Dear Tammie, Emily Lee, and Amanda Nicol,

There were supposed to be three more posts to cover the rest of my trip in Vietnam.  Each with a theme which directly related to one of the three of you.  But for the sake of EVER getting back on track, I have combined those three posts into one MEGA-Post.  So without further ado, I give you Vietnam in 10 stops or less:

1.  Dalat:

Please note my reaction at 1:03 to the fact that, surprise! the rope doesn't go all the way down.  Uh, what?  I have to jump....from here?  Well if that's the case...why don't I just make it an extremely painful spread eagle back flop.  Great idea.  Welcome to Dalat.  My first stop on my Vietnamese journey north.  Aside from partaking in adventure sports like this canyoning trip, I also visited a silk factory (yes, Tammie, you heard right) and began an affectionate relationship with Vietnamese drip coffee during unexpected torrential downpours.  

Hi: Winning solitaire on my first try during torrential downpour while sipping first Vietnamese coffee

Lo:  Winning solitaire on my first try during torrential downpour...now what?

Hero: Friendly Vietnamese/American who translates "I am allergic to MSG" for me so I don't die later on in this trip...

2. Mui Ne:

Mui Ne is a little tourist beach town on the southern Vietnamese coast.  Originally, the plan was to skip over Mui Ne, but then again, when you are traveling alone, the "original plan" is a phrase often used only to compare with the "on a whim, cause I feel like it, why not plan."  And of course, it was the latter which boarded me on a bus to the coast.

Hi: Lemongrass Tofu and a good book at a table on the beach

Lo: Leaving my ATM card in the ATM machine.  Again.  

Hero: Jung, the little boy who took me sledding in the sand dunes.  

3. Hoi An: 

I had been waiting four months to arrive in Hoi An.  And four days later when I said goodbye, my bag was heavier by 3 pairs of custom designed shoes, two tailored suits, three shirts, four skinny ties, a vest, a winter coat and a pair of slacks.  Not to mention that the fact that I got to go diving, eat incredible food (some of the cheapest at that) and happened across the lantern festival, when there is a mandatory power outage (save decorative lanterns) in the whole town and they float candles down the river.  

Hi: When the french woman thought I was french, and then when I said, "american" she assumed Quebecois.  Yesssssss.......

Lo: No electricity during Lantern Festival also means no fan in room at night.  

Hero: My tailor.  Excellent fit.

4.  Marble Mountains - Hue - Dong Hoi

Caves, caves and more caves.  And an elephant.  There's nothing like a trip to Southeast Asia to rearrange your life plan.  But after some careful considerations, I have decided that when I grow up (still saying that by the way) I want to be Indiana Jones.  Or Lara Croft.  But the latter may prove to be slightly more difficult.  

Hi:  Drinking and arm-wrestling with my hotel owner and his brothers.  weird.

Lo:  Note to self-when you get off the beaten path...bring an extra book...because reading english-vietnamese dictionaries are not thrilling...to say the least

Hero:  The founder/owner of "QB teen" in Dong Hoi, because sometimes a hot dog and fries can make EVERYTHING better.

5.  Sapa:

From Dong Hoi, I hopped on a sleeper bus to Hanoi, where I met up with Tom, an Aussie friend I made while canyoning in Dalat.  One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was loading a rented motorbike onto a night train while drinking Vietnamese Rice Vodka mixed with fanta in homemade aquafina bottle cups.  Classy....  

Sapa is incredibly beautiful.  And having your own transportation makes it that much more striking as you climb through the cloud-covered mountains of Northern Vietnam.  It took us about three times as long to make it from the train station in Lao Cai to the mountain town of Sapa, as we kept stopping to take in the the views.  Once in Sapa, we had plenty of time to explore the little french-influenced town, interact with the local hill tribes, and partake in some pretty harrowing meals.  Yes, you read correctly.  Because you see, when you walk back to the bathroom by way of the kitchen, and see this:

You start to wonder which cage contributed to your lunch.

Hi:  Learning how to count to 10 in H'mong

Lo: Allowing myself to be convinced to eat baby bird shish kebab fricasee.  Does it get lower than that?

Hero:  The guy who drove a motor bike with one hand, while holding a stick with live snake tied to the end of it in the other.

6. The Frontier:

With 5 days more to roam around on my motorbike, Tom and I decided to hit the road.  Destination: the frontier.  ooooooooooooooo.  The Frontier is an area in the Ha Giang province in the far North of Vietnam.  Right on the Chinese border.  If you are not Vietnamese, you need a special permit to enter the zone, and getting that permit can be a real pain....just ask Tom.  But it is so incredibly worth it.  As you drive around on roads that are practically untouched by outsiders, you wind through various terrains from dirt red river valleys to black stony cliffs, green carved out mountainous peaks to the occasional unpaved thigh deep muddy slip'n'slide they call a road.  And at the end of the path: China. 

