First adventure away from Ho Chi Minh City

Two weekends ago I had my first trip away. A small group of us escaped from school on Friday afternoon and headed to catch the hovercraft to Vung Tau, From there the plan was to continue to Long Hai, where we'd booked accommodation. We arrived in darkness to what looked like a fairly swanky hotel. We decided we'd like rooms by the beach and this was when it all started to turn a little strange. We were transported on a large golf buggy type thing down a very dark road and then had to wait ages for someone to come and open the gate. One of the crew started to look at the geckos and she almost fell off the buggy as it started to move as she was getting back on. Everything was in darkness. We stopped outside some villas and went to inspect the rooms - we were not impressed. We asked to be taken back to the main hotel to look at some rooms there and still were not impressed. I couldn't help but compare them to Ecuador where I stayed in beautiful places for around $15. This place expected us to pay $60 a night for a room that was even close to the standard I knew from Ecuador. We tried to reason with the receptionist to drop the price, but she was unable to help us. We ordered some cold beers and a taxi and waited to head back to Vung Tau - the taxi took forever.

Luckily we were all fairly chilled about it...I did go rather quiet but that was because I was needing food.

Vung Tau has a fairly seedy reputation - it is where Gary Glitter was caught! We eventually got to the Sammy Hotel and asked to see the rooms before deciding whether to stay. The boys sat down to wait whilst us girlies went to inspect. We got out of the lift to a floor in total darkness - there were a few comments about the fact we seemed to have found ourselves in an episode of Fawlty Towers! We looked down a dark corridor and saw electric cables hanging down and very obvious signs of work...oh dear we thought! We were extremely relieved when we were then shown rooms on the floor below which were very nice - hurray!

We checked in and headed out to find food as by now it was nearly 10.00pm. Luckily there was a beach bar across the road who said they could order us pizzas, I proceeded to order a rum and coke.

Most of the next day was spent chilling on the beach and swimming in the beautifully warm sea - splendid. We had ice creams to make it feel even more like a holiday. 

In the afternoon, Fiona (yes there is more than one Fiona here - weird!) and I went to have a massage back at the hotel. This was another strange experience. We had to pay up front which I've never experienced before and were then shown to a room. We sat and waited. A lady came in and gave me two towels and indicated that we were to strip off. I've also never had a massage where the lady is in the room while you disrobe. The massage began, with no oil. It was also quite disconcerting that the two ladies kept giggling and chatting. I could recognise some of the techniques being used but found it all very strange - with hindsight we should have stopped them and asked for our money back. At the end my lady very rudely asked for a tip - again after not leaving the room while we got dressed. I refused and we scarpered as quickly as poss discussing how weird it had all been!

In the evening we had delicious local food on the beach and went back to drink more cocktails at the beach bar. I hadn't expected a late one, but before we knew it it was 3am and I was dozing off on the sofa!

I loved the beach at night, it really came to life with street food sellers, bonfires, joss sticks burning - it was fascinating and was one of those 'I'm in a different country' moments.

The next day I was fairly fragile and we did very little until it was time to get the boat back to Ho Chi Minh. Unfortunately my ticket for the boat had got wet and was falling apart - they wouldn't accept it and a man was shouting at me in Vietnamese. My friend Carolyn tried to talk to him (she's been here for six years and speaks Vietnamese really well), but that made him even more angry. So I had to run in the pouring rain to get another one - fairly horrible experience.

Once on the boat we all crashed out and in less than two hours we were back in HCMC, where we got shouted at again, this time by a taxi driver. He wanted us to use his more expensive taxi and was trying to make us get out of the one we were in - again a fairly frightening experience. 

Although being shouted at in a language I don't understand was scary and intimidating, it has not put me off Vietnam. I'm looking forward to more adventures, half term is in three weeks time and I'm going to head to Hoi An.

Good Morning Vietnam!

Well to be more accurate it should say good evening, but as this is my first blog from Vietnam it seemed like an appropriate title.

