End of the story

Back again in Doha. After a last visit to another floating market and a short stop at the Saigon flower market we finished the tour. An eventless flight (fortunately) to Doha and now waiting for the connecting flight to Budapest.

Mekong delta

Again a flight. From Danang to Ho Chi Minh, then almost two hours od driving on a road full full full of scooters, then a boat took us in the Delta. Plenty of water as we expected and intensive water traffic activity. After a short and touristic cooking class we spent our night by the river in a homestay.

Hoi An

Weather in Hoi An is excellent this time. 25 degrees Celsius, mostly sunshine though slightly humide. There are plenty of opportunities for a photograph including visits to rice farms, fishmarkets but even staying on the street one can see something interesting each minute. 

Boats

After train, car, airplain and car again, we are in Hoi An, a city by the Thu Bon river close to the sea. Being close to the chinese new year the city is nicely decorated with lanterns. Early morning we went on a boat tour to see the fishermen coming back from their night work and selling the fish (and shrimps, squids, snails etc.) at the local market.

Night train to Hanoi

This was our last day in the North, a place where is worth coming back before the infrastructure develops and will be invaded by tourists. Today one can see mostly authentic national costumes but some already wear parts bought from the shop. Everybody was happy that we took photos of them and noone wanted to sell us fake handmade objects. This will change soon as Vietnam develops at high speed.
Finally we took a night train back to Hanoi.

Working on rice fields

Today we passed from Ha Giang to Hoang Su Phi through a valley full of paddy fields. We were not lucky with the weather, hence no photos with breathtaking scenery. However we saw people working. On the last picture one can see a red dzao woman with some rice fields in the background.

Markets, markets

Today we have enjoyed two more markets. We had plenty opportunities to observe not only the colourful dresses of the different ethnic groups but also to get an insight in their behavior. This world is definitely lead by women. They carry the heavy goods, they sell and buy them and on the way we saw only women working on the fields. At the same time men had a big fight with the alcohol what they lost. At about noon thet were all drunk after the consumption of a huge quantity of rice- and corn wine. It was particularly interesting the animal market where cows, pigs, dogs and chicken were waiting for their future. I have to mention that all people were very friendly with us letting us taking photos of them.

Ethnic minorities

Today we had again a busy program consisting mainly of visiting a few from the 55 ethnic minorities of Vietnam. We met them at market, walking along the road carrying something or in their villages. It were usually the women who were working. Children were happy and playing all the time.

Rice fields forever

Today a tough trecking was in the program. I was lucky with the weather because it was not rainy but the light was also not good for taking photos. Paddy rice fields were present everywhere yet they were dry. We met some people from different ethnic minorities and finally I planted an orange tree.

Long way to Ha Giang

Yesterday evening we organized for ourselves a city tour on a scooter. We tried to take some pictures from the backseat but were not really successful. Still it was funny.
We are still suffering from jetlag and my friend felt bad accusing the streetfood. So our 7 hours drive to the north also having bad weather was boring and tireing. No pictures today.

Street food tour

We have had a street food tour with a wellknown foodblogger. There are "normal" restaurants as well but nothing compares to the small shops or how to call them where you have a few plastic chairs and someone prepares you a quick dinner. They are specialized, one is cooking a noodle soup, others prepare for you black chicken or steamed pies etc. We tried out 5 different ones carefully avoiding those who offered strange animals.

Misty rainy Hanoi

Today we went for market scenes. The misty and rainy weather did not help us too much. Fortunately people were nice and accepted easily to appear in the picture. Both the volume and the variety of the goods is incredible.

Hanoi

After a long and exhausting 9 hours flight we are in Hanoi. Nothing to mention concerning the flight except that after one hour of waiting my luggage was the last to arrive. The athmosphere in the city is crazy. There is only one method how you can cross the street: don't look left or right. Close your eyes and go straightforward among the thousands of bicycles motorbikes ans cars. So far I have survived.

