Notes from the future: Because its Saint Patrick’s Day next week and because it has been almost a year since my last post, I thought I would share my Premier TEFL interview experience. It is daunting returning to this blog because I am now teaching between 30 and 35 contact hours a week in Dublin. It leaves little room to post about my stories in my book and memories of the past. However, inspiration comes from the small things. Cian and his partner Uisce really enjoyed reading these stories, and told me this days before their journey to teach in Korea.
The other point is that this story is set before my planned trip to Saigon and before Saint Patrick’s Day, which makes it a bit tricky to pin down canonically. Maybe I have a few more things to brush off before posting more about Saigon.
So this post is dedicated to Cian and Uisce. Thank you both for keeping me motivated to post on here. It means a lot, and I wish you both the best for your time in Ulsan/울산광역시
On with the show…
March 2018
It was a return trip back from Co Nhue with Niamh, Chris and Mia, around 5PM and around the end of the CT20 ringroad. The Convention Center’s wavy rooftop appeared in the distance, as Niamh found out something via an e-mail. It was from Premier TEFL, the organizers of mine, Niamh and Chris’s internship to Vietnam. Most others in Hanoi used i-to-i or the TEFL Academy, but we had used Premier TEFL for our certs. They had e-mailed us requesting to contribute to an interview over the internship. But a special one waited for me a few weeks later on a Sunday evening.
I read that they wanted to interview me for Saint Patrick’s Day. Being one of the Irish teachers they had in a far flung place certainly helped my case with getting published on their blog. It was a bit of fun, and with a few photos already collected by this point of the internship, I wrote it all up and replied.
Sure enough, it appeared near the day, and it looked great. Less well looking was the edited video with my words overlaid over still pictures. I think it would have been better to have used a video interview for that. The main issue I would have had with the interview was that it wanted 100% positivity. That’s understandable as the company did want to have more internship programs, but I did feel it was a bit lacking in honesty considering BME was not being great to a few teachers around this time. Interns like us also tended to know by that point that we were getting paid less than we should, and the schools we were sent to were not as great as the full timers. A real trial by fire scenario despite having a lot of fun elsewhere.
Even so, it was just one of the many small things that I enjoyed doing while I was in Cau Giay. It was enjoyable to share a story like this to friends and family while I was there, and exciting to see it published on the site I was studying on months earlier.
Its a regrettable but understandable decision. If I was in a box of a room for over 2/3rds of the program I would want to leave too. I just wonder why he didn’t leave sooner with all the unfortunate problems building up. At least he will return home and recover in a familiar place. I have suggested to the 5 a side group to call the final match the Jon Howard classic. I hope that happens.
The week has been interesting. The school’s classes have an air of finality to them, as only a few weeks remain, and the teachers here are being less strict about student behaviour and lessons now that tests are over.
Plans about travelling inevitably crop up. I need to check out Laos, Cambodia and Thailand before taking a trip to Hong Kong. South Vietnam remains untouched as of this entry, but by the end of this week I will be in Saigon checking out if it really is this neon futuristic city. The cu chi tunnels are likely the big attraction for me there. I have checked into a hostel recommended by Lonely Planet, so it should be fine. I have chosen Hong Kong for a summer job, as it fits nicely into the September start date. I still remain undecided to work in Hanoi from September. I miss my family and cats, and all the little things that are home.
The previous post on this was very brief and honestly an incomplete write up in my book. It surprised me that I never wrote a full extract based on Jon’s health throughout the internship and I feel this would be a better way to write about it.
Jon was one of the first people I clicked with, sharing that eternally common bonding thought in Vietnam of “this river fish felt more undercooked than we thought huh?!”. From there we were chilling out on floor 4 in house 5 for the most part, so it was easy to have small talk with him and Megan after classes. Jon had been doing fine for the first month and a bit through January and Tet. However, it had become apparent by mid March that with his mounting illnesses and mindset, he was not fit enough to actually teach a crazy class of 60+ students every day, and had been reduced to spending weeks in his room. Myself and Megan were always concerned about him, hoping he was OK, and heading to the shops to get him food and drink when he felt like it. When his mother visited, it was a welcome relief, but he still was inside his room, sometimes moving furniture around to change the monotony of what his small living area was.
And they weren’t exactly mansion sized…
The tipping point was when Tu visited the house when I was on an afternoon break. Herself and Nathalie were in the building checking on him and basically getting him to sign off on employment with BME. I never knew if he did or not, but they clearly wanted that room for someone else and weren’t getting their moneys worth. Jon may have been in his room recovering, but to BME they saw 4 out of 12 weeks teaching as bad. But BME always think like that, money over people and all that.
