Recollections of My Trip

Some "Shout Outs" and Fond Memories from 3 months in Asia

I've returned to Seattle, after about 85 days in 5 countries, numerous bus rides, and a final stretch of travel that involved 4 flights from 3 countries over 40 hours between leaving an island in Malaysia and reaching snow-bound Seattle.

No, I didn't blog as much as I had hoped to, but got some posted. The last few weeks of the trip were quite active, with multiple plane rides and spending time with friends. It was nice that I didn't spend much time on the computer - meant more time traveling. Here's a post trip entry.

Recollections from my trip, more of a list than an essay...

First, some highlights:

Meeting up with 6 friends in 5 different countries!
Glad Ali and Sirima and Joyce and Jason from Seattle were able to switch their flight to Hanoi when Bangkok's closures canceled all our plans there. Fun to share your first experience of Vietnam with you.

Huyen and her friends in Hanoi (Hang+Paul, Thang+Trang, and the Dutch karaoke stars!) were certainly the best part of Vietnam, as expected. Our hot pot dinner was my first home-cooked meal in 2 months at that point.

Book partying with Karen in Laos - at a small Hmong village in the mountains. Those kids had the most expressive smiles, even though they were extra shy.

Painting Shuba's "walk-in closet" dedicated room in her and Paul's fabulous new house. If I had too many design ideas (something about "soft-hued hanging textiles to compliment the French window shades), never mind them - I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with your place. And no, I wasn't "coming out of the closet" as we say in the States - straight guys can be excited about custom-mixed fuschia wall paints with purple trim too.

And making new ones as I went - (Part of the appeal of backpacker's lodging* [confession follows below], you get to be social with the other travelers):

You Chinese ladies (Joyce, Fiona, and Laeti) are quite the dancers and chefs. You paid me the ultimate compliment for a chef - by consuming the grilled fish I cooked before I got more than a 1/2 bite of it! I'll have to make it again, next time I'm in Guilin. Keep up the salsa dancing and hip-hop moves - I will too.

You Brits are quite the travelers! And, impressive vocabulary usage. Maybe the US should hire some of you chaps to teach English here. And quite entertaining - telling stories of selling fancy suits to rich princes while waiting up all night at the airport after getting hustled out of the Buddhist monks' prayer room... thought I could get away with that more than I could pass myself off as Muslim to use their prayer room...
Mim and James - carry on the kung fu practice. To paraphrase Yoda "our training is not yet complete;" I'll make it back to Yangshuo to train on the riverbank again.

Family from Belgium, babysat for them in Laos, saw them again in Hanoi. Proof that traveling with young kids can be rewarding and enjoyable for all. When I asked the 7 and 11 year old girls what their favorite part was so far, they replied "everything."

Thuy, in Hanoi, for taking me to some great tea houses for some proper tea, with some assortment of roots, bark, and berries. Good luck getting to the US to study business.

The methodical German Magnus I met in China and again in Vietnam, out on a year-long journeys through places like Tajikistan.

The intrepid fellow American (not many of us out there... what's up with that?), Maia, also on a multi-country, multi-year journey towards India to work. Hope you made it across the border without further hassle, and had the last laugh leaving VN.

There were many others who I came across who offered the conversation of the day, or a tip on the best spot to bum out on the beach, or shared a meal so that my stomach wasn't the only one braving it...that way we can pinpoint the trouble foods or the stronger constitution - "you ate that and got sick, I didn't."

Finally found a great bakery in Hanoi (on last night of my time there)... it seemed to only open at night, since I'd looked for it several times during the day and didn't even see a hint of it... Some sort of smuggling operation run out of it, perhaps??

While waiting at the airport in Narita, Japan - treated myself to the bulls-eye on target toilets that spray water on certain parts of your body during the rinse cycle. They must have borrowed the eye-tracking technology from Canon after they stopped using it on their line of cameras.

*Confession: Towards the end of my trip, I stayed at several 3+ star hotels... with monogrammed towels and bed linens. Okay, I even wore the bathrobe... I know, I know, against backpackers' code of ethics. But lived it up!

