Pro Evolution Soccer: Vietnam Edition

    Thursday, October 29

    I`m sorry this is getting completely out of Sync, and i promise the rest of Vietnam will be in a much more chronological order, but i forgot to mention this random moment that happened off the plane and it probably deserves a mention...


    I arrived off the plane to Hanoi to the usual "want a taxi, cheap price for you" which i said no to and jumped on the bus. This is where things went a wee bit weird. I sat next to just this random guy, skinny, glasses, he introduced himself as something, i can`t remember, i`ll call him jack (oh that reminds me i was talking to two students at the lake the other day and one said he`d choose his English name (you can choose your own English name when at school) to be jack, as his brother had picked "Micheal" and their surname was "san" basically he thought it was the funniest thing to be able to say Micheal Jack San when introducing themselves. He laughed at this story quite a lot until straight faced said "not so funny now he dead")
    So anyway back to the bus jack, i asked him if he could tell me where the bus drops us so i could find my way to the hostel and he said he could show me to where the hostel was instead., i thought ok, suppose he could just be being nice and he was fairly weak looking so i thought at worse i could take him.
    He then paid for my ticket (cheers) and on route to the hostel asked if i wanted a coffee "yeah sure" (free is free when all said and done, even if his plan was to drug me and steal all my organs, which he didn`t by the way) Then after this really nice, undrugged, cold coffee he showed me to the hostel. He then asked if i fancied seeing his cyber cafe??..."urmm not sure, hell why not" he said he had pro evo, that was enough for me. Actually he said "do you want to get beat at Pro Evo!" which sounded like fighting talk :D
    He paid for the taxi there and true to form there was a real cyber cafe and next door was the promised Pro evo building. Lines of 42 inch LCD tv`s all accompanied with 2 people competing against one another.
    He seemed to be head of this cyber mafia i`d somehow found myself part of and i was given someone else's seat at a TV (awkward) he took the pad and passed me another one and as everyone had gathered to watch, all laughed as i got beat quite badly. "re-match" he says. "Fine by me", and this time i score first, to absolute silence. He was fine and still smiley but the rest just looked at me and although didn`t say anything, i somehow got the impression i wasn`t supposed to win. With or without organs there was no way i`m letting someone win. So we just carried on like that, every time i won, i got death threat looks and every time he won got a round of applause, and at the end he just turned to me and asked if i was tired, i said yes, and then someone wheeled out a bike and he rode me back to the hostel......video below :D


    It was an absolute insane day, i`d lost my travel partner, nearly missed my plane, been looked at in disgust by the visa people in Nam (that`s another story to be told in person i guess) and spent the night playing Pro evo in a building more suited to cooking up heroine than playing computer games.

    ok sorry about that...fast forward back to now>>

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    Miyagi`s town

    Is it racist to keep referring to Vietnams most loved and influential leader as Mr Miyagi?? yeah..probably :)
    So anyway, what i first though as a unhealthy obsession to "karate kid" turns out to be for "Ho Chi Minh", Vietnam's president from 1954 - 69 (should of known some of that) But he`s well loved over here and his face pops up more than even Mau`s did in China.
    I went to visit his old house and the palace. His body which is usually kept in the mausoleum next door was on holiday in Russia, something he seems to like doing every October, so i wasn`t able to see that. (then again saying that i didn`t go to Mau`s either, there`s something about queuing to see a dead dude that doesn`t appeal, i find the idea of madame Tussaud's creepy, so this is on another level)





    The rest of the city is insanely busy and loud but has quiet a cool character to it, just crossing the road is as much fun as any sightseeing spot plus I`m in a proper party hostel here which has been good for being back alone. I`m popping to Sapa for 4 days in a few hours on a night bus (the routes supposed to be quite a scary uphill windy road, so that should be fun). I am looking forward to a bit of quiet on getting there though and it also gives me the chance for some proper trekking.

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    Hong Kong Phooey

    I know i said i wanted to do as little flying a possible but hong kong wasn`t initially on the itinerary either, i hoped to just train it from Kunming or Nanning but the national day had changed all that and extending my visa seemed to involve opening a Chinese bank account and having money frozen for something like 2 months, this meant hong kong became my only real option. Thankfully Laurens flight to Bangkok was from HK so we thought we`d train it together again and part ways there.