Hi:  Surviving a 20 mile, 4 hour, unmarked, unpaved, obstacle course detour on a manual motorbike. 

Lo: Crashing my motorbike in Hanoi, only 10 km from the end of our 9 day journey.

Hero: My carhartts for saving my body and my helmet for saving my life. (see next post)

7:  Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island:

Nursing my wounds, I headed off on a 3-day pleasure cruise of Ha Long Bay.  Sometimes after a traumatic experience like my motorbike crash, there is nothing better than a little R&R&K (rest and relaxation and karaoke).  And while the picture above suggests quiet serenity, in my mind it says only one thing:  Tom Jones, baby.  

Hi: Keeping everyone on the boat awake with the fine karaoke stylings of Tom Jones' Sexbomb.

Lo: When the electricity went out, and cut us off right in the middle of our Sexbomb karaoke reunion tour the second night.

Hero: John Buckell.  Never will I have a karaoke partner with such fine attention to the artistic subtleties of Sexbomb.

8, 9, 10. Hanoi:

I actually went to Hanoi 3 different times, but for the sake of clarity, I will combine them into one brief but telling experience.  Perhaps you will recall from my previous post, that my travels in Vietnam begin and end with a snake.  Well after 28 days of beach bumming, mountain climbing, waterfall scaling, mystery-food eating, unabashed shopping, karaoke singing, biking, hiking, diving and a handful of narrow brushes with an ill-fated death, on my last evening in Hanoi, I came face to face with an old friend.  Hello snake.  Hello Adam.  Nice to meet you.  Nice to eat you.

And in case that didn't do it for you.  Perhaps this will do the trick:

Hi: Vietnam

Lo: Leaving Vietnam

Hero: The snake.

Dear Tracy,

Hello, Vietnam!

To be perfectly honest,  I wrote those words, "Hello, Vietnam!" about a month and a half ago.  At the time, I was sitting in an internet cafe in a town called Dalat in the highlands of the South Central Vietnam.  My internet connection was flickering in and out, and my photos took about 20 minutes to upload.  Each.  Currently, I am back in the U.S., sitting on my mac with all of my photos pre-uploaded and a lightning-fast internet connection.  And for some reason it is now the words that are coming at 20 minute intervals.  Nonetheless, if you will humor me by putting on your time-traveling hat (rice hats acceptable) and turning off your squeamers (I made this word up, but have grand plans of adding it to the urban dictionary ASAP) : this story begins and ends with a snake.

With one month left of my travels abroad, I knew from the start that I wanted to make the most of my time in Vietnam.  It was all about staying active: Doing rather than Watching.  Saying "yes" when I might otherwise say "ehhhh...." And this brilliant philosophy is how I ended up with this huge snake around my neck....and arms....and legs...and ahem.  Carpe Diem.  Or in this case: Carpe Giant Snake.

To get to this point, however, I had to survive a Saigon monsoon of epic proportions, a not-so-pleasant reminder that I am most definitely allergic to MSG, and the heat of a thousand blazing suns.  Or at least one blazing sun...but I promise it was a really really hot one.  Leaving Saigon, I headed south into the Mekong Delta, where I had every intention of making my big sis proud and taking off on a three day bike ride through the delta.  Unfortunately, the janky bike I rented, the aforementioned sun, and the heavy traffic, did not agree that this was the best idea ever.  Instead, 3 days became 1.  But it was nice to get out of the town and onto the back roads.  And judging by the stares and gaping jaws I elicited, I would say it was as novel for the locals as it was for me.

The next day, I checked out a couple floating markets, which are really convenient if you have an urge to purchase 500 dragonfruits.

And while I wasn't in the market for dragonfruit...I did finally try durian.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with durian - stay that way.  The taste is somewhere just in between rotten pineapple and gasoline.  A little closer to the gasoline side.  Now toss in the consistency of a slime mold and you've got yourself a Southeast Asian delicacy.  And an Adam retching on the side of the road.

If I had to make a wild guess...I would say this sign reads: Don't eat this god-awful fruit.  Ever.  Or something to that extent.  After recovering from that nauseating experience, I decided to pamper myself a bit with a haircut, massage and, always intrigued by local medicinal practices, a little cupping:

But don't worry, I didn't go quite as extreme as this guy:

From the delta, I headed back north through Saigon on my way up to Dalat...where I learned that arriving in a town where you don't speak the language at 3:30 AM without hotel reservations...is not the most prudent of actions.  But that brings me to another sister of mine.... 

Dear Faithful Readers,

Hey everyone!  As you have probably noticed, my blog has fallen a bit behind real time, and with less than 2 weeks left before I return to Seattle, I have made the executive decision to spend the rest of my time focusing on making the most of my trip (rather than fighting unreliabel internet connections and painfully slow photo uploads).

