Day 3 - Ho Chi Minh to Hoi An

November 30th, 2016 – 8:12am Hoi An time – Cozy House Homestay Guest House, Hoi An

We’ve made our arrival in Hoi An; a refreshing and welcomed break from the bustle of Ho Chi Minh.

After a night with hardly any sleep in our Saigon hotel – which consisted of a small TV and fridge, two single spring-loaded mattresses with which our ribs were constantly wrestling, and a boarded up window isolating us from any sense of time, weather, and daylight – we made our way out to the street for breakfast surprisingly early. Most of the main street was not yet in operation, with shops and street vendors setting up and turning us away requesting we return later.

Taking full advantage of the local fare, we indulged in another delicious meal; chicken Pho (pronounced Fa) iced Vietnamese coffees which host a dark yet naturally sweetened flavour, fresh coconut juice drank straight from the source with a straw, and decadent mango and papaya salads topped with fish sauce and peanuts. The food here is yet to fail us.

Sauntering further down the street, we find a Vietkong themed tea house, walls lined with old tattered books in the native language, maintained by staff donning military garb. We make our way inside past the green canvas lawn chairs and take a seat to indulge in some delicious iced teas while completing our digital documentation of the previous day.

It’s finally time to leave the city.

After saying goodbye to our hosts at the hotel and their adorable puppy, Lucky, we link up with the driver they arranged to take us to the airport and make our way through the morning traffic haze. The driver is an enthusiastic young man learning to speak English. All things considered, his comprehension and limited vocabulary are surprisingly good in a city where most have seemingly mastered only several key phrases. Time to see what our $30 CAD flights to Da Nang are all about.

The airport check-in is the quickest experience we’ve ever witnessed. No line-ups, minimal protocol, and friendly attendants. It’s fascinating how much of a contrast the experience is to the predictable seriousness, slow-crawling process and extortionate costs we that are the standard in North America.

We finally bump into other travelers who engage us and share their experiences while inquiring about our own; true adventurers seeking refuge from the potent party scene we left behind. It seems like most are on the same trajectory as us – a quick flight to Da Nang from Ho Chi Minh to get within a reasonable proximity of Hoi An, a small town known for its tailors, cuisine, artisans and merchants.

Our white-bred expectations are quickly thrown out the window when we’re met with a large modern passenger plane instead of a sketchy propeller plane. Leg room is ample, seating is spacious and the flight is only half full. Once on the ground we negotiate a cab fare for the 45-minute drive South from Da Nang to Hoi An and share with two other travelers - Mark and George from Birmingham and London, England. The cost works out to 450,000 Dong, or $27 CAD at the current exchange rate. Our companions are friendly and relatable, as we exchange stories of our experiences in places eachother have been, as well as information about our own countries.

The Vietnamese countryside is a desolate and depressing sight. Shanty’s without windows or doorways host residents hiding from the rainfall and incoming storm, drying their clothes on lines inside, sitting on their front stoops watching the tour busses and cabs pass them by. Their way of life can only be imagined as difficult. Cattle roam the shoulders of the road to our right, lined by rice fields, while our left is occupied by coastline appearing to be either boarded up and awaiting development or donning large strips of property with no inhabitants or structures. It’s fascinating that such presumably prime locations are left empty or occupied by impoverished housing and shops. We are clearly in a no-man’s land - tourists likely wouldn't dare stop here.

Sheet metal shacks line the riverside as we cross over into rainy Hoi An. This place is fascinatingly different from Ho Chi Minh. It’s far less developed and much smaller, with a rural charm and touristic appeal. We immediately notice many shops advertising the tailored suits Hoi An is so famous for. Dropped off at their riverfront resort, we exchange contact info with our British companions as to stay in touch throughout our stay here.

Arrived at our guest house, the feel is very cozy. Our host is a friendly local named Li who runs the business, also occupied by his family. They invite us in with open arms, particularly upon learning our nationality. Canadians seem to have a revered reputation here as far as we can tell. Our spacious room has a window and bright lighting; a big step up from our stay in Saigon. We relax for a while until darkness befalls the city. We enjoy a couple malt 333 beers in our room and make our way into the city to explore. We’re a stone’s throw from the heat of things and Li has an exciting outpour of information for us. He’s spent his whole life in Hoi An, so he’s very familiar with the ins and outs.

