maiden voyage

2003-09-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

V is for Vacuum
It's 7 months later and I've begun re-reading the blog and the journal entries written during the trip. While I did find aspects of the tour hard and at times stressful, I don't regret going. It was a once in a lifetime experience. I'm attempting to build a website about the tour that perhaps the next group could use as a resource.

What I saw and learned during the trip has affected some of the choices I've made since then regarding my lifestyle, priorities, spending habits, etc. By any country's standards, I am an affluent Christian living a comfortable life in the suburbs. What I don't want is to be an affluent Christian living a comfortable life in the suburbs who doesn't give a s__t about the poor and the oppressed - and that raises a whole host of issues that I'm currently reading and thinking about.

Yesterday I read the story of a woman who had gone to India on a short mission trip. When she returned home, friends would ask, "Did you have a good time?" She would respond, "No, but it was a profound time."

That I can relate to. For some months after I arrived home, I was bewildered - unsure what I thought and felt about the experience - did I have a good time? - I didn't know. Gradually I realised it wasn't the right question. Only then could I start making sense of the experience. Only then did it begin to have meaning.

2003-02-05T01:52:00.000-08:00

U is for Unveiled
Clearing up some papers last night and found a brochure from the Voice of the Martyrs. It told of two Vietnamese men who have been imprisoned and tortured for their Christian faith. Before leaving, we had been informed of the Viet government's poor record of human rights, warned that certain topics of conversation could lead to imprisonment and to be careful about the reading materials we took with us. Starting from a place of paranoia, I began to wonder if I'd misheard. During the trip one young Vietnamese woman talked openly about Jesus and faith as we walked in a crowded public space. After dinner at the home of another young woman and her two friends we sang hymns. I began to relax. Maybe things weren't so bad. Maybe I had been hoodwinked by US capitalists, the media and school history textbooks regarding communism. Still I wondered, suspecting on a few occasions that we had been shown the "best" projects. Fair enough, why wouldn't you show off your successes? An attempt to impress the Westerners? Perhaps. Still I wondered. Passing comments about detention camps for HIV/AIDS sufferers, the disabled and beggars, and imprisonment of Vietnamese Christians made me wonder all the more. I can't deny or ignore the stories I have heard and read. Maybe communism is an evil after all ... not that democracy is perfect. Good grief! Just look at Australia's treatment of its indigenous peoples and asylum seekers! Still wondering ...

2003-02-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

T is Thanks for the Memories
Back home now. Tired, sick (the usual traveller's ailments) and trying to make sense of the last three weeks. Pack unpacked. Washing done. Photos processed tomorrow. Report for Tear begun. How quickly you settle back into a familiar routine. For the record, the pack weight at Hanoi International Airport was 14.8kg. Bah! 21kg my foot!

2003-02-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

S is for Subtitles
Went to the movies last night to see The Quiet American (with Viet subtitles). Recommended. A small cinema - attended by both Viet and Westerners, and small rats scurrying across the floor hunting tasty morsels. I bought an authentic photocopy of the book from a street seller a few days ago. The entire text has been retyped and reset with value added typos. A woman in the group bought a copy of Antz (DVD) - something must have happened during the printing process because the cover images were the same but the tagline and summary refer to a story set in a bordello in Oregon. Very amusing.

2003-02-01T18:46:00.000-08:00

R is for Restaurants
Our last dinner was a fine affair. We each had 70,000 dong left in the kitty (about Aus$7) and decided to invest it all in a slap up meal in a swish restaurant in the French Quarter. Well worth it. Afterwards, some of us strolled around the lake, caught a cyclo back to the hotel and downed Hoi An beer (which I prefered to the regular Tiger beer) at the streetside pub next door to the hotel. A fun way to end the evening. Most of the group flew home the next morning, leaving just three in Hanoi. The restaurants here are fantastic. We have been spoilt. I was expecting to be sleeping on dirt floors and eating around a communal fire. Instead we have dined in some of the top spots in Hanoi. If I scoured Cheap Eats for the cheapest of the cheap restaurants in Sydney, their prices won't come close to what's on offer here. One of the best meals I enjoyed was at Little Hanoi - hot and sour fish soup with noodles and a glass of red wine from Delat. Delicious. And then there was the sago in coconut cream at Brother's Cafe, the fish in green mango sauce at Bar 69, the chicken and basil at Lay Bac and ...

