'Nam

I arrived in Saigon (officially known as Ho Chi Minh City) by bus, and was immediately pleasantly surprised. I had been expecting a larger version of Phnom Penh, which, while not without its charms, is fairly dusty and not particularly impressive from an architectural perspective. Instead, I found a city that was full of well preserved French boulevards and buildings, and quiet allies with balconies full of flowers, nestled between the mad traffic of the main thoroughfares. I had heard about the swarming motorcycle hordes of Vietnam's urban areas, but I was still shocked at the density of the vehicles on the roads. They say that there are five million motorbikes in Saigon and I think I must have seen at least 60% of them; Crossing any road, and especially the large roundabouts which have no traffic lights, is a daunting affair. You quickly realise that there is no point in waiting for a break in the traffic and learn to trust that the skilled riders will swerve around you as you step into their path. I had also not expected the city to have such a pulsing capitalist spirit, with banks and international fast food chains on every corner. One can only imagine what the city would be like had the capitalists actually won.

I stayed in a hostel located some distance away from the so-called 'backpacker street' in District 1, the centre of town, because I wanted to see a more representative segment of the city. The hostel was great and in the course of visiting the sights over the two days I spent in the city itself, I found myself walking tens of kilometres and really getting a feel for the place.

Besides for visiting the main market and checking out the French architecture, I spent an afternoon at the war museum. After having been at the War Memorial in Seoul, it was interesting to encounter exhibits emanating from the opposite facet of the cold war dichotomy. Predictably, there was a lot of talk of 'the imperialist Americans and their puppets' and a distinct lack of emphasis on the indiscretions of the North Vietnamese and communist guerrillas. Nevertheless, for those able to look beyond the narrow focus, there are many enlightening artefacts and descriptions or photographs of incidents that are beyond dispute, as well as a harrowing explanation of the tragic effects of Agent Orange which, staggeringly, continue in some measure to this day.

From Saigon I visited a subterranean network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong, at Cochi, in the suburbs of the city, which was interesting but highly touristy, and I also took a two day tour of the Mekong Delta region, which had a similar touristy character. I did however enjoy the homestay in a house right alongside one of the river's many tributaries, and seeing the floating market which is actually a functioning market used by locals.

The day after returning to Saigon, I caught a bus to Dalat, an inland town in the mountains that was a French retreat during colonial times. The area, which is full of waterfalls and canyons, is known for offering numerous adventure activities. I partook in canyoning, a sport which includes abseiling, waterfall sliding and cliff jumping. It was one of the most enjoyable activities I've done on the trip so far, and it was nice to be forced (far) out of my comfort zone. Besides for the adventure sports and visiting the waterfalls and coffee plantations, an unusual attraction found in Dalat is the Crazy House, best described as a kind of walk-in Dr Seuss book, a large and still unfinished building that is a labyrinth of corridors and staircases.

I am currently on a long bus journey towards Hoi An, about which I've heard only good things and I'm excited to see what else the country has to offer, as I continue Northwards.

Happy Movember to those celebrating. I'll try to keep posting.

Love David

Chinook at the War Remnants Museum, Saigon 

Waterfall sliding in Dalat 

Abseiling into the 'washing machine', Dalat 

Elephant Falls, near Dalat 

The Crazy House 

Last Week in Cambodia

As I begin a new country and a new chapter in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, I'll briefly sum up my last few days in Cambodia.

As planned, after Koh Rong, I visited the northeast; specifically the province of Mondulkiri. The region is quite beautiful and looks fairly different from the rest of the country with rolling hills that appear almost European as opposed to flat countryside. While there I participated in a two day program run by an elephant sanctuary. On the first day we hiked a bit alongside the elephants and later joined them in the river as they cooled off. I had never seen an elephant from up close before and it was cool just experiencing their immense presence, almost gravitas, and I also later enjoyed channelling my inner Year 9, by texting my friends "I was at an elephant sanctuary, your mum sends regards". The following day we did a 25km trek through forest, jungle and villages of the non-Khmer indigenous tribes that inhabit the province. We were led by a local guide on a trail that wound through some fantastic scenery (and, unfortunately, also through some areas that have been devastated by illegal logging, thanks Trump) with a stream of explanations of local flora, fauna and customs. All in all I'm glad I detoured to Mondulkiri and I want to thank the PTA for organising the outing.