But don't fret!  I will have plenty of free time when I get home to fill everyone in on my experiences in Vietnam this month--which have certainly been a highlight of my trip.

Lastly, I figured I would take this time to officially announce that I have made the decision to take off overseas again in the fall!  I will begin graduate studies in medical anthropology at University College London in September.  I am certainly looking forward to the big move, and all the continuing adventures it will be sure to bring.

Thank you again to everyone that has been following my blog...and be sure to check back in a couple of weeks to read all about Vietnam (and a special one-day side trip to a mystery location!)

Adam

Dear Alison,

Recipes from the Nullarbor

     1. Top Ramen
          a. Light camping stove with a minimum of 32 matches
              as the wind never stops on a treeless plain.
          b. Watch the water boil…because there is nothing
              more interesting.
          c. Put in noodles and flavoring packet.

          d. Serve hot…with pepper.

     2. PB&J
          a. Don’t even suggest that you are eating this
              sandwich to an Australian. They will look at
              you like you are insane

          b. Spread peanut butter and Jam (Jelly=Jell-o)
              on any semi-flat carb-containing substance you
              can afford.

          c. Eat.
3. Pasta a la desert
          a. See 1.
          b. For sauce, combine chopped tomato with
              italian seasoning packet and oil in saucepan.
          c. If you were thinking about adding any other
              vegetables…think again…they got apprehended
              at one of the multiple fruit-fly inspection stops.
          d. Combine pasta and sauce. Serve hot…with pepper
4. Fajitaustralias
          a. Black beans/pinto beans do not exist in Australia…
              much less in nowheresville Australia.
          b. Tortilla, chopped veggies (before the checkpoints),
              and the satay flavored rice you purchased for $1.50.
          c. Add chalky burrito seasoning.
          d. Serve hot…with pepper.
5. Trail Mix
          a. Eat at least 20 servings per day…to ease the boredom.
6. Easter Brunch/Dinner
          a. Select one of options 1-4
          b. Supplement with option 5
          c. Throw in melted chocolate bilby
          d. Seve hot...with a sense of humor

Well. You can imagine my joy when we hit our first town that had more than a gas station, an overpriced tourist shop and a gigantic fiberglass animal of sorts.

After three consecutive 10 hour days (I think...it got a little confusing with the 30 minute time change, followed by a 45 minute time change...and then yet another 45 minute time change) we pulled into Albany, Western Australia.  In other words: we didn't die in the outback.  In fact, I was so happy, that I just had to jump for joy!

After a recovery day on one of the multiple secluded and surprisingly deserted beaches of WA, we headed into the national parks of the Southwest where the tingle trees rise to incredible heights.  So high...that I had to see it to believe it.  And that is how I ended up over 180 ft. in the air standing on a metal rod the size of a pool cue.

Apparently, the fact that I had just survived a three day trek across the desert wasn't daring enough for me.  But really, I couldn't think of a better way to have spent my 100th day on the road!

The other highlight of the tree climbing experience, was the 45 minutes I spent heckling from the bottom with a couple of friends I made on the climb (a right of passage, I think).  In addition to some witty comments, these friends also offered a very wise bit of advice:  there is a chocolate factory in Margaret River where you can eat as much chocolate as you want.

Uh...sign me up.

Turns out, Margaret River is also WA's prime wine country.  So, Denise and I went on a little sampling frenzy.  Here's a picture of Denise enjoying a fine Shiraz.

Oops...maybe I should go back to just the chocolate...

From Margaret River, we headed up to Perth: my final destination in Australia.  And who better to meet up with than my new bestest: Jane. 

If the face looks familiar...that's because Jane made an appearance in my blog back in January during our travels together in Thailand.  And here in Perth, the adventures didn't stop.  I got to explore the Funky Flare of Fremantle, the Killer Panoramas from Kings Park, and Jane even took me on a Rockin' day-trip to Rottnest Island, where we did a little biking, a little snorkling, a little animal watching and a whole lot of beach bumming.

But alas, all good things must come to an end.

Goodbye DangerDoom

Goodbye Jane

Goodbye Perth

Goodbye Australia

Dear Mia,

(I think this story could benefit from a little illustrating...)

Once upon a time there was a campervan named DangerDoom.

When DangerDoom was young, he had made many journeys all across Australia, but nowadays, he mostly sat in a caged parking lot guarded by his wicked owners on the outskirts of Sydney, dreaming about his glory days. Some might say that DangerDoom was a bit intimidating, due to his tough name and a rough exterior, but the truth is: DangerDoom also had a soft side.

One day, two unlikely friends, Adam and Denise, showed up at DangerDoom's wicked lair and invited him on one last cross Australia Adventure Extravaganza! DangerDoom was so excited that he promised them both that he would show them all of his favorite parts of the Southern coast of Oz. And to prove it, he took them straight away to the world famous Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach.

