Welcome to Japan

With the adventures in Thailand coming to an end (it was a good thing we left Thailand when we did because my visa expired the day we left - talk about perfect timing) it was off to Japan.  We got our flight at 6am and sat on the plane for 6 hours before arriving in Tokyo International Airport.  The screening to get into Japan is kind of crazy.  To get through customs you hand over your passport and then put your index fingers on a scanner so they can scan your fingerprints.  Then you smile for the camera so you can have your picture added to the file.  This was definitely the most rigorous screening we went through.

After all of the security checks we were released into the airport and it was time to find the train system so we could head out to Yokosuka (pronounced Yokoska) and meet up with Patrick.  Even though the train system in Japan is incredibly extensive, it was not too hard to figure out where to hop the train - that is once you get your pass and figure out the basics of the train system.  If you are heading to Japan for a week or two, I definitely recommend getting the Japan Rail Pass.  It is a little pricey (but so is the rest of the country) and has to be bought outside of Japan, but it will save you a lot of money and works on the bullet trains as well so it is a heck of a deal (if you plan to travel a lot on the train systems).

We got it figured out and hopped on a train to Yokosuka.  The train ride was about an hour and a half long and the train was pretty crowded for a bunch of it, but it was still very convenient.  We arrived at our destination and I called Patrick so we could meet up.  He came to get us at the train station and it was great to see his face walking down the street with a big grin.  The cab to his house was fast and pretty easy so most of our trip went off without a hitch.

Patrick has the sweetest house he is renting in Japan.  It is pretty close to where he works in Yokosuka (close enough that he can either bike, take a short train ride, or walk) and is much nicer than staying in a hotel.  It is a 4 bedroom (small bedrooms and two are used for an office and storage) place with 1.5 baths and a full kitchen.  He also has a washing machine which was great to use since we had been doing a bit of hand washing as well as having others wash our clothes in Thailand.  It is a really warm feeling home and I am glad that Patrick has found some place where he can relax while in Japan.  

Once Keith and I were settled in we headed out for some sushi (you can't go to Japan and not eat sushi).  Patrick knew of a great place that was only one train stop away from his place and it was really cool to see him speak Japanese with the waitress (at this point I was still trying to not say hello in Thai instead of Japanese).  One of the most helpful things on the way to dinner was Patrick explained a little bit about the local train systems and how to get where we needed to go (very, very, very helpful).

When dinner was over we headed over to the hotel where Patrick used to stay to get a drink and meet some of his co-workers (most of the guys who are working in the ship yard for a short amount of time stay in the hotel).  I was also introduced to the best Japanese drink known as a Chu Hi (spelling is probably not correct on that one).  It is Japanese vodka mixed with some kind of citrus juice (most of the time) - either lemon, lime or grapefruit.  You can find them canned, but fresh juice chu his are definitely the best.  While in Japan I definitely recommend trying one (if you drink).  My favorite was the grapefruit, but all three are really good. 

Koh Samed, Thailand

Since I had such an amazing time on the beaches of Thailand I decided it would be great to take Keith to an island so he could experience the more relaxing way of life.  (It is not hard to have a more relaxing way of life than the trekking in Chiang Mai.)  Since we did not have enough time to head very far south and hit up any of the islands that I had been to earlier in the month we hit Koh Samed.  

Not only is Koh Samed close to Bangkok (only a 4-hour bus ride and a 45-minute boat ride) it is also touted as a locals island (it is supposedly huge with the people in Bangkok).  We were expecting an island paradise with great snorkeling and fun in the sun.  What we actually got was the worst island I had been to.  Koh Samed was dirty, expensive and had crappy snorkeling.  In defense of the island we did stay in one of the touristy places on the island (there are supposedly a couple of really nice beaches that are harder to get to and a lot more remote).

Anyway, we stayed at an ok guesthouse on the island that was close to the beach and close to restaurants (very nice).  We spent two nights and one full day on the island so we did get to swim in the water and tired to sign up for a snorkeling trip.  Unfortunately, the trip was cancelled because the water was too rough and the boat was not going to go out that night.  So, we finally found some equipment to rent and tried to snorkel off of the beach.  This was also a bust because the water was much too murky to actually see anything more than two inches in front of you.  It was kind of crazy because I could not see my hand if I stretched my arm out in front of me.  We played around with the snorkel stuff for a while and then just swam around.  The best part was that Keith actually got to swim in the ocean (really a sea, but part of the ocean) for the first time - chalk another one up to new experiences.

We both got some sun while at the beach and got to play in the water so it was a somewhat successful beach adventure.  The fact that the island was dirty (trash on the side of the road), you get ripped off taking a cab/truck back to the ferry dock and that the island is more expensive than most places makes this my least favorite island that I went to.  I don't think I would go back to this island and I do not recommend it to anyone who is looking for a relaxing time on the beach.  If you are looking for jet skis and inner tubing and the banana float rides and all of the other motor sports you can think of then go ahead and jump on a boat to the island, but be ready to dish out some serious (for Thailand) dough to do all of these adventures (30 minutes of jet skiing will cost you about $50USD).  All in all I would skip it, but I guess that is because I am not into the types of things this island had to offer.