2003-02-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

Q is for Quaint
Visited Craft Link - a not for profit organization seeking new markets for traditional artisans. A mix of traditional items and items aimed at western tastes. Craft-Link was set up by a range of global NGOs including Oxfam. Bought a few nice things. Their stock is a little more expensive than the usual handicraft stores - I saw a bag I bought there selling for about US$2 cheaper at another store. As one of the women who came with me to the store said - you buy things here to support the philosophy. [Post script] Went back the day before I left to further "support the philosophy", but they were cleaning and closing for Tet. I had intended to do the rest of my gift buying here, but have had to shop at other handicraft places instead that more than likely exploit their suppliers. The handicrafts are made by women from ethnic minority groups. Elaborate needlework, applique and batik wallhangings, intricate woven materials, and cushion covers. Not that I saw any scatter cushions in the traditional homes we visited ...

2003-02-01T18:14:00.000-08:00

P is for Preparations
Everyone here is in full swing preparing for Tet (their New Year celebrations - similar to our Christmas). Most families will have a peach blossom tree in their home. Richer people buy cumquat trees instead. Our hotel had a huge blossom tree in the foyer that they replaced with an equally enormous cumquat tree. The roads get busier (if that's possible!) around 4pm, chock full of motorcycles. Women need a new outfit made for the New Year, so the local tailors are busy filling orders. The hotel staff invited us to their lunchtime Tet party today which was very nice of them. Mostly pork based dishes. Pork fat spring rolls, stomach, stuffed intestine, and a pork blood mixture. As some of you may know, pork is not my favourite, but I sampled everything except the blood dish, and then stuck to the rice. The staff at the Classic are wonderful and have looked after us very well. The hotel is the tallest building in the area. We have asked if we may go to the rooftop to take some photos. Have taken loads of photos which I look forward to showing you when I arrive home.

2003-02-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

O is for Overall Impressions
To say Hanoi is a busy city would be a vast understatement! Dust. Speed. Horns. Streets full of motorbikes that whizz around at speed tooting their horns incessantly for the better part of each day. Shops of all kinds everywhere spilling onto the footpaths. Crossing the street is a daily adventure. Even when using the pedestrian crossings, you wait for a decent break in the traffic, step out, keep looking left and right, (rather like watching a tennis match) and proceed to the other side with caution. No one slows down, they just dodge their bike to avoid hitting you. And once you step out there's no going back! Had a couple of close calls, but no scratches. In terms of the projects we've seen, I've been impressed with the government and local NGOs' commitment to reduce poverty and raise living standards. They have invested much effort in health care, education, and infrastructure - but there is still a long way to go. Apparently the official level of poverty was raised - an indication the govt want a better life for their people? My perception of communism (based largely on views from the Cold War) has changed too. While it's not a system I'd want to live under, it's not the evil empire I had been led to believe. Need to read and learn more about it.

2003-01-26T19:17:00.000-08:00

N is for National holiday
Yesterday was a rest day, spent at beautiful Halong Bay - a world heritage site on the coast, about 3 hours drive from Hanoi. Cruising around the bay was a great way to end the tour. We stopped at one of the larger islands and walked through some caves full of awesome limestone formations (lit up in green, purple and pink, accompanied by asian pop music), ate fresh seafood (crab still in the shell, calamari, fish and chips) and lazed about on the deck gazing at the spectacular scenery. Huge marble rock formations, soaring eagles, and the occasional stingray leaping through the water. So that's how we spent Australia Day - we did attempt to sing the national anthem (albeit to the theme of Gilligan's Island). Most of us for home leave tomorrow. I'm here until Friday, giving me plenty of time to wander around Hanoi, visit some fair trading craft shops (I've spotted three so far) and rest and reflect.

