Day 1: Lauren and I spent the first morning exploring Ho Chi Minh City. The city is so beautiful and nice- very commercial, but clean with city parks breaking up the hectic markets and endless buildings. It is a bit difficult to navigate because the blocks are not square and the language barrier prevents asking for help, but we got along well enough. The traffic is absolutely absurd and I’m still in disbelief that I never witnessed an accident. Upon exiting the port, we opted out of taxi cars and vans and hopped on the back of two motorcycles. I’ve never been on a motorcycle and have always been fairly opposed to them. Something about being in such a different place changes your mindset and I now love them. The key to not being hit in the streets is consistency and confidence. If you hesitant and turn around, or change your speed, you risk being hit from every direction. The Vietnamese do a fantastic job at judging your speed and exactly when you’ll be where so they know whether to go before or behind you. It is a bit slower than the States’ traffic, even though the frenzy makes it appear like everyone is moving at 100 mph at all times. The motorcycle drivers drove us through the city, giving us a little tour. We got on and off several times, and they waited patiently. We bargained the price nonstop (Lauren and I are getting very good- and stingy). On one of my dismounts, I touched my calf to the exhaust pipe. We had all been warned about the “Vietnamese kiss” and I had been very careful but the second I let my guard down, I was taught the lesson firsthand. Luckily I brushed it and did not apply any real pressure. The skin instantly fell off- I have never had a wound like this… it’s not pretty. The nurse has checked on it every day since and apparently it’s fine but taking care of it ended up being a pain throughout the rest of the week. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that painful and I was able to do everything I had planned on (including many more motorcycle rides)- it looked a lot worse than it felt. Lauren and I went to the American War Museum (The Vietnam war to us), which was pretty cool. Dad- you know how I am with history. The facts and figures were a little over my head but I was really interested in the floor dedicated to Agent Orange information. I spent most of my time here, looking at pictures and reading the stories of those affected. The scale and variety of disfigurements caused by the chemical is mind-blowing. It has caused conjoined twins, humans born without any limbs, and people whose whole faces are mutilated. The biggest shock was that Agent Orange affects the genes of those who come in contact with it. This means that children of soldiers and civilians who are born today are severely changed by it.
Before arriving in Vietnam, we listened to two speeches by professors on the ship that served in the war. Both had incredibly ill feelings towards it and discussed how they have not been able to forgive the US government. They felt betrayed and to this day, disagree with everything that we did as a country and feel like they are in great debt to the Vietnamese. Although I knew that this was a common feeling towards this specific war, I had never heard such a passionate account from someone who experienced it so first-hand. Watching them tear up and speak about the hatred they still possess for the governing body of the country they still live in because of the contact we had with this one country, was a very real introduction to Vietnam.
After the Museum, Lauren and I went on a SAS trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. The tunnels are about two hours away from the port; looking out the window on the way was pretty eye opening. I feel like we are pretty hardened to poverty and different lifestyles after the countries that we have already visited. To me, the big difference in Vietnam is the contrast between the people and their environment. The women drive motorcycles in high heels, wearing classy makeup and nice clothing. Their appearance is clearly of great to value of them, which just seems a bit odd to me because they are straddling a dirty motorcycle, winding through crowded streets on their way from one shockingly impoverish place to the next. The houses lining the streets are similar to ones in India. They appear to be reliable structures, but they are all very grimy and look like they are quite crowded. On the way to the tunnels, we stopped to have lunch at a beautiful restaurant. The traditional food was incredible and I really loved sampling everything that they had to offer, including the sautéed morning glory that was a lot like spinach. From here on out, most every sit-down meal in Vietnam was multiple courses. They serve everything family-style and bring out the courses one-by-one. Afterwards, we drove to the tunnels. I’m very glad that we went to the tunnels on the same day as visiting the museum because I think that it gave us a more all-at-once, comprehensive feeling about it. Many kids have said that visiting the tunnels was an emotional, overwhelming trip but regrettably, I didn’t feel that. Unfortunately, our tour guide made it pretty touristy and didn’t focus as much on serious topics. Some of us did the walk/crawl through the maze of tunnels, which got tighter and tighter as they went on. The tunnels are incredibly small and make it really hard to believe that they were a regular transportation system in the soldiers’ lives. We learned that each small hole or entrance to the structure is designated for only four to five soldiers. If many enter one location, than it will be easier to detect. That way, the enemy isn’t able to distinguish which locations are, in fact, openings. I was shocked to hear that when soldiers died, the bodies were mounted on the inside of the tunnel walls. Not only does this lessen the already minimal amount of space already offered to crawl through, but also the smells and hygiene prepared through this technique is mind blowing. Some kids paid to shoot AK47 guns. I didn’t shoot but I wanted to go down and hangout with my friends that did and shoot one of their bullets, so I walked down without earmuffs. That was a huge mistake and my ears were ringing for quite awhile. We headed back to the ship and got ready to go out. A huge group of us piled in taxi vans and confusedly found a street with a lot of bars. My group ended up at an Irish pub and we stayed there for a while. The band was fantastic and we really enjoyed ourselves. I ended up talking to a Korean man who lives and works in Vietnam, who owns a company that transforms factories and makes them “green”, or environmentally friendly. His major clients are Nike and Adidas. He gave me his business card and demanded that if any American students run into any trouble, he be the first to get a call. We went to a club afterwards called Apocalypse Now, which was absolutely absurd. People who have been to big clubs in New York were saying that this night blew all of those out of the water. Hundreds of Semester at Sea kids (everyone I know) was there and we had a great time. The music was familiar and we were extremely excited to be celebrating our first night out in such a different, crazy country.