And of course for me, the nadir was when we got so excited to see him out and about on Cat Ba, only for him to be in his room for 99% of the trip. So in a way I was glad that he was leaving for the UK and set to recover back home. I had a lot of craic with him and hoped he would be better.
Cat Ba meals
Which leads to his going away party at Cowboy Jacks. Diane, Andy, Kristina, Alex and I were planning on bringing Jon to what is as close to an American dining experience as we could find. He had posted on Facebook about the event and it seemed like a locked in plan. They did burgers and chips, so it seemed like a good idea. We sat down and enjoyed a beer, taking in the atmosphere and just unwinding. It was an enjoyable meal, but there was just one small problem…
Jon wasn’t there.
Even with messages as decisive as this!
He was still in his room and had called off his plan to go to his own going away party! And it just so happened that when we were leaving the pub, that a whole host of interns had also found out and wanted to surprise Jon by appearing outside. It was actually impressive that we had all the ingredients to an amazing night but missing the actual person we were celebrating. Think the hangover, but with 50+ people rather than a handful of characters. We decided ‘feck it’ and headed to house 5, demanding Jon make an appearance at the lobby. Thankfully he did, and we just had a good lot of chill, with drinks and music.
It was really lovely seeing Jon with all the people that were happy to see him before he left. I hope he enjoyed one more big session. Then as the other groups headed their own ways, be it to the city center, the bia hoi’s, or just their own houses, it was back to a quiet night in. I had some final cans, before heading to my room to chill.
I hope he’s doing well with whatever work he is doing back in the UK. He was sorely missed for the rest of the internship and was a real tribute for all the subsequent drinks and football tournaments. This bia is to you Jon!
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Its been an uneventful yet thought provoking week. I was called into the BME office to discuss a contract extension. They want a decision by Monday. Whether they get a yes or no from me depends on where I will travel next: Thailand, Hong Kong or Hanoi. All 3 have merit: Hong Kong has recently come up online, but it fits snugly with with a September Hanoi start. Thailand feels more secure, run by ELC, but it is until October and BME are hesitant about an October start. All choices are worth doing and hopefully I can get at least one.
Sadly John is leaving Vietnam. I hate seeing him feeling down in the dumps so its for the best that he recovers at home with family. We will have a party for him before he goes if he wishes.
John’s going away party. He was actually absent from his party proper at Cowboy Jacks.
Apart from eating a mysterious pork meat in Mon Hue and posting some Sa Pa postcards, I remained home for the week. We watched the original Mad Max and School of Rock on Saturday, and the godawful ‘Atomic Falafel’ on Sunday. Accellerator and ATM were better than that dross.
Friday was more interesting. It was a trip to the birdcage nightclub. It is outdoors and with 90’s/00’s hip hop. Will Smith featured prominently, as did Eminem. Last time I was there, it was messy, but this time it was enjoyable, and the group left at the right time, around 2AM. So much for escaping the mentality of Dublin’s 2.30AM ban when we leave at that time of night anyway.
Note from the future: yes, that is how the entry ends. I guess Johns going away party, Kelly’s birthday and the plans for the future really occupied my time to the point of me not writing a good entry. Still, its part of the book, and worth putting in.
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Dublin is not a city of skyscrapers. In fact, the tallest structures are not even buildings. The Poolbeg chimneys, and the Spire are the 2 tallest monuments in the capital city, with the now iconic latter reaching a meager 120 meters into the sky. Most other buildings struggle to reach 50 meters, with only the top 3 even scared to reach 80 meters. As it stands, 2 dirty chimneys and a shiny erection to the celtic tiger are the most recognizable element of Dublins skyline. L…Lush??
The imposing view from the entrance
The Lotte tower by comparison trumps all of those, standing at just over 270 meters by comparison. As of the time of writing it is Hanoi’s 2nd tallest building, and while it does stand out among the nearby Ba Đình and Lakeside buildings, it would stand well in the Cau Giay district, full of tall skyscrapers. It certainly is the building to visit if you want a panoramic view of the city, unlike Landmark 72, which may be taller but is further to the south in Nam Từ Liêm. If you ever live in Ba Đình, chances are this will become your landmark for grab bikes to drive to, or a good meeting up point. Even in smoggy conditions, the building sides and top floors illuminate red and pierce through the cloud. Its almost like a classic evil building, dark and ominous with stripes of red really do make it imposing on a dark night.
Lotte Center (right) from the roof of my house, 2020.