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is a huge city with way too much to do in a couple of days, but we got to experience some of it. The sky train goes through part of the city, but the other parts are only accessible by walking, taxis or tuk tuks. Taxis are the more comfortable way to get around with air conditioning and doors and an enclosed space, but are much more expensive than the other modes of transportation. Walking is ok, but if you have far to go it takes a long time, gets hot, and isn't all that easy after dark. That leaves tuk tuks as a great way to get around.
Well a great way to get around if you don't mind lots of car exhaust, no doors, lots of noise and some crazy driving. All in all, I loved them. I would not want to ride in them all of the time, but every once in a while it is a great way to see the city. The one thing that is kind of annoying about the tuk tuks is that they try and get you to go to different stores so they can get gas. One of our tuk tuk drivers actually got us to agree to go to a fancy jewelry store for 10-15 minutes so he could get some free gas. The only reason we went is because he agreed to half our fare to where we were going so it seemed like a good deal. The tuk tuks aren't really that bad, but just beware that they will: a) try to over charge you and b) try to get you to go to an over priced place so they can get free stuff out of it.
Now, back to Bangkok. If you want a huge shopping area where you can get all of the souvenirs you would ever want or anything else you can think of you should go to the Chatuchak weekend market. Exploring that market would take hours upon hours which I did not spend there, but I did get a taste of it. Not only were there gifts aplenty, but there were all types of different clothes, shoes, food and animals. When I wondered across the animal section of the market I almost came home with a couple of friends for the evils. It was kind of sad because they had a bunch of aisles with birds, bunnies (some of them were tiny little things and were forced to wear little outfits and share a cage with a bunch of other dressed up rabbits), and puppies. I was ok until I saw a boxer puppy and then it was all I had to keep walking. The market was amazing, but be warned when you go there - you will see things that will tempt you (whether it be food, animals, clothing, or a little trinket), but just remember that self restraint is a good thing.
If shopping is not your thing then there is plenty of other things to do in Bangkok. If you are interested in museums and learning about history then you can check out the National Museum. Keith and I spent a couple of hours at the National Museum and learned a ton about the history of Thailand. It was amazing how much Thailand and Burma have fought throughout history and how many times the power has changed hands. We saw pictures of how they used to fight on elephants, saw dioramas of the battles that shaped the country. It was very interesting to see the history of Siam (now known as Thailand).
The museum had another part to it as well - the art history of the country as well. There were many different wings that held the art that has pleased throughout the centuries. From pottery to paintings to metal work to musical instruments you can see it all in the museum. Even though I am not that much of a museum person it was very cool to go and see some of the art and history of the country I was in. The one thing that really amazed me was the influence of China in much of the art in Thailand. I guess I was just naive in thinking that China did not have as much influence throughout much of Asia, but it was still surprising to see it in many of the countries I went to.
Ok, maybe museums are not your thing either. How about Wats? Pretty close to the National Museum are Wat Phra Kaeo and the Grand Palace as well as Wat Po. The Grand Palace is an amazing sight and you will know you are getting close when you see the mass of people trying to sell you anything and everything as well as an army of tuk tuk drivers ready to take you anywhere your heart may desire. Many people will try to tell you that you can not enter the Grand Palace unless you are wearing long pants (as a woman you should always wear below the knee pants or a skirt when going into any Wat to show your respect) but that is not the case. Do not fall for the lies and be tempted to pay an outrageous amount for a pair of pants you don't really need.
Wat Po is the temple that has the biggest lying down Buddha. I don't remember how long the golden statue is, but it was too big to fit into one picture. It is amazing to me how much people will spend on religious artifacts. In fact, much of Asia amazed me with the amount of money that was spent on religion while there was poverty prevalent in much of the area. Anyway, Wat Po was an amazing sight and I definitely recommend going there. It is an awe inspiring sight and the rest of the Wat around the Buddha was just as beautiful.
- One word of caution about going to all of the above mentioned places - tuk tuk drivers will try to tell you that the Grand Palace and other places are closed until a certain time or because it is a holiday, but they are just telling you a lie in order to get you to hire them for a tour around the city. In fact we had one tuk tuk driver try to tell us that Wat Po was closed when we were a block away from it. When we turned the corner it was interesting to see a bunch of people walking in and out of a closed Wat. Another tuk tuk driver tried to tell us that the Grand Palace was closed until 1:30 on the day we tried to go because of a holiday and wasn't too happy when I told him he was lying to us. One thing I would love to go back and do would tell the tuk tuk driver that if he was to take us to the Wat and it was closed then he would get paid, but if it wasn't then we would get the ride for free. Oh well, maybe next time.
After all of the Wats and museums and shopping sometimes it is just nice to chill out at a nice park. Lumpini Park is just this kind of place. It is a huge park in the city and is a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Think about Central Park, but in Bangkok. There are a couple of ponds in the park as well where you can go paddle boating or feed the ducks, but beware of the catfish (they are huge and really aggressive when you try to get the food to the ducks or turtles). Lumpini Park is where a lot of people go to run, have a picnic, or just chill out by the water. One word of warning, however, do not try the Durian fruit. If you do you will understand the warning.
There is a lot more to see in Bangkok, but there is only so much you can see in two days. I would have liked to spend more time there, but I wish I had more time in most of the places I went.

Trekking Around Chiang Mai

One of the reasons for heading up North was to do a three-day trek out of Chiang Mai. Our guest house (Libra House) set up our trek. We could choose from a 1-day, 2-day, or 3-day trek. The 1-day didn't seem long enough and the 2-day seemed ok, but we decided to embark on the 3-day trek. This included 3-days of trekking, bamboo rafting, elephant trekking and 2 nights of sleeping in hill tribe villages (one night with the Laohu and one night with the Lizu tribes - spelling is probably not correct).

There were 6 of us who went on the trek - Keith and me, an Aussie named Jodie, Jenny and Kristen from San Diego, and our guide Toto. The group seemed fun enough so we all climbed into the back of the pick up truck with our bags (day bags so we didn't have to carry too much stuff) and got ready for our 4 hour truck ride up into the mountains. We were heading really far into Northern Thailand and when we got out to start our hiking we were only about 8 kilometers south of the Burma border. I don't think I was the only one up for an interesting hike to the north, but we decided to head south instead.

The first day was about an 8-10km hike, but we gained a lot of elevation and it was pretty hot out. Luckily, it was also somewhat overcast and the sun was not directly shining on us. Since this was Keith's third day in the climate he was not very well adjusted. He ended up getting heat stroke on the way to the village, but finished the hike like a trooper. Once to the village he was able to take a cold "shower" (think big bucket of cold water with a smaller bucket used to dump upon ones self) and cool off a bit.

The rest of us were fairing better, but were a little tired. We all took our "showers" eventually and then hung out with the Laohu tribe and took a look around their village. (When I say hung out it pretty much means that we did our thing and they just watched us - there was not a lot of interaction between the two groups). It was interesting to see their village and we ended up sleeping on mats in an elevated bamboo hut (thank goodness there were mosquito nets). Keith slept and let his body recover while the rest of us ate dinner and then hung out playing cards for a while more. Then it was off to bed to get ready for the next day.

Day two started with more trekking. We ended up doing about 10km to the lunch village. This did included crossing (on foot) a couple of rivers (nothing like walking through thigh high rushing water to wake you up in the morning) and a couple of mountains (I think we crossed three the second day). The hiking was still a little strenuous (especially in the heat), but it was easier than the day before and the heat stroke was not repeated.

After a great lunch we got a bit of fun. Instead of hiking the next 12km to the Lizu village (this is where our guide grew up) we got to take a bamboo raft (think a bunch of bamboo logs tied together and that is the raft). It was a little wet at times since there was nothing to keep the water from coming through the logs, but it was really fun. We went over rapids on our raft (it was about 4-5 meters long and had a stand to put our backpacks on to keep the dry) and had to duck under some branches and a couple of fallen trees, but it was an amazing ride. To finish it off we got to go over a small waterfall (kind of a dam/waterfall). It really looked scarier than it was, but Jodie and I were sitting in the front of the raft so we got soaked - I am always up for fun times like that.