Doha

A bit disappointed because I expected a luxurian airport in the world richest country. Instead I see only one restaurant with 3 type of food. Some shops but it is nothing compared to the huge space.

Checked in

Already checked in at Budapest airport, much earlier than needed because of Angela Merkel visit.

Countdown

Ready to go. Packed, batteries charged, checked in. I should have cloned some hair on my portait, but well, this is it. To see the positive side, I do not need to carry on a comb with me.

Itinerary

Finally I have in my hands the detailed itinerary. I don't expect any more changes, unless some unexpected events will force me (please do not!)

 

02. Feb.2015 Budapest - Doha - Hanoi

03. Feb.2015 Arrive to Hanoi, no special program

04. Feb.2015 Hanoi, street food tour

05. Feb.2015 Hanoi - Ho Giang by car, homestay in a Tay village

06. Feb.2015 Tay village activities, full day treck

07. Feb.2015 Ha Giang - Dong Van, see scenery

08. Feb.2015 Visit markets at Dong Van and Meo Vac

09. Feb.2015 Ha Giang - Hoang Su Phi, rice paddies

10. Feb.2015 Hoang Su Phi - Bac Ha - Lao Cai. Night train to Hanoi

11. Feb. 2015 Hanoi - Danang - internal flight, transfer to Hoi An

12. Feb.2015 Hoi An activites with fishermen

13. Feb.2015 Hoi An activities, city tour, etc.

14. Feb.2015 Danang - Ho Chi Min - internal flight, transfer to Mekong Delta

15. Feb.2015 Mekong Delta

16. Feb.2015 Ho Chi Min - Doha - Budapest

The Planning Process

Well, for a while I have developed a procedure how to plan such a photo tour. First I need to decide on the period. Work, family, other commitments are narrowing down the possibilities. Then I have to decide what should be the main objective. In this particular case, it was February-March and ethnic groups. Then you stay with only a few countries. If you add your climate preference, some other personal taste, the final decision is easy: Vietnam. Then I make a first draft what I want to see in this country, where to go where not, how long the trip could be and finally I discuss this with an agency. Then a long negotiation process comes along but now I have an itinerary. Don't be misleaded by the travel time on the map, since it will not be by car but a combination of car, train and airplane.

 

Then I book the tickets, pay for the tour and here you are. I have a list of what to pack which of course is updated and tailored each time.

 

 

First Light

Getting to Asia is an old dream of mine. At the beginning all I knew about Asia only that it was a huge, light yellow continent, opposed to small green Europe and bigger and red Africa. At least this was how I read maps in my childhood. Since the age of 5-6 I travelled a lot - in my mind - as this was strictly forbidden in the political regime I grew up. When we went ot my grandmother's village I was excited as that was at a magic distance of 100 km, the first 3 digit distance trips I made. The travel took half a day.

 

Now, I am more or less regularly flying thousands of km-s and except the Antarctic on all continents. Still, Asia is unexploited, I have been to some places as "regular" tourist, to enjoy a few days of doing nothing by the seaside. Vietnam will be the first real adventure on this continent, spending 2 weeks there and going to both North and South.

 

Vietnam, like Korea, was a country divided in 2 parts, one part fighting with the other. In Korea it was silence, but we had daily news from Vietnam. This happened in the seventies and eighties in the Ceausescu dictatorship so all news were censored and presented to best serve that regime. It is not surprising that we, children did not understand anything. How the USA, supported by other imperialist countries could not win the poor north Vietnamese people, not helped at all by any country, definitely not by the USSR? Why people from the same nation hated each other and how was possible that all people from North were nice, fair and heroic, while those from South were bastards? We have had a few Vietnamse students but it was highly advisable not to have serious contacts with foreign students, so I never thought to ask them what is the truth. Anyhow, we had our internal problems, fighting to have our daily basic foods, have a job and the "less you ask, the better it is" survival philosophy.

 

In a short time, at the age of 58 I am going to see this country - fortunately seeing it in peace, unified and eager to receive tourists. I will travel with a camera, so one should expect to see this country through my lenses.