Archive for July 2011

hen gap lai vietnam



The waterfall was more or less the end of our road trip. We got back into Hanoi two days later, and had a handful of days to say goodbye to our friends, eat as much Hanoi food as possible, and get our bike confiscated and then returned by the police, and then it was time to head to Saigon to catch our flights out.



It was so hard to leave Vietnam. Before we arrived in late March this year, I'd worried returning would be a disappointment, but from the moment our plane started to descend, and I saw the headlights of Saigon motorbike traffic bobbing unevenly in the streets, I felt insanely happy, and felt that way for the next two months. I love being in Vietnam, Hanoi especially. It was great to be back and to see our old friends. I don't know if I'll ever live there again the way we did two years ago, but I know I'll always be drawn back there whenever I get the chance.


So, see you again (again) Vietnam! I'm so happy we got to visit this Spring.


waterfalls, trucks & mud


The day after we visited Pac Bo cave, we hopped on Iain's bike and drove 3 hours to Ban Gioc waterfalls. Like Pac Bo cave, the waterfall lies on the China border, but unlike Pac Bo cave, a permit is required, with varying degrees of strictness - two years ago, Iain and his friend were barred from entering because they hadn't filed for a permit back in Cao Bang town, though Ben and Huyen had better luck (and better Vietnamese skills!) Anyway, to be safe, we got our permits organized in town before setting out, and were allowed to drive down a precipitously rocky hill to check out the falls. 


The ride was so long and the roads were so bad that we only had an hour - enough time to take a $5 raft ride, wave at China and drink an orange soda, but not do much else, which was a shame. Still, it was good we set out early because the roads were not only covered in mud and rocks, but also every single truck in Vietnam: 


I have no idea why there were so many trucks clogging up the road, but it took us over an hour to squeeze our way past them in both directions. Trucks are always a source of great stress whenever I drive in Vietnam - as anyone who's ever had to dodge a truck swinging into the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic to overtake a bus overtaking a cow will probably attest to - so you can imagine how much fun fifty trucks shoving past each other with total disregard for anything else in their way on a tiny muddy road might be. Fortunately, Iain is a much better driver than me, and so we were able to inch our way past ...


above: a line of trucks backed up all the way to the base of the mountains in the far left of the photo.

... and past ...


... and past. Have I mentioned I hate trucks? The only thing thing that could have made it worse was if we'd been on a bike laden with chickens, like this lady here:


(there were a ton of people just sitting outside watching the parade of trucks with great amusement. I don't blame them, it must have been hilarious.) 


Even without the trucks, there were plenty of mud and rocks and muddy rocks to keep Iain on his toes and make me secretly relieved that my wrist injury made it impossible for me to drive myself. Again, all of which would have been made much worse by a bunch of ducks in baskets:


So that was our last day in Cao Bang! The next day we got me and my bike on a bus (this time they took it apart and shoved it in the back) and started making out way back home to Hanoi.

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