Day 2:
I never even laid down that night. I came home around 2:30am, hung out with friends, showered and packed, and got ready for our 4am departure for the airport. When I got to the meeting point, I realized that people were missing so I had to go and knock on all their doors, only to find most of them still asleep. They rallied and I helped them pack, leaving fairly quickly. At the airport, we ran into other friends and I sat and ate pho in the airport. We flew to Ha Noi and saw Ho Chi Minh’s resting place, as well as pagodas, another museum, and various temples and cool structures. They were all pretty close so we got to see a lot in a short amount of time. Some of this was hectic because SAS trips always feel a bit like they’re trying to heard cattle.
Then, we had a four-hour bus ride to Ha Long Bay, arriving at a restaurant for dinner. It was amazing and I ate the courses blindly, completely ignorant to what they were. A staple food that I was a little hesitant about was the fried, whole fish that was constantly offered. Above the restaurant, there was a rowdier section where a bunch of Vietnamese businessmen were eating and drinking heavily. There were no women and the thirty or so men were clearly enjoying themselves. It was interesting to see because apparently that’s how Vietnamese conduct business- by partying very hard. We headed back to the 5-star hotel and checked in. A few people went to the night market but I laid down and fell asleep instantly.
Day 3:
We had breakfast at the hotel and immediately headed to Ha Long Bay for our four-hour junk boat ride. The boat had two decks and was very nice, giving us a great place to witness one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It was very foggy, which gave it a magical feeling. Floating fish markets and many bizarre looking boats surrounded us as we made our way to the center. There were dramatic rock formations jutting out of the water, which made the whole scene look a lot like Avatar (the Avatar set was made after Ha Long Bay). Ha Long Bay is so hyped up and it really is amazing but, I have to say, Malaysia was probably, in my eyes, more beautiful and shocking. We did get off the boat and hike up through a cave that was much bigger than those that I saw in Malaysia. We had lunch on boat back- another multiple-course seafood meal. I have never had most of what was offered but I tried it all and liked most of it. Afterwards, we did the long drive back to Ha Noi. About halfway through, I started feeling really sick and we had to pull over. We were in the middle of nowhere but I felt like getting fresh air and having a break from the bumpy drive for a minute or two would do me good. I was very wrong and immediately got sick. I ran towards fields but didn’t make it and vomited all over the side of a house. I felt so bad because the bus was leaving and I didn’t have time to clean anything. Imagine if some tourist came driving through your town and pulled over to throw up on the side of your house and left. I still feel horrible. We only had to stop one more time and then I felt a lot better. We’ve been to seven countries and I’ve gotten sick in three. I am getting so good at getting sick. It might just be this environment because there’s always someone vomiting or feeling really sick or badly injured, but I feel pretty invincible after some of these experiences with bizarre meals. We made it back to the hotel, checked in, and left for dinner. The dinner was similar to the ones we have had but I sat with the ship’s doctor’s family. They have two sons, are from Colorado, and are wonderful. I’m so grateful that she was on the trip to help me when I got sick and with my burn, but more than that, I just loved getting to know them. The sons are ten and twelve and are incredibly mature and hilarious. It was a very fun dinner and afterwards, we went to a water puppet show. I honestly had no idea what the premise of the show was but, from what I gathered, I think that it was a collection of short pieces, most of which were derived from proverbs. The band off to the side that supplied the music for the whole performance did not have the typical American showmanship. They chewed their nails, talked with one another, and looked extremely bored whenever they weren’t performing. This was interesting because we take for granted a certain amount of attention and willingness of performers in the states, and this was not exemplified here in the slightest. We returned to the hotel and three of us walked about Ha Noi for a while before bed. It was late but the city was still very awake and active. We walked through a billiards pub, beer gardens and streets upon streets of locals, sitting on low plastic chairs, playing cards and spending time with one another. I really liked the vibe but it was hard for us to interact with locals. In Vietnam as a whole, I had a difficult time spending any time or connecting with the Vietnamese people. In every other country, if I smiled, it was usually reciprocated and conversations or friendships ensued. In Vietnam, they did not return smiles or waves and in no way tried to communicate with us. They stared sometimes but mainly ignored us. The only time I had any contact was when someone would come up and push us from behind in order to get through, illustrating their blatant disregard for personal space or, in my opinion, respect. I realize that it’s a cultural thing but after being to so many other countries that are equally, if not more, different, I didn’t expect this. We headed back to the hotel and I stayed up until about 3 just talking with my trip roommate. I didn’t know many people before this trip but I ended up making a few friends that I really liked and she was one of them.