I have been in Ho Chi Minh City for just over three weeks and am still very much finding my feet. I am living in District 7 which is a suburban area and relatively new. It only takes ten minutes to get to school and about twenty to get into the main city centre (depending on the time of day and amount of traffic). It's very easy here as it is ex-pat land; there are shops and restaurants near to my apartment and even a spa - which I have already visited twice as my back is in a shocking state. 

My apartment is not quite as swanky as Quito, but it's okay and will do for now. Some more comfortable furniture would be nice as I'm sure spending most of my time sat on the computer chair is not helping my back. When I arrived there was very little here other than furniture, not even loo roll. The only reason I didn't have a complete breakdown about it is because there was internet access already here.

I received a settling in allowance when I arrived which I thought I'd be able to live on till payday - unfortunately that went very quickly on things like: towels, bedding, pans, crocks, etc. Money has been quite a worry, but I have now been paid which is a blessed relief. The past year has been incredible, but I had spent all my savings by the time I arrived here.

School has been interesting for a variety of reasons. A couple of days after arriving, I found out I was the only music teacher so would be teaching every child in the school aged 2-14 and that I was also a Yr 7 form tutor. I wasn't entirely surprised about being the only music teacher but being a form tutor as well was a bit of a shock. However I really like my kids, so that's a relief. The only class I have found difficult so far is the Yr 9 group - but I think I may have approached them in the wrong way which didn't help. We'll see how it goes this week!

Being here is like being on an emotional rollercoaster - I expected that too. But knowing it's going to happen still doesn't really prepare you for the reality of it. Some days are so amazing I could burst, whereas other days I would just like to curl up into a ball and cry. I'm exhausted too which doesn't help. Again I expected this from my experience of moving to Ecuador, but having not worked for just over a year I haven't felt the kind of exhaustion related to work for a very long time. 

When I haven't been at school I've been getting to know District 1 a little - this is the city centre and seems to be a pretty cool area. There are 14 districts in Ho Chi Minh - so a lot to get to know! I was very happy yesterday when I found The Body Shop and could buy some of my favourite perfume.

I'm missing family and friends greatly at the moment, but know this will get easier over time and as I meet more people here.

Words from a different life...

Written in December 2006

I'm standing on the edge of an uncertain path,

Feeling as if I could fall backwards,

Knowing that the only way is forwards,

Facing doubts and fears,
Shedding so many tears.

I wonder about possibilities,

Try to keep my positivity,

I look to the future wondering what it holds?

Terrified of being left alone and cold.

I made my decisions,

Found the strength to leave,

Have this feeling that suddenly I'm free,

Or am I just behaving stubbornly?

I keep myself busy fearing that if I stop,

I may not be able to cope with the drop,

I fear the chasm that opens ahead,

Yet I also feel excited, so alive, not dead.

I talk to friends who offer their advice,

Keep going forwards, don't think twice,

Keep on growing and blossoming and flowering,

You will find this all empowering.

Yet I am standing on the edge of an uncertain path,

Finding the strength to keep from falling backwards,

Knowing that the only way is forwards,

Facing doubts and fears,

Smiling through the tears,

Understanding at last,

That the past is the past,

And that sometimes...

The journey is the destination.

Last two weeks in Latin America

In my last two weeks in Latin America I was happy to know I would be with friends.

Firstly I stayed in Huanchaco with Ursula - lovely Irish friend who I first met in Quito, she's been travelling around Peru for the last 18 months or so. When I arrived I was still feeling pretty rubbish from the cold/flu type thing I had going on - it was such a relief to finally have a room to myself where I could actually allow myself to be ill and rest.

Huanchaco was lovely, very peaceful and chilled. It was the end of the season so the town was quiet which was a lovely contrast after the hecticness of Cusco and Lima. My days were spent eating delicious food cooked by Ursula; walking dogs belonging to one of her friend's; sleeping; trying out a few of the local restaurants; reading - it was definitely a well needed rest.

I also got to hang out with the lovely Ilana and James who I originally met in Rio. Unfortunately they weren't completely well either, but it was lovely to see them again!

I had no real urge to do anything - after months of being in many different places, thinking about and doing many different things it was nice to stop. I also knew that once home, life would become manic again. I also finally allowed myself to really start thinking about Vietnam - getting much more excited about that adventure!