Over the next few days, as Denise and Adam explored the Blue Mountains and Melbourne, DangerDoom showed them all his tricks and secrets. Of course he was very proud of the fact that he came equipped with inside and outside eating areas, a propane stove, pump sink and kitchen storage. He also had secret compartments for storing bags and supplies, 4WD, and a nifty gauge that would make sure that he wouldn't overheat. He even had a BED!

There was so much to show, DangerDoom may have forgotten to share one little secret. But with all the excitement...who could blame him?  With all the scenery to discover on the Great Ocean Road, it's easy to forget a thing or two.

But eventually, DangerDoom's secret would have to come out...and just East of the South Australia border, it finally did: Uh..oh... Electrical problems!

DangerDoom didn't mean it, but everytime Adam flicked on the brights, DangerDoom fell asleep for about 2 seconds.  hmmmmm.... And then the next day, DangerDoom was SO sleepy, he had to be given a jolt every time he stopped driving. Even if it was just to get gas!  Well, with no delay, Adam and Denise took DangerDoom straight to Adelaide to have him looked at in the Wicked clinic. While Adam and Denise enjoyed the parks and markets of Adelaide, DangerDoom got a little bit of R&R...(and a new electrical thingy). Phew! Let's get back on the road again!

But first, a quick stop off in Kimba! One of DangerDoom's favorite roadside wonders!

At long last, came the part of the cross-Australia Adventure Extravaganza that many without DangerDoom's courage and experience would dread...the Nullarbor! This 2000 km stretch of flat bushland is just what the name would imply: Null arbor...No Trees!  (and no towns, and no people, and no radio stations, and pretty much no nothin'):

And while it may have started off all smiles, as the km's racked up...Adam and Denise started to wonder:

Would they make it the long distance?

Could they avoid the treacherous local wildlife?

Are there really camels in Australia?

And did DangerDoom have any more sneaky secrets under his hood?

To be continued......

Dear Miranda,

Looked for you everywhere. 

Had a lovely picnic though.

Dear George, Sandy and that pitcher of Sam Adams Summer Ale,

Midway is a small local bar in the middle of Ashford, CT.  It is also the place where 10 months ago, a homesick Aussie made a promise to the two people sitting on either side of her at the bar that if they came to Australia, her dad would take them on an outback adventure.  Lots of hypothetical plans have been made at midway over the years.  Only one that I know of ends up like this:

Welcome to Outback, New South Wales!

Where emu's roam, ancient human (and mega fauna) remains abound, and you can actually see the curve of the earth over the Mundy Mundy Plains.  And don't even get me started on the flies.  

Before heading off into the red center, however, we had to await the arrival of our third member of the Summer Ale pact: Denise.  And her arrival couldn't have been planned better, as St. Patrick's Day was just around the corner.  So we did what we are good at and celebrated in style:

In fact, we made such a big impact in the land down under...we made the local news.  Yep, we are kind of a big deal. 

And thus began our outback adventures!  Our first stop was Mungo National Park home to the remains of a people who lived over 50,000 years ago.  And also home to a lot of flies.  Now, I don't want to distract from the historical importance of Mungo Lake, but it is a little hard to think clearly when there are about 50 flies crawling into your mouth, up your nose and over your eyeballs.  In fact, it's pretty hard to do anything other than this:

Luckily, Craig came prepared:

Ahhhh....much better!

Now, properly attired, we headed further into the center.  Passing gigantic wedge-tailed eagles, flocks of rare red-tailed cockatoos and who knows what else was hiding out there...

After about 1000 km cruising along the mighty Murray River and up the Darling, we landed in our ultimate destination: Broken Hill.  Anyone that has had the great fortune of seeing Priscilla Queen of the Desert will remember Broken Hill from the epic standoff in the Palace Hotel between the local miners and the Sydney drag queens.  Today, the actual broken hill, sitting just on the edge of town, has been turned completely inside out, a reminder of the former glory of the mining town. While a few mines still run, they are mostly shut down relics like this one

Strangely enough, in the place of the old mining boom, Broken Hill and its surrounding have found themselves in the center of a new art boom.  The pinnacle of which being the Broken Hill Sculpture Garden.  Armed with champagne, cheese and crackers (typical miner's fare) we made it to the site just in time for sunset.

Other highlights from the trip included: a visit to the Royal Flying Doctors Service hangar, a class session of the School of the Air (computer based schooling for isolated farm children), Silverton (think mad max), and of course some sand dune shenanigans:

Believe it or not, after a month based in Victoria, the return from Broken Hill marked the end of my time with the Iskovs.  A sad day indeed.  But thank you, thank you, thank you to Craig, Kay, Megan, Brylie and Richard for putting up with me and offering me a home quite literally on the other side of the world.