Day 4: Three of us decided to opt out of the city tour and explore on our own. We found a spa and one girl got a massage. The other guy and I walked around the city, poking our heads in shops and watching food be made in the streets. I was overwhelmed by the smells and the crowdedness of the people. Again, I felt like they didn’t have any interest in us being there and, even, disliked us. It was pouring rain so we jumped on a motorcycle and headed back to the hotel. After emailing, packing, and relaxing, we realized that the girl who had gone to get a massage was about an hour later than when she said she would be back. I personally would have never stayed there by myself so I, of course, feared the worst. There was nothing we could do so we got lunch in the hotel lobby and waited for her. She ended up getting back (she had gotten lost) just in time to make the bus for the airport. At the airport, I was randomly selected to complete a one-on-one interview survey with a Ha Noi transportation representative about how I felt about the airport. It lasted a long time and dealing with the language barrier proved to be quite difficult. The plane was huge: three sections of nine seats in total in each row. The woman that I sat next to was by far the worst plane mate I had ever had- worse than obese people, sick people, and even crying children. She was a small Vietnamese girl, about my age, who had such a different idea regarding the concept of a personal bubble that it was astonishing. She laid on me, completely awake, like I was an old friend or family member. She just threw her body over the armrest and rested on me the whole time. Completely in shock with no idea what to do, I would push her back every now and then, but she would just smile and come right back. It was bizarre and I still have no idea what was going on. We made it back to the ship but didn’t get on and went straight to a sushi restaurant right outside of port. This was the first of three nights in a row that I ate here- it was SO good. (Kate- I can’t even tell you how sad I was that you weren’t my sushi date☹ ). There was a Heart Attacks Maki roll that had a bunch of unidentified stuff and was beyond spicy but amazing. (Dad- my taste buds are extending big time over here. I was the only kid that could handle the spice. Still not up for cooked-at-home fish, though, so don’t get too excited). We went back to the ship and got ready for the night. I took a motorcycle with my friend Brian to the Backpackers’ District- an intersection of about 8 bars and clubs that is just madness. All of them are multiple stories, bumping loud music, and crammed with people. This street is famous because it is where travelers and backpackers stop to get incredibly cheap drinks. At one of the smaller bars called Lily’s, they have $1 buckets of mixed drinks that were about the size of my head. Not a good idea for 700 college kids that are stuck on a boat with no alcohol and make up for it in port. That night I ran into a group of my best guy friends on the ship, who were celebrating a Bachelor Party. My friend Colin was having a fake wedding the next night so celebrated with them for a while and had a fantastic night. I got a Hello Kitty balloon as a tribute to Nicole because it’s her favorite and brought it with me everywhere that night. “Nicole” is in every SAS picture and video taken that night- everyone loved her and was quite jealous.
Day 5:
This was my favorite day in Vietnam. I woke up and went with a group to the Mekong Delta. We spent the day going to markets, experiencing the culture in a variety of ways, and travelling around the delta through a many transportation methods. We took several different riverboats, threading through the different waterways and stopping off at many points to do different things. We went to a big market that offered a melting pot of every product imaginable from fruits to smelly fish to sunglasses and baby clothing. We went to a fruit tasting and music show and a place where they showed us how to make coconut candy (which tastes great but smells horribly). Five of us took a ride from one side to the other in a cart pulled by a horse. We also went on a bike ride with a bigger group that was more difficult than I thought it would be. The bikes were old, rusting cruisers and we were attempting to ride over terrain that consisted of one-third dirt, one-third mud, and one-third concrete with potholes. At one point, a kid in our group went over the trail into a ditch. Apparently he was trying to steer one-handed while taking a picture- a very bold move. He wasn’t hurt but he was soaked in whatever what was in the ditch. Let’s just say that no one sat next to him on the bus ride home. The bike ride was my favorite because when he fell, the few of us at the end stopped so we got broken up from the rest of the group. It was a little frightening because we were so lost in such a confusing place, but it ended up being fun getting directions from locals and figuring it out by ourselves. Our lunch was Vietnamese rolls!! (Tiffany- I was a rock star with these because I taught everyone how to do them so thanks for making me look good. I have to say, yours are a lot better. It was super cool because we ate them in such a pretty, authentic place but the meat was fish that we pulled off of a fried, whole fish. The crunchy scales put a bit of a damper on the whole thing). Anyways, the day was extremely fun and we headed back to the ship in time for the big wedding! I napped and got ready on the ship for about an hour and then headed over to the venue with my friend Colleen. Colin and Ashley had rented out two side-by-side venues, one for dinner and one for the ceremony. It was decorated beautifully and looked like an actual wedding. It was a white tablecloth, black tie affair. A lot of girls had had dresses made and guys had their snazzy tailored suits on. We had dinner, drinks and toasted to the