm as it is in bigger cities. Though, North Face and other outdoor sportswear brand are commonly sighted and sold, but the authenticity of these products is questionable. I highly recommend renting (can be done at your hotel or bought easily) rain boots and ponchos as rain makes the paths wet, slippery and muddy while having a poncho will keep you dry.
Lake Reflection in town of Sapa
I can't wait for day two of Sapa already so I can learn more! There is such beauty in the people, land, and conversations!



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Hello Hanoi

I find it quite interesting how I started the Indonesia leg of my trip being thought of as Japanese and being shouted "Konichuwa" at, and by the end of it, this security guard at the airport was speaking to me in Pasar (Indonesia's language) in which I responded with a confused "What?" and he asked, "Aren't you Indonesian?' and I shook my head. Perhaps that tells gives you a snippet of just how dark I got during the past week!

However, now in Hanoi, I asked my friend how people can tell I'm not a local and she responded with, "You're too pale".

What?!? It just comes to show how much one can depict by your skin colour and respectively, the standard of beauty judging by your complexion.

Anyways, onto Hanoi. Hanoi is very different from any other city I've been to so far. It's much cooler than it's usual climate right now which is a bonus pleasure for me transitioning from the bright rays and intense heat of Bali. The city is not as developed as I thought it be (I hear South Vietnam is more advanced), but the buildings, transport system and conditions overall are better than that of its neighboring country Cambodia, specifically in Siem Reap where I was. Though compared to the overall environment of Siem Reap's touristy and livelier areas, Hanoi is very dusty here on the streets and the air is filled with a gloomy mist of gray wherever you go. Perhaps pollution or a lack of city cleanup or maybe both? I miss the sight of vibrant greens, tropical trees and plants, as well as bright colours commonly sighted all across Bali already.

One of the many themed coffee shops, this one military inspred
Today my friend and I headed to the Hanoi's Old Quarter, the central/touristy/"downtown" of the city. We wandered around a bit shopping around for a decent tour (unlike my quick-one-pick Indonesian experience) for my plan to go to Sapa and Halong Bay. There are tons of travel agencies in this area so asking questions, comparing pamphlets and offers is necessary. We went to a few before I spontaneously sighted and settled on Classy Travel. It was a promotional board in the front of the store that caught my eye and initially I thought it was probably there just to lure me in, but their customer service, packages, and detailed oriented information sold the it to me. It was more than I had plan to pay ($300 US in total  for 3N/2D to Sapa ($135) and 2N/3D Halong Bay ($165) after), but learning from experience, I don't want to opt for the cheapest only to endure through terrible grief again. So more on this in my future posts.

Along the way, I've met many travelers who told me Vietnam was their favorite country and one of such reasons is because of the food. Food, glorious food, how can you say no to $1.5 Pho bowls, $2 noodle dishes, and $0.5 dessert cups? It may not come from the nicest store fronts (and might I even add quite dirty/hole in the wall/rundown places), but they do offer the best eats (and cheapest next to Malaysia)! I went to a dessert place today that my friend brought me to which has been family run since 1893! That's remarkable and tells of just how good what they offer is if it's been in existence for so long.

One thing I didn't expect to be so money-hungry was shopping! If you know me you know how much I can't say no to shopping overseas (as I never know when I will return). I realized clothes sold in some boutiques on the streets actually have legit labels from Zara, Forever 21, Mango and the like as much of these clothes are manufactured in Vietnam. I questioned the authenticity of it obviously as Asia is known for knock offs, but then I realize they are one-off samples that may have been produced slightly wrong, inaccurately sewn to design, or perhaps missing a stitch/losing some thread, hence flawed products that local business owners get their hands on to sell to the local/tourist market as they can't be sold from the original company.Well I definitely didn't mind because I scored branded items at such a great discount-it felt like vintage shopping as I scoured for one of a kind gems! Shopping is the only thing that really kills my budget plans... by a lot!
amazing handicraft sold at Old Quarter
What else, I think I've become quite stomach tough by now eating food from street stalls and all, but I think Hanoi tops it off as the worst for food safety and sanitary measures in terms of food being sold and prepared on the street. I couldn't believe meat cuts are just laid out on a giant cutting board for customers to touch and select at-no display case, no screen, no temperature regulator; ingredients are pre-chopped in bowls and just waiting to be cooked upon order in the warm outdoors (bacteria alert!). If this was in Canada, nothing would be allowed to be opened. You really take for granted so many standards, rules, policies and regulations back home when travelling SEA, but at the same time, you realize that to the locals, it's not that they don't care, but they just don't have the means or resources to have these measures. Also, it just comes to show that a little street food won't hurt anybody as I know it can cause some over-paranoia.
Interesting how bread is packaged so well
but meat on the other hand...
I've also been learning to take it easy and slow it down as a traveler. When I started in KUL, I made sure to do, eat, see everything on my list and pack in as much as I can in the time that I had. Having learned from experience, I am taking things at a slower pace and embracing every experience big or small rather then to rush it and move on to the next.

Here's to Hanoi and the rest of my itinerary-planned or not!

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