Day Ride in a sleeper Bus to Diem Bien Pho, VietNam.

Next Day bus in a sleeper took across the border to Northern Viet Nam.  We already had our Viet Nam Visa (not available at the border) so an easy border crossing.

Immediate reaction is that as we go North toward China hills turn to mountains.  Several 10 km or more passes to cross.  Viet Nam is busy building infrastructure (roads, buildings etc) much like Laos.

Also, people seem a little more friendly.  Fewer Westerners here...let along Americans.  We tend to say we are from Canada when asked.  Many noodle shops, markets that could be in Lima, Peru.

Young population who are forward looking.   I am making this post at the public library using computers domated by the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation.  Less English spoken here but all seem to know "Hello." and smile.

Noodle breakfast dish equivalent of $1 US per person.  Pith helmet hat for a little less than $3 US.  22000 of Viet Currency equals $1 so ATM offers 2,000,000 withdrawals (about $95US).  Nice hotel room with fans, TV, in suite bathroom is $14.

40 mon ngon Viet Nam trong mat CNN - Am thuc




Comments

Unknown said…
Hi Bill,

I guess it makes sense to claim Canada, in the 1960's people fled from the U.S. to Canada to avoid going to Viet Nam...

It's great that you got to talk to the college students at your previous location. That probably makes your trip there tax deductable, if you know a good accountant.

Be safe.

Mike
April 8, 2016 at 9:22 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Manizales, Colombia

Image
Eight happy hours on a curvy road in a big bus brings us to the North part of the "coffee triangle."  The area of Colombia known for the most coffee production.  Havent seem much of it yet, but very pretty area. Ive been in much of the US Rockies where roads are built in the valley or along rivers and every once in awhile we climb over a pass to the next valley.  Here it appears that small settlements were built high near the ridgeline....so the road follows near the ridgeline.  Lots of back and forth driving with limited passing opportunities.  But then hard to get more that 60 kph speed when you have to do a 90 degree turn every 100 yards. Manizales is a town of about 300,000 souls also built on a ridge.  Bus station is a bottom and two enclosed ski lifts (my term) will take you to the top of two separate towns...Manizales or MariaSomething.   Ride cost about US$.45.  This is also a University town so lots of young people around....
Read more

On to Palamino

Image
    East of Santa Marta is Tyronia (Spelling) National Park which is said to have the best beaches in  South America along with lots of birds and wildlife.  We didnt go there  (Denyse forgot her berka).  But just past the park is a miles long beach at the town of Palamino.  Another hippy, young person hostel town just growing into it´s tourist future.  After checking the beach out we contracted for the river float and ended up on a two hour float down the Palamino river which ends at the Beach.  I believe I spend one of my nine lives on the back of a 125 cc moto driven by a 17 year old to take up to the put in point. Then two hours of minimum rapids and shallow water to the beach.  A number of the hostels also have space for camping either in your tent, their tent, their hammock, dorm room or private room.  This is a 1960s Carribean beach resort at a small fraction of the cost of any other Carribean island.
Read more

Just a little Adventure

     Sometimes you make your own adventure....whether you wish to or not. In purchasing bus tickets from Santa Marta I wanted to use my newer credit card (sign up miles bonus) but the young clerk wasn´t use to chip credit cards (What, no pin!).  So the transaction lasted 15 minutes or so with a lot of tries.  Once complete we left for the bus....not knowing we left credit card back at ticket counter. All is fine on the bus, a fairly new Volvo with seating to compare to Air First Class.  The conductor comes back with his cell phone with someone one the phone who wishes to talk with me. My spanish is not good, in Santa Marta they talk FAST and it happens passenger behind me knows Spanish and English so he takes phone and explains that they have card and will send it on next bus to our destination so stay at terminal for 2 hours after arrival to pick it up. So far, so good.  But at 9PM second bus is in and no one knows about credit card.  Come ba...
Read more