happy, fake couple all night. I think that the staff thought that this was a real wedding, otherwise I’m sure they would have thought us to be crazy, spoiled Americans- which, in fact, we really are (emphasis on crazy). They take US dollars in Vietnam so I paid for my dinner with a $10 bill. There was quite a lot of hubbub because they fussed and wouldn’t let me pay for it because of the small tear on one corner. It was my only bill and I was being stubborn and disbelieving and I’m still quite angry at the way they handled it. The ceremony was short and sweet, with a lot of dancing, drunken cheers, and yelling. It was hilarious to watch and I’ll never forget it. Afterwards, a few of us girls ran back to the ship and changed out of our dresses and heels. We decided last minute to replace them with makeshift Halloween costumes. A few girls wore jerseys and were sports players; I was a Harujuku girl with my friend Erin- we just wore bright clothes and makeup with pigtails and pink circles on our faces. I realized later that this could be a little culturally insensitive because Harujuku is so big in Japan and it could be interpreted as clumping all Asian countries together, but I don’t think anyone noticed. Erin and I felt a bit crazy because we were bar hopping in Ho Chi Minh City, the only ones wearing Halloween costumes, two days early. Woopsies! My friend Colleen and I went by Pizza Hut and I honestly think that the rest of this night was so amazing solely because we wore sneakers out. We went back to the Backpackers’ District- I’m now a big believer in the fact that there’s nothing better in the world than RUNNING through the streets of Saigon from bar to bar with all of your friends. We ended up meeting a bunch of guys from New Zealand that are backpacking through Asia and hanging out with them for most of the night. It was an insanely fun night on that Saigon intersection. Throughout this whole day and night I just kept thinking about how absurd our lives are. This is ten times better than any movie I’ve ever seen or any story I could ever tell. We got home at 5am.
Day 6:
I slept in a little bit and it felt pretty weird considering that that never happens while in port. I walked out and found that a lot of other people had done the same- the night before had taken its toll. I went with my roommate and other friend Analise to a coffee shop and to pick up jackets at a tailor that Lauren had made. We walked around and ended up at a sushi restaurant where we had another amazing meal. I’ve found that this is my comfort food and what I miss most about home. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Japan? I think so. Afterwards, we went to Saigon Square and shopped around for fake goods. I bought a Northface rain jacket for $20 and DVDs for 50 cents each. It was overwhelmingly crowded and everyone was massively pushy. I liked how they didn’t hassle you to purchase goods but I almost missed that about some other countries because they weren’t eager to sell, so they didn’t negotiate or lower a lot of prices. We then went to Ben Thanh market- a bit of a tourist trap but still fun. We didn’t stay there for long- I needed shampoo so I got that for $1 and kept walking. On the first day in Vietnam, I had seen a big, wooden anchor clock when we were driving through the busy streets. As you all know, any DG loves anything anchor related and I’ve been on a hunt to find it ever since to buy for my room at school. I had given up at this point, but as we were walking out of the market, I saw one! I was overjoyed and didn’t even bargain- such a great moment. (Kate and Nicole- you’re going to die. I also found a cute hat with an anchor that says D&G on the back). We then went to a massage place that was surprisingly clean and nice. I had to be very careful because I couldn’t get any water or anything else on the burn on my leg but they understood and were very accommodating. I got a manicure and pedicure for $5 total. Some girls got $10 70-minute massages and they said they were the best that they had ever had. There were some stiletto- dawning women that went in and out of the other massage rooms who probably had less than wholesome intentions but we looked the other way. I hurried back to the ship right after and met up with a group of friends that I had ran into earlier that day. We went to sushi (for the second time that day and fourth of the trip). It was clear that all of SAS had the same idea because the restaurant was packed. The guys that just wanted to drink and hangout went next door to a steakhouse, but I stayed to get my last fix with Lindsay. We had a fun girl date at the sushi bar, meeting a lot of people and complaining about the restaurant’s unpreparedness. Out of the three rolls that we ordered, they were out of two. They did not expect all this business and the waitresses were literally running. Afterwards, we went to the steak house and found that our friends had had the right idea. It was actually the restaurant opening next door so all of the appetizers, beer, and wine was free. We sang karaoke and danced with Vietnamese that were having their family reunion there, (I think? I didn’t really understand). We headed back home to make on-ship time at 9pm. Usually on-ship time on the last day is 6pm but it was late so everyone was pretty tipsy, donning all of their fake Northface jackets and purses in mass amounts, running around the boat. It was a very fun homecoming and we danced in the hallways, talking about what had happened this past week. The rooms here are smaller than the smallest dorms at UO but everyone is so close that it doesn’t matter at all. We brought mattresses in one room and had a massive sleepover. I left to come back to my room around 4:30 because I woke up to Wendy snoring and the room reeking of sweaty boy. I came back and couldn’t sleep because I am just so pumped on all of these people and the experiences that we are having.