It was the final weekend before the long weekend, and before yet another trip, I felt like doing something in the city to unwind. The plan was just to visit the center and view the city from the observation deck. That definitely happened, but there was more to the story…
View from one of the windows of Tay Ho lake, Quần Ngựa arena and the long, connecting Văn Cao street
First off, the observation deck was great. I never actually made it into the shopping area of the building, instead taking an escalator underground to buy a ticket. From there, I went through a heart shaped entrance into the lift. An assistant pressed a button, and then the lights went out and the ceiling displayed the cosmos of the stars, as if we were taking off in a rocket. In all honesty I was just impressed with how quick it took to get to the 65th floor. If this was Ireland it would have taken 4 or 5 minutes, not a matter of seconds!
Once reaching the top, I was impressed by what was on offer. All sides had thick glass to give you a 360 degree view of the city as you walk around the floor, and there was even a daunting glasswalk to feel the height of the building. It was wise not to wear shoes on the glass. I felt the fear in me but did it walking and lying down. Photos had to be taken here eh?
Another enjoyable part was a futuristic keypad where you could type messages to people and particles would arrange themselves into the message. I send a birthday message in advance for Maria, and also a message to my TA in Kim Giang, Linh.
But most of all, the highlight really became watching the city go from bright and hazy to dark and illuminated. The skyscrapers all lit up, animating all sorts of great LED projections and colours. Most of the action was back at Cau Giay, but the city as a whole had lots to see. West lake from above revealed it as an oxbow shape, and the road from the lake all the way to the BME accommodation was seen to be a 5km spine for the city, linking the older city to all of the newer built up districts. It was small wonder that I called my family to let them know where I was at that moment.
Another message on the display
The lake and Cầu Giấy district to the left hand side
The long road to the accommodation
Trung Hoa from the observation deck
After the deck, I was about to get on a grab bike back to Trung Hoà when I noticed a message from Chris. At this point he was in a bad way from a split with Zoe. Yet when I got back to him, he was excited to see me. It turns out he had a room booked in the tower for the 2 of them on that night, but obviously with the break up he was in the room solo. But it was only when he came downstairs to meet me in the lobby that he let me in on something; He won a deluxe suite and his room was upgraded for the night.
We headed into the hotel section of the building, roughly 40 floors up, and I walked in. I was astonished by the room. Imagine those M briefings in early James Bond films and it would feel like that. There was a huge bed, a desk for writing, a large bathroom, an entire living area with sofa and chairs, and a generally large 100m2 space to wander about in. It was a large room. But of course the highlight was the view. Its one thing to get a view from the observation deck, but quite another to have that view to gaze at all night long. Myself and Chris even switched off the lights to take it in. He was glad that SOMEONE was around to see this. Happily, Sadie and Kelly were on the way too.
The room’s M style desk
Bedroom and with window view. The massive bathroom behind isn’t pictured
After about an hour of enjoying the scenery, We headed up to the skybar, to be absolutely fancy-AF. I ordered a Saigon special that cost a whopping 200k, but I really should have ordered some sparkling wine or a drink and mixer considering the location. The glass was ice cold though, and the peanuts served as a side dish were a nice touch. It was all I ate that day, but hunger wasn’t on my mind when I was experiencing something fun and enjoyable.
The four of us settled in a corner by the jazz band. Sadie was recovering from an illness, but she was well enough to give this night a go. A Korean singer and the band were playing all the smooth and classic hits. A bit of Adele and Amy Winehouse cropped up as well, as the skyscrapers glowed outside the windows. It was a wonderful moment. It was great turning what was a simple sightseeing trip into one of Hanoi’s true highlights.
After all this, I left Chris and headed back to house 5, and had a quick trip to Circle K to get a few snacks before bed. It was a really great day to have a proper city view, something I always enjoy doing on holidays to cities. But also to help a teacher out when so many others were out on weekends to other places. And to finish the night chilling with cans in the room was always enjoyable, as the call to more adventures were looming large.
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Ultimately it was going to be hard following up the previous Sapa post. Between all the dancing, drinking and stargazing, I thought I had had my fill of adventure. But that said, the following day also featured its share of walking and stunning views.
I had woken up fairly early, with my hips aching from sleeping both in a colder climate and with a hard mattress. I needed to stretch my legs a bit to get some more warmth in them. Fortunately, after slowly coming downstairs from the attic, there was quite a wonderful sunrise to behold. It was a few hours after the sun came up and the hills were illuminated. The scenery was vibrant once more, with the foliage and rice fields really showing off.
