Day 102 – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – 8:56 PM

My 8-day motorcycle journey through the southern half of Vietnam has come to a close. I will attempt to provide a detailed summary of the previous week but I doubt my words can express the fulfillment I attained during this adventure.

At the close of my recent post regarding Day 1 of the journey, I fell asleep outside of Lak Lake debating whether to extend the trip. Needless to say I signed on for an additional six days. I woke on the morning of Day 2 and told Binh, my guide, I wanted to lengthen my adventure with him. With a smile and a handshake he insisted I would not regret my decision. After a quick breakfast, he told me to change into a swimsuit because I was going on an elephant ride. I was joined by Johnny, a motorcyclist in his late-20s who stayed at the same homestay as Binh and myself. Johnny was motoring south as well and routinely got lost on the confusing and rarely marked roads of Vietnam. Binh asked Johnny if he wanted to follow us for the remaining days. Johnny nodded his head and gladly became the third member of our team.

After a short ride to the elephant pen, Johnny and I climbed atop separate elephants for our hour-long ride. Each was outfitted with a wooden platform at the crest of their back to serve as a seat. A handler sat at the base of the elephant’s head to ensure the animal remained under control. I took my place on the wooden platform and the giant creature lurched forward. I could not believe I was on the back of an elephant. One of two major goals for my round-the-world adventure was to ride an elephant. That goal can be crossed off the list. As we ambled through a large patch of grass, I caught glimpse of a nearby pond and suspected we would make our way through it. I was correct. My elephant slowly stepped from the land into the brown, murky water. We proceeded forward and before I knew it my feet were under water and we continued deeper. At this point, the handler turned around, and with a huge smile motioned for me to take his position on the head of the elephant. I eagerly moved forward and we switched positions. I noticed earlier that the handler positioned his legs and feet in such a way that he was able to steer the elephant by applying pressure to the animals corresponding ear. I tried to align by feet and legs in the same manner.

Johnny’s handler exchanged places with him as well and we were both now in control of gentle giants. After 30-40 minutes in the lake, we emerged on the opposite bank and slowly slogged towards our homestay. As we approached our accommodation a platform had been erected that enabled us to disembark. Before I stepped onto the platform I gave my elephant a quick pat on the head. It was the first of many amazing things that occurred over the course of the following days.

During our 8-days together, Binh, Johnny and I drove through spectacular scenery that left me aghast. We ascended and descended mountain passes that provided us long glimpses into the sweeping valleys below. Binh pointed out the vast number of coffee plants that dot these steep slopes and make it one of Vietnam’s largest exports. Our route on Day 4 stretched along the coastline. Endless miles of ocean replaced the mountains we gazed upon earlier. Palm trees rose from the sand and waves peeled down the shoreline. Blue hulled fishing boats sat moored just off the coast or in the security of a bay or river. A former fisherman, Binh provided us with background into the Vietnamese fishing industry and many of the common practices used in the trade. Unlike America where laws establish the legal size of a fish or shellfish, Vietnam is quite different. If a fisherman pulls up a lobster that is too small to keep, he will not throw it back into the ocean. Rather, he will send it to a lobster farm where it will be kept until it is the correct size. The same can be said for any animal from the ocean.

As we drove, Binh also referenced the Vietnam War quite often. He pointed out particular sections of the countryside that remain scarred from the use of Agent Orange. At one point we stopped for a break and off to our right were a medium sized river and the remnants of a bridge. Binh pointed to the bridge and described how a large battle occurred there between American soldiers approaching from the south and Vietcong from the north. American soldiers blew up the bridge in order to take away one popular supply route of the Vietcong. We also visited the Cu Chi Tunnels located northwest of Ho Chi Minh City. These tunnels stretched for nearly 124 miles and anywhere from 6 to 33 feet underground. A portion of the tunnels is open to visitors. Johnny and I descended the short staircase and emerged approximately 20 minutes later after crawling on our hands and knees. Sweat drenched my face and shirt as I climbed into the fresh air. If the temperatures in the tunnel are that high during these winter months in Vietnam, I cannot imagine how unbearable they are during the summer months. It also provided an educational glimpse into how and why the tunnels went undetected for so long. I learned about the Vietnam War in grade school but to see these locations first hand is entirely different.