There was a lot of things that I wanted to accomplish in Vietnam and didn’t. I definitely want to come back very soon. I think that a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia would be amazing- I loved Malaysia, there is still tons to do in Vietnam, and I would love to visit Cambodia and Laos. Who knows- maybe China and Japan will be added on to this list. I’m getting a job right when I get back to start saving for these trips. LIFE IS GOOD.
I really noticed the bizarreness of the conversations that regularly exist between SAS kids on this trip. “Remember that one night in India…” and “What are your plans for China?” are common conversations. They are asked with the same inflection and tone that we used to ask about which fraternity we’re going to that night or what the homework is merely a few months ago. LIFE IS ABSURD.
HALLOWEEN:
Halloween is today! This boat is made up of kids who are all the type that dress up BIG every year, but there is just so much going on, that it’s hard to plan. There’s a big party on board that will be very fun but I had nothing planned to wear. I was just talking to Dante, our cabin steward (who cleans our rooms) and he agreed to give me his uniform and nametag so I’ll be rocking that tonight. I am so beyond excited and will be spending the afternoon figuring out a wig or hair dye of some sort so that I have black hair. Go big or go home?
Before arriving in Vietnam, we listened to two speeches by professors on the ship that served in the war. Both had incredibly ill feelings towards it and discussed how they have not been able to forgive the US government. They felt betrayed and to this day, disagree with everything that we did as a country and feel like they are in great debt to the Vietnamese. Although I knew that this was a common feeling towards this specific war, I had never heard such a passionate account from someone who experienced it so first-hand. Watching them tear up and speak about the hatred they still possess for the governing body of the country they still live in because of the contact we had with this one country, was a very real introduction to Vietnam.
After the Museum, Lauren and I went on a SAS trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. The tunnels are about two hours away from the port; looking out the window on the way was pretty eye opening. I feel like we are pretty hardened to poverty and different lifestyles after the countries that we have already visited. To me, the big difference in Vietnam is the contrast between the people and their environment. The women drive motorcycles in high heels, wearing classy makeup and nice clothing. Their appearance is clearly of great to value of them, which just seems a bit odd to me because they are straddling a dirty motorcycle, winding through crowded streets on their way from one shockingly impoverish place to the next. The houses lining the streets are similar to ones in India. They appear to be reliable structures, but they are all very grimy and look like they are quite crowded. On the way to the tunnels, we stopped to have lunch at a beautiful restaurant. The traditional food was incredible and I really loved sampling everything that they had to offer, including the sautéed morning glory that was a lot like spinach. From here on out, most every sit-down meal in Vietnam was multiple courses. They serve everything family-style and bring out the courses one-by-one. Afterwards, we drove to the tunnels. I’m very glad that we went to the tunnels on the same day as visiting the museum because I think that it gave us a more all-at-once, comprehensive feeling about it. Many kids have said that visiting the tunnels was an emotional, overwhelming trip but regrettably, I didn’t feel that. Unfortunately, our tour guide made it pretty touristy and didn’t focus as much on serious topics. Some of us did the walk/crawl through the maze of tunnels, which got tighter and tighter as they went on. The tunnels are incredibly small and make it really hard to believe that they were a regular transportation system in the soldiers’ lives. We learned that each small hole or entrance to the structure is designated for only four to five soldiers. If many enter one location, than it will be easier to detect. That way, the enemy isn’t able to distinguish which locations are, in fact, openings. I was shocked to hear that when soldiers died, the bodies were mounted on the inside of the tunnel walls. Not only does this lessen the already minimal amount of space already offered to crawl through, but also the smells and hygiene prepared through this technique is mind blowing. Some kids paid to shoot AK47 guns. I didn’t shoot but I wanted to go down and hangout with my friends that did and shoot one of their bullets, so I walked down without earmuffs. That was a huge mistake and my ears were ringing for quite awhile. We headed back to the ship and got ready to go out. A huge group of us piled in taxi vans and confusedly found a street with a lot of bars. My group ended up at an Irish pub and we stayed there for a while. The band was fantastic and we really enjoyed ourselves. I ended up talking to a Korean man who lives and works in Vietnam, who owns a company that transforms factories and makes them “green”, or environmentally friendly. His major clients are Nike and Adidas. He gave me his business card and demanded that if any American students run into any trouble, he be the first to get a call. We went to a club afterwards called Apocalypse Now, which was absolutely absurd. People who have been to big clubs in New York were saying that this night blew all of those out of the water. Hundreds of Semester at Sea kids (everyone I know) was there and we had a great time. The music was familiar and we were extremely excited to be celebrating our first night out in such a different, crazy country.
Day 2:
I never even laid down that night. I came home around 2:30am, hung out with friends, showered and packed, and got ready for our 4am departure for the airport. When I got to the meeting point, I realized that people were missing so I had to go and knock on all their doors, only to find most of them still asleep. They rallied and I helped them pack, leaving fairly quickly. At the airport, we ran into other friends and I sat and ate pho in the airport. We flew to Ha Noi and saw Ho Chi Minh’s resting place, as well as pagodas, another museum, and various temples and cool structures. They were all pretty close so we got to see a lot in a short amount of time. Some of this was hectic because SAS trips always feel a bit like they’re trying to heard cattle.