By this point in the morning there wasn’t much in the way of the whole group being together. Andy was on the rock we had been stargazing on the previous night, Abi and Sarah were sitting on the concrete path looking at the views, and Niamh was fending off the kids that were testing their martial arts on her. The rest were just in bed chilling out or letting their phones charge. It was a pleasantly slow start, where you could take in the surroundings and wander around the patios.
Eventually people did wake up. At this point I was dying for some more water, but all that was around was sparkling. It was disappointing but necessary. At least some green tea came out quickly after. The food was just what was needed though. Banana and honey pancakes. Really tasty, unsurprisingly fresh, and likely picked from down the road. The pancakes were more like crepes, but wasn’t sugar coated or sweet. Combined with a few berries and everyone’s electronics charged up and we were ready to begin our hike.
The day was clearer than yesterday, which never seemed to escape the mountain mist. Those who brought suncream applied it to their faces and we were off. The sun was gorgeous, reminiscent of Spanish hillside towns in the mountains. The key difference between yesterdays hike and todays was the terrain. The walk back to Sa Pa had far more concrete road than the grassy and rugged paths of the previous day. There were even road marker stones to give an idea of where we were heading. This did make the walking a bit easier than the mountain hikes, but it also showed us how far away we were from the town. Even so, a little girl seemed to have no trouble walking the long distances with us. When she wasn’t, she would get on Mao’s shoulders and she would carry her most of the way.
After quite a few kilometers of walking we made it to the valley bed. A river was flowing through, and we crossed a rickety iron bridge to get to the other side. We took a good few photos here, with the bridge making for a change to the usual rice fields and road. A few kids were playing in the river bed too, but with water being a brownish colour, we wouldn’t have dared to try! It was no Wicklow stream, and with the rocks and grit surrounding it we wouldn’t have given it a go.
Another few crossings later and we made it to a small village, with an uphill main path through the huts and stalls. We settled into a dining spot, where we were served some rice and got to rest our legs for a while. The little girl was excited to see the photos we had taken, as well as some of the apps you could play on them. I really enjoyed having time to chill, take in the atmosphere of the restaurant, and reflect on the walking through the tropical valley.
To our surprise, once we headed to the end of the village, a minibus was ready to pick us up and bring us back to the town center. This was a relief, as by then my feet were in pain from the new hiking boots. At least after 2 days of wearing them, they were getting worn in and helpful for future hikes. We all got in and did a Far Cry 4 into, as the van rocked wildly at speed through the valley with a high chance of bumping off the roadside into the valley. It was a narrow dirt track, but we got to the town and civilization promptly.
The final hour in Sapa was nice, but I did wish I did more. I spent a bit of time in the market with Andy, and then had a good look around the town streets, but I missed out on the sun plaza station and the central lake. Still, getting back on the sleeper bus, I reflected on my time with fondness. As the bus winded through the hills back to Hanoi, I checked the photos, wrote down a few things, and listened to a few tunes on the MP3 player, ready for another week…
For travellers wishing to try a tour like this, the website to visit is below. Here, you can see photos, and a description of weekend tours on offer. On top of this, I would also like to give a shoutout to Dom and his tour company, Tour with Dom. He takes tourists across North Vietnam, from Hanoi to Halong. He would also be knowledgeable of Sapa if you contact him about it, and I would highly recommend his tours.
Note from the future: I got a job in the time between my book post of Sa Pa and this post. It turned out to be a position that ate up all of my free time and it made work on this site during my free time difficult. That being said I felt the need to write up my experiences with whatever free time I had so here we go!
If you ever spend a holiday or extended stay in Vietnam and plan on travelling to the various hotspots, at some point the chances are you will take a nightbus. The nightbus in Vietnam consisted of a coach with bunk bed seats taking up the left, right and center of the bus. The two aisles were narrow and instantly changed the space on a coach that in almost any other country would be just a left and right row with a centre aisle. The beds are OK but for a westerner can feel too short for your frame. I personally had to bend my legs a lot during these trips and they really got rough during the longer trips, such as from Da Nang all the way to Saigon. The toilet at the back of the bus was quite smelly so most sensible people would do their best to stay from the middle to the front of the bus. And even though they are designed for sleeping in, I never had a wink of sleep in any of my trips on them. And that was definitely the case with the bus to Sa Pa.
An example of the bus from the center bed-seat
The Cambodian version. Bring a Klaang
Another blurry view
The bus left Hanoi’s Old Quarter at around 10 at night. The city sky was pitch black and illuminated by the lights of the main road nearby. Pip had booked the tour, so we got our tickets off her and waited around for one of the busses to arrive. As we got on I played music from my MP3 player as the wifi on the bus was nonexistent. And from that moment until around 5 or 6 in the morning I didn’t rest. The shaking and swaying of the bus driving along the potholed road was just too distracting and disturbed me every time.
