Ha Long Bay

There is a magical world in those waters.  A world where rocks appear through the mist and even though  you are on the sea, the scenery is ever changing... and yet doesn't change that much.  If traveling to Vietnam, a night on a boat on Ha Long Bay is a must!  Each boat comes with its own atmosphere, though the government recently required that they all be painted while.  My friend and I paid $90 for two days one night on a boat.  It can range in price, but I feel like they are all pretty much the same.  Be aware that drinks (including water) are not included and will be charged extra.  As this destination increases in popularity, so will prices!  It was the most expensive thing that I did in Vietnam, but I would have definitely regret not doing it.  Hopefully you get a day that isn't raining, but even the fog adds to the magic of the area.

Our tour included a hike through "Surprising Cave" which ironically was surprising how large it was.  Then a short kayaking adventure in the cove.  Some people were disappointed that there was "nothing to do".  So, be prepared to create your own fun.  Some of the ships are party boats, but mine had an eclectic mix of ages and nationalities that provided a fun but chill atmosphere.

My best advice.  Don't spend more than $100 for a one day two night excursion, bring a large water bottle and It is what you make of it.  Something not to be missed, but not "high adventure".  Bring a book! :-)

Home for the next 24 hours

What the "cabin" looked like.  The beds were surprisingly comfortable.

Up on the deck enjoying the… fog...

Lots of time to dream.

A floating village.  People actually live here!

Surprising Cave… how surprising!

#nofilter

A short kayaking journey.  The one time on this little trip
where we were able to escape the crowd and feel a little peace and tranquility.

Enjoying from the window.

Oh the Places we will go!

Ben and I enjoying the scenery for a few more moments
before it was time to depart.

Hanoi, a walkable city

I have a fault I'm willing to admit.  I hate asking for help.  I hate asking for directions and I don't like confrontation.  All of this generally leads to a lot of walking while I'm traveling.  A LOT of WALKING.  Some cities I would consider walkable and others not… my list of walkable cities… Amsterdam, New York, Chicago, Shanghai, Auckland, Phnom Penh, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap, and Hanoi.  (*walkable for me may not be walkable for you!)

Because of the many negative blogs I read before heading to Vietnam, I felt like I really didn't want to deal with any Tuk Tuk drivers.  I didn't want to haggle a price and I didn't want to be taken to a jade factory or down some alley and left for dead… So my friend Ben and I looked at a map and started walking!

The weather wasn't that great.  It was foggy and raining (?) almost the entire day.  A little colder than we had hoped, but that wasn't going to deter us!  Here was our trail for the day.
1)Hanoi Cathedral  2) Hoan Kiem Lake  3) Ngoc Son Temple  4) Coffee Break
5)  Hanoi Flag Tower  6) Temple of Literature  7) BEST LUNCH IN VIETNAM
8)  Ho Chi MInh Mausoleum  9) One Pillar Pagoda  10) HCM Museum
11) President's Residence

We did all of this in one day, and although we were exhausted in the evening, it was all well worth it and I would say that you can definitely see all of the "important" things of Hanoi in one day.  If you want a little more of an experience then perhaps plan for 2 days.  Below you will find pictures from all of the places with a few descriptions to give you a little bit better of an idea of our day in Hanoi.

This is the Cathedral.  I don't recommend staying in a hotel too close to it,
like my friend and I did.  On Sunday morning they ring the bells at 5 am.
Consider yourself warned...

Pagoda in the middle of the lake.
There is a legend that there lives a giant turtle in this lake,
however with all of the pollution its too hard to tell
and no one has seen it for a few years.

Here is a petrified giant turtle that sits in a glass box in Ngoc Son Temple.

Intersection in Hanoi.  The view from our coffee stop.

Gray skies.  Hanoi Flag Tower.

At the Temple of Literature

This is my friend Ben and myself.
I suppose if you only smile in pictures it can get boring.
Thanks Ben. ;-)

Temple of Literature. Built in the year 1070 and dedicated to Confucius.
In this location was Vietnam's first University.

Just outside the walls of the temple of literature lies the best and cheapest dining experience
that I had in Vietnam.  It was INCREDIBLE and only $1.20!
Its just a street stand with tiny plastic chairs.  But golly is it good!

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.  If you go early enough (before noon)
you can walk past the preserved body of Ho Chi Minh, the beloved leader.

One Pillar Pagoda

At the end of the day we were quite exhausted and opted for an $8/hour massage.  This was the one "bad" experience I had in Vietnam where I feel I was "scammed".  BUT at the end of it all I was mostly just disappointed that I felt I had been tricked.  On the door a one hour massage was advertised at $8 for one hour.  But when it was time to pay they charged me $13 because they used oil. (not telling me it would be an extra charge).  It was an average massage.  It was still within my budget.  I just had that icky feeling of, "hey, that wasn't very nice".

To be honest though, this was probably the worst thing that happened while in Vietnam.  Certainly I can't complain about that!  Stay tuned for more Vietnam travel stories!  Ha Long Bay is up next on the travel itinerary!

Vietnam: Should you go?

     

First, let me say that I was a little nervous going to Vietnam.  I had read that Vietnam only has a 7% return rate for tourists.  I also had read on other blogs that the local people were always trying to rip you off and charged double just because you are a tourist… some girl's boyfriend was chased down the street by a guy with a knife.  All of these things made me especially cautious and perhaps a little nervous to visit.  *BUT* with that being said, I had a WONDERFUL time in Vietnam!  There were a few small mistakes and disappointments, but nothing out of the ordinary.  Also, I am in LOVE with Vietnamese food!  Perhaps my one regret is not taking a cooking class while I was there.