    Day one and i don`t remember at all what we did, i think we just eat! oh actually i do remember we took the star ferry across to hong kong island to see the lights and had a little wander around the place. It was strange being back to a big western style city, allot of suits walking around, european style pricing, english speaking. It wasn`t a negative first impression it was just so different to what we`d got used to.
    The following day we did Victoria peak which i guess is the most iconic of all hong kong imagery. We went up when it was only dusk and at the top found out you can`t go up and down freely :) this meant a few hours freezing at the top waiting for sunset. We did manage to get a 30 min toilet break though.
    The view itself is spectacular, despite a layer of mist covering the horizon, it`s 100% worth the ride up, and gave you that feeling that your actually standing somewhere you`ve looked at and imagined being while researching the trip (kinda like the great wall, but colder). Once back on our own side of the river we explored the neon craziness that is "Nathan street", grabbed some food and explored the night market. Hong Kong really does only come alive at night, it`s like it`s having a nap during the day waiting for people to finish work... which is lucky as the next day we ended up waking at half one and putting an end to our plans of seeing the Buddha before we`d even set off.
    We were meeting some of Laurens friends for the races at 6 (night time horse racing is this big thing ever Wednesday over there) so we only had a bit of time to explore Soho and a look down the antique street. Before u know it though we where having drinks and placing bets..... and winning. Nothing big, we were betting the equivalent of a few quid each time. But we went 3 for 3, including an outsider taking 1st, so it paid for our drinks..







    I haven`t really made my mind up on Hong kong, even now 3 days after.
    The view of the skyline from both the boat and the high point was pretty awesome. But it felt a little to much like being back home, i liked feeling like i was actually travelling in China and here i was just another person in a big crowd. Lauren could probably make a desert in Iraq fun, so there was no chance of not enjoying myself, i just don`t know how much was down to the city and how much was due to Company.
    Saying that we`ve parted ways now so it`s back to solo travelling, China was amazing, it really was, and if i can meet similar people from here on out then i think i might be extending my trip.

    ...onto Vietnam

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    Skipping forward for a second

    Saturday, October 24

    I`ll get to Hong Kong in a bit but this is an abbreviated version of the prior hour and a half:


    "what time is it" "12" "crap i need to book a hostel for vietnam, i`m going to be there in 4 hours" "excuse me the internet isn`t working" (click,click,click) "ok, cheers" [book hostel] "how do i get to the airport?" "bus A12" (say goodbyes and go to bus stop, and start chatting to a guy at the stop) "what time`s your flight?" "2:55" (eyes widen) "good luck" [oh that`s not a good response] (half one before the bus shows up) "how long does this take" "45 mins" "shit" (one hour later, running off the bus to the check in desk and three people start helping me check in quickly) [passport, check, flight details, check] "you should run sir!" (security guy sees me running and lets me jump to the front for baggage and security check) [i could of hugged him i was that thankful] "final call for VA791 to Hanoi" "(owwww double shit" (running past gate 7, gate 8............. still running, jumped half the escalator... 11, 12.....) [i`m gate 20] "hurry" (the woman had seen me as she was pulling the elastic chord over the entrance door) (quick smile to say thanks, and take my seat) "your lucky :) " "i know"

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    The great outdoors

    Tuesday, October 20

    We arrived in gulin at 6ish and jumped a bus to yangshuo, now yangshuo isn`t exactly large but as it was pitch black when we arrived and there`s no english signs or people to understand us, we were basically just left hanging out at the bus station, neither of us have phones so we had to ask a local to borrow theirs, which is easier said, and ask the hostel to come pick us up. Which they did... with 2 vespas! My backpack isn`t large so that`s not a problem but Laurens is 47 pounds which is ridiculously heavy, but hey they plonked it in the bit were your feet go, we jumped on the back and set off. Just one of us slightly slower than the other.
    The morning came and with it so did the sun, glorious sunshine. I hadn`t seen a blue sky since those febreeze rockets were shot into beijings sky, so it was nice to be back to flip flops and t-shirts. We rented bikes for the days events. The first one which was wheeled out was lilac, i thought Lauren could have that while i wait for the "man bike" which so happened to be bright pink. I looked at Lauren with that " ok lets just obviously swap" sort of face, to which she turned around and rode off. Guess it was me and the barbie bike for the day then.




