Sapa Day 3 (Yes it's out of order)

Road Block 1

At present we are sitting on the overnight train headed for Hanoi after three wonderful days in Sapa.  Matthew has just closed the door to our cabin, which I guess is unfortunate for the Vietnamese on the train because it now means they have nothing to stare at as they pass our cabin.  And the little boy who has taken on the responsibility of pushing all the fold up foot steps back into the up position will have to bypass our cabin.  Hopefully the kids in this cabin will eventually go to bed - maybe without the westerner’s show it will be sooner rather then later. (no we are not actually putting on a show but rather sitting on our beds on computers) The train has left only 4 minutes late, which according to Vietnamese time is early – we have a spare bunk in our cabin this time and I can only assume that the passenger has missed the train because it left early! 

This morning we left our Eco lodge and headed back into Sapa Town. (See different Blog)

Still road Block 1 just a little further down the road

Our plan was to have a look around the town before we left at 5.30 to head to Lao Cai to catch this train.  We decided on the 9.30 bus to Sapa so we had plenty of time to look around.  Unfortunately the lodge is on top of a mountain with only a rudimentary road.  About 10 minutes from the lodge the road was blocked by a truck and backhoe.  There had been a landslide we think and they had to remove the rocks to open the road.  There were three small Vietnamese men lifting the rocks putting them into the scoop bit of the back hoe, when that was full they emptied it into the truck to then begin the process again.  Every once a while the truck and the back hoe would move 5 meters down the road and continue their rock gathering.  The motorbikes could at times sneak pass but we could do nothing but watch.

Road Block 2

After 50 minutes the truck was finally full so it began its journey down the mountain, the backhoe followed to a point it could pull over and we could pass.  Josh who had by this time gotten out his laptop and was distracted didn’t even get to put his laptop away before we hit yet another road block this time a backhoe was digging into the wall, probably doing his bit for widening the narrow road – whatever he was doing we were stopped again.

By now there was an overwhelming smell of what smelt like nail polish remover.  Despite my insistence that I did not have nail polish remover with me Matthew was doubtful, so I checked my bag to see if there was anything leaking. But we were not the culprits instead one of the two 20 liter drums in the back of the van was leaking.  We tried to tell the driver but he kept saying something about Vietnamese fuel smelling, we kept saying or trying to mime a leaking drum at which point he demonstrated a lighter action and shock his head – we could only guess that this meant whatever was leaking was not flammable!!! Hope he is right.

Helmets are so not attractive

The Waterfall

Wifi at the waterfall? So important!

Snack

We eventually made it to Sapa town and as good Ho Chi Minhers we hired motorbikes to tour around – Matthew and Josh convinced me that after 30kms of walking over the last two days we did not need to walk a hilly town.  I didn’t need much convincing I must say and I was keen to try my motorbike skills out in unfamiliar territory.  We found our way to a lovely waterfall, after quite a few wrong turns – I think Matthew and Josh were just helping me master u-turns – we then drive around the town stopping for lunch, for markets, for new earrings to replace the ones that Josh knocked out of my ears – yes knocked out whilst pretending to sway on the van but it worked out for the best for I now have two pairs of new earrings.

And now we are on the train headed for Hanoi and I might try and talk the others into cards.

Bella's Last Day

What do you do on your last day in Ho Chi Minh City?  This is was Bella did.......

June 2013

What a week!

It's been wonderful, it's been horrid, it's been full of proud tears and full of sorrowful tears, and it’s been a week of lasts and a week of finishing so so many things and a week of endless goodbyes.

We had our final visitors this week.  It was a pleasure showing off our adopted city for the last time - to Joe and Lucinda thank you for visiting us we loved having you here.

Ms Hang and I at Graduation

I finished my three years at school this week and it was with many tears that I have said goodbye.  Besides saying goodbye to Ms Hang and Ms Nga one of my unexpected difficult farewells was to one of our cleaning ladies.  She is a lovely lady who besides neither of us sharing a common language we manage to greet each other every morning and to acknowledge each other throughout the day.  She came into the library on Wednesday and spoke with me, having no idea what she was saying I gave the typical Vietnamese Jazz hands.  She then grabbed a piece of paper and wrote 2014 at which point I knew exactly what she was asking and with tears brimming in my eyes I said no I am not coming back.  She then said something to me in Vietnamese, at which point I shock my head, and then she said "but me like….".  By now both of us had tears in our eyes– after a hug we both went back to our jobs – hers in the Vietnamese world mine in the Expat world, I am truly grateful for the friends that I made here particularly the ones who despite not having a common language we somehow are important to each other.

Josh and the Middle School Rock Band

What are they talking about?