Things to look out for when traveling.
1) Always be careful of your money. Know how much you have and know where it is.
2) Make sure you get the price and confirmation of the price before you receive and services.
3) Keep your belongings close to you. (I've heard stories of people cutting backpack straps and nabbing the backpack while driving by on a scooter!)
4) There are a LOT of reviews out there!  Check hotel prices and reviews and then compare!  I particularly like to use Agoda because you can rack up rewards for free hotel rooms and they seemed to have the best price.  Also, you can pay with your credit card so you don't have to worry when you get there.
5) Keep your cool.  Its important to think clearly and not let your emotions get the best of you.  Just because they are charging you double doesn't mean they are ripping you off.  The local pays $1 for their meal… you pay $2.  ITS ONLY $2!  Be thankful there are still places you can get that deal!
6) Walking away is always an option.  If the price is too high, then don't buy it.  If they really want your sale, they will give you a deal.
7) Expect the worst but hope for the best!  This is my life motto… it saves you from a lot of disappointment.  Prepare yourself to be ripped off, cussed out and shunned.  Because when it DOESN'T happen, you'll have had the most lovely time.

In posts to come I'll give you updates on my journey through Vietnam.  There are basically 2 ways to travel Vietnam.  North to South or South to North.  Either way you'll make it to the center, which I thought was the most lovely.

I traveled in Vietnam the end of February.  The weather was a little cool and rainy in the north, but pretty near perfect as we went south.

If you have any questions that I may be able to answer, let me know!  Always up for a good travel dialogue.

48 Hours in Shanghai

I'm so glad that China now has a free 72 hour Transit Visa!  A "real" Visa costs $130 for a US citizen ($30 for everyone else >.<)  So, although I've been living right next door, it was hard to have the desire to go and make it count for that price!  For those looking at getting the Transit Visa in Shanghai, it was super easy!  I flew into the Hongqiao (SHA) airport from Seoul at 1pm.  Make sure you have your itinerary and address of where you will be staying.  It only took about 10 minutes to process and then I was in!

I was super blessed to be able to stay with S.S. Lee, my old landlord in Korea (2008).  He has a swank job in Shanghai and I was picked up by his driver at the airport.  Silly me, I tried to get in the front seat of the car… guess I've never had a "driver" before.  

From the airport we drove into the city and I tried to remain wide eyed, taking in the sights along the highway.  I met S.S. Lee at his office downtown and we headed to "The Bund", probably the most famous place in Shanghai to go for a stroll.  After that it was off to dinner.  The first Japanese restaurant that my host was hoping to go to was pretty full, so we went to a new Korean restaurant… I'd have to wait until the next day for authentic Chinese food because S.S. Lee isn't much of a fan.  ;-)

At the end of the day we picked up some bread from Paris Baguette (a Korean bakery) and then picked up James (his son) from a Math academy.  Then it was time to head home.  The Lee family house is on the outskirts of Shanghai in a gated community.  Its pretty much AMAZING… the next morning I wandered around the neighborhood and took a few photos. 

S.S.Lee family home

This Amused Me

This is someone's house! In China! (what?!)

The rest of the day held a visit to Qibao, a famous ancient water city only 20 km from Shanghai.  If you want REAL Chinese food, this may be a good place to visit.  But then again… the most "famous" dish is a stinky tofu.  It was entirely too early to partake in such a "delight".

Other famous dishes include Peking Duck and tiny chicks on a stick.  Surprisingly, in all of my travels the only thing I ate on a stick was highly recognizable meat ready for grilling. ;-)

I enjoyed a shadow puppet play, a boat ride down a small stretch of the river and if you go early enough you can escape the horrible crowd slowly wandering down the tiny food alley!  A fun day that I felt was a little bit more authentic "China".

 

The rest of the time was spent hanging out and eating with the family.  I saw a concert at the British School where the eldest son goes.  Then I recorded a song with the younger son and enjoyed some family band videos.

The last few hours were spent at TianZiFang arts and crafts market area in the French Concession part of town.

It was a perfect 48 hours in Shanghai.  Huge thanks to my Korean family living in China for such a great time!  

The next step was heading to the other Shanghai airport (PVG) to meet up with my travel buddy, Ben for 4 weeks in Vietnam and Cambodia!

Emended Really is a Word!

From before I knew it was in me, I think I was made to travel. A nomad, with an unconventional life.  Emended Gypsy. A changed wanderer.

Follow along… If you can keep up!

The Best Fortune Cookie Ever!

In University my nickname was gypsy. It seems fitting to my personality. I never knew how fitting. As I continue on this journey we call life, my love for travel and lack of just one home has grown. When people say, “when are you going home” it always causes me to question… Which home?

I think my family has come to terms with this being my life, though they can chime in if  other wise. I certainly have chosen a path less traveled. But I couldn’t be happier.

Yes  emended really is a word. It means changed, or to improve by critical editing. Its the perfect name for my new blog… I don’t steal things or tell fortunes… But one definition of gypsy says “one inclined to a nomadic, unconventional way of life”

Yep! That’s me!

So here I begin, an emended gypsy…hoping to change all of the bad to good in my nomadic and unconventional life! 

I invite you to read along and enjoy the little bits and pieces of my adventure!