After Mondulkiri, on the way to Phnom Penh to arrange my visa and transport for Vietnam, I stopped by Kratie town, another sleepy riverside place on the Mekong, most notable for the freshwater dolphins that live about 15km upstream. I went to see the dolphins, which were nice to observe though impossible to photograph - It was like someone was tipping them off every time I tried to take a shot - but the most enjoyable part was actually the boat ride out on the wide, still river under a vast, peaceful sky.

So yeah, it's a short one this time but hopefully I'll post about Vietnam soon. In conclusion I really enjoyed Cambodia - from the sites to the friendly people, and I'm glad I took the time to see a broad swath of the country.

May your preferred candidate win in 2020.

Love David

P.S. A new entry in a game that's been dormant for a while - Buddha's for backpackers - The Buddha of bottom bunks

Beach on Koh Rong (from previous week) 

Self explanatory

Banyan trees on the trek 

On the trail

Sunset over the Mekong in Kratie 

Cambodia Part II: Acid Reflux

Since I last posted, I've been in Phnom Penh (the capital), Kampot (a quiet riverside town) and Koh Rong (an island), from where I now write.

The main reason I travelled to Phnom Penh was to visit Choeung Ek, just outside the city, one of the notorious killing fields, which has been dedicated as a central memorial for all the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge, and to visit the S21 museum in the city itself, housed in a prison used by the Khmer Rouge to hold and torture prisoners before dispatching them to be killed. As I arrived in the city overnight by bus, I decided to wait a day before visiting the aforementioned sites, which I knew would be emotionally heavy, and I spent my first day wandering the city centre, swinging by the art-deco central market and the misleadingly named Olympic stadium (the Olympics never made it here due to regional unrest). While I was at the stadium, there was a full military band procession, beginning with a march around the running track and culminating with a ceremonial flag changing. I couldn't for the life of me ascertain whether this was a daily occurrence or whether there was some kind of special occasion to justify the extravagance. The city itself, which I neither loved nor hated, is quite dusty, hectic and traffic-clogged, though the paths running alongside the banks of the river are relatively serene.

At any rate, on my second day in the city I went to the memorials which were as weighty as expected. While I already had a general knowledge of Cambodian history and the horrors of the brief but desperately cruel Khmer Rouge regime, I gained a far deeper understanding of the political background, as well as being exposed to many stories on a more relatable personal level. The atmosphere and mood is similar to that which prevails at memorials and museums for other tragic events, but one is shaken by the fact that it all took place so recently, as recently as 9 years before my birth. It's hard not to wonder which museums we'll be visiting 20-30 years down the line,  for events taking place right now.

Kampot is a fairly sleepy town, with a lot of French colonial charm. I didn't do so much of note there, save for a day trip into the picturesque surrounding countryside. A particular highlight was a cave with a miniature temple inside. Outside the cave there were trees full of playful monkeys. I'm only 2/3 immunised against rabies, so I stayed about 33% farther away than I would have otherwise.

I spent my first few days on Koh Rong -
proposed tourism slogan "Koh Rong - but it feels so right" - at a secluded beach with limited electricity and no internet connectivity. The place was great, but I probably would have enjoyed myself more if I hadn't spent a day or so feeling violently sick, in a way I'd been lucky to escape thus far. Nevertheless, I still managed to get a lot of reading done, and the dark beach enabled me to see the incredible bioluminescent plankton in their full glory. The plankton sparkle as the water is stirred by moving limbs,in what is a memorably impressive spectacle.

I'm now on a more developed side of the island (hence the internet connection), but I'm hoping to head to the Northeast soon, to see a different part of the country before moving on to Vietnam.


Don't forget the 5th of November,

Love David

Central Market Phnom Penh

(Spontaneous?)  Procession 

Temple inside cave 

Pepper farm in the countryside near Kampot

Abandoned French mansion in Kep (near Kampot) 

Relaxing on island paradise. Vigorous vomiting follows