At least getting off the bus was a refresher. Even though I was tired, the colder air of Sa Pa was felt immediately and the misty air felt great. It almost felt like a European town up in the mountains, with greener grass and French architecture. The group went into one of the cafes to get a coffee and a small breakfast of bread and eggs before heading out.
Photo taken by Chloe Berridge
After a quick photo op we headed out and began trekking through the village. It seemed like we headed away from the town rather than into the center, passing a market and a few shops. Then began the trek up a hill that got steeper and steeper for a good while. I was glad I brought my hiking boots for this, but at the same time this was their first time out in the elements. It would be interesting to see if they could last the trek. The hill felt at first to be fairly easy going, full of greenery and even a shamrock or two! The guides were making a few heart shaped flower chains and Megan used it as a brooch for the journey.
We took our first break near the first plateau, with the full extent of the town in view and plenty of greenery. I was glad to drink some la vie while taking a few more photos.
However, this was nothing compared to the second view at the other end of the plateau; the entire Sapa valley!
The drop between the mountain peaks and the valley below was the highest I had ever seen. It felt like a giant wall that seemed inconceivable to cross without using a helicopter or a plane. Indeed, this area was close to the Chinese border and it would be understandable to have ranges like this make up a natural border between the two countries. On this side of the border at least, everything between the mountains to the river consisted of rice fields and small huts. Animals would appear on the road, from donkeys to buffalo’s, ducks and boars. It was all very rural and a far cry from the bustling city streets of Hanoi.
Unfortunately, after a lot of walking, my feet started to feel extreme pain. My hiking boots weren’t broken in, and it led to very stiff boots that weren’t fitting with my feet. It was getting so bad that I was thinking of my far more comfortable asics runners at the house. Fortunately, we had a break in a stop off building. I bought a sash and a wristband off 2 small kids before enjoying a meal of rice and soup. It was what was needed, and with the rain pelting the sheet metal roof, a good time to take shelter.
The following walk was a real case of leaving your body so that your mind could take in all the beauty. By this point my heels felt an agony on par with Kurt Angle giving me the ankle lock, but I was too occupied by the lush vegetation, the wildlife, the sheer drop into the valley below, and the rice terraces. It seemed as if every few meters had a new sight to behold. Even a motorbike parked by the rice fields seemed photogenic to me. We took a break on one of the terraces, took a few photos, and continued our hike, where the waterfalls would have streams flow on the road itself and buffalos would cross our path. It was all very, well, Vietnamese.
The final stretch was a stroll to the homestay. We approached some hemp plants of all things before making it into the house. It was large, similar to a camping house back home. I took off my boots upon my first contact with the concrete entrance, and the relief was hard to describe. Passing a makeshift shed with wood, I sat on a chair and took in the rice field sight, this time in a real state of relaxation. And of course, now that we had all sat down, it wasn’t long before the iced teas and beers came out!
The hut itself was big enough to fit at least 10 people. It looked traditional, and really made in a time before the internet. Mosquito nets and the open windows were your only real cooling features. I was in the attic with Megan and that seemed to be the coldest area at least. The mattress was thin but I was sure to at least rest a bit with some music playing. I had a few hours to myself before the evenings festivities at least. I checked out my photos and saw if there was much signal, but alas there was none. My banjaxed phone was better off charging.
The evening began with everyone downstairs. None of us had dressed particularly fancy, but out here there was really no need. We were given an absolute feast, and spring rolls instantly became my go to while others had mushrooms and vegetables. Some rice, a few noodles and salad leaves also were had. It was all tasty, but the host had some other plans…
Rice wine came out by the bottle, and it wasn’t long before we all chugged down our shot. Humourously, myself and Andy replicated the Deer Hunter with bandanas and rice wine shots to see who would last longer. It was all in good fun, and eventually everyone was getting in on the act. It was clear the rice wine was just not going to stop. Michael was really getting into an enjoyable spirit, and it was great to see after previously only knowing him from 5 a side and class work.
We eventually did some karaoke, some musical chairs and a few other party games before things would down. A few of us went to a nearby rock to reminisce. I saw a few shooting stars in the sky, and made a few wishes too. It wasn’t even that late, but it felt like 4 in the morning if this was Ireland. I was going to the toilet a lot too, and heading downstairs from a creaky attic frequently wasn’t the stealthiest version of me by a long shot. Eventually we all headed to sleep, with plenty of walking and photos ahead of us. But for the day that passes, it was wonderful. Who cares about the sore heels when the photographs were excellent, the banter fun and the adventure one of a kind.
