Maiden Voyage: Ahhh Man Vietnam!!

As the plane prepares for landing its nightfall and I can see the city lights of Ho Chi Minh city below. I'm overwhelmed but brimming with excitement at the size of it from the skies....I can see the life inside the city before we land. Vast illumination, flashing colours, sky scrapers and giant plasma advertising screens dominating the aerial picture.

After a delayed connecting flight it's 8.30pm when we finally land and it was mayhem trying to find a taxi...it's a fair distance from the city but when I finally manage to negotiate a deal I slip into the back seat, sit back and watch this amazing place's character unravel before my eyes.

I'd done a bit of research so knew what to expect but absolutely nothing can prepare you for the ambiance and sights that surround you. It's dark now but the cities alive, the atmosphere is electric....I'm buzzing! As my taxi enters a four way intersection he fails to give way and we end up completely 'locked up' in the middle of the junction with hundreds of motorbikes inches away to all four sides of the car....I'm cowering and wincing in the back but giggling through the thrill of it all.....and this is how the roads are. It's a 'free for all' no rules apply ....I've never seen so many bikes (there's hundreds at a time) and so many people prepared to chance their lives. My taxi driver eventually stops the car on a busy road and points across the dual carriageway to a dark alley. I know what this means... like a rabbit in the headlights I question how to even begin crossing the road, fearing the weight of the backpack will slow me down and distort my judgement of speed. Reluctantly he takes pity and helps me through the mayhem (I feel sure I would have died alone). Meandering through the narrow dark alleys with motorbikes flying through (with not enough space for both of you) I feel I'm in the wrong place, people's homes and weathered faces stare as pass... I feel terrified, it's like a scary movie but i do eventually find my new home.

The bright lights of Ho Chi Minh City

A typical side alley in Ho Chi Minh...scary after dark, they get narrower the further in you go!

I'm happy with the accommodation, it's pretty basic as usual but central to the backpackers area which means it's busy, which I like. When I arrive the owner tells me immediately not to have anything 'on show' (jewellery, mobile, money) and not to leave any valuables in the room. He gives me the hostel policies to sign (I felt like a naughty teenager). At breakfast (which is included for a change) he gives me the menu which has 140 combination breakfast options to chose from....I'm sniggering to myself not having a 'scooby do' where to start ..."do you do just porridge?" I gingerly ask. It's run by a mother and son and I like them very much. It's homely and you sit in her kitchen while she cooks everything fresh...an amazing lady. Her catch phrases are "yes darling" and "ta very much" which makes me giggle.

The guest house owner cooking breakfast, its mix and match on the tables so you get to have some nice conversations with fellow travellers.

I head off for the day and immediately get hassled by taxi drivers. They line the streets open the boot of their cars and it's like social street gathering....playing guitar in the boot, eating , smoking playing cards together. I did laugh out loud when one asked "where you from miss" I reply "UK - but I don't want a taxi thanks" he replies ....."luvly jubbly!"

I head to the ATM and draw out a staggering 3.5million dong (around £130) and head off into the city 'a millionaire for the day'. What ridiculous currency this is...you naturally get confused with so many noughts.

I wander the streets visiting the land marks, monuments and museums but my favourite moment is finding a cafe and watching the world go by. I've pretty much been vegetarian since a couple of very bad offal experiences in Cambodia but I decide I should try a traditional dish here and so order a beef 'ramen' type dish 'advertised as beef noodles'. I get stuck in but as I work my way eagerly through the noodles and flavoursome broth it soon it becomes apparent that it isn't just beef. There's fatty pork, spicy compressed meat of some description?, beef with lumps of gristle and a dubious big brown smooth textured lump at the bottom? I try to convince myself it's pate but when I slice through, blood seeps up through the cut....I'm mortified......IT'S ORGAN!!!!

Off to a good start....looking good!

And then it all goes terribly wrong .....urghhhh makes me shudder....a brave attempt though!

View from the sky deck of the Bitexico Financial tower,

Bitexico Financial Tower

I visit the war remnants museum in the afternoon and quickly my mood swings into sadness as another countries atrocious war unfolds before my eyes. This was a war primarily between North and South but the USA joined forces with the Republic of South Vietnam in contesting communist forces (comprising South Vietnamese guerrillas and regular forces known as the Viet Cong, and the North Vietnamese Army). As expected the U.S had the largest foreign military presence in a war that essentially was nothing to do with them.... but in this instance the U.S failed to achieve a military victory and the war ended in 1975 with a North Vietnam communist victory.

The Vietnamese people did not want this war and collectively dedicated, fought and surrendered their lives to retain what was originally and so rightfully theirs. Inspired and reactive to the call from Ho Chi Minh (the leader of the "League for the independence of Vietnam) It became known as 'the people's war'.

Losing against their lesser equipped but strategic and spirited enemy, the US dropped toxic chemicals onto Vietnam from the air in an attempt to destroy the jungle to expose enemy territory. The dense jungle provided cover for ground air fire, additionally the Vietnamese fighters had created a gigantic network of underground tunnels too small for the 'westerner' to enter and concealed the entries with simple but effective 'booby traps'. Outwitted, the US resort to cowardly 'dirty tactics'. The famous and most notorious gas 'agent orange' used in the bombings had a catastrophic affect on contaminated victims. Death...disfigurement, deformity, mutation, evidence of which still exists and visible today affecting millions of Vietnamese people.

This contaminated child had to be kept in a cage to prevent her attacking herself and others. Her father became contaminated and died from touching her hand and comforting her.