Right away it becomes obvious that we’re going to spend as much time in this charming city as possible. The main streets in the tourist area line the Thu Bồn river, filled with long pushboats, floating restaurants and tiny candle-lit cardboard vessels, which the locals claim are good luck. Lanterns are everywhere, filling the air with beautiful lighting and accompanying the delightful calming music heard from all angles. Local street merchants are everywhere, offering their goods in the friendliest of ways – another contrast from Saigon. We explore the beautiful streets and take notice of the signature architecture, restaurants, boutiques, and cooking schools. This place is undeniably beautiful and is already taking a firm place in our hearts.

Enjoying a delicious meal on a riverfront balcony, we watch the incoming storm and feel the mist of the rain splash against our faces. Calm and peace overcome us as we share stories of our childhood and enjoy some tall Tiger beers before taking leave to our room for an early night’s sleep to fast-forward into tomorrow. 

Words by Baylan McGraw

Day 2 - Ho Chi Minh / Saigon

November 28th, 2016 – 11:22pm Saigon Time – Saigon Zoom Hotel

Last night’s beers had a bit more of an impact than expected.

Successfully waking up on the second attempt, we wasted no time having a quick cold shower (only to later discover the unknown light switch on the wall activated the water heater) and heading out the door for breakfast.

After a slight timing failure on our behalf, the Cu Chi tunnels trip we were hoping to take was unfortunately not in the cards for this trip – and although we were both keen to witness the infamous Vietkong ant field first-hand, the time freed up from our missed ‘tourist conveyer belt’ opportunity pushed us to come up with a new plan and set out on foot to explore the surrounding area. But not before editing the photos documented so far, accompanied by some shisha and an encounter with a Transylvanian named Timothy who spends his time traveling the world as a penniless hitchhiker.

A stone’s throw away from our hotel we witnessed the true essence that is Ho Chi Minh’s maddening traffic, watching hordes of scooters take off in every direction like bees from a hive. No seeming rhyme or reason other than teensy traffic lights seem to regulate the flow; and even at that they are hardly adhered. We learned quickly that crossing the street was an ambitious endeavour in which assertiveness is the most necessary requirement. Just because there’s a cross-walk doesn’t mean that traffic will stop for you whatsoever; a leap of faith must be taken from the curb to the road where a consistent pace allows the drivers to gauge your movements and navigate around you. Stuttering your step could be a real spoke in the wheel for this already chaotic environment.

In Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, everyone seems to want a piece of the tourists; a cyclical relationship of dependency. Whether you’re walking through an alley filled with ‘massage’ parlours getting gripped at the wrist by the local girls, being solicited by panhandling bar hosts to come and enjoy ‘happy hour’ at any time of day, or venturing to the outer reaches of the district to witness the sidewalk sales of items that were likely pulled from the wrists and pockets of tourists, the area is fed by tourism in every possible way.

Bars, restaurants and neon signs line the streets, bustling at all hours and never dimming. Wandering the streets, two types of tourists appear to stand out (for the most part) – single grey-haired men with a penchant for paid affection and an outpour of millennials who self-identify as travelers and vagabonds with no real stake or claim in the world. The result of their desires is reciprocated by the city’s service offerings.

In the Western world, most peoples’ money doesn’t go far enough for them to live out their true desires, so they retreat to these less-favoured corners of the Earth to unabashedly unleash their inner selves. In this country you can quite literally become a millionaire or billionaire overnight (given that $1 CAD equivalates approximately 17,000 VND, or, Dong). But the other side of that is not a pretty picture when you look closely enough at the garbage-laden streets and self-offering teenage girls. Even children walking around by themselves selling trinkets attempt try to get in on the action.

It’s difficult to not feel a sense empathetic sadness for the local state of affairs clearly influenced by foreign currency; more specifically, the needs (however dark they may be) of those who hold said currency. Why else would you be offered marijuana and cocaine – the use and holding of such drugs which warrant the death penalty according to local law – at nearly every corner? What else creates the setting for such forwardly prevalent prostitution? Coming to these realisations, a sort of traveler’s guilt sets in, reshaping the approach to this country which has been trampled by foreigners throughout the course of their history.