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Heading to Sapa. The week has been one long week of speaking tests, loud students and broken TA’s. At least its over, and not particularly difficult. We will see how the written tests fare next week.
I am writing this section on a ‘night bus’. It has bunk beds of reclined seats. In theory it is comfortable as busses go, but in practice it feels like I am lying in a dental chair. I am too tall for the seat, and the movement doesn’t help as the bus hits potholes and swerves around windy roads. I am listening to music and sending messages on the phone to pass the time. I travelled from 9PM to 6AM, barely getting any sleep, but much rest.
First impressions of Sapa are not bad. 7°C temperatures and green hills remind me in some ways of Kilternan, perhaps around October or November. The town is what I imagine a typical winter retreat to be. Of course, there are still rice vendors and bike rentals. As a group we ate fried eggs and toast for a familiar breakfast.
The trek begins! What starts as a walk through the town turns into hillwalks and photoshoots all through the route. Lots of mud walks and steep ascents at first. By the first peak my t-shirt was so sweaty I had to put on the spare one in my bag. The guides have been very friendly, with a unique mountainous dress and an infectious laugh! Despite their age they travel across the difficult terrain, well, without any difficulty.
After the first peak was a stunning view of the valley on the right. The mountain ridge was so tall and the valley so deep it was mesmerizing and intimidating at the same time. Rice fields could be seen at the bottom. Each subsequent walk, climb and descent revealed something else worth taking pictures of. Free range wildlife, the odd scooter, greenery and fields everywhere you could see.
Eventually a problem emerged: My new hiking boots were hurting my ankle. I had not worn them in enough before trekking. By the end I was in a lot of pain. Hopefully I have the pain threshold to get back to Sapa village.
Lunch was at a local stopover restaurant in the hills. It was quite touristy despite the great authentic food. Children sold wrist bands constantly and locals haggled their clothing. I got a colourful belt off them.
The rain had passed over the restaurant and we continued. By now the ankle pain was unbearable. Fortunately we made it to the homestay house. Beers and a stunning view greeted us all, as was a dinner. It was a deliciously local feast of rice, chicken, mushrooms, spring rolls and beansprouts. I obviously ignored mushrooms but all else was great. The sight of a few cattle passing the front door with a boy riding on one was bizarre indeed.
After dinner was the very dangerous ‘happy water’ AKA rice wine. I ended up having 5 shots reenacting scenes from the deer hunter with Andy. Cheers to the governor, musical chairs and musical statues followed, as did a singing contest. It was all drunken fun.
The night ended with stargazing. It reminded me of the Spanish countryside with its silence and stars. I even managed to catch 3 shooting stars pass through the night sky. We all went in before 11pm after that. However, a trip to the outback toilet later gave me a different sight; a half moon rising above the tallest mountain peaks. Could this be the best place to have a midnight wee? Possibly.
08-APR-2018
I had a cold sleep, but woke up to a roosters call. We ate a surprising pancake plate with locally grown bananas and honey. Extra water was welcome. I only had a litre of water yesterday.
Trekking continued. Fortunately for me, I only had flat terrain to walk through the villages, riverbeds and downhill. My ankles would be saved from the pain of downhill descents with runners.
we crossed bridges, rivers, high passes and small villages before stopping for lunch. More rice and chicken, but I didn’t mind. Afterwards was a surprise trip to a minibus straight to Sa Pa. That was relaxing after a long hike!
We finished up having an all too brief look at the town markets before saying goodbye to our guides and returning to Hanoi. It was a beautiful place, with welcoming hosts snd a great atmosphere from everyone there.
Andy taking pictures
The market
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Looking from the peak, it felt like Cat Ba as a trip was split neatly in two. The first part was definitely the adventurous half, with motorbiking, discovering places at our own pace and just enjoying the landscape. The second half was a much more relaxed affair with they odd wander.
Returning from the peak, darkness had fallen and we were using torches to find our way back to town. The bars may have only been 300 meters away, but getting back required a few kilometers of winding roads downhill. After finding the keys to the bikes, we were running dangerously low on petrol. To make do, I would be using all of my acceleration on hills and letting the bike coast downhill with the engine off. It was drastic but it did catch us off guard with consumption climbing up hills. The town was brightly lit up, welcoming us back with plenty of seafood stalls outside and bars open. It was a treat to see a smaller town celebrate a weekend, but it also seemed to have a lot more going on than a town of its size should. The large archway for Cat Ba harbour was lit up, as were two searchlights. I had to take it in while the others headed back to the hotel, only a few hundred meters away.
