south china sea, and me

Vietnam is really coming through for me. I am having a great time here. I'm not sure if its the happy nature of the people, the abundance of fun activities like motorbikes and boats or the beautiful wooden temples that remind me of buildings back home that are making me feel so content here. First, a few photos from Bangkok. We loved the canals and the orchids. There are many 'Wow!' inducing temples there too.


Back in Vietnam, Ha Long Bay was a wonderland of dreamy islands and wooden boats. Heading back to Hanoi was a boat-bus-taxi-train sort of day as we clipped straight from the boat tour company office to the train station for our overnight train to Hue. We weren't sure what the trains would be like, but were pleasantly surprised with locking cabins and cabin mates that we didn't mine being locked in with. We shared space with a couple of German teachers, who were lots of fun to talk to, were trustworthy and didn't snore. Thats all you really need in traveling companions.

Being in Hue has taken us to a walled forbidden city, beers on the Perfume River at sunset and off into the countryside on motorcycles. We booked these guys to drive us around for the day to see some of the area sights. They showed up in the morning, popped some helmets on our heads and told us to get on. We were off to the temples and pagodas in style, with the wind in our faces and nothing between us and the scenery. It was great fun to zoom in between rice fields and have someone to walk us through the temples, explaining some of the features. We went to a monastery and saw some monks going into lunchtime prayer/the mess hall, dressed in saffron robes and carrying their soup in a long, slow moving line which emerged from the pine trees where their living quarters were. They chanted prayers and rang bells before eating. I think my life is a bit similar right now. I have limited possessions, lots of time to think, and a commitment to being thankful for my delicious, and affordable food. This photo is of us in a bicycle rickshaw. I didn't tell the driver to do that either.

We were on our way from Hue to Hoi An, the tailoring capital of the nation. This small, French inspired city was very charming. There are little alleyways, lantern making shops and quaint cafes serving cheap Vietnamese and foreigner food. We enjoyed the walkable streets and sleepy river at night time. It was ultra-relaxing, except for the motorbike taxis who pestered us for even showing our faces near the street. I even succumbed to the temptation of having a really cute gray corduroy jacket and a pair of shoes, made to order. They turned out nice and I feel like I have really been a tourist in Asia now. For our last day in Hoi An, we rented rusty bicycles and rolled ourselves down to the beach which had the flattest water and brightest sand. We sat under the thatched umbrellas and tried to relax from our exhausting lives of eating, shopping for gifts, and swimming in the hotel pool. It was beautiful and I tried to stay relaxed while boarding the bus for an 18 hour journey South to the beach resort community of Mui Ne.

I now can see for myself that Vietnam has beautiful beaches on par with Costa Rica, Hawaii, the Dominican Republic or any others that I have seen. The palm trees wave and the wind surfers roam around on the sea providing a peaceful atmosphere for me to do some serious thinking. I now have 18 traveling days left before I go home, and its getting to my head. My mind goes for home and the future at any free moment. What do I want with my career? With my social life? With a man? I have all these important questions to ponder while the excuse, 'I haven't had time to think about it,' just isn't true. I woke up at 5:55 this morning and went out to look at the waves. I came back to the room to find Melissa up and asked her what the meaning of life was. She said, 'it's really too early for that,' and went back to her reading. I am thankful for this time to digest the things I have been learning and to consider my life from a perspective free from pressure, commitments and general boredom with things. I should be able to make some progress with my questions over the last 2.5 weeks of this trip. There are a few more beaches on the schedule and lots of time on the bus. Maybe I'll make some lists so I don't forget my thoughts at the moment. Perhaps that will help me to remember what I am supposed to do when I return to a real life. It could be quite shocking. For now, I am going to go swimming in the sea. Then I will lay around in the shade and read a book.