Shameful image.....and sadly they've still not learnt.

The most moving part of the visit was a short documentary played which showed a US pilot meeting the family of a Vietnamese pilot he shot down and killed. It was supposed to demonstrate the countries alliance, looking to a brighter future but The Vietnamese families nobleness, dignity, gracious respect and forgiveness shone, further exposing the ignorant and arrogant US for me.This really moved me.

After a short stay in Ho Chi Minh I flew into the capital Hanoi where I meet Deb in a weeks time. My intentions are to explore the north before we head back down along the coastline picking up the tourist points. I'm not looking forward to being snarled up in the tourist traps and hiked up prices, I'm hoping we can navigate our way to calmer waters....let's see how's this pans out....watch this space as they say!

Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi are over 1600km apart. It took two hours to fly between giving a sense of just how long the country is. When I land in Hanoi the contrast of the two cities is surprisingly evident. The temperature is five degrees cooler but there's a noticeable big grey smog covering Hanoi. No clouds, sun just a smokey blanket swallowing up the sky....it feels oppressive. The infrastructure to the city is good but it's bizarre to see land and fields being 'worked' and people walking on and beside a motorway! Hanoi is much less evolved than Ho Chi Minh. I hear there is intention for regeneration of the city but I'm not sure this is personally what I'd like to see for it. I'm staying in the 'old quarter' which is steeped in culture and tradition. It gives you a glimpse of the original Vietnam..... crumbling and neglected narrow buildings, families sitting on the floor to eat, market sellers, dusty dirty streets and people simply trying to survive by any means possible. As I make my way around the city the tourism influx and demand for western comforts is disappointingly more evident (Starbucks, Burger King having a predominant presence) this frustrates me! The south of the city has a much more cosmopolitan vibe, influenced by the french reign (I don't like it) At nights the streets are rammed with tourists, embarrassing and disrespectful English/US dominate the drinking streets.

I can't help but feel I'm probably two decades too late seeing Vietnam. I'm ABSOLUTELY LOVING IT though, its 'spirited', humbling, easy, safe and has a wonderful ambiance to get lost in, just sadly it's heavily compromised its identity and originality in the saturation of tourism.

Whilst in Hanoi I visit the Hoa Lo prison, built during the French colonialist reign to house political prisoners. In summary these patriotic prisoners would not be reformed and even facing the most dreadful conditions turned the prison into a 'continued political educational facility' to further educate and strengthen the revolutionaries. Many paid with their lives, the guillotine....still their spirit unbroken. Prisoners were provided with tools through visiting family (who risked their own lives) and escaped in mass through the confined sewer network immediately rejoining their political campaign. This visit made me feel proud for the strength of spirit, tremendous bravery and defiance of these Vietnamese people. whilst I think Britain once had it, I don't believe our country has the courage, mentality or 'gutsy spirit' within its new and lazy generation to fight and win a war. I love these people and love the history of this place.

beheaded victims were strewn in the town as a deterrent

As the sun goes down i enjoy walking through the town which comes alive. A big street market lines the main street with hundreds of 'make shift / pop up street food sellers in shop fronts. The bars bring out stools and beer crates for tables. I just sat most nights on a stool with a beer watching the pandemonium float by me....its truly awesome!!!

As I wander back a man sitting on the side of the street pulls at my flip flop advising "let me see...it broken" he was literally pulling it off my foot! I hand to trample on his hand to make him stop trying to break it! ....he was a shoe repairer who was desperately trying to break your shoe so he could charge you for fixing it...funny!!.

Additionally I take pity on an elderly street seller selling marshmallows....I ask "how much" and each time I offer a note she signals more...actually becoming quite aggressive. In the end she tried to take 200,000 dong (£7) from me for a small bag of treats....mmm Vietnam 'V' Clifton...I don't think so crafty crook ...I'm on to you! I wrestle the money back and she ends up with nothing. It most certainly was not the money...that I couldn't care less about, its the principle and I wouldn't want my weak action to cost a more timid victim so here's hoping she learnt her lesson...ha ha she was grinning as I left and we both knew she'd tried it on.. so I very much doubt it!

Crafty Lady!

A noticeable observation in the towns is an unrealised sense of boredom. The locals lives sadly appear insular and monotonous. The streets are lined with people / families or generations of families selling food, local produce and traditional home/hand made specialities from their homes - It's all they know. The younger generations sit on their phones, the older generation gossipping with neighbouring sellers, the elderly members boss the roost...which is comical, but there's great respect for them within their 'clan' which I admire. I observe wondering what their lives must feel like? I don't feel they're unhappy and the family commitment to one another is heartwarming to see, but a future never being able to see beyond or reach outside of the routine and monotony....they appear to have little aspiration ....or is just lost hope I question?

The people make this place amazing.....

The lady cyclist below was a prisoner of war and committed crimes relating to the Hanoi Poisoning plot (A failed attempt to poison the entire French Colonial Army). She was reformed and on release from prison embarked on approximately ten solo charity rides from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi (1600km remember!) on the simple and unsuitable bikes below. After a long battle with cancer she finished her last ride with fatal illness. Her story is quite remarkable.

A victim of agent orange....with such limiting deformities this man learnt carpentry skills, and now employs other disabled people in the workplace. What he produces is remarkable.

A few randoms....

I straighten my hair for the first time in two months....but its falling out terribly...I'm seriously getting worried! Any tips on remedy would be greatly appreciated?!!