The town at night
Returning to the hotel, I checked on Jon but again, he was not feeling the best and wanted rest. It was a real disappointment as this was one of the few times he was out of Hanoi and he just couldn’t make it out of his room. I was happy he had drank the juice and water I got him earlier, but he didn’t want me to get him more drinks or come out to the outdoor tables. While he had spent many weeks in his room sick, I think from that point on I felt his days on the internship were numbered. Fair dues to him though, he wanted me to have fun with the rest of House 5 that night, so that’s what I did.
To change the mood, I had a shower and got ready for an evening eating by the Oasis pool. I had a wonderful clam soup, easily the best seafood dish I had to that point. The lemongrass and spring onions in a clear broth really gave it flavour compared to the mysterious fish in the CWD that didn’t go down well. Following that, I joined the girls at a table right by the pool.
Closest image I could find that compared to the dish
The night was excellent to start with. We just chilled out, had buckets and chatted away as the background music was set to an hour of chill trap music on YouTube that all the cool kids liked at the time. We didn’t mind as it wasn’t too intrusive, and the buckets were going down well. After a few Tigers I tried some of Rebecca’s bucket and it was strong! I would have considered the bucket to have twice the amount of vodka as I would have expected. It did catch up to her as she headed to bed at 10, along with Diane and Andy.
The night finished up in the Oasis club. It started out fun, with old 90’s tunes remixed with trap music, but then it got drowned out with trap house, and it was too much for myself, Sarah, Kristina and Alex. They still had balloons and we tried to get in the vibe, but it just didn’t click. We weren’t dancing our socks off to the trap house. We headed back before midnight like the aul ones we were!
I got up surprisingly early the following morning. By 7 I was staring at the rising sun over the harbour, and I decided that it was a good a time and place as any to write down stuff in my book. It had been a while, but the inspiration was flooding in with boats moving, the noise of passing traffic muted, and with space to myself while the others slept in. I also took some time to check out the town for postcards, but found little more than a quiet market. It was something, but not what I wanted. Cat Ba deserved its place in Vietnam’s postcard collection.
The harbour arch
the market
Following the groups plans of visiting the nearby beach, I backtracked past the hotel and on a short road up a hill. At the brow of the hill, a gorgeous beach revealed itself.
Alex enjoying the view
I joined the others at the beach and had a quick swim in. The limestone islands in the distance evoked something similar to the Beach, but far more exposed to the sea. If it wasn’t for the JCB and construction work on one side of the beach, it could have been top 5 Vietnamese beaches potential. As is, you have to wipe that out off your mind as you get in and swim in the warm shallow water.
I decided to return on the early bus back, so I left the others behind and got on, fearing the Monday morning grog at school. In truth its another instance of arriving in Hanoi perhaps too early. They got a bus that brought them back to Hanoi in the late hours, but it would have been nice to have a bus that departed at 2 or 3 to get me more beach time. Even so, it was a really enjoyable weekend. A day where you can have the sun and sea, and at the same time the jungle adventures is always welcome. Not quite Ha Long, but it was still a worthy use of my time, and worth another visit.
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Cat Ba island is a place I think of that’s overlooked in the grand scheme of Northern Vietnamese travel. I feel that if Ha Long Bay had a cruise that was of poorer quality than the Oasis Bay Cruise, then I would have placed Cat Ba above Ha Long in terms of fun and discovery over the internship. The largest of the islands around the Ha Long area, it was full of the stunning limestone islands as you would expect, but its larger area also meant national parks, motorbiking from beach to beach, a large enough town to get some fantastic seafood meals, and of course a good pub with a pool, but more on that in a bit.
This trip was much more of a house 5 trip than the last few ones. Myself, Andy, Diane, Alex, Kristina, Sarah and Jon were all raring to go to the island for a weekend break. The exception to this house 5 clique was Rebecca. By this point she had visited me and the others a lot and we had even set up the telly downstairs to watch School of Rock once under her suggestion. It was nice to have her along at least.
We packed and regrouped at the Old Quarter, waiting for the Cat Ba Express. Memory recalls Andy was looking for weasel or egg coffee, but the bus had arrived before we had any time to truly settle down anywhere. Surprisingly it was one of the few times I had felt like I was taking in the Old Quarter and not just on the back of a bike speeding through it to beer street. Among all the hustle and bustle of cables, motorbikes and old houses, a bus arrived, and we got on.
