ArchivesCategory: Vietnam

On Friday we were back on the bus to the airport, which would take us back to Hanoi. We would then taxi to the Back Packers Hotel to pick up our overnight train tickets to Lao Cai and from there we would catch a minibus to Sapa, a mountain town near the Chinese border. All Continue Reading

After a week in Cat Ba, the last few days of which were overcast and misty (reminding me of the Pacific Northwest), it was time to head south to Dalat in the central highlands. To get there we took a bus, a ferry and two more buses to Hanoi, a plane to the Lien Khuong Continue Reading

I have no desire to inflict pain on myself. When I get a bruise or cut it’s unintentional and often followed by a string of mother-effers and other colorful expletives. When I was a kid I enjoyed climbing trees and riding bikes and chasing the dog through the yard, and with such play came various Continue Reading

Hey, Cat Ba! (At least that’s what I think it means.) The largest island in Halong Bay, Cat Ba has a total area of 354 square kilometers (I’ve seen other estimates but you get the idea), about half of which makes up Cat Ba National Park. The island, park and surrounding area were recognized as Continue Reading

On Monday, the tour group headed back to Halong City while HK and I hopped a tender for Cat Ba Island where she is currently living and working for Slo Pony Adventures. The tender may have been less luxurious than the tour boat but given the scenery I really didn’t care. After disembarking at the Continue Reading

Hanoi, celebrating its 1000th year, is high energy but manageable. It demands the attention of all your senses but in a good way. Being able to walk around by myself–not feeling dumb stopping and consulting my map or searching for street signs, which was easy–is liberating. I was able to enjoy moseying in and wandering Continue Reading

“Look at my dong!” said Dave, the husband of the couple from Washington State that I met on the flight from Seoul to Hanoi. “It keeps getting bigger and bigger!” I ran into them at the Ngoc Son (Jade Mountain) Temple at Hoan Kiem Lake. I had some dong of my own but unlike Dave, Continue Reading

3/25 :: Sort of awake at 5:51am. Flight from Austin to Dallas = cake. Dallas to Seoul on Korean Air = 14 1/2 hours = day old scone.  Used to be window junkie but no more. All aisle all the time. Walk, pee, stretch; sanity = aisle. PASSENGER HIGHLIGHTS Hours 1-4 :: Beef potato lunch. Continue Reading

I just ate half a box of organic dark chocolate cookies (no pesticides were used and the cocoa beans were caressed into submission), my back hurts and I’m really tired. I’d like to blame it all on getting impregnated but it wasn’t me that got knocked up; it was my pants. And some shirts, socks, Continue Reading