I had three graduations this week, where I shed many a tear.  My own elementary school, where Mr Jim despite his promise made me cry on stage when he acknowledged my service to the school.  Josh’s graduation was next, this time their where tears of both pride and sadness, pride for this young man of mine who has become such a part of this Vietnamese school. Today he played in the school rock band, won sports  awards,  both the Social Studies Achievement Award for his Grade and was one of 6 students who won Outstanding GPA Award.  But when his Friend Ahn spoke with his many references to Josh and Australia I shed tears of sadness at friendships that have been formed and now have to endure farewells.  

Josh Graduating

Middle School Graduates Class of 2013

Josh and Ahn

Friends

Bella’s was the last graduation.  

The pomp and ceremony of the high school graduation is enough to bring the tears again.  For Bella it is the end of 13 years of schooling and whilst there are many wonderful things to come it is time to say farewell to what she has done for as long as she remembers, coupled with saying goodbye to friends that have been so important over the last few years, I cried as she sang her final performance for school and as she received her High School Diploma but for her it is time to move on.

Bella's beautiful voice

Graduation from High School

Class of 2013

Proud parents

What are they talking about?

Beautiful

Then it was time to say goodbye to friends and colleagues at a brunch.  And with more tears again I farewelled people who despite being newly formed friends, have become very important in my life and I truly hope I will see again.

The last farewell for this week was on Saturday when I once more sent my child out into the world without us by her side, my only consolation is that in only two weeks my family will be 6 again.

When we left Australia 3 years ago I would never have imagined that our departure from Vietnam could possibly be as emotional as our departure from Australia, how wrong I was.

Josh's Hospital Adventure

It wasn't that long ago that Josh was boasting that he had never been in hospital. Well now he has joined the ranks of those of us who have, having just spent 5 nights in FV hospital.
I took him to the hospital clinic on Saturday morning two weeks ago after 4 days of continually having the runs and severe stomach pain. The funny thing with the hospital here is that you have to register first and Josh having never been to the hospital or even the clinic here we had to register him. As we are filling out forms, showing passports (thank goodness I remembered that) Josh was doubled over on the desk. Then they told him he had to have his picture taken - as you can imagine it is not a very nice photo. Josh asked me what would happen if you had been in a serious accident and were on your own - I could only imagine that they would still fill out forms, check your passport and take a photo!
We then had to go to the paediatric part of the clinic, I kept telling them that he was 14 and was told yes yes paediatric . So we then found ourselves in a very colorful waiting room that even had a really fun looking playroom, which I wanted to check out but Josh was really not interested.
Anyway we see a lovely doctor who orders blood tests, stool tests, and a ultrasound (for the stomach pain), after which we could go home and someone would ring us.
A doctor did ring us and said we had to come back and be admitted to the paediatric ward. 5 days later, 4 IV drip lines, 1 collapsed vein, what seemed like a million different medications, 7 kilos lighter, numerous doctor visits, and constant reruns of the same shows on TV we came home.
The doctor diagnosed a parasite and a secondary abdominal infection. He did say one of the infections was caused by street food, I was nodding away trying not to think of the banh mi I had sitting beside me that I had just gone down to the street and bought. However we both agreed that infections from food can be caught anywhere, even Norway (I was a tad confused with this example but I nodded anyway - I needed him to finish off so I could eat my street food).
All in all the experience was not that bad, except maybe the food, the nurses were wonderful, the doctors thorough, the care excellent - but I do hope we don't go back again.

Day 5 - Driving Lessons

I promise that this will be the  last time I will blog about riding to work but there are a few things that I have learnt and a few things that seem to be rules but I do have to wonder about, regardless I think I need to share this new found wisdom of mine.

These are in no order just random thoughts that popped into my head this morning, the fact that my mind wandered is a little scary - but everything that is going on in my head of a morning is related to just getting to work so I think that is OK.

1. Give way to anything that is bigger then you.
2. Does beeping your horn as you drive through an intersection actually stop you being hit.?
3. Don't look at the man who is walking along the road you will certainly hit him, though screaming at him tells him to move.
4. Always look straight ahead otherwise you will scare yourself when you see all those bikes moving toward you.
5. Vietnamese should all be meteorologists - they seem to know when the rain is coming, they either pull over and put raincoats on or like today drive really fast to get home before it rains.
6. Beeping is not agressive it just means "hey I am here".
7. Did the man singing beside me today realise that I could hear him?
8. Xe om (motor bike taxi) drivers  can be really sweet. (Thanks you Mr Huong's friend for stopping traffic for me outside school today - he was my very own Lollypop lady)
9. Carrying buckets (note the reference to multiple buckets)  that have pigs feet poking out the top is really really distracting when you are following it.
10. Traffic on a Monday is always busier then any other day.
11. Sticking your elbows out perpendicular to your body and gripping the handle bars is equivalent to wearing an L plate, everyone knows to avoid you.
12. Driving down a street the wrong way is ok.
13. Driving on the foot path is also ok.
14. Sometimes traffic lights mean you stop at them at othertimes they are just a suggestion.
15. Are newbie motor bike riders in Saigon braver in the morning? (I actually think this is just me).
16. Helmet hair is worse then hat hair! - Doesn't matter how nice your hair looks in the morning by the time you get to school it looks like you stuck your hand in an electric socket.