The drive to Cat Ba was very similar to Ha Longs; a stop at a gas station halfway through (with cute doggos), a few snacks, and a telly on the bus showing Mr Bean. All familiar stuff, until we got on a boat…
Kristina with the small dogs.
being an island, we got a boat, before getting a second minibus that drove through to the destinations and hotels. Rebecca hit her head on the boat, and recovered by keeping on deck watching the gorgeous limestone peaks appear in the distance. It did feel more barren than Ha Long, but it turned out that the stunning scenery was on the other side of the island. The bus dropped off tourists and we were among the last to get off, arriving at a hotel just past the main town. The Oasis Hotel.
The hotel was not too bad at all. A fairly spacious lobby gave way to some familiar rooms, and with a pub and restaurant next door. I was with Jon, Diane was with Andy and the rest were all in one large room. Slumber party for the girls, mad lad banter for the boys, and a bit of craic along the way! After a fairly simple meal of bacon and eggs, we started planning out the day, wondering where to get motorbikes and what to see. Unfortunately, Jon wasn’t feeling great again, and I left him in the room to relax for a bit. It had occurred to me that he had his mask on all the way from the Cat Ba Bus to the hotel, and wondered if the reduced smog had got to him or if it was just in his head. Either way, it was unfortunate as he seemed OK with the burger and chips as his meal. I only hoped he was OK and I got him some orange juice to keep hydrated while he stayed in.
Jon enjoying breakfast burgers
The hotel knew a guy and showed up a map of the island as well as a few Yamaha Nouvo’s. There was enough for pairs, so I was going to drive and let Rebecca ride shotgun. She seemed to have no issues as I generally rode at a decent speed and not like the speed demon show offs that were in Da Nang. After a refueling (and likely 30’000vnd scamming) at the only petrol station on the island, we began our trip.
Cat Ba is a wonder to explore. From the coastal town, we drove up and down through vertical hills, winding roads and through all the tropical greenery. Along with the quieter than expected roads, this was bliss to drive through. We passed the underground hospital, the natural park and had many photoshoots by the quiet roads and surrounded by dense foliage.
The road that cuts through the center of the island
Andy, Diane and Alex
Rebecca
Myself
on the bikes
Eventually we reached the other side of the island. For its size (comparable in road length to Inis mór, if not size) it felt satisfying to make it to the end and stop at a closed ferry port. There was an ice cream vendor though, so we got some fizzy drinks and had a chance to sit down and take in the scenery. The port had great views of the surrounding bay, and while not being as captivating as Ha Long’s islands, it was still nice to take in as the hottest part of the day began to wind down.
Diane had a plan of reaching Cannon Fort by sunset, to have a view of the town and more of the limestone islands. However, now that we were on the other side of the island and had just enough time to spare, we backtracked until Andy noticed something; a wonky, wooden bridge.
We crossed the bridge at a steady pace. Some sections had only one support pillar on one side, along with balance beams and planted bamboo flags as a grip. Traversing over quicksand and mosquito filled still, dead water made for a true feeling of adventure. We were handsomely rewarded with a pagoda and cave at the end of the long bridge. This may as well have been one of those bonus islands you find in an action adventure game. Not much was actually gleamed on the actual history of the pagoda, but we decided to climb into the cave beside it. After using a torch, we found some tiny urns, some buddha statues and an altar. It was implied that this may have been a burial spot for a young child from the smaller sized urn, but we couldn’t be sure. Exiting the cave, we took one more look around the temple before returning to our bikes, and having a gesture by the outdoor altar. The mystery of the cave and temple has stuck with me to this day as a big thing done at Cat Ba.
Andy balancing
Rebecca and Alex
Photoshoot
The four horses
The cave at the end of the wooden bridge
The altar outside the cave
We were running out of time (and fuel) to make the Cannon fort by sunset, so we rushed as fast as we could to Cat Ba town. For all the speed, Rebecca seemed fine with being on the back, and even did a bit of GoPro shooting through the journey. Fortunately, we did make it to the fort after around an hours ride, and with mere minutes before the sun set! We got to business immediately after riding up and down the steep hill.
The fort itself was strategically placed. The view over the rest of the bay gave it an obvious advantage for any naval battle. But we weren’t here for the combat thrills, we were here for the panoramic views, and we got exactly that. Limestone islands that went on for miles, the small fishing villages and the town lighting up one bulb at a time, and some floating boats and bars flashing all the lights they could to show off that they were the party boats to be on. We could hear some Vinahouse from the town, just 300 meters away despite being at the highest point. We took a few photos at the peak, but none of mine turned out great due to a bad exposure setting. Then we took a minute to take in the view as the sun set, the full moon rose, and the night began…
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Paul's TEFL Adventures 