    We rode to the river, chucked our bikes on this truck, which we were promised would be waiting for us at the bottom and hoped onto our bamboo raft. It was something like a 2 hour cruise to the end point and a welcomed chance to relax after having spent 30 hours travelling. We eat fruit and just chilled and even the promise of our bikes being returned turned out to be true.
    10 minutes down the road, and a few dodgy looks at my bike later we got to `moon hill` [probably best to look at pictures than trying to explain] but we hiked to the top (which was longer than we first thought) and then rushed back for our lunch at the hostel (which was now sooner than we`d planned)

    Yesterday we decided to get off the beaten track, which to be fair was already fairly off the track anyway, and rent mopeds for the day. I`d never been on one before and as the first thing i did was run over laurens big toe i thought maybe it should also be the last.. We pushed on though, me trying not to crash into every car and bus and Lauren doing her usual handstand while taking photos, steering with her feet routine. But after a few mins though i was loving it and joining in with the photo taking. The scenery was some of the nicest i`ve ever seen in my life, and everyone was waving and saying hello. The family we stopped at for a snack all came out and had photos with us and practised there English. It was just such a nice day and we ended it with big reveal of the Li River (which incidentally is on the back of the 20 yuan note)

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    Kung Fu Panda

    Friday, October 16

    Currently 4 hours into our 26 hour train journey from Chengdu to Guilin, me and Lauren have said our goodbyes to Rich and Shell and are lazily doing anything to keep boredom at bay. We went to see the panda breeding base this morning, which when used with a panda card *sold from all good supermarkets for 10 pence* is free to get in with. There`s no cages or mistreatment, it`s amazing! I didn`t go to the zoo in Beijing for moral reasons and for just that little extra effort in coming here, feel priviliged to of seen them in a much better enviroment. There shockingly adorable and at the same time absolutley useless. They sit, eat and every so often gingerly walk around the place...... like old people (joke)


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    "Big Buddha"

    We only had two nights in chengdu which we spent at sims hostel, it would of been nice to of had an extra night or two i reck, but Rich and Shell were booked on a boat cruise and lauren was heading off to Shanghai for the 16th, plus my visa is getting worryingly close to running out, so we had to get a move on.


    We`d paired up in private rooms so that was a blessing to be be able to spread out a bit more than usual, i`d literally been living in dorms since Rome and a private shower was a luxury greatly missed. Also it meant we could order take away and eat it in our room, which was a first for this trip.

    Ordering take out in China from a menu with no pictures and no English writing is one of the funniest things you`ll ever do in your life. Trying to mime noodles and chickens is one thing thing but saying you want to take it away is something else, i ended up having to go into the kitchen and pretending to carry a bag out. All this as well as having to steal enough chopsticks for us all to eat with. [and for the record soy sauce is nigh on impossible to mime, FACT]

    The day after we took the 2 hour train to Leshan to see the worlds biggest Buddha, standing at just over 71m it`s frickin huge, i was well impressed with this place.. we also had the place almost to ourselves which made it extra cool, especially as we`d heard the rumors of queues of up to 4 and 5 hours during the national day :O owww

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    Catch up episode

    Thursday, October 15

    Sorry for the lack of updates recently i think i got a little to comfy in Beijing, enjoying just strolling around in the sun without a care in the world. But i`ve been on the move since then and am currently in Xi`an. We`ve spent the last three nights here and in a few hours we`ll be heading to Chengdu.

    The beijing set on flickr is up to date now with new photos.. i didn`t get up to too much in those last few days after the parade, we all visited the 798 art district which was good fun, i learnt to play mahjong (kinda) and also made a return visit to both the temple of heaven and wafujing market. The day before getting the train i again rented bikes, and at the nightime after doing the hostels BBQ made a trip to the visual arts building.