Traffic without a seat belt

Today I rode to work.  This was quite a momentus day because, though it was the 4th time I have ridden to work, I did it without Lena my very patient riding partner.  I also had to stop and get fuel which was easy once I knew where the fuel tank was - and for those who didn't know it is not under the seat which is where I thought it was.  Gas stations in Saigon are full service, you pull up your bike they fill it which takes maybe 3 minutes you hand over 100VND - even though the meter said 80,000 (??) and then you rejoin the traffic.  Is there a correct way to drive in or exit the station? no, any way works. Being a newbie at bike filling  I opened the only thing that actually opens and shuts -  the seat compartment but alas no fuel tank there.  No wonder the attendant didn't know what I wanted, but of course pointing at the pumps and finally locating the tank soon had me back on the roads.
Do I like riding to work? I am not sure - half of me loves the excitement of it, the other half well actually three quarters is absolutely petrified of it.
Explaining my route will explain this.  I get the bike out of the garage, which I am sure has the guards smirking as I wobble out. I then turn left past the taxi drivers trying not to look too wobbly but it's a right hand turn and I am not good at those.  Alls good for a while until the big intersection where I go left - which is a nice big turn but you do have to watch out for the cars turning into the first two lanes -being a bike I go to the furtherest lane, you also have to watch for the oncoming traffic both cars and bikes but they do usually just go around you.
Then I drive straight, sometimes even getting up to a speedy 30 km an hour.  Thanks to dad's driving lessons many years ago I am good at going straight.  Through the lights, between the road barriers (they only charge cars on the tollroad so bikes drive through these little barriers set up to deter the cars) and now comes a really horrible sharp right hand down hill turn, but I just take it really really slowly, yes it is possible to drive around a corner slower then 20.  Alls good for a little bit but the traffic is getting heavier and bikes and cars are now right beside me, there is even a bicycle or two that I sometimes pass if I am feeling confident to go that fast.  Through a roundabout and into District 8 which is heavy with traffic, pedestrians, food stands, bicycles, all of which get way to close to me for comfort, sometimes I think they want to look in my rear view mirrors.  I try and keep one finger on the horn but then I feel I don't have control of the break but I have found yelling is effective as well. Then its up the hill and over the bridge into district 1.  Now my school is just over the bridge and through a set of traffic lights but the traffic is horrendous - its stop start all the way but when you stop, if you leave too much distance between you and the bike in front or beside you someone drives into the spot, its a wonder more feet don't get run over.  (I wear jeans every day because the bikes just get so close and I don't fancy a Saigon burn). Moving from a stopped position in heavy traffic is challenging - if you go too fast you might hit the bike in front of you, start off too slow and you wobble and will probably hit the bikes on either side of you (which would look a little like falling dominoes) - there is the perfect start off speed which I am working towards finding.  Once you are moving again in the traffic its tricky being able to drive that slow even for a turtle driver like me.  
Sometimes when I stop I look at the sea of helmets that I am part of and I can't help but think Wow I am driving in crazy Vietnamese traffic.

This is not my photo but it gives an idea what it is like

Thankfully my journey is all most complete just through the traffic lights, again watching for cars that are turning right across the front of you and for cars, bikes coming from the other direction then into the driveaway down a little narrow ramp and then park  - and with bikes there is never a problems finding parking.  I can now breathe that is until this afternoon when I have to do it all over again!

A Day Out in Ho Chi Minh City

This has been an odd week.  We worked on Monday and then Tuesday and Wednesday were public holidays.  We came back to work this morning with everyone saying "how was your week end" which was very strange and tonight feels like Monday but in fact is Thursday so it is the week end again tomorrow afternoon - just all seems wrong some how.
Because we had this split break we didn't go anywhere, which is nice in some ways because we did the things we don't usually get time for on the weekend.
So yesterday we decided to go on a bike ride with our old driver Chau, who lead us through every district we have not visited, however as we rode around we realised that we had been to many of them during our time here.
During the day we drove through Districts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 and of course 7 since that is where we live.  We also went to Tan Binh and Tan Phu districts.
We stopped for a lunch in District 3 where we had Com Tam, Pippie soup and fish cakes.  All of which did not photograph very well but it was very delicious, and for 205,000VND (8 AUD) for three of us is was certainly value for money.

Fish Cakes

Pippie Soup

Note the concentration

Though the day started with blue skies it deteriorated - but that is expected now that the wet season has begun today in fact.  Because there was three of us I doubled for  a lot of the time but I did manage to ride for a bit but when the rain set in I was happy to go back to being a passenger, driving through water that is at least a foot deep is not my idea of fun.  But to locals here they just stop take their shoes off, roll their pants up and drive on through.

The Floods

The rain

Trying hard not to get his feet wet

Wet weather oh so attractive