The second night was much like the first with some eating, card playing and sleeping under mosquito nets in a bamboo hut. Even the "showers" were the same, but this time Kristen got sick right as we got to camp. I don't know what was plaguing her, but after dinner Jenny started feeling a bit ill and then a bit later so did Jodie. By the end of the night Keith and I were the only ones who were actually sleeping (the other girls were taking turns running to the bathroom to be sick). I don't know what it was, but I am kind of glad I did not get it.

Although the three other girls were still feeling a bit punkish the next day they, impressively, decided to continue with the planned itinerary. We headed off on a truck for a half hour ride to where our next trek began. Then we trekked for about a half hour before reaching our destination (a huge cave). This cave was amazing and really fun to go through. We had headlamps since it was so dark and long. We went down some pretty sketchy ladders into the depths of the cave, did a tiny bit of rock climbing to get back up to a path, saw a bunch of bats along the way, took some pictures and enjoyed our time in the cave (who wouldn't). Unfortunately, most of the other people with me were feeling pretty gross so the time in the cave was not enough. We didn't really get the chance to look around as much as I would like to, but we also had other fun things to get to.

Enter the elephants. Yup, we did the great tourist activity of riding elephants. After the cave we ate a quick lunch, jumped in the truck and headed for the elephant trekking. Unfortunately, when we got there Jodie was feeling pretty bad so she did not go. Instead she stayed in the truck while the other 4 of us hopped on two different elephants (Keith and I shared while Kristen and Jenny shared) and took off into the jungle (more like following a well used road, but you get the idea). We started out riding on the elephants back on one of the flat benches that you see on elephant rides (of course there are so many in the US you definitely know what I am talking about. After about a half and hour, however, I got to sit "bare back" on the elephants neck. Talk about the craziest ride I have been on!

Whenever the elephant would move I would get jostled a bit and I thought I was going to fall off the high animal a couple of times. (Keith just sat in the "saddle" with our guide and laughed.) The other kind of weird part was the elephant would eat vegetation along the way so it would dip its head (with me on its neck) and get plants and bamboo (it would break bamboo trees off near the ground and just crunch away - the bamboo was probably about 4cm in diameter so it was not little). Needless to say it was an interesting ride trying to balance on the neck while the elephant did pretty much whatever it wanted.

One of the coolest things was that you could feed the elephant bananas while riding it. We had a couple of bananas and if you tapped on the elephants head it would curl its trunk up and grab a banana from your hands. It was amazing and the trunk was pretty accurate.

The trip lasted about an hour and I think we all had a great time (maybe not the elephants, but the rest of us did). One thing I liked about this trek was the fact that the elephants were turned loose in the jungle after the ride. It was not like the other elephant rides I had seen where the elephants were then chained up in the area for tourists to gawk at (instead we just gawked at them while they were unsaddled and turned out into the wild).

After the elephants the trek was over. We headed back to Chiang Mai to take a hot shower, do some laundry and simply relax. It was a great trip and I would do it again in a heartbeat. If you would like to do a fun trek that takes you away from the tourists I would recommend the one from Libra House. The trekking is not as easy as other companies, but I am crazy enough to like that kind of thing.

Chiang Mai

Between Koh Pha Ngan and Chiang Mai I dropped Anne off in Bangkok, picked Keith up at the airport, spent the night in an airport hotel and caught a flight the next day. It was a long two days of travelling, but Chiang Mai was worth it.

I had a very big misconception of Chiang Mai before I got there. For some reason I was picturing a quaint old city all located within an ancient wall and moat. What I got was the second largest city in Thailand. It is really nothing, in size, compared to Bangkok, but it was much bigger than I was expecting. The old city wall and moat are still there, but the city has sprawled way beyond those walls. Now it is a small remnant of the old city inside the walls, but outside is just like any other city. There is an ordinance only allowing three stories inside the walled part of the city, but outside they can be as big as you want and there are a couple of tall ones (usually hotels).

We stayed inside the walled part of the city at a great guest house called Libra House. I would greatly recommend this place. The rooms are great for a wonderful price. The people are friendly and are willing to help you with pretty much anything your heart desires and the location is actually pretty good.  The food at Libra House is actually pretty good as well (and much cheaper than any of the islands).

Walking around old town Chiang Mai was interesting because it was a dichotomy of old and new.  There are a bunch of wats (temples) around the old city of Chiang Mai and it seemed as though you could not walk very far without seeing another one.  Then, next door to the wats were internet cafes, coffee houses (Keith said he had one of the best lattes he ever had in Chiang Mai), and a ton of clothing stores (as in custom made clothing stores).  I broke down and decided to have some clothes made so I guess it was a good thing there were so many choices.

We did see some very cool wats.  Many of them have ornate colors inside (much gold and red) as well as intricate paintings and carvings on the doors, windows, and walls.  

The biggest, and most touristy, wat we went to was Doi Suthep.  It is also known as the wat on the hill.  Pretty much it is the wat that is on top of the nearest mountain to Chiang Mai (I think it might actually be part of Chiang Mai bounds, but I don't know for sure).  The temple is huge and has its own compound (a walled off portion of the hill that has about 10-20 buildings as well as a ton of other things).  Other than the temple, there are some great views of Chiang Mai from the top of the mountain.  The road up to, and down from, the temple was actually really fun.  It was a long and windy road that would have been really fun in a sports car or on an American motorcycle.  Even in the back of the pick up truck taxi that we took to the top was pretty fun.

The last day we were in Chiang Mai we almost got caught in a huge downpour.  Luckily we had stopped into the store to grab some sustenance for the night train we were going to take back to Bangkok when the rain started.  Within 5 minutes the skies went from overcast to complete downpour.  Like many of the locals, we stood in the doorway of the store and tried to let the storm pass.  After about 40 minutes the rain let up a little and we made our way back to the guest house (it was getting close to the time we needed to head to the train station and we couldn't wait any longer.  Even though the rain was slowing he damage was already done.  

With very little drainage for the streets they flood quite easily.  Walking back to the guest house was an interesting experience because we had to go through puddles in the street and the road outside our guest house was completely flooded (under about 3 inches of water).  Lucky for us we had a taxi coming to take us to the train station.  