After Huanchaco I went to Costa Rica to spend a week with my friend Yvette in San Jose. I was looking forward to spending some time exploring with Yvette over the weekend. Unfortunately though I was ill again - this time stomach related. It began in Lima airport - not fun. I was also mightily pissed off by the air hostess who ignored me after landing in San Jose when I tried to explain how imperative it was for me to be allowed into the locked toilet - luckily I then noticed the other one was unlocked.

Staying with Yvette was also lovely, but unfortunately I didn't really start feeling well again till the Saturday (having arrived there on Wednesday, 25th May). So the trip we'd hoped to take into a national park on the beach didn't happen. However, every cloud has a silver lining, because of this we spent Saturday afternoon in the central area of San Jose where I managed to buy some pressies. We also heard a fantastic band playing in one of the parks and found out that they were playing again in a jazz club the following Monday. 

On Sunday when Yvette got up and came down I was actually able to give her the thumbs up that I felt well. We went to explore a fairly local farmer's market - the fruit and veg were amazing. My personal moment from there though was a father and son duo playing what I think was a marimba - it was lovely. Afterwards we went to an art cafe where we had a second breakfast!! We were in fact amazed that we were back at Yvette's having been out and about before the time we'd actually left the house the day previously! I even felt well enough to cook curry for Yvette and a couple of her school friends - it went down a treat! The last of my curry spices were gone - this was when I knew it was definitely almost time for home (plus the fact that I hadn't cooked for ages, I certainly didn't expect to still have some in the last week of my travels).

On Monday 30th May we went out dancing and oh how we danced! The band we had seen in the park certainly lived up to expectations. The club was packed - amazing for a Monday night. Furthermore, almost as soon as the support band (who were damn good too) had finished the dance floor was packed in readiness for Sonambulo Psichotropical! They were brilliant. I realised whilst dancing that one of the things I would definitely miss on leaving Latin America was the higher proportion of men who can dance. I love to dance with a partner and have met a couple of good dancers in my travels which has been so much fun! In Vietnam I will need to find places for dancing as I thrive on it!

I arrived home to the beautiful English countryside on the 2nd of June, after an incredibly long journey that included a brief stop in Iceland! Mum and Dad were both waiting for me and I was looking forward to some time at home.

Lima & Lurgy!

Leaving Cusco made me very aware that although I usually meet good people, I cannot rely on them to look out for me in the same way that friends from home would. I decided Cusco had been a lesson in remembering to take care and look out for myself.

On the twenty hour bus to Lima I also became aware that I was becoming pretty sick. Blocked sinuses are really not good to have at altitude. However being on a bus for that length of time does force you to rest which I certainly needed.

Arriving in Lima I made my way to the Kokopelli hostel in Miraflores, where my friends Joanne and Matt were also staying. They had left messages that they were on a tour and I chilled until they got back.

The next few days were lovely (apart from the horrible lurgy which meant that every time I sneezed or coughed, I followed it with 'ow'. Much to Matt's amusement!). I caught up with Vanessa, my lovely Canadian friend from earlier in the trip; ate a great vegetarian buffet in an old railway carriage with a piano player; went and saw skeletons in catacombs and ate several good meals. I really enjoyed spending some more time with Joanne and Matt - it was all very chilled, exactly what was needed after Cusco.

I do feel that I didn't really give Cusco the time it deserved, but moving on meant I had time to get to Huanchaco to meet up with Ursula (great friend from Quito who has been travelling in Peru for almost two years).

Last Tuesday I got on another night bus and made my way to Trujillo and then Huanchaco.

A note about Lima:

I was surprised that I enjoyed Lima as I had had absolutely no interest in spending time there - however as with many things, I think it has a lot to do with who your with and the company was excellent!

Cusco & Macchu Picchu

I arrived in Cusco on the 6th of May and was excited about the prospect of some partying as it had been a fairly quiet month. We were staying in The Wild Rover which has quite a reputation. On our first night we put it to the test...