2003-01-26T04:05:00.000-08:00

M is for Mindboggling
Yesterday we ate lunch with a local family and leaders from the People's Committee. Quite a few of us are unwell - I've had a chesty cold for 2-3 days. One of the other women was sick with a stomach bug and rested in the van all day. We had explained to the people so they wouldn't think we were being rude. Anyway, at lunch they offered her a tonic to rub on the stomach. About 10 minutes later a woman walked in with a syringe sealed in a plastic bag and asked if she'd like an injection. We hurriedly said no thankyou. Apparently self-medication is not unusual here!

2003-01-26T04:00:00.000-08:00

L is for Last Day
Yesterday was the last day of the official tour. We travelled to Chi Linh province to visit some of the projects supported by World Vision. Each time we visit a province, we must meet with the People's Committee (similar to local government) and drink green tea while introductions and speeches are made complete with translations from Vietnamese-English-Vietnamese. In this particular province we visited a woman who bought a sow and onion seed with a loan from the village bank. With the profit she has been able to buy furniture and send her children to school. Before this life was very hard for her family - as it has been for most people here. We also saw a pumping station that allows a hamlet to have better control irrigating their fields. As a result they can grow three crops now instead of two; a woman who has bought French ducks - they call them Super Ducks because they lay for 9 months of the year instead of 5 like the ordinary ducks; a baby health station where children under 5 are weighed each month. Our visit coincided with the "weighing day" so we saw lots of little ones placed on what was pretty much an ordinary fruitmarket scale with a plastic bowl on top. If the parents are working, a sibling will bring the child to the station. We also met an older woman who now has a tap in her courtyard connected to a freshwater well. Before she would walk to her neighbour once a day to collect water, taking five trips. I asked her what she does with the extra time she has now - she said that she rests. Such simple things that we take for granted but they make such a difference in these people's lives. It has been a privilege meeting with these people and listening to their stories. A once in a life time opportunity. Yes, there is poverty here, but also hope.

2003-01-26T03:43:00.000-08:00

K is for Knees
Most meals here are eaten sitting crosslegged on the floor in front of a low table, similar to the Japanese tradition. We've enjoyed quite a few meals in people's homes (they are incredibly hospitable and generous). But us weak Westerners, have to keep shifting positions - our knees just aren't used to it.

2003-01-20T06:30:00.000-08:00

J is for Journey
Am in Son La at the moment. A large-ish town in the mountains about 300km from Hanoi and not far from the Laos border. Travelled yesterday by mini-bus - 11.5 hours due to bendy roads and major road works. (The environmental impact of their methods needs some re-thinking.) Amazing scenery though - a postcard around every corner. Weather has been near perfect - sunny and no rain. Didn't need my big coat or sleeping bag after all. Visited some interesting project work near Hanoi which I will write about later. Today was a rest day for the group - visited the markets and bought some beautiful scarves for 60,000 dong (about $6 Aust). Someone in the group found a bag of dried and sugared strawberries. Luscious. Climbed a small mountain - great view of the town on the valley floor between majestic mountains. We're off tomorrow to see more project work before heading back to Hanoi on Wednesday. The poverty hasn't really hit me yet - have to keep reminding myself I'm actually in another country. It all seems a little unreal. Thanks for the emails - terrible news about the fires in Canberra. Totally cut off here apart from the Vietnam News (paper).

2003-01-15T04:05:00.000-08:00

I is for Itsallhappening
Up at 5:30am for early morning walk around Hoan Kiem lake. Escorted by three lovely young women from local NGO. Sampled the Vietnamese coffee at breakfast - strong and very bitter. Tour around the Old Quarter. Visited temples, saw restored houses, and the HQ of the Vietnamese resistance. Purchased two sketches from local artist. Visited the Temple of Literature - an ancient place of learning. Lunch at another swish restaurant. Then on to the World Bank. No joke. Fascinating insight into their operations and how Vietnam economy, infrastructure and basic services have changed and improved in recent years. Quick look in local mall - designer goods at western prices. More walking through food markets (complete with raw meat displays) back to hotel. I'm having an absolute ball.