On the way to the station we saw how the rain can cause problems for even more of the city.  Because there was so much water on the roads traffic was a nightmare.  At some places the water was deep enough to come up and over the bottom of the tire of motorbikes and some cars.  The truly amazing thing was that it didn't really effect the people all that much.  They still went out to the market and got the vegetables they need (even though they had to walk through 4 inches of water to do so), drove to get to where they needed, and simply continued on with their lives.  What was crazy to both Keith and I it seemed like a normal way of life for everyone else.

Koh Pha Ngan

Koh Pha Ngan is an island in the Gulf of Thailand (think the east side of the country). Anne and I headed there after we left Khoa Sok National Park to find some diving and relaxing in the nice weather. What we found was an awesome island that I will have to go back to. This has probably been my favorite place so far in Thailand because there is tons to do and the atmosphere is really laid back and chill (the fact that it is very slow season helps a bunch).
We stayed at a great guesthouse called Sun View Resort which is on the west side of the island near the beach Haad Yao. The guesthouse was really chill and there was a great restaurant at the top of the hill where you could watch the sunset while eating great food and lying on some really comfy cushions. Our bungalow was also great as it was the third one up the hill from the beach. You could still see and hear the ocean which was a great way to fall asleep (when it wasn't gale force winds - or seemed like it - at night).
The weather was not all that great for the 5 days we were there, but it didn't matter that much. Anne and I braved the rain and a little bit of wind to go out and find our adventures. The first day (rainy and windy) we just kind of chilled and explored around our guesthouse for a while. After that, however, we got a little bored and wanted to explore the island so we rented some motorbikes. Talk about a crazy way to get around. The rental process was really easy. The women who rented us the bikes agreed on our price (150 Baht a day - about $5) and then asked us for our passports (collateral), showed us the basic operation of the motorbikes (luckily they were automatics) and then sent us down the road (think 35 feet) to fill up on gas.
Anne and I were bats out of heck on our motorbikes (I can't say hell because we did not go fast enough for that). The first day we went to the other side of the island to explore the "party" town of Haad Rin (this is where the full, half, and black moon parties are). The going was a little slow because we were still getting used to the bikes, but we made it up the big steep hills (some as steep as 20% - at least that is what the signs said). Then it was back to the hostel since it was raining and we were starting to get soaked.
Day two brought on more riding. We decided to go diving the next day so we rode into town to book our diving excursion. Then it was off to do a little hiking and looking at waterfalls. Unfortunately, the waterfalls were a little less than magnificent since there was very little water, but the hiking was great and some of the views were amazing. While we were hiking the sun emerged (for the first time since we arrived) so we looked at each other and decided to go to the beach for some needed Vitamin D. We took a different road back towards the hostel and went past a safari park. What we saw were 5 elephants (too cool) and a bunch of people feeding them bananas. Both Anne and I wanted to join in so we bought some bananas and got to feed them to the massive animals. The trunks were amazing with how accurate they were and how easily they could take a banana from your hand. Although you could ride them, both of us decided to wait until another day and head out.
After about a half an hour on the beach (you couldn't really swim because it was too shallow) we went back, got changed and headed out to a two hour yoga session. This was not the type of yoga I have experienced and involved a lot more breathing and fast movements and chanting. Needless to say it was an experience (not sure one I would do again). We got a nice place in the back, but when the instructor asked if there was anyone new we were the only ones that raised our hands (many of the people were studying yoga here and were going twice a day for at least a week). What the raised hands got us was a nice spot in the front next to the instructor. He was very helpful, but he taught us more about our breathing than the correct body position of the moves. I don't think either one of us would do it again, but it was kind of cool to actually go (once you got over the whole fish out of water feeling).
Diving on the 4th day was amazing. We almost cancelled because the night before it was so windy it blew open our bungalow door and it had not completely settled when we got picked up. Our driver, however, assured us that the diving would be great and he was exactly right. The boat ride out to the diving was not the most fun, but once we got under water it was as calm as can be. My instructor, Alex - a Scottish bloke, was very knowledgeable and taught me a lot rules of diving. The greatest thing was he brought down a magnetic pad with him so he could tell me the fish names. We saw a white eyed moray eel, a spotted blue tail ray (cousin of the manta ray), a scorpion fish, tons of grouper, lots of angel fish and so much more that I can not remember. The coolest thing was seeing a bat fish change from dark grey to white and then back to dark grey. Alex said it was the first time he had ever seen that (and he has been diving in the area for 5 years). Needless to say it was a great diving day.
Although we were leaving at 10am on the 5th day we decided we had just enough time (and gas) to motor back to Haad Rin for one last look. This time, however, we were ready for the hills and our speed was greatly increased. We had to have the bikes back to the shop by 9:30am so we were cutting it a little tight when we left at 8am. Luckily, the speed allowed us to get the bikes back about 10 minutes early. When we rolled back to the bike shop the bikes were on empty for gas, but we figured it was only fair since that is how we picked them up. Both Anne and I were not sure we could do the trip and make it back to the shop on the gas we had, but we both barely made it (sometimes it is fun to see just how far you can go on a liter of gas). We were both really sad to leave Koh Pha Ngan, but after 5 great days I guess it was time. This is one of my favorite places in Thailand, so far, and I would love to get back there at some point - as long as it is low season again. Pictures to come later.

Khao Sok National Park

After so many days on the beach it was time to get away and do something different in Thailand. Rob was heading to Bangkok to catch his flight home so Ann and I decided to head to Khao Sok National Park. It is a rain forest kind of in the middle of the southern peninsula of Thailand. We arrived after some good travelling (only about 6 hours by boat and car) and got ready to head into the park.
I have never been in a rain forest before, but I must say it is pretty neat. The air is much cooler than the beach (due to lack of sunlight) but it is also much more humid. There is bamboo growing everywhere and now we both want to plant some bamboo at home (it is really quite pretty in the rain forest). There are also tons of butterflies and plant species. We were told that sometimes there are elephants walking around the park as well as monkey, tigers, and tons of other wildlife, but we only saw the butterflies and foliage (good enough for us).
We spent some time hiking around the rain forest (unfortunately many of the trails are closed from June 1 - December 1st due to the wet season and flash flooding and all of that) and got to see a waterfall and got to go swimming in the river. It was fast moving and much cooler than the other water we had been swimming in, but still quite refreshing. Unfortunately the water on the trails was not fast moving and leeches were a problem.
The first day I got a leech on my foot (inside my shoe and sock). It felt like my sock was bunched up on my left foot, but when I took my shoe off I found a blood stain on my sock and when I took my sock off the big bellied leech fell off of my foot. At least it was easy to get off and didn't hurt, but it did gorge itself on my blood (kind of creepy, but kind of fascinating as well). Needless to say I was a little paranoid about leeches after that, but no more decided to use me as a feeding trough.
The second day we floated down the river on inner tubes. This was really fun and we got to go over some mini rapids and got to see some monkeys fighting with each other. The float was about an hour and a half long and it was amazing to float down the river and look up at the jungle. We also floated past big limestone cliffs and the climber in me wanted to get out and hop on the wall (luckily I didn't). At one point we floated upon some younger Thai boys having fun on rope swing and our guide asked if we wanted to try. Ann wasn't really into it, but I said sure. It was fun to be on a rope swing again and I think I should definitely find one when I get home.
After the float we headed to the monkey temple where monkeys (and a lot of them) are used to humans and do not run at the first sight of them. They are all over the ground and in the trees. The humans that stop bring bananas and feed them so they are not really all that aggressive (as long as you don't get too close) and will pose for photos. There were monkeys of all ages from. The old and wise looking ones just sat in the trees and ate their bananas while the younger ones run up and down the vines chasing each other. We even saw a mom with a baby sitting in the trees. It was a pretty cool experience and it was fun to see them all kind of laid back and catching the bananas that our guide was throwing to them.
Since many of the trails were closed and we didn't want to just hang out Ann and I decided to head out of Khao Sok and head back to the beach. It is now onto another island called Koh Pha Ngan. There is more snorkeling, diving, hiking and swimming to be done there so it should be pretty intresting.