Then, we had a four-hour bus ride to Ha Long Bay, arriving at a restaurant for dinner. It was amazing and I ate the courses blindly, completely ignorant to what they were. A staple food that I was a little hesitant about was the fried, whole fish that was constantly offered. Above the restaurant, there was a rowdier section where a bunch of Vietnamese businessmen were eating and drinking heavily. There were no women and the thirty or so men were clearly enjoying themselves. It was interesting to see because apparently that’s how Vietnamese conduct business- by partying very hard. We headed back to the 5-star hotel and checked in. A few people went to the night market but I laid down and fell asleep instantly.
Day 3:
We had breakfast at the hotel and immediately headed to Ha Long Bay for our four-hour junk boat ride. The boat had two decks and was very nice, giving us a great place to witness one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It was very foggy, which gave it a magical feeling. Floating fish markets and many bizarre looking boats surrounded us as we made our way to the center. There were dramatic rock formations jutting out of the water, which made the whole scene look a lot like Avatar (the Avatar set was made after Ha Long Bay). Ha Long Bay is so hyped up and it really is amazing but, I have to say, Malaysia was probably, in my eyes, more beautiful and shocking. We did get off the boat and hike up through a cave that was much bigger than those that I saw in Malaysia. We had lunch on boat back- another multiple-course seafood meal. I have never had most of what was offered but I tried it all and liked most of it. Afterwards, we did the long drive back to Ha Noi. About halfway through, I started feeling really sick and we had to pull over. We were in the middle of nowhere but I felt like getting fresh air and having a break from the bumpy drive for a minute or two would do me good. I was very wrong and immediately got sick. I ran towards fields but didn’t make it and vomited all over the side of a house. I felt so bad because the bus was leaving and I didn’t have time to clean anything. Imagine if some tourist came driving through your town and pulled over to throw up on the side of your house and left. I still feel horrible. We only had to stop one more time and then I felt a lot better. We’ve been to seven countries and I’ve gotten sick in three. I am getting so good at getting sick. It might just be this environment because there’s always someone vomiting or feeling really sick or badly injured, but I feel pretty invincible after some of these experiences with bizarre meals. We made it back to the hotel, checked in, and left for dinner. The dinner was similar to the ones we have had but I sat with the ship’s doctor’s family. They have two sons, are from Colorado, and are wonderful. I’m so grateful that she was on the trip to help me when I got sick and with my burn, but more than that, I just loved getting to know them. The sons are ten and twelve and are incredibly mature and hilarious. It was a very fun dinner and afterwards, we went to a water puppet show. I honestly had no idea what the premise of the show was but, from what I gathered, I think that it was a collection of short pieces, most of which were derived from proverbs. The band off to the side that supplied the music for the whole performance did not have the typical American showmanship. They chewed their nails, talked with one another, and looked extremely bored whenever they weren’t performing. This was interesting because we take for granted a certain amount of attention and willingness of performers in the states, and this was not exemplified here in the slightest. We returned to the hotel and three of us walked about Ha Noi for a while before bed. It was late but the city was still very awake and active. We walked through a billiards pub, beer gardens and streets upon streets of locals, sitting on low plastic chairs, playing cards and spending time with one another. I really liked the vibe but it was hard for us to interact with locals. In Vietnam as a whole, I had a difficult time spending any time or connecting with the Vietnamese people. In every other country, if I smiled, it was usually reciprocated and conversations or friendships ensued. In Vietnam, they did not return smiles or waves and in no way tried to communicate with us. They stared sometimes but mainly ignored us. The only time I had any contact was when someone would come up and push us from behind in order to get through, illustrating their blatant disregard for personal space or, in my opinion, respect. I realize that it’s a cultural thing but after being to so many other countries that are equally, if not more, different, I didn’t expect this. We headed back to the hotel and I stayed up until about 3 just talking with my trip roommate. I didn’t know many people before this trip but I ended up making a few friends that I really liked and she was one of them.