2003-01-15T03:56:00.000-08:00

H is for Humour
Rested up for a few hours before meeting rest of group in late afternoon. Found I was not the only one to be taken in by the taxi-wrong hotel scam. Swapped travel stories over dinner at restaurant where young people from the mountains (the poorest part of the country) and street kids learn how to cook, the art of dinner service, etc. Restaurant in beautiful former home. Fantastic food. (and no ill effects thus far.) Went to Water Puppets after dinner. Walked back thought empty streets where the marketplace is during the day. The strangest event of the day was the moving bed. During the afternoon a third bed was brought into the room. Later that night as I was just about to switch out the lights, they took it away. Made me chuckle.

2003-01-15T03:46:00.000-08:00

G is for Green
Through customs no problems. Then it all went pear shaped - must have had "sucker" in big letters on my forehead. Overcharged by two guys running a "taxi" service (taxi fare + "airport departure tax" = US$61), taken to the wrong hotel which they insisted was the right one, fleeced by the local money exchange. Seeing I was upset and angry (and not far off making a scene), the "hotel manager" took me on the back of a motorbike (with my luggage) to the right hotel. Almost. (What was I thinking - Hanoi traffic is anarchy!) Driver dropped me at intersection with lame excuse that street too crowded. So here I am in Hanoi, no idea where I am, laden with luggage. Then old man with a cyclo came to my rescue. Climbed on board and off we went. Delivered safe and sound to the hotel. Not a bad mornings effort. Stung by a local scam, ripped off twice, a wild motorcycle ride and a cyclo sortie thrown in. Welcome to Vietnam.

2003-01-15T03:36:00.000-08:00

F is for Flight
Connection here slow, so will be brief on details. Flight OK. Airline food better than Aust. domestic. Watched Four Feathers (Chinese subtitles). Read, slept, wrote and froze in the air conditioning. Arrived Taipei 9:30 Aust. time. Bus to hotel. A dingy concrete building reminiscent of Ultimo TAFE with a lobby straight out of a 70s James Bond film. Fabulously tacky. Up at 5:30am next morning to get 7:30am flight. Bit of a hiccup as flight was full but they managed to somehow find me a seat on the half empty plane. Go figure. Bone weary so dozed off and on for the three hours to Hanoi. Arrived 11:30am local time.

2003-01-15T03:26:00.000-08:00

E is for Embarrassment
21kg. IKEAschmea.

2003-01-12T04:47:00.000-08:00

D is for Damnfinepacking
Weights recorded on the highly accurate IKEA bathroom scales - backpack (inc. sleeping bag) 9kg; daypack 3kg giving a total of 12kg. Have to say I'm pretty pleased with that. Until tomorrow when the airport scales could tell an entirely different story ... stay tuned ...

2003-01-12T02:22:00.000-08:00

C is for China Airlines
Formerly known as CAAC - let's just dwell on that fabulous acronym shall we? According to their web-brochure, "Economy Class is putting the fun back into air travel [with] a more spacious configuration with fewer seats, ... personalized entertainment options eliminate the boredom and fatigue of even long-haul flights." A mighty anti-boredom promise just begging to be challenged. The "foot rest with a massage function to alleviate fatigue" could prove amusing, and then there is always the "6.5-inch VGA interactive personal TV in each seat, with a choice of seven video channels, eight stereo music channels, and nine video games to keep you fully entertained throughout your trip." Checked the movies screening this month - I have my fingers crossed for Sweet Home Alabama complete with Japanese dubbing and Chinese subtitles. Does it get any better?

2003-01-10T02:52:00.000-08:00

B is for backpack
Packing my pack tonight. T. thinks packing 2.5 days before leaving is outrageous. Well, try as we might, we can't all be like you and pack half an hour before being picked up! Sorting out the first aid kit at the moment. If need be I could set up a small chemist in Hanoi. Have borrowed a smallish pack from good friend J. and am determined to take as little as possible. Will let you know how I go - and record the pack weight.

2003-01-07T03:33:00.000-08:00

A is for airport
Visited the airport this evening. No, I hadn't decided to leave early. The Airport Medical Centre was where I had tracked down what was possibly the last remaining cholera vaccine in Sydney. Apparently there have been problems with distribution. Had a quick look-see (because "Time spend in reconnaissance is time well spent." - John Marsden, Tomorrow, When the War Began) before heading home. Almost hard to believe I'll be back there on Monday. Exciting exciting clap hands with glee!