Pictures:
1- Looking at part of the rain forest from the road to our guesthouse.
2- A "bridge" that we had to cross on our way out into the forest.
3- A picture from where we stopped to swim on the second day.
4- A picture from floating down the river.
5- The monkey mama and the baby (kind of dark, but the thing she is hugging on her belly is actually a little baby monkey).

Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

Now we are on Koh Phi Phi (sounds like P.P. Island). The water is a little cooler here (only around 85-90 F) so you get a bit more refreshed while swimming. The water is also an incredible blue and turquoise color which is great to look at. Rob and I did come here for the climbing (imagine that) and that is what we have been doing the past 5 days. Well, the past 5 afternoons as it is too hot to climb in the morning (the rock is in the direct sunlight and it is really hot here). There is a great rock called Tonsai Tower and it has a bunch of moderate routes on it. I think the hardest we climbed in the 5 days is an over hanging 5.10D (way too much fun with a roof and huge holds to help you over it). Rob was the rope gun that he is and led the pitch while I followed it and cleaned it - again, way too much fun. The hardest I have led here was on the first afternoon and it was a bit of a balancy 5.10C (again really fun).
We are staying in a bamboo hut that is really close to the beach and really close to the rock. I actually recommend staying there because it is out of the party central zone and much quieter (and a lot less people as well). It is interesting because we have thatched walls and a thatched roof, but our stuff stayed dry when it rained yesterday so I guess it works well. Luckily the rain only lasted about an hour so it was not a big deal. The bad part is that it is super muggy after the rain and it makes a hot day that much hotter. At least it is nice to have the sun come back out after the rain clouds have passed.
One of the best things I have done on Phi Phi so far is I learned how to scuba dive this morning with Phi Phi Barakuda diving (there are so many shops it is hard to pick one). Talk about an amazing world to explore. The deepest I went on my two dives was about 12m and each dive was probably about 50 minutes. The water is super warm so I didn't even need the wet suit on the second dive. I saw a leopard shark (probably about 1.5-2 meters long) hanging out on the bottom of the ocean. I saw two sea turtles (one really big and one medium sized). It was amazing to be able to swim after them (or with them) for a couple of minutes. Turtles may be slow on land, but they move pretty fast in the water. I also saw a scorpion fish (poisonous, but they aren't aggressive and will not hurt you unless you touch them), puffer fish (it was really big, but did not puff up so who knows how big it would have looked), tons of angel fish of all sizes, a moray eel, and a bunch of fish that I don't know the names for. Needless to say it was an awe inspiring experience and very peaceful at the same time. The dive shop I went with was great and my instructor (I had my very own) - Ann - was great. She was very patient and kept me down as long as she could (and as long as I wanted to).
Phi Phi is on the recommend list, but it is a party island so beware. There are a ton of bars and lots of people in them (and this is low season) so if that is your thing then great. If not, I would stay away from party central and experience the scuba, snorkeling and climbing before heading on to your next destination. Just bring the sun screen because it gets hot during the day and the sandy beaches and beautiful water call to you.

Pictures:
1- Our bungalow that Rob and I shared on Phi Phi.

Other pics are view of Phi Phi. 2-4 are from the viewpoint where it started raining right after these pictures were taken. 5 is from the beach looking back towards Tonsai Tower where Rob and I did our climbing.

Railay, Thailand

Paradise? - Very Possible

Railay is a gorgeous peninsula off of the Krabi region. You can only reach it by boat and that keeps some tourists away. The beaches (especially West Beach) are amazing and the water is bathtub warm. Already sounding like paradise to you? Well, let me add on to that. The people are friendly, the atmosphere is incredibly laid back and, although there are a bunch of people there, it does not have the meat market and total party feel of some of the other islands in the Krabi region.
For the 6 days that Rob and I were in Railay, we lived in flip flops, bathing suits, shorts and tees. The food was amazing and somewhat inexpensive. We hung out with some locals, went swimming almost every day, trekked around some of the trails, and hung out on the beach. Yes, it is probably sounding better and better to you, but this is why it could be considered paradise to me - the rock climbing. The climbing in Railay is amazing. There are limestone cliffs that have tons of sport routes on them and they range from easy to no way I will try it hard. It is somewhat of a climbing mecca in Thailand and there are some amazing climbers that set their sights on climbing in Railay.
Out of the 5.5 days in Railay, Rob and I climbed for 4 of them (everyone needs a rest day every now and again). We climbed routes from 5.8 to 5.10c. We climbed off of trails and off of the beach (it was way too cool to walk down the beach, look up at the rock, put your stuff on and then climb right off of the sand). We hiked up to Phra Nang Cave and through it (it is a huge cave where you will need a head lamp to find your way, but it goes all the way through the mountain. You start on one beach and, with a short rappel down, you end on another and then rappelled off the other side. The views were amazing and the cave itself was very fun to explore.
Other than the climbing, the sunsets were amazing. Sitting or swimming in the warm water (think in the 80's) while watching the sun turn the sky red, orange, purple and pink as it fades into the hills was amazing and I never got tired of it. We must have sat on West Beach 3 times to watch the sun go down and each time blew us away.
So what does one do on a rest day when you can't climb? Well, you go on a sunset snorkeling trip. We left the beach on a long tail boat around 2pm and then headed out to snorkel around 4 different islands. We saw tons of coral, lots of fish and some of the bluest water you can imagine. After that it was off to another island to watch the sunset and eat some dinner (water, fruit and dinner were included in the $20 price). We had some great seafood curry and vegetables and watched another wonderful sunset. Then it was off to do some night swimming. The coolest thing about this was that we got to swim with the phosphorescence in the water. After jumping in the water we got our masks and whenever you move your hand (or any part of your body for that matter) a bunch of little blue lights would follow it. Needless to say it was very cool to see and something I don't know if I will ever get to do again. We must have swam around for 20 minutes just watching the little blue lights following our every move (kind of trippy). Then it was time to get back in the boat and head for the shore. We got back around 8:30pm (yes that is a 6.5 hour trip and an amazing one at that) and headed off to our room. If you are ever in Railay I definitely recommend it and if you ever have the chance to swim in phosphorescence don't hesitate and just jump in.
After 5.5 days it was time to try another place so it was off to Koh Phi Phi (an island near Krabi and Railay). We will climb there and I hope to experience scuba diving. I will put pictures of paradise up when I get a chance.


