Mountians of Vietnam
Xin chao. Eating breakfast on deck nine I watched as the tides took us past the luxuriant green trees standing tall on the rivers edge. The dinning hall filled with chatter of plans to come. We waited eagerly before hearing the all clear announcement prior to disembarking to board a bus bound for the airport. After a short flight a small group of students and myself loaded on a rusty train to find our small home for the night complete, with bunk beds. I would imagine the Hogwarts express from Harry Potter, to be similar but with more snacks. After a rickety ride we came to a sharp stop two miles from the boarder of China where we grabbed our bags and set out for a small backpackers town.
We sat eating our breakfast of homemade pho, over looking the mountains we would soon venture into. In an instant our eyes were intrigued as we looked in awe of the rice terrace that climbed the mountain sides, and thats where the adventures began. We hiked up and down the fields past water buffalo grazing, women preparing the fields for planting, and small waterfalls along the way. I trailed in the back of the pack frequently stopping to take time to touch, smell, and sometimes eat the nature around me. I spent a good deal of time watching the ground beneath my feet as I slid along the thick clay mud. I walked on the small ledges with the irrigation system rushing with fresh mountain water on either side. The engineering behind the mountain side reflects the peoples lives. They appear simple from afar however they are rich with cultural complexity.
Our day of hiking finished in a small village occupied by the Red Zou people. They once were residents of China, before war. They live a life based on their own aboriginal practices, speaking their own language, and clothing themselves in intricate red and black native clothing. A woman and her husband opened up the top of their stilt home to us and prepared a traditional meal for dinner. The sun set as we stayed up discussing our travels and growth through the voyage.
The next day, our group was awakened early to the towns loud announcement system playing what we think of as communist propaganda. We walked to the villages school to watch the morning assembly, complete with synchronized morning exercises. Yard games were then played before they started class for the day and we started off on our days hike. Our day was spent freeing our legs as we ran down the pasture side, bags bouncing against our sweaty backs before reaching our pick up destination. The wind hit my face and I smelled the distinct farm smell, reminding me of my years growing up next to one. Instantly I was at home in this rule Vietnamese cow pasture (it’s the little things in life.)
After reaching another town, we were picked up and taken back to the small backpackers village. We walked the streets, refreshed, and refueled at a small pod hotel set in the side of a hill. I chatted with market vendors and exchanged stories with fellow backpackers from across the world. The sense of community given from people who live thousands of miles apart shrinks the globe for a minute.
I drug my feet not wanting to leave as I boarded another late night train. This time leaving Sapa headed south. Much too quickly, an early morning wake up knock by the train steward ended our train ride. We left the train to learn the long history of war in Vietnam. We walked the halls of the prison where John McCain was once held and spoke to Vietnamese people to hear their side of… “The American War.” We learned of multiple other occasions that the small country stood together protecting their culture and land against various other countries. The sense of unity is still reflected in their modern culture.
Another flight, another day. Time was spent that evening slurping Slurpee’s and cracking jokes with close friends, sitting in a dingy Circle K on a small side street. The following day a friend and I walked up and down the streets of Ho-Chi Man City stopping in multiple coffee shops, open markets, and local stores simply enjoying time together.
Vietnam, a small dense book packed with adventure, rich history, kind people, and now great memories.
Cam on ban.