When I first met Binh on the sidewalk in Nha Trang, he insisted I would see the “true Vietnam” if I rode with him. The Vietnam that most tourists fail to see because many tour groups shuttle customers between a limited set of attractions. Binh assured me he does not fall into this latter category; he was correct. At one point during our first days together, we stopped at a roadside food stand. Moments later Binh approached me with a bag of candy he just purchased. I asked him if the snacks were for us. He shook his head and said they were for local village children. He motored another couple of miles and turned onto a dusty road lined with handmade houses. Families and local children sat on front steps and meandered in the street as we parked our bikes. Binh instructed me to go around and pass out candy to the children. At first many were hesitant to approach someone taller and with a larger beard than most individuals they ever saw. However, all it took was one brave soul to accept a piece of candy. Once the remaining children saw that I was not a monster who just landed from outer space, they quickly gathered around eager for a midday treat.

I was also blessed to be alongside Binh during the Tet New Year on February 8. In Vietnam, the Tet New Year is a time for families to come together and enjoy each other’s company. Many storefronts close and may not reopen for one month. As we departed Nha Trang last Friday, Binh pointed out the luggage bags that adorned most motorbikes. These bikes and bags belonged to locals traveling from large cities to the small towns and villages they hailed from. As we pulled into Loc An at the close of Day 4, Binh had a surprise for me. He knew a local family in Loc An and they invited us over to celebrate the new year with them. We arrived at their house and were welcomed onto their porch. I said hello in broken Vietnamese and introduced myself to an extended family of ten or so individuals. Binh and Hue, one of the daughters, spoke English and translated for me. As we shared celebratory beers on the porch, the father (with Binh translating) said he was very excited to have us present for the New Year and invited us into his house to share a new years dinner with his family. I could not believe this gesture. I smiled, nodded my head, thanked him in Vietnamese and inside we walked. Two large mats graced the floor and together we formed a large circle. It was a nice change from the standard adult/kids tables that many North American houses set up for holiday celebrations. Without tables and chairs, this Vietnamese family was able to gather in one room.   Encircled by us were platters of food, many of which are local dishes cooked specifically for the New Year celebration. Hue explained the meaning behind many of the dishes and insisted I be the first to sample each. Throughout the night, this gracious family got to know me and I learned much about them and Vietnam. I was truly blessed to have been invited into their home and share in such a special occasion with them.

My second dinner with a local Vietnamese family occurred on Day 6. We arrived in Coconut Island in the Mekong Delta shortly after 5 PM. Binh stated days earlier that he was going to cook Johnny and I a traditional Vietnamese chicken dinner. This feast took place at the home of a family he befriended in recent years. After dropping our bags off in our hotel rooms, we took a short boat ride across the Mekong River to the small town of Xa Tan Thach. We walked through a local market and weaved through narrow alleys. We arrived at the home of a woman whose front yard housed three large chicken coops. Binh and his friend carefully examined the chickens trying to decide which one would fill out stomachs later that night. They decided on one and I will not describe the chain of events that followed. However, I will say it was the first time I witnessed a chicken being killed, cleaned and cooked. We picked up a kilogram of fresh tiger prawns and walked back to the boat that returned us to Coconut Island. A short time later, we gathered in a large circle around a wealth of food. A platter held our brave chicken while a small charcoal grill kept the tiger prawns warm. Bowls of fruit were interspersed among the larger dishes.

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday afternoon shortly before rush hour. Binh and I pulled up to a local restaurant and reminisced about the previous 8 days over a beer. In all honesty, there were times when I grew tired of riding on the back of his motorcycle. However, in the end it was more than worth it. I cannot express my appreciation for what Binh showed me as we traveled over 800 miles, through cities, towns and remote villages. He made me see how friendly and warm Vietnamese locals are. I cannot express enough gratitude to the local families that invited us into their homes, the locals that smiled and waved as we rode past and the brave children that eventually accepted my offerings of candy. Most of all I have to thank Binh. He gave me exactly what he promised. The “true Vietnam”, with its culture, language, people and customs was what I wanted and it is what I received.

 

 

* The interactive map above details our route from Nha Trang on the coastline to Ho Chi Minh City 8 Days later.  Each segment of the blue line can be clicked and will display the miles ridden for that particular day along with a number of other statistics.  Additional pictures from my 8-day journey will be accessible over the coming days.  They can be found within the Vietnam portfolio section found on the Perpetual Footsteps homepage.