The Knowbody: September 2010

After three weeks traveling in central Vietnam, I have the confidence to say I can speak Vietnamese, one of my most important life goals.

In Hoi An, the beautiful ancient town (UNESCO designation), I strike up a conversation with a woman who owns a Vietnamese dessert shop. I ask her for a restaurant recommendation, and she offers to take me instead. I end up spending two days with her, practicing conversational Vietnamese during meals, paying homage to her family, playing badminton with her daughter and the neighborhood ragamuffins, and running around town buying lanterns and nuoc mi (sugarcane juice) with the two little girls until midnight.

In Hoi An, colorful glowing lanterns hang above unique wooden shutters and sliding doors -- architecture reminiscent of a different era. Cau lao noodle, a dish I had every day, can only be found in Hoi An as the water comes from a nearby ancient Cham well. The rest of central Vietnam is just as spellbounding. White, yellow, and red sand dunes and cliffs are as typical as the rice paddies in the beach town of Mui Ne. In Hue, (UNESCO World Heritage site) I visit the citadel and forbidden city and the tombs of the Nguyen dynasty kings. I also was able to practice Vietnamese often in Hue.

On traveling alone and backpacking
Without a doubt the region is beautiful, but my three weeks in central Vietnam was magical, because the people were so lovely. Without obligations to a mate or group, I can easily meet locals who are eager to tell me about their family and culture. Every connection was the highlight of my visit and left a deep impression on my heart.

Traveling alone as well as traveling via backpacking can open doors for richer experiences. Already on a bus to Vietnam's largest cave north of Hue, I learn from a tourist that direct transportation to the cave and a return to Hue mid afternoon is available -- and I would pay less (two dollars if you must know.) But, as is the backpacker’s way, a traveler and I get off that bus, wait an hour for a local bus hoping it's going to our destination, score, and walk five miles to the guesthouse with our packs. After all that nonsense, we then need to rent a motorbike to get to the cave, an hour away. Indeed, all the effort is trivial compared to the ride there. The rolling hills give way to expansive skies. Clouds of all shapes and sizes stretch down to the peaks of distant mountains. All the while driving by plush green rice paddies and dodging children leading water buffalo.

We arrive at Phuong Nga cave an hour before closing time. The cave is amazing, but as I have come to learn, traveling is less about the destination/tourist site, and more about the journey there. Five minutes after we hop onto the motorbike, rain begins to pour. Luckily, my grocery-bag thin poncho and sunglasses are substantial enough to keep me content while I marvel at the layers of blue beneath the rain clouds. After some forty minutes, the rain subsides, and the sky clears. I turn around and witness the most brilliant of sunsets I have ever seen. The sky and clouds are stained with magnificent hues of yellow, magenta, and violet.

After this experience, I wonder if I can travel any differently. When you are backpacking, you are physically more involved in the journey. Mentally, you are alert and active as you are constantly forced to use your brain to process the sensory overload and for problem solving. This engagement is very rewarding, and memories remain vivid.

Photos below, and/or click here for more photos.

The sunset after visiting Vietnam's largest cave. Photos and skills (rather, my lack of) could not capture the startling beauty.