Friends and Travelling Companions. (Pt. 1)

I've met so many wonderful people while I have been travelling, some for only an hour or two, other I have spent several days with. Some I have already mentioned in previous blogs. Some,  I'm afraid, I didn't take a note of their names and so, other than memories of meeting, are consigned to just that. Others, I hope, I will stay in touch with - even if just through Facebook or by email.

I already credited most of the people I met up until Hoi An in Vietnam. Although, there are a couple of omissions. I made a day trip from Beijing to the Great Wall. It was an early and cold start, with a 2 hour drive. When we arrived at Jinshanglin, allegedly one of the best example of the original, unrestored, wall, the car park was ringed by market stalls placed with the intention of selling souvenirs to the hordes of foreign invaders that, ironically, the wall was built to repel. However, being out of season and -6degrees C, all but one were closed, giving the impression that we had turned up at the right party...on the wrong day. The result was that, other than the 12 of us on the tour, and two other independent visitors, the only other people on the wall were local Chinese farmers offering themselves as guides. 

The wall is indeed 'Great'. I spent a wonderful hour and a half walking the sometimes precipitous route with a Spanish/Argentinian couple and a Taiwanese/American guy called Kevin. Stretching in a seemingly impossible ribbon across a mountainous landscape, The Wall disappears in either direction, east and west. Sometimes the stone steps are almost vertical, climbing high above your head to the next watch tower. For as much as I wondered at and admired the people who built this amazing feat of engineering over 2000 years ago, I also found myself imagining what it must have been like living on, patrolling and defending this stone border that stretches 5500 miles across mountain  and desert. 

On the journey back to the capital, I had a long conversation with a South African, from Jo'burg, called Phil and his partner Toni. Two of the nicest SA tourist I've ever met, they were great company on the trip, with Phil and I discussing life, the universe and everything on the way home. We found that we had some key life issues in common and it was good to be able to talk openly about some difficult topics. Phil and Toni, if your reading, good luck and I hope you find the direction you want to be heading. 

A few weeks later, travelling by train from Hui to Moi Ne in Vietnam, I met another lone traveller, Judy. Judy had come to Vietnam to meet and journey with her daughter and her partner. Having spent a few weeks together, they had headed in different directions and Judy was working her was south to meet her flight home to Cornwall. We were both going to Moi Ne to hunker down for the Luna New Year, 'Tet' - one of the biggest dates in the Vietnamese calendar. The whole country almost comes to a standstill for a week, once the entire population has travelled to their family homes, and most shops, hotels, transport, etc. grinds to a halt or, at best, is operated with minimal staff. As we were staying not too far apart, we met for dinner and drinks that evening.

Moi Ne is a beach resort in the South East of the country. We were staying on the outskirts, which, as it turned out, was a good thing. The centre of the town is wall to wall tourist bars, clubs and restaurants and has a heavy Russian influence and most of the signs were in dual Vietnamese/Cyrillic. Fortunately, the nicer beaches were at our end of town where there were also fewer tourists. I found myself getting irritated by the rude and unpleasant behaviour of the Russian visitors, especially their behaviour to the locals. They reminded me of the stereotype 'Brit' in the Spanish Costas, circa 1970/80. Judy and I managed to do a good job of avoiding the worst excesses of the bad behaviour, although we did end the evening drinking rather strong Mojitos at a beachside bar. 

The next day, we took a jeep tour to some  picturesque sand dunes north of Moi Ne. Of the two sets of dunes, one is soft white sand that shimmers in the strong sunlight and the other, the colour of a beautiful sunset. We rented a quad bike to ride up onto the dunes and take some photos. The heat was amazing and quite literally took your breath away. 

I enjoyed Judy's company for those few days, but I can't say Moi Ne was a raging success for me. I didn't take to the place and was happy to be moving on to Saigon a few days later. Judy left the day before so we arranged to meet again in Saigon, before her flight home.

Saigon was still 'quiet' in the wake of Tet. Even so, Ho Chi Minh City, as it is officially known, was a thriving metropolis. Staying in District One, the city's central zone, is a blend of European colonial buildings, modern glass and steel towers and tree lined boulevards. On the second night, I witnessed a 'drive thru' by motorbike riding  Saigonese who were cruising the city centre to view the magnificent Tet lights. It was like London's Oxford Street at Christmas, except bigger. And, if you could imaging a Brighton bank holiday weekend in the  '60s - Mods on Vespas in their hundreds - then multiply it by 1000, you might get an idea of the scale of the scene.

Leaving Saigon for Cambodia and Phnom Penh, I met a Swedish guy, called Hans, on the bus. As he hadn't booked anywhere, he joined me staying at a hotel in the Royal Palace area. We took a trip out to the Killing Fields the following day. Anyone old enough, or interested in the history of the region, will know the significance of this. I came away thinking 'never again should these atrocities be allowed to happen'. Of course, since then there has been Bosnia, Rwanda and other similar genocidal attempt. It does make one despair! 

Hans and I got on so well, well travelled on together to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, probably the biggest tourist attraction of the country. Made up of several temple sites over a vast area, one could easily spend a week exploring. However, as is so often the case, what sustains such a place is also its downfall. We got up at silly o'clock to see the sunrise, but by 10am the whole area was heaving with tourists. I can't complain, as I was one of them. However, the serene tranquility of temples is only spoilt by the number of sightseers.

It was here that I had my 'wardrobe disaster'. The previous evening I bought a pair of quite funky trousers. Light cotton, baggy (plenty of airflow helps in the heat) and with an elephant print pattern. They felt really comfortable and just the thing for a hot day wandering around temples. Unfortunately, although sold as unisex, they aren't really tailored for the male profile. By 9am I noticed the seam in the upper inside leg was beginning to split. By 10am my trousers had no crotch. This was doubly awkward as I had sent all of my spare clothes to be laundered and so was travelling 'commando'! Eventually I had to buy another pair from a stall at Angkor Wat and make a quick change in the gents! One size fits all, my a*rs!

Hans then continued his journey west to Bangkok whilst I headed back east to Krachi for a couple of days. I took a ride north along the Mekong to an area where it is possible to see the rare and elusive Irrawaddy dolphins. These creatures are, sadly, incredibly endangered and imminently threatened with extinction. There are estimated to be less than 100 left in the Mekong between Cambodia and Laos and I was fortunate enough to make a few sighting whilst out on a boat. Though most of my photographs are of the surface of the river! They live up to their reputation.

I've just noticed how long this blog is becoming. So, to create a sense of suspense and trepidation...I will publish now and continue in a day or two. Next stop...skulduggery at the Laos border, waterfalls and caves, the decline of Tubing and an impromptu performance the airport! And more new friends.