Pictures in order:
1- On the way to Railay East Beach.
2- One of the many views from West Beach of Railay.
3- Me getting ready to go snorkeling.
4- One of the sunset pics that I took (I will not put them all up because you will really be jealous).
5- The view from the cave opening before rappelling down to West Beach.

Cambodia

Well, we did a lot more than just see the temples (or Wats) in Cambodia, but that is mostly what I am going to talk about. We went to Siem Reap and saw the temples (and ate some really good food) and then it was off to Battambang for a couple of days - did a countryside tour on motorbikes and had a bunch of fun. Ok, now that you know that here are the temples:

Angkor Wat: Yes, this is one of the 7 man made wonders of the world and after seeing it I can understand why. It is hard to explain about Angkor Wat because it is simply amazing. You walk through the front gate and look back at an architectural marvel. The three tiered pyramid is crowned by five towers that rise 65 meters into the air. On all of the inside walls that surround the lower levels of the Wat there are bas-reliefs (carvings) that depict differnt battles and periods of time. The detail in the carvings is simply amazing and I can't imagine how many years it took to do each one. We got to walk around the temple for as long as we wanted and, although some places were roped off (due to reconstruction or simply too dangerous), we got to explore much of what it had to offer. Our first view of Angkor Wat was at sunrise and it was amazing to see the different colors in the sky and the light first coming up over this masterpiece. One of the things I thought was most amazing was how it was built. The sand stone quarry was over 50km away from where the Wat is and all of the blocks (and there must be millions) were floated down the Siem Reap river and then transported to the building site. It is amazing what people can do when they set their minds to it (and have many workers to do all of the hard dirty work for them).

The surrounding buildings of the Wat are magnificent in their own rights and the vast yeards that surround the temple are also amazing. There is a pond, many trees, lots of manicured lawn, a library, an outer wall, a moat, and much much more. If you ever get the chance to see it I would say it is a must.

Bayon: This is probably my favorite temple simple because it was amazing to see all of the faces looking back at you . Supposedly there are 37 towers making up Bayon and there are 4 faces to each temple. There are also faces in other parts of the temple as well and no matter where you turn there are a pair of eyes on you. I don't know if anyone else agrees with me, but I think it is all the same person (Rob suggested it might be buddah, but I don't know - maybe it was a secret lover of the builder and this was his way of remembering her or him) with different expressions on their face. Anyway, the temple is amazing and I don't know how many faces there are, but it is crazy to see all of them. I heard it is better to see the temple in the afternoon because the light is better, but we saw it first thing in the morning and loved it because there were no crowds and the light was ok just the same. If you look really hard at the left tower you can see the face up at the top. Now, imagine about 1000 more looking at you at the same time. Pretty cool if I do say so myself.

Ta Prohm: This temple was made famous by the movie Lara Croft Tomb Raider because of the tree that overgrows one of the walls. Look at the pic and then see if you can remember the scene in the movie. Anyway, it was a very cool temple because of the trees growing over some of the walls and passageways. It is hard to describe walking into the temple and seeing these massive trees that you know weigh tons growing over the stone walls of the temple. It just goes to show you that nature will have its way whether you want it to or not. The roots have done some damage to the temple, but it is amazing to see the walls still standing underneath all of the weight. If you can only see three temples while in the Siem Reap area (you should really spend more time on the temples because they are too cool) it should be the three I have mentioned.

As I said before, there are a ton of other temples that should be seen in Siem Reap, but that these are all I am going to talk about right now. Other things you should do while there are go to the Red Piano restaurant and order the Amok Fish (best around), enjoy some of the local places as well, get some yummy mangos in the market, go to the floating village (just to see the houses on the way there - it is amazing what people can live in) and just enjoy all that Siem Reap has to offer. If you can, take either the 6 hour bus ride or the 7.5 hour boat ride over to Battambang and see the countryside - it is amazing. Cambodia was great and I will have to go back to experience more, but that is all the time I had on this trip. Next, off to Thailand to do some rock climbing.

