Can Tho to Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam January 14th 2010

• On the bus at 7.00am to visit Can Tho university and hear a presentation from the Dean - Mr Trong - from the College of Environment and Natural Resources - It was a very interesting and informative overview of the geography and issues facing the Mekong Delta. Gave a very different perspective to what we had been seeing on our travels through the area over these two days.
• A short trip to a local secondary school with the opportunity to spend time in a Year 10 English class. It was interesting to see the way that the lesson was presented by the teacher. This school contrasted with the one we had visited in Hanoi. This is a select entry school for students in Can Tho - about 650 students in total. Class sizes are 29 on average, considerably less that usually found. English text books and tapes used during the session with follow up questions and answers.
• After class it was back to the Mekong River for a short boat journey to view the floating market. The market supplies predominantly fruit and vegetables with each boat advertising their wares at the top of a 4 metre bamboo pole attached to their boat.
• Lots of traffic on the river with boats and barges moving all manner of goods from town to town and between town and the islands in the delta.
• Lunch at a restaurant by the river and then onto the bus for the return journey to HCMC.
• Arrived at 7.00pm, checking in to the hotel (located in District 1 - a prime real estate and shopping area - if you like designer labels) and then out onto the streets to a local floating restaurant.

Friday January 15th

• A two hour drive in the morning to the district of Cu Chi. The tunnel system became legendary in the 1960's for its role in facilitating Viet Cong control of a large rural area only 40kms outside of HCMC. This area of 420sq kms was the most bombed, shelled, gasseed and defoliated area in the history of warfare. The area these days is farming - rice and rubber and is hard to imagine as it must have been during the Vietnam War.
• Back into the city and a visit to the Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum in the afternoon.
• Our last night together as a group before we all begin to head off to our home destinations from tomorrow.
• An enlightening, challenging, confronting, exhilarating study tour of Vietnam comes to a conclusion.

Hoi An to Can Tho Vietnam Wednesday January 13th

• Early morning departure (6.00am) from Hoi An, by bus, to Da Nang airport for a one hour flight to Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon).
• Arrived in Saigon and boarded the next bus for the first part of a five hour drive to Can Tho in the Mekong Delta.
• Much less traffic noise in HCMC though just as much traffic. Not so many people leaning on their horns constantly!
• First stop along the way was at My Tho, on the northern most branch of the Mekong River, for a lunch break before getting on a boat and crossing the river to Unicorn Island. A short walk around with stops to sample local honey, royal jelly, snake wine and a variety of tropical fruits.
• A short paddle along a back water canal before rejoining the main boat to cross back across the Mekong and board the bus again.
• Two more hours along the highway saw us join the queue for the ferry trip crossing at Binh Minh in Can Tho. The crossing takes about ten minutes but the queue for the ferries can be up to 2 hours. About an hour passed before we left the bus and boarded the boat on foot, the bus catching up with us on a later ferry.
• Off to check in at the hotel and then off to dinner 15 minutes later at 8.15pm at a waterfront restaurant.
• Quick dinner then back to the hotel ready for tomorrow's program beginning with a 7.00am departure to visit the University of Can Tho at 7.30am, followed by a visit to a local secondary school, then a quick visit to the floating markets before commencing the return drive to HCMC after lunch to arrive early evening.
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Hoi An Vietnam January 12 2010

• Awoke to the sound of heavy rain this morning. Very overcast and looks like it will remain that way for some time. Raincoats and umbrellas needed. Temperature around 22 degrees and quite humid.
• This morning our group will meet for a curriculum workshop to share ideas that we'll take back to our schools.
• Hopefully the members of the group that have been unwell the past few days will have turned the corner today before we set off for Ho Chi Minh city at 5.00am tomorrow. Gotta love the early starts!

Hoi An Vietnam January 11 2010

• Arrived in Hoi An, stopping for lunch before dropping our bags into the hotel and then setting off on a walking tour of the town. Hoi An has a population of around 125000. It is located on the Thu Bon River and is prone to flooding - up to 2 metres on an annual basis necessitating the local community to have in place a range of strategies to manage moving furniture and other items above flood levels and cleaning up afterwards.
• Hoi An's Old Town is car free - still bicycles and scooters -and is pleasant to wander around. Construction work being undertaken in some of the streets.
• Visited the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Assembly Hall of the the Fujian Chinese Congregation and one of the old residential houses.
• Some people took the opportunity to arrange to have clothing made at a local tailor's to be picked up tomorrow. 300 machinists work for this particular tailor to enable 24 hour turn around for garments.
• Dinner then back to the hotel.

From Hue to Hoi An Vietnam January 11 2010

• A picture of most of our group at the Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue built in 1844 before leaving by bus for Hoi An today.
• After visiting the pagoda we set off along the highway for a 3 hour bus trip to Hoi An.