There was glitter; dancing on the bar; nurses hats; random banter; pints of rum and coke; lots of smiling and laughing...and rather a lot of missing memory. I remember buzzing around the bar talking to many different people - Rhian confirmed this and the great big grin on my face...I'm just not sure how I ended up in the right dorm but the wrong bed. The only reason I found out was because the correct owner of the bunk arrived back at 7am..at first I denied everything, but it quickly became apparent that she was right and I was indeed in her bed. I quickly apologised and snuck into my own for a few more hours kip. Luckily Rhian also had some significant gaps so that made me feel considerably better.

Saturday was a fairly non day apart from a massage in the afternoon - one of my favourite hangover cures. Although I did get a little concerned whilst waiting for my massage when an American gent was being fairly vocal about how much he was enjoying his massage - had I stumbled into a den of ill repute? Luckily no, he was just a twat! Hahahahahaha!

On Sunday there was a big 'Killer' pool tournament - I declined entry, but did get chatting to a lovely couple called Joanne and Matt. We were having a splendid time and being marginally foolish. Matt won the tournament and therefore we had to dance on the bar to celebrate! After that we decided the casino was also a marvellous plan..Joanne declined, but Matt and I were all for it. (I've never been into a casino in my life, and still haven't as we were declined entry because we were too drunk - even after I tried to explain in my best Spanish!!).

"Where now?" I enquired.

"To Mama Afrika's," replied Matt.

After that it all becomes a bit blurry again...I know there was dancing though, lots of dancing. And Matt wearing my hat.

Monday was a strange day...I really wasn't happy about two nights with so much missing memory. I was also feeling kind of down as I knew I would be going in a separate direction from Rhian and Simon the next day. It was a vulnerable and fragile day, for different reasons. I decided an early night was the best plan of attack as I was heading to Aguas Calientes the next day and would be hitting Macchu Picchu on Wednesday. 

Unfortunately an early night was impossible with the noise from the bar; the noise from two of my room mates who kept coming in and out of the room in various stages of intoxication and the noise from my brain over thinking.

The journey to Ollyantambo was spent mostly asleep; as was the train trip to Aguas Calientes to be honest. The train runs through a beautiful valley, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open. 

On arrival in Aguas Calientes we were met by a guy from our hostel (there were a few of us who had taken the trip from Cusco). After being shown my room I went wandering and later bumped into the others and spent some more time wandering with them. 

We were met by a guide later that night in the hostel and advised to get up and leave the hostel by 3am in order to get on the first bus to Macchu Picchu - this would mean we would be able to be one of the four hundred who are able to get tickets to climb Huayna Picchu. However, our hostel told us they would get breakfast ready for 3am - this seemed reasonable (as reasonable as getting up at that hour in the morning can be!). By this point it was about 8pm and I retired, once more hoping for an early night...

But, no...across the street from my room they were refurbishing a shop - this went on all night. I finally got to sleep after midnight and only slept for two to three hours. Regardless of this fact, I was still one of the first to breakfast. 

The two hour wait at the bus station for the first bus at 5.30am was tedious and I got a very numb bum. Sleeping for about twenty minutes on the actual bus did not make up for it. We arrived at about 6am...our guide wasn't due until 7.45am. The others went off wandering around the site but I didn't want to do that as I knew I'd pay no attention to the guide if I'd already looked around - I know what I'm like. 

I spotted some folks I recognised from Friday night - they confirmed that I had been highly entertaining...when they went on their way I found a quiet spot and waited for the sun. It was perfect, I watched the sun coming over the mountain tops and slowly lighting up the whole site. Just beautiful!

I had this lovely spot to myself for some time - until tour groups started arriving with guides pointing out the incredible view. I was glad to have had my own tranquil meditation with Macchu Picchu.

The guided tour was much as I expected, at times interesting and at times a little dull. The site is incredible though and it was definitely worth going. Unfortunately though, my fear of heights kicked in a couple of times walking around, so I decided there was no way I would cope with the climb up Huayna Picchu - just looking at it made me feel sick!