Hanoi, Vietnam

After returning to Vietnam (the night train gets you in around 5am) we went back to the hotel to sleep a bit and to get some breakfast. After that, however, there was no rest for the wicked. It was time to do a city tour of Hanoi and actually learn a little bit about Vietnam culture.
We started our tour with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and museum. The security to get into the mausoleum was crazy. You could not carry any big bags (think bigger than a small fanny pack), you had to take your sunglasses and hats off; you couldn't walk with your hands in your pockets or behind you. You had to walk in twos and follow a red carpet on the floor. It was crazy because there were armed guards (with bayonets and automatic rifles) every couple of feet. You could not walk very slow because they kept you going through the highly protected room. It is actually kind of sad because I learned that Ho Chi Minh actually wanted to be cremated and laid to rest that way, but the government had other ideas.
The compound where he stays and where the museum is actually has a bunch of other stuff as well. It contains the house in which he lived and worked and the cars he drove. It was kind of cool to see and our guide (Ta - pronounced ti - the same guide we had for Sapa) has a great amount of information and really made the experience a learning one.
The museum was an interesting thing to see. It talks a bunch about Ho Chi Minh's philosophy, how he spoke, how he had a 99% approval rating in Vietnam (at least Northern Vietnam) and it told the story of the Vietnam war from the North Vietnamese side. It was very interesting to see Americans portrayed as the aggressors and as the enemy when I have grown up learning the exact opposite. There were some very interesting articles that came out when the war ended and how happy they were that the Vietnamese were victorious. A very odd perspective to see.
One of the most interesting things was to see what the most important vehicle for the North Vietnamese was during the war. There was a bicycle laden with faux guns and rice and tons of other things. It looked like it should not have been able to move because it was so over burdened, but it was how the N. Vietnamese got the supplies they needed. Crazy to think that the bicycle played such an important role and that the Ho Chi Minh trail was such an important means of transportation.
After the museum and all we went to the first university in Hanoi (started in the 11th century). Again Ta was very knowledgeable on the subject and it was nice to see the history of education and hear about the importance that is still placed upon it today. Many of the buildings are re-done (due to bombings and weather) but you still get the idea of it all. One more trip before lunch found us at a temple in the middle of one of the lakes in Hanoi. There is a red bridge that takes you out to the temple island and it is pretty cool to see. (I will try to put names to all of this later, but can not remember them at this time.)
Lunch was good and big (as usual) but it afforded us some good relaxation time. Then it was off to do a one hour bicycle tour of the city. We thought it was going to be us riding the bikes, but we were wrong. We were driven around the city on bicycles, but it was pretty cool to see the different streets that they have. Then it was off to the water puppet show. That was an interesting one, but it is hard to explain on a blog.
After walking around the night market Katie and I decided to call it a night. We got up the next morning and took it easy. We walked around another market for a while and then got some Pho (ok it was actually Bun, but the same idea). I had to get back to the hotel so I could make it to the airport so we took motorbikes. It was actually really fun and the driving was not as crazy as I had once thought. Ta was at the hotel when we got there so I ran up to the room to get my stuff, said my sad goodbyes to Katie and Patrick and hopped in the car. The next adventure is to meet up with Rob in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Sapa, Vietnam

Sapa is up in the mountains of Vietnam (very near the Chinese border - I heard that it was only about 7km away from the border of China, but don't know that for sure). After an over night train from Hanoi we arrived in Sapa around 5:30am. The car from the hotel where we stayed picked us up at the train station in Lao Cai (I am going to misspell many village names in this so just go by the way they sound instead - I will try to get the spellings correct at a later date) and drove us to our hotel. The drive was about an hour and 15 minutes long and up into the mountains.
As we climbed up into the mountains we were going past beautiful hill sides covered in stepped rice paddies. The green of the hills mixed with the steppes made for some breath taking scenery. As we would round a corner more would come up ahead of us. A sight to see in and of itself. The road was narrow, but had enough room for two trucks to pass if necessary, and pretty windy. It was kind of a blur of green scenery that was amazing.
We arrived at the hotel to find that it was one of the only safe "bases"in the Sapa area. As soon as you got out of the van you were mobbed by women (and young girls) asking you to buy something from them. At this point we were still sleepy and wanted to get our room so we did not notice all that much. This would change later. The room was ready at 7am when we got there so we got to check in and chill for an hour or two before heading off to a good breakfast (don't you love it when hotels provide a complimentary buffet brekkie?). The room was amazing with wood floors, our own private veranda that looked out over the mountains and a bathroom that was massive. Much more than any of us were expecting and much cushier than the train we had just come off of.
Around 9am we headed out to Cat Cat village (one of the local H'mong - one of the local "minority" peoples of Sapa) to see what it was like. Little did we know that we were going to be followed for much of the 6km walk by some of the ladies wanting to sell us stuff. The village itself was an interesting mix of old and new (as were all of the villages). The people were dressed in hand made clothing that they made themselves (we were told they even made the thread out of a local tree and dyed it with indigo and other extracts) and many families lived in one or two room "shacks"on the side of the hills. They were either weavers of rice paddy farmers (or both), still cooked with pit fires, and seemed to be very into the traditional life. Upon closer examination, however, you could spot the cell phones, satellite dishes, TV's, DVD players, and sometimes a karaoke machine. Like I said, it was an interesting mix of old and new.
After Cat Cat it was off to another 7-8 course meal (except for breakfast, I don't think we at less than 7 courses at any one meal and all of the meals were included in our trip cost - good deal). Then it was off to see the orchid gardens on the top of another hill near Sapa. Although the orchids were not in bloom (not the right time of year) there were plenty of other flowers to look at and there were some great views of the city. We hung around there for a while and then went to the outdoor market to see what kind of things that had to offer.
Markets in all of Vietnam are pretty crazy. The isles are fairly narrow and there are tons of people, vendor booths, motorbikes and bicycles trying to get through. The amount of fruits and vegetables are amazing and we saw some very interesting things to drink (wine that had snakes and scorpions and spiders in the bottles - crazy and teas that our guide referred to as the drink that "man drink, woman happy." I even saw a skinned and roasted dog (with head not attached, but it the same vicinity). Like I said it is an interesting experience, but one that I would not have missed.
During the beginning of our first day we were told by a foreigner that we would not go anywhere alone and that we would always be in a group. What he meant was that from the moment you step outside the hotel to the moment you step back inside you are constantly asked (and many times followed) by people who want to sell you something (mostly women and small girls). We got very used to the words "you buy from me?" and many other ploys to try to get you to buy. After a while it got annoying and Katie and I learned to just say no and keep going.
Patrick, on the other hand, could not say no and usually had a group of girls following him around. I think he secretly liked it, but I also think it got to be a little too much and frustrating after a while. It didn't, however, stop him from going to hang out with the cute little girls from different surrounding villages. Actually, the girls are very cute and incredibly friendly (when they are not trying to sell you things). We all got new names from them: Patrick is Ya Loo, Katie is Shun and I am Moo or Moo e Voo (I know I didn't spell any of that correctly). It was pretty fun to hang out with the locals, but when the "you buy from me" started again I usually backed out.
The second day was more visiting villages (Lao Chai, Ta Van) before heading to the train station. It was amazing to see the people transplanting rice and working the fields. The surroundings were amazing and vastly different from Ha Long Bay. I would recommend going to Sapa, but just be warned that you will have to bargain like crazy if you buy anything and get used to feeling like a schmuck when everyone tries to guilt you into buying something and you have to say no. The scenery, however, makes it worth it. And the overnight train from Hanoi and back is not bad either.

Again, can't do captions yet so here goes:

1 and 2 - scenes from Sapa. It was a gorgeous time of year with the rice paddies just starting to sprout.

3 - The three amigos - yes we still like each other.

4 - "You buy from me?" They would pick us out in the van as soon as we rolled up and this is what it looked like after we stepped out. Yes, they all followed us for the 2 or 3km trek through their villages.