• A short stop on the shoreline of Da Nang

Hue

Monday January 11 (Day 9)

• It's great to have all the group back together again.
• Arrived in Hue at 1.45pm from Hanoi yesterday after a 1hr 20min flight from Hanoi. A 15km bus ride from the airport to Hue with a stop for lunch and then checking in at the Park View Hotel. Our guide Huyen providing information about Hue and the environs along the way.
• Hue is very picturesque with parks and gardens along the river. Considerably less noise, pollution and traffic than Hanoi! Blue skies and 27 degrees with high humidity made a welcome change.
• Five minutes to throw the bags in the rooms and then back on the bus for a short drive to the Citadel on the north bank of the Perfume River. The Citadel (begun in 1804) and the Imperial Enclosure are impressive buildings.
• Though only 20 of the original 148 buildings in the Imperial Enclosure remain (it was badly bombed during the French and American Wars) they give a strong sense of what the enclosure would have been like in it's heyday. The Nguyen dynasty ended here when Emperor Bao Dai abdicated to a delegation sent by Ho Chi Minh's Provisional Revolutionary Government. The moats and gardens provide a strong sense of Feng Shui.
• The Citadel has Vietnam's tallest flagpole at 37m.
• As the sun set we headed back for the hotel for dinner and an early evening in very comfortable rooms after what had been a long day's travel.
• A sleep in this morning for most with a scheduled 8.30am departure for Hoi An by bus.The opportunity for a swim in the hotel pool, a leisurely breakfast were wonderful.
• As we leave Hue we will visit the Bao Quoc Pagoda which was founded in 1670.

Return from Sapa

Thursday 7th (Day 5)
Apologies for the not very interesting blog but time and technology constraints are meaning that at best I may have 15 minutes or so every few days to update.

• Our third morning of teaching followed by a presentation of gifts to the staff and school. The staff at the school very kindly gave each of us a lovely wooden statue as a momento.
• After lunch off to the Australian Embassy to meet with the trade and education representatives. The conversation was interesting giving insight into both these areas and the links between Australia and Vietnam.
• Our guide Trong has been making sure that we are all making the most of our time at each place and sharing insights and information about the people and places along the way. OUr group left Trong with one of our party (who was unwell) in Hanoi while we prepared to leave for Sapa.
• Dinner then onto the overnight train to Sapa departing at 8.30pm. The rooms on the carriages slept 4 (in bunks) but with sheets, pillow and doona.

Friday 8th (Day 6)

• Most people managed a reasonable night's sleep - except for the taller amongst the group! Arrival in Loc Chai at 5.30am, breakfast at a nearby restaurant then a one hour bus trip up the mountain into Sapa. Very little visibility on the way up with mist and reasonably heavy cloud cover.
• Bags deposited at the hotel and then a short drive to the Cat Cat Cultural Village (Hmong tribe). This is an actual community not a re - creation with conditions reflecting both the traditional and the inclusion of the present - a TV and satellite dish on a traditional home.
• A wonderful insight into the daily life of these people as we walked down into the valley - about 1.5kms. The way was made easier as a rock pathway/steps have replaced what would previously have been a steep dirt path.
• A beautiful river and the Silver Falls at the bottom of the valley with an opportunity to see a music and dance performance by young adults within the community.
• Walking back to the top of the hill, completing the circuit of the village, afforded some lovely views as the mist dispersed occasionally.
• Nearing the entrance we were greeted enthusiastically by men in motorcycle helmets who gleefully offered their service - taking us back to Sapa by motorbike. We're all saying no - it's okay - the bus is picking us up. They just smiled as Phoung, our guide, explained that in the time we had been away major excavation works were being undertaken on the road and the bus would not be able to meet us. Decision time - 3km uphill walk or back of a motorbike? We opted for the experience of the bikes and puttered up the hill back to Sapa.
• Sapa certainly caters for tourists with a myriad of accomodation places and the Hmong people touting their wares throughout the town using excellent English and every sales pitch imaginable. Their colorful clothing very appealing.
• The afternoon was spent wandering the town - in almost zero visibility and taking a moment to pause and reflect after a very full few days.

Saturday January 9th (Day 7)

• Sunrise saw patches of blue sky and the mist lifting to afford breathtaking views of the mountains. Breakfast at 6.30am and then on to the bus at 7.30am for a three hour drive into the mountains to go to a market supplied by the Flower Hmong people.
• Driving out of town we became aware and were able to see the whole town of Sapa, which is quite large.
• We were lucky that the fine weather continued for the journey and that we were able to appreciate the terraced rice paddys lining many of the hillsides. You'd certainly be fit working in the mountains. While many people use a range of transport - most predominantly motor scooters, local mini buses - travel by foot is still widely the means of getting from one place to another in this area for many villagers.
• A one hour stop at the market which catered for both locals and tourists saw a variety of sights - from men selling caged birds, locally produced crafts, clothing and footwear, sticks of sugar cane - the sweet of choice - rice wine (extremely potent) and fruit, meat and vegetables.
• At 1.00pm the market packs up for the day and it's home time for everyone - us included. Back down to Loc Chai and a stop at the nearby border crossing to China for a photo opportunity.
• Back on the train at 7.30pm for the return trip to Hanoi. With an anticipated arrival time of 4.15am. The sleepers this time were a similar configuration but not quite as comfortable or long or wide enough for some of our group. Not so restful!

Sunday January 10 (Day 8)

• Arrived on time at 4.15am to a very quiet Hanoi - certainly a very different picture to weekly daytime. Traffic just starting to build. A walk around Sword Lake to pass the time before the restaurant opened for breakfast at 5.30am.
• After breakfast off to the hotel to catch up with Trong and Caroline and to have a much needed shower before getting ready to go to the airport at 10.00am for the flight to Hue at 12.30pm.
• A few of the group feeling a bit travel weary and looking forward to a few moments of down time this evening.
• Just about time to go again! I'll see when I can next access the internet.

Cheers,

Sue