I do plan on updating a bit when I get back; after I round out Koh Tao I will likely share more essay-like posts about my reflections. Think more 'Humility' post vs 'this is what I did today posts!'
That being said... I owe you a report on Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. I consider these locations the spiritual end to my travels as a backpacker, and honestly by Hanoi I was wearied by the tourist attraction circuit. Usually I at least made the effort to 'see the sights' of a given location, but in Hanoi I just walked and ate and hung out with new friends.
Upon arrival (after my canceled flight, remember) I made my way to the famous Hanoi Backpackers Hostel. Friends from Ho Chi Minh recommended the place to me and I was immediately struck by the number of folks staying there. It's a vast backpacker factory, complete with restaurant, bar, lounge, BBQ, computers etc on at least seven floors. (I asked later - they house about 200 beds at minimum $6/pop.) After all the gritty family run guesthouses I've stayed in, the bright colors and Western style was very jarring. Nevertheless, I figured this was the end of my trip across Indochina and it was appropriate to try the backpacker scene full stop before I left.
So I booked a booze cruise ticket with the hostel to Ha Long Bay.
Stories from the boat party are best left to private conversation. It's clearer to me now that I am not a hard partier, but I had a great time anyway.
The boat ride was absolutely gorgeous. You know what Ha Long Bay looks like: giant limestone karst jut out of the bay while screened in mist. We took a short kayaking trip to experience the scenery up close and paddled inside a cave, where I slipped and scraped myself up a bit. Figures.
At the end of the day, I stood quietly on the top deck watching the light fade away. I wanted Ha Long Bay to seep into my bones. I wanted all of my travels to reflect and magnify inside of me until I truly accepted all that I had experienced. It's happened. I'm here, on the deck of a ship in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. I have traveled through Southeast Asia without approval from my family or some of my close friends and made it by myself just fine. Cheers, Vietnam. Thank you for your beauty.
The next morning the clouds darkened and rain fell as we sailed back to the harbor. Everyone rushed inside the dining hall. I pled for a glass of hot tea and snuck out the back door under the deck to watch the last of the mountains disappear. My heart began to turn towards home.
Back in Hanoi, I made a half-hearted effort to visit the Temple of Literature. The lines were massive and tour groups trekked through like ants. Gradually but strongly I began to feel that I should not be there at all. It's April 8th, Easter, and the first thing I'm doing is visiting a temple. After all the blessings God has granted me, I couldn't ignore His pull on this holy day. So I bought my ticket and left for the giant Catholic cathedral in town. I arrived in time for the French service. To hear Easter mass in French while in a gothic Cathedral in Vietnam - well, it really defines the 'universal' Catholic church. Afterwards I felt overcome with gratitude and love. Maybe I was even shining because four Vietnamese university students asked to take a picture with me. They enjoyed it so much that they even asked for an individual picture each with me! Of course I then needed a picture with them for myself :). Only one spoke English and the rest just giggled and smiled really big. Very cute.
Actually, I think of all the countries I was the most popular in Vietnam. I was asked several times if I was part Vietnamese because I'm small. Many folks complimented me on my smile. I even was asked by two separate & lovely young women to be their English speaking pen pal!
On the way to the Hanoi airport late at night, the taxi driver even felt the need to ask me in broken English if I liked Vietnamese boys and if I would want a Vietnamese boyfriend. I demurred and said I liked boys close to where I live. He then asked me if Vietnamese penises were smaller than American penises!! I pretended to not understand his hand gestures and we didn't talk much after that.
From Hanoi to Bangkok overnight to Surat Thani to Ko Phan Ngan overnight to Ko Tao... And to be continued :)
Katie
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