5 - I got to pet a water buffalo. Pretty cool and very laid back. Kind of odd to touch and don't get them mad, but way fun.

6 - Another view of the Sapa area.

7 - Getting musical on the overnight train back to Hanoi. The instrument Patrick is playing is customarily played while the guy dances and is supposed to attract women to him - if they play well. Luckily it was not too late yet so the noise (can't say it was quite music) was well received and no banging on the door.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

We spent a wonderful 4 days and 3 nights on a "junk" boat in Ha Long Bay. After and exciting 3.5 hour drive (I swear there are no traffic laws on most roads and the white lines are more of a suggestion than a rule) from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay City we got on our boat. It was more than any of us were expecting. There were 4 "state rooms" each with their own bathroom, a sun bathing deck (it was used well) a dining area and then a place to store the 4 double kayaks we took with us. There were 5 guests on the boat - our crazy group of 3 and 2 others (George and Markan from Rhode Island) and 6-7 staff to cater to almost every one of our whims - it was kind of weird and kind of nice at the same time. The harbor was pure chaos with "junk" boats and tourists everywhere, but our capitan was excellent and guided our boat without any mishaps.
Side note about the driving in Vietnam. There are motorbikes everywhere (there are 4 million people in Hanoi and 2 million motorbikes). They carry everything from a family of 4 (yes 4 people on the same motorbike) to live pigs (we saw a motorbike with 3 live pigs sleeping on their backs on the back of it going down the highway). It is like constantly playing chicken with other cars, motorbikes, trucks, bicycles, horse drawn carts and pedestrians. Needless to say it is a little nuts. We only had one time where we almost went into the ditch to avoid an oncoming bus that could not merge back into their lane and our driver was incredibly skilled so we were good.
On the way to the Bay we stopped at a pineapple stand where they have mini pineapples (at least by Hawaii's standards) and they skin them for you and leave you with a wonderful pineapple lollipop of sorts. The best part was you could get these great treats for 10,000 dong (about 60 cents). We got them on the way back as well because who can resist fresh shaved pineapple?
Ok, back to the bay. We did everything on the boat including showering, eating, sleeping, hanging out and having some very interesting chats with our guides - Binh, Thach (tyke), and Cuong. The only thing we did not do was kayak and swim. The water was like a warm bath in most places and when it was a little colder than that it was still worth a swim because of the hot days.
The kayaking was amazing and we did between 1 and 4 hours a day (depending on how much travel time we had to do that day) and we explored caves (both ones that you had to use a headlamp in and others where you could see all the way through). It was amazing to go into some of the caves while still on the water. On the other side of some of them was a lagoon where we saw many different species of flowers, trees, fish and birds. We saw eagles, hawks, bats (kind of creepy but pretty cool), tons of fish, coral, sea anenomies, orchids, butterfly trees, ginger flowers, palm trees and so much more. One day we even saw a family of monkeys.
The best part was that we would get done kayaking and then come back to the boat and jump in the water for a swim. And when I say jump, I mean jump. We would jump off the second story of the boat (about 15-20 feet off the water) and then just swim and float around in the water. We even had a later night swim and were in the water as the sun went down - all I can say is amazing!
The food on the boat heeds mentioning. We all thought that we were going to have little meals, but we ended up having huge meals with around 7-9 courses (different plates) for every lunch and dinner. The food was lots of seafood (squid, fish, shrimp, clams) pork, chicken and many vegetables. It was all quite good and I ate more fish than I ever have before (it is a good thing I like seafood). I don't think I have ever eaten that much fried food in my life, but it sure tasted good. Oh yeah, many different kinds of fruit for desert (pineapple, watermellon, dragonfruit - bright pink skin with white flesh and many little black seeds that you eat).
It was crazy to be out on the water each day and none of us wanted to leave on the last day (yesterday), but it was time to head out. I don't think I can describe the beauty of Ha Long Bay, but I will try to get pictures on when I can find a computer that has a USB port.
If you think the driving on the roads is bad you should see the port at Ha Long Bay. We almost got into many accidents coming back into the harbor, but we had a very skilled capitan. Others, however, were not so lucky and we got to see one "junk" boat rear end another with a loud crack. I don't think I can describe the mayhem so you will just have to go to Ha Long Bay and experience it for yourself (I highly recommend this).
After getting back to Hanoi we went to dinner at a nice restaurant. Even though we were hoping to finally have some pho (have not had any yet) we were happy to have the amazing 10 course meal that ensued. Yeah, I am not wanting for any food here. When dinner was over it was off to our over night sleeper train to Lao Cai and then a transfer to Sapa.

Side note - I can not figure out how to do captions yet so here are the pictures explained:

1. Katie and I chilling on the sun deck of our boat.

2. What a junk boat looks like (not our boat).

3 and 4. Pictures of Ha Long Bay.

5. The view from Drum Cave.

6. Kayaking through a cave.

7. Chilling on the beach after a hard couple of hours of kayaking.

First Thoughts On Hanoi

So far I am having a great time in Hanoi. Binh, one of the kayaking tour guides, met me at the airport, helped me get my official visa, showed me where to go through customs, helped me get my bad and then drove me to the hotel - not bad. On the ride over to the hotel (about 45 minutes) he was sharing some of the history of both Hanoi and Vietnam with me.
The houses here are incredibly narrow, but very tall. The reason is the land is so expensive in the area that people will buy a small lot and then build up - not enough land for the amount of people in the country (about 85 million people with 4 million in Hanoi during the day and 3 million at night). Binh was telling me that it could take someone as long as 20 years (sometimes longer) to save enough to buy a house. He says that his family still lives in their apartment together. Six people in the same apartment. The second reason is that the architecture of the buildings makes them act as a chimney which helps circulate air and keep the houses cooler in the summer heat (kind of a cool idea). You also see a lot of Chinese influence in some of the older architecture since the Chinese invaded Vietnam and stayed for 1000 years.
The drive from the airport to the hotel was interesting. We passed many rice fields (they line the roads and can be seen for a long time). There are also a ton of motor bikes on the roads. Binh says it is because cars are too expensive for most people and there is not enough room to park them. The motor bikes are handy because you can bring them into the house with you (that way they won't get stolen).
Along with the motor bikes you see bicycles, walkers (both bare foot and with shoes). I even saw someone walking their cow down the road. Very interesting.
I do like the architecture and am interested in how the old and the new live together (buildings I mean). We leave pretty early tomorrow morning for Ha Long Bay, but we will have a day at the end of the trip so I will try to get some pictures. I am excited for the rest of my time in Vietnam, but for now I am going to go chill out.