Ho Chi Mihn City has proved to be a humbling place. Tomorrow we take our leave to the mid-country in search of submersion into the culture that we can only see trying to break through here, like sunlight on the stormiest of days.

Words by Baylan McGraw

Day 1 - YLW to SGN (Ho Chi Minh City)

November 26th, 2016 - 9:36am PST – Vancouver International Airport

Waking up at 4:30am to catch a flight is, for most, an undesirable prospect. But when adventure is your alarm, the few hours of sleep from the night before can feel like a full charge blasting you into an otherwise sombre morning. We’re on our way to Vietnam and couldn’t be more excited.

The day ahead is daunting yet welcomed. Over 17 hours in the air across three different flights, 7+ hours of layovers and a 15-hour time difference once we’re on the ground. With no clue what to expect other than the mixed reviews and stories passed along by friends, our arrival draws nearer by the minute. One flight down – two to go.

Our attempts to find some ‘adult beverages’ in the airport to pass the time and soften the punch of the upcoming flight to Guangzhou, China have fallen short; so we lounge, making the best of the last hours of cell service and familiar space.

Update – 10:12am PST

Food court wine has been discovered. Hopefully this helps us sleep on the plane.

November 27th, 2016 - 18:58 Beijing Time – Guangzhou International Airport

We’ve arrived in China.

The minute we began boarding our second flight to it became obvious that things were about to start changing quickly. Our names are called over the PA system for a final a boarding call at the time we were scheduled to start boarding.. From the language to the cultural misalignments, it was certainly an interesting experience to be sealed in a winged cylinder for nearly 13 hours under such circumstances.

That being said, once you look past the communication barriers it was comparable to most flights – long, uncomfortable, and plagued by the never-ending shrieks of children.

Touched down, there is an evident tone of difference. And although some recognizable elements are present, we are foreigners amongst our surroundings. Walked across the tarmac to a shuttle bus, we get carted to the main hangar for a quick security check (thankfully passing by the monolithic lineup of those entering the country) before making our way to our gate.

Vending machines pressing fresh orange juice, a dozen men crammed into an unsealed 4x8ft room hammering cigarettes in the airport, personal luggage carriers with built in touch-screens and a seemingly inconsistent approach to payment methods are a few of the contributors to the ‘fish-out-of-water’ feeling.

Once again, we pass the time with some drinks – Tsingtao beer this time around – and wait for our few hour layover to step aside and let us board our final flight to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) City.

Time for a quick nap before boarding.

November 28th, 2016 – 1:10am Saigon Time – Saigon Zoom Hotel

After 28 hours of travel, we've finally made it.

First impressions of Ho Chi Minh are broad and eccentric. Everything from the layout, drive-by sightings, to the smells and the people, are completely unhinged in comparison to our Westernized order of things. Right out the gate we were met by a horde of hired drivers holding signs with multitudes of different names, awaiting their passengers, before embarking into ours’ vehicle and bearing witness to the scooter and motorcycle frenzy that is commuting in the city.

Driving here is nearly full-contact, with cars and scooters alike casually brushing within inches of one another without a care in the world – this is their normal. Horns are used for awareness and ‘heads-up’ rather than out of frustration like we’ve come to be so accustomed to. The sidewalks and streets are home to many unfamiliar sights; rampant graffiti, shanty housing, curbs and roads either destroyed and under repair, neon signage of every shape and size, alleys that not even the bravest of souls would dare venture alone, unbeknownst foliage, and a signature scent reeking of ash and rot.

Only one block’s walk from our hotel were exposed to scooter seafood stands selling everything from dried octopus to oysters and lobsters, hordes of friendly prostitutes, deafeningly loud Western music serenading young drinking tourists of all shapes and sizes, a one-legged beggar crawling along the floor with a ball-cap extended for karmic financial offerings, name brand department stores, criminally cheap beer and Pho, tattoo and massage parlours, and even a Burger King. The eclectic essence of Saigon City is truly enthralling.

Having arrived mere hours ago, such captivating charm sets a highly anticipated precedent for the remainder of our experiences in Vietnam.

Now to finish this beer, sleep off the euphoria and see what tomorrow throws at us.

Words by Baylan McGraw