Lack of sleep sometimes made it difficult to pay attention and at one point I almost fell asleep on my feet! Snacks purchased in Aguas Calientes helped me to stay awake. When the tour finished, I spent some more time wandering on my own and got back to Aguas Calientes by lunchtime. The afternoon was spent mostly eating or reading 'The Motorcycle Diaries', which I found in a bookshop there.

I finally got back to Cusco at about 11pm - it probably would have been wise to go to bed. However I grabbed a shower and joined the party!

Another marvellous night ensued - one which I actually remember - hurray! More bar dancing in several different locations; cartwheels on the street; running round different streets to beat the others back to the hostel; boys play fighting; post beer burgers - I ate Matt's, oops! He forgave me though and wouldn't take any money.

Thursday - by the time I got up, Matt and some of the staff were already on the shots (and it was only midday!). The afternoon progressed into a loving jamming session - with Shaun (who I jammed with in Santiago), myself and Rowan (bar staff). It was a really lovely and chilled afternoon - perfect after a ridiculous night! Or it was, until someone said something particularly nasty to me.

The nastiness may have come from a kind of jealousy, or a nose being put out of joint, but it was unnecessary and unkind. It also made me make the decision to leave Cusco the next day and follow Matt and Joanne to Lima, I wanted to be around good people. I also decided that from Lima I would head on to Huanchaco to catch up with Ursula.

Lake Titicaca

The journey to Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca was one of the shortest for some time! We were slightly baffled at one point when we were told to leave the bus for safety reasons. However it soon became clear that we actually had to cross Lake Titicaca to reach our destination (this was via the Straits of Tiquina). It's quite mental seeing a big ol' bus being loaded onto a barge type thing and floating across the water.

We stayed at the Ecolodge just outside Copacabana. We had a lovely cabaña in the garden. The people at the hostel were very sweet and even went out to get us pizza after we'd drunk a couple of bottles of red wine. Rhian and I managed to get through a third bottle and we had a very giggly evening! However as our stay progressed, we realised that although they were very sweet, they didn't really have clue (they've only been there for about a month). For example, they made our beds but didn't empty the bins or clean the bathroom.

Copacabana was a sweet, touristy town. On our second day there we wandered around and saw various vehicles being blessed (we had arrived during one of their fiestas). I liked it because it was a place for Bolivian tourists as well as travellers. We also discovered a very naughty shop, with many lovely bags and beautiful jewellery. I actually managed to resist - shocking!

Last Tuesday we took a boat to Isla del Sol. I was quite grumpy in the morning and I think it was because of there being a feeling of unknown about the trip to the island - if I'd been on my own I don't think it would have bothered me, but as I had made the suggestion of only going for the day I think I was worried that Simon and Rhian may have been disappointed. It was a bit of a step back into the past and I didn't enjoy it - my issue though.

We trekked across the island and it was beautiful - hard at times but most definitely worth it. It also confirmed that whilst I'm happy to trek for a day, I just wouldn't enjoy a trek that was over several days. 

After this we had one last night in the hostel before heading to Puno. We were all excited about seeing the floating islands. Also Simon was much better and Rhian was improving too.

(Whilst in Copcabana, Simon and I developed quite a pringles habit!)

The bus to Puno took about three hours; the border crossing was straightforward; I was happy to be back in Peru.

At our new hostel, we were about to knock on the door when it suddenly opened and we were called 'angels' by Alfred our new host! He was brilliant and really made us all giggle - particularly me and Rhian. He was most definitely a larger than life character!!

Sadly the next day when we woke up to head to the islands, Simon was ill again, so Rhian and I set off without him. The islands were fascinating - we stopped on one and got invited into one of the women's houses - before we knew it we were being dressed in traditional costumes. The woman was quite scary and when I misunderstood something she said in Spanish, she scowled at me. There were also souvenirs to buy -it was difficult because I felt obliged to buy something but I didn't really like anything there. I settled for a small mobile in the end.

Back at the ranch, Simon was still in a bad way - I think due to the altitude. Rhian and I explored and had a nice girlie afternoon. We both hoped he'd feel better the next day as we had bought tickets to get to Cusco.