Day 4: Three of us decided to opt out of the city tour and explore on our own. We found a spa and one girl got a massage. The other guy and I walked around the city, poking our heads in shops and watching food be made in the streets. I was overwhelmed by the smells and the crowdedness of the people. Again, I felt like they didn’t have any interest in us being there and, even, disliked us. It was pouring rain so we jumped on a motorcycle and headed back to the hotel. After emailing, packing, and relaxing, we realized that the girl who had gone to get a massage was about an hour later than when she said she would be back. I personally would have never stayed there by myself so I, of course, feared the worst. There was nothing we could do so we got lunch in the hotel lobby and waited for her. She ended up getting back (she had gotten lost) just in time to make the bus for the airport. At the airport, I was randomly selected to complete a one-on-one interview survey with a Ha Noi transportation representative about how I felt about the airport. It lasted a long time and dealing with the language barrier proved to be quite difficult. The plane was huge: three sections of nine seats in total in each row. The woman that I sat next to was by far the worst plane mate I had ever had- worse than obese people, sick people, and even crying children. She was a small Vietnamese girl, about my age, who had such a different idea regarding the concept of a personal bubble that it was astonishing. She laid on me, completely awake, like I was an old friend or family member. She just threw her body over the armrest and rested on me the whole time. Completely in shock with no idea what to do, I would push her back every now and then, but she would just smile and come right back. It was bizarre and I still have no idea what was going on. We made it back to the ship but didn’t get on and went straight to a sushi restaurant right outside of port. This was the first of three nights in a row that I ate here- it was SO good. (Kate- I can’t even tell you how sad I was that you weren’t my sushi date☹ ). There was a Heart Attacks Maki roll that had a bunch of unidentified stuff and was beyond spicy but amazing. (Dad- my taste buds are extending big time over here. I was the only kid that could handle the spice. Still not up for cooked-at-home fish, though, so don’t get too excited). We went back to the ship and got ready for the night. I took a motorcycle with my friend Brian to the Backpackers’ District- an intersection of about 8 bars and clubs that is just madness. All of them are multiple stories, bumping loud music, and crammed with people. This street is famous because it is where travelers and backpackers stop to get incredibly cheap drinks. At one of the smaller bars called Lily’s, they have $1 buckets of mixed drinks that were about the size of my head. Not a good idea for 700 college kids that are stuck on a boat with no alcohol and make up for it in port. That night I ran into a group of my best guy friends on the ship, who were celebrating a Bachelor Party. My friend Colin was having a fake wedding the next night so celebrated with them for a while and had a fantastic night. I got a Hello Kitty balloon as a tribute to Nicole because it’s her favorite and brought it with me everywhere that night. “Nicole” is in every SAS picture and video taken that night- everyone loved her and was quite jealous.
Day 5:
This was my favorite day in Vietnam. I woke up and went with a group to the Mekong Delta. We spent the day going to markets, experiencing the culture in a variety of ways, and travelling around the delta through a many transportation methods. We took several different riverboats, threading through the different waterways and stopping off at many points to do different things. We went to a big market that offered a melting pot of every product imaginable from fruits to smelly fish to sunglasses and baby clothing. We went to a fruit tasting and music show and a place where they showed us how to make coconut candy (which tastes great but smells horribly). Five of us took a ride from one side to the other in a cart pulled by a horse. We also went on a bike ride with a bigger group that was more difficult than I thought it would be. The bikes were old, rusting cruisers and we were attempting to ride over terrain that consisted of one-third dirt, one-third mud, and one-third concrete with potholes. At one point, a kid in our group went over the trail into a ditch. Apparently he was trying to steer one-handed while taking a picture- a very bold move. He wasn’t hurt but he was soaked in whatever what was in the ditch. Let’s just say that no one sat next to him on the bus ride home. The bike ride was my favorite because when he fell, the few of us at the end stopped so we got broken up from the rest of the group. It was a little frightening because we were so lost in such a confusing place, but it ended up being fun getting directions from locals and figuring it out by ourselves. Our lunch was Vietnamese rolls!! (Tiffany- I was a rock star with these because I taught everyone how to do them so thanks for making me look good. I have to say, yours are a lot better. It was super cool because we ate them in such a pretty, authentic place but the meat was fish that we pulled off of a fried, whole fish. The crunchy scales put a bit of a damper on the whole thing). Anyways, the day was extremely fun and we headed back to the ship in time for the big wedding! I napped and got ready on the ship for about an hour and then headed over to the venue with my friend Colleen. Colin and Ashley had rented out two side-by-side venues, one for dinner and one for the ceremony. It was decorated beautifully and looked like an actual wedding. It was a white tablecloth, black tie affair. A lot of girls had had dresses made and guys had their snazzy tailored suits on. We had dinner, drinks and toasted to the happy, fake couple all night. I think that the staff thought that this was a real wedding, otherwise I’m sure they would have thought us to be crazy, spoiled Americans- which, in fact, we really are (emphasis on crazy). They take US dollars in Vietnam so I paid for my dinner with a $10 bill. There was quite a lot of hubbub because they fussed and wouldn’t let me pay for it because of the small tear on one corner. It was my only bill and I was being stubborn and disbelieving and I’m still quite angry at the way they handled it. The ceremony was short and sweet, with a lot of dancing, drunken cheers, and yelling. It was hilarious to watch and I’ll never forget it. Afterwards, a few of us girls ran back to the ship and changed out of our dresses and heels. We decided last minute to replace them with makeshift Halloween costumes. A few girls wore jerseys and were sports players; I was a Harujuku girl with my friend Erin- we just wore bright clothes and makeup with pigtails and pink circles on our faces. I realized later that this could be a little culturally insensitive because Harujuku is so big in Japan and it could be interpreted as clumping all Asian countries together, but I don’t think anyone noticed. Erin and I felt a bit crazy because we were bar hopping in Ho Chi Minh City, the only ones wearing Halloween costumes, two days early. Woopsies! My friend Colleen and I went by Pizza Hut and I honestly think that the rest of this night was so amazing solely because we wore sneakers out. We went back to the Backpackers’ District- I’m now a big believer in the fact that there’s nothing better in the world than RUNNING through the streets of Saigon from bar to bar with all of your friends. We ended up meeting a bunch of guys from New Zealand that are backpacking through Asia and hanging out with them for most of the night. It was an insanely fun night on that Saigon intersection. Throughout this whole day and night I just kept thinking about how absurd our lives are. This is ten times better than any movie I’ve ever seen or any story I could ever tell. We got home at 5am.