    Ok Xi`an! we arrived to rain which to be honest i`d had enough of in Shanghai, but at least this time i had company from john and lauren who`d travelled down with me. (extra kudos to lauren who snuck me from the soft seater i`d booked onto and into a spare soft sleeper bed) In the queue for the hostel pick up we bumped into another manchester couple (shell and rich) who were both a proper laugh as well. We ended up staying in for the most part of the day, braving the weather every now and then for beer runs, the big bottles here are 2.5 yuan (25 pence) so a few turned into many and many turned into many more, so much so we ended sneaking two bottles of vodka into the bar downstairs and only calling it a night once every drop had been had.
    The day after and yep, more rain, not as much as the previous day but enough to be warned against renting bikes, but not so much as for us to take any notice. We rode as a 4 with one of the bikes handles slightly broke (a lot broken actually) and that one obviously being mine, we rode to the Muslim quarter, through back alleys and markets. It was so wet and i didn`t take many photos but we stopped off for indian esque chinesse dumplings and had such a laugh it really didn't matter.
    Before returning the bikes we stopped by the bell tower for a music performance and some food, then back again for the night and a few more quiet beers.

    Yesterday we did the terracotta army, which despite people in the hostel claiming it to be a disappointment it really wasn`t. We ended in pit 1 which probably went some way to help as it was by far the most impressive of the tombs, 3 and 2 were a little uninspired its got to be said.... 1 was vast though, hundreds of warriors perfectly restored, they looked ace and i`m glad i got to see them.




    So that`s that, Chengdu from here to the pandas and hopefully a day trip to leshan. It`s a 16 hour hard sleeper for the 4 of us. Just need to go stock up on pot noodles for the ride :D

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    National day

    Saturday, October 3

    There was a myth i heard about the Chinese government before i got here, about their ability to alter the weather... obviously placing it in my mind as complete bullshit (Americans keep saying BS instead which angers me greatly). But it seems it holds some merit. According to "China daily" the rain we experienced last night was government induced. They supposedly shot rockets into the sky with chemicals to clear the pollution in time for national holiday, and you've gotta hand it to them the weathers been the best its been since arriving here!
    The plan was to go to the bar and spend the day watching the parade on a TV with a beer. Reason being, as eloquently as the Chinese put it "not everyone is invited" we'd known there was no way to watch it properly in the square as that was reserved for government officials. But we'd thought/hoped to at least see some of it.

    Lo and behold the street at the end of the hostel was blocked off as if the parade was going to go straight past, and the after the police dude confirmed it we set up shop with our beers and after an hour or so got to see a bunch of tanks ride through.
    The pictures on 'boston.com' are far superior to anything i was in a position to take, so again just look there.




    The night time there was supposed to be a big ol fireworks display, but again it was impossible to get anywhere close enough to see anything. I befriended someone outside a hairdressers and we eventually ended up watching it with this family in their store front :D

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    The missing days

    This place really is feeling like home now, the last few days have been amazing... i get to wake up in this hostel, grab breakfast and eat it in the courtyard, in the the sun, then walk out in flip flops and shorts listening to whatever play list i choose for the day



    The summer palace was/is huge, we didn't do everything...to be honest i don't think we even did half, but the weather had been cleared of pollution, which was a first for Beijing, and we were treated to views that others had said where impossible over the past weeks, so it was nice to know we were seeing it at its best.
    I don't even know what i did at the nights as these days have blended into one.

    I think the day after a few of us decided to rent bikes and hit the streets. We stopped by the temple of heaven where i also bumped into Adam and Ally which was the couple i mentioned from the boat and we also rode past the Preparations for national day at Tia'men square. I got pulled into some ping pong game, i got a shave off some guy in the street (who i've gotta add had the thickest glasses i've ever laid eyes on) and enjoyed a beer on the edge of the lake.





    Granted this isn't the most exciting entry to date but the days haven't exactly had structure as of late and i've been taking less and less photos recently so my source for remembering things has dried up
    It's national day tomorrow so maybe i'll have something slightly more cohesive to write then...


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