Day 6:
I slept in a little bit and it felt pretty weird considering that that never happens while in port. I walked out and found that a lot of other people had done the same- the night before had taken its toll. I went with my roommate and other friend Analise to a coffee shop and to pick up jackets at a tailor that Lauren had made. We walked around and ended up at a sushi restaurant where we had another amazing meal. I’ve found that this is my comfort food and what I miss most about home. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Japan? I think so. Afterwards, we went to Saigon Square and shopped around for fake goods. I bought a Northface rain jacket for $20 and DVDs for 50 cents each. It was overwhelmingly crowded and everyone was massively pushy. I liked how they didn’t hassle you to purchase goods but I almost missed that about some other countries because they weren’t eager to sell, so they didn’t negotiate or lower a lot of prices. We then went to Ben Thanh market- a bit of a tourist trap but still fun. We didn’t stay there for long- I needed shampoo so I got that for $1 and kept walking. On the first day in Vietnam, I had seen a big, wooden anchor clock when we were driving through the busy streets. As you all know, any DG loves anything anchor related and I’ve been on a hunt to find it ever since to buy for my room at school. I had given up at this point, but as we were walking out of the market, I saw one! I was overjoyed and didn’t even bargain- such a great moment. (Kate and Nicole- you’re going to die. I also found a cute hat with an anchor that says D&G on the back). We then went to a massage place that was surprisingly clean and nice. I had to be very careful because I couldn’t get any water or anything else on the burn on my leg but they understood and were very accommodating. I got a manicure and pedicure for $5 total. Some girls got $10 70-minute massages and they said they were the best that they had ever had. There were some stiletto- dawning women that went in and out of the other massage rooms who probably had less than wholesome intentions but we looked the other way. I hurried back to the ship right after and met up with a group of friends that I had ran into earlier that day. We went to sushi (for the second time that day and fourth of the trip). It was clear that all of SAS had the same idea because the restaurant was packed. The guys that just wanted to drink and hangout went next door to a steakhouse, but I stayed to get my last fix with Lindsay. We had a fun girl date at the sushi bar, meeting a lot of people and complaining about the restaurant’s unpreparedness. Out of the three rolls that we ordered, they were out of two. They did not expect all this business and the waitresses were literally running. Afterwards, we went to the steak house and found that our friends had had the right idea. It was actually the restaurant opening next door so all of the appetizers, beer, and wine was free. We sang karaoke and danced with Vietnamese that were having their family reunion there, (I think? I didn’t really understand). We headed back home to make on-ship time at 9pm. Usually on-ship time on the last day is 6pm but it was late so everyone was pretty tipsy, donning all of their fake Northface jackets and purses in mass amounts, running around the boat. It was a very fun homecoming and we danced in the hallways, talking about what had happened this past week. The rooms here are smaller than the smallest dorms at UO but everyone is so close that it doesn’t matter at all. We brought mattresses in one room and had a massive sleepover. I left to come back to my room around 4:30 because I woke up to Wendy snoring and the room reeking of sweaty boy. I came back and couldn’t sleep because I am just so pumped on all of these people and the experiences that we are having.
There was a lot of things that I wanted to accomplish in Vietnam and didn’t. I definitely want to come back very soon. I think that a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia would be amazing- I loved Malaysia, there is still tons to do in Vietnam, and I would love to visit Cambodia and Laos. Who knows- maybe China and Japan will be added on to this list. I’m getting a job right when I get back to start saving for these trips. LIFE IS GOOD.
I really noticed the bizarreness of the conversations that regularly exist between SAS kids on this trip. “Remember that one night in India…” and “What are your plans for China?” are common conversations. They are asked with the same inflection and tone that we used to ask about which fraternity we’re going to that night or what the homework is merely a few months ago. LIFE IS ABSURD.
HALLOWEEN:
Halloween is today! This boat is made up of kids who are all the type that dress up BIG every year, but there is just so much going on, that it’s hard to plan. There’s a big party on board that will be very fun but I had nothing planned to wear. I was just talking to Dante, our cabin steward (who cleans our rooms) and he agreed to give me his uniform and nametag so I’ll be rocking that tonight. I am so beyond excited and will be spending the afternoon figuring out a wig or hair dye of some sort so that I have black hair. Go big or go home?