Then, some lowlights, though can now be considered humorous/"just call it an adventure?"...:

I fought off:
2 stomach issues - including 7 trips to the bathroom in one day, only the first public toilet (tip - find the older public toilets, in this case, at the bus station) had deep troughs to handle "splashage."

2 groups of bullies - breaking up 2 fights in Vietnam, 2 v 1 and 4 v 1 weren't fair fights. Mostly just shouting at them (in English) was effective way to make them disperse, almost looking embarrassed.

2 sunburns - okay, they weren't critical, but thought I'd rub it in for those of you in dreary northwest weather. I was on a beach in 90 degree heat and sun in Malaysia in mid-December, when it was snowing heavily in Seattle!

2 white spots on bottom of feet - not sure what that was all about... either "it's" gone now, or burrowed deeper into my foot.

3 left items: most importantly a bag with toiletries- but returned to find it waiting for me at the hotel in Hanoi. In the meantime, I grew out my beard and toweled off with a t-shirt. Later, cut it to a goatee, and got my ears pierced for good measure - to complete the look that a friend called "menacing," that lasts until I start talking and sound so gentle and sweet. The shirt had sentimental value - left it to dry on a bus that I got hustled off of in the pouring rain to be relayed to the bus that would finally get me back to Hanoi (see border crossing from Laos passage).

5 border crossings - no fewer than 3 into Vietnam, and 3 passing through same checkpoint, (yes, bit of an inefficient itinerary - see point 1 of highlights (meeting up with 6 friends in 5 countries), so, 3 opportunities to smile at the "greencoat" official who pulled me off the bus b/c I didn't have the right red stamp on my visa application...

Overall, the trip was, at times, both:
eventfully active and engaging (found a place for most of my active hobbies, from badminton, ping-pong, and ultimate frisbee to swimming, hiking, rock-climbing, and the Chinese version of hacky sack, played with a feathered birdie), meeting old friends and making new, discovering new elements of each culture I visited (might need a seperate post to review that)
and, occasionally, eventlessly mellow without even a book to occupy my thoughts, where the biggest decision and destination for the day was where to find breakfast...those were the days when I hit the wall and was tired of traveling- at least it would pass, faster if I picked a new place to head or smiled and started a conversation with someone who smiled back;

scenic (karst formations in China and VN, and jungled mountains of Laos, the rivers - I love the rivers),
and same-same (still getting lost on the streets of Hanoi), but, as I would make new friends, I could introduce them to the best of the town wherever I happened to be...;

gastronomically grand (Malyasia's curries and whole-fruit drinks, China's dumplings and stir-fries, breakfast wraps, tea-infused eggs, and innumerable other concoctions, Vietnam's noodle soups, steamed buns, grilled meats and fish with noodles, French style cakes, VN style che and sinh to(sweet beans etc and mixed fruit desserts), anything with fish sauce..., Thailand's standards, and Laos' new offerings (dried riverweed, tree flavored soup),
and gastrointestinally grueling (no need to go into detail here- hopefully it won't last for several months after my return, like last time);

So, I'm home for the holidays now, and probably will be in Seattle for awhile. Will be nice to catch up with friends here. Let's get together and I'll cook some of the new dishes I encountered on my travels. Don't know when I'll hit the road again, but know I'll have more travel adventures soon :) If I don't post much until I revive it for my next travels, then I want to thank you for reading thus far. Happy holidays and safe, exciting travels to us all.

Picasa Web Albums - Greg - Laos and vietnam and yangshou

Pictures from my trip:
http://picasaweb.google.com/travelingjp

Top of the Rock in the River Town of Yangshuo, China

Party Town, Rockin' Town

Apparently this is a town for climbing bums, musicians, chillin' out Chinese tourists, and gnarly kung fu masters. I spent time with each of those groups of folks.

I arrived after a long day on the bus from Hanoi, VN - being savvy enough to catch the direct bus from Nanning, the terminus of my initial ticket, 4 minutes before it departed, rather than go to the train station and risk missing the last train, or waiting several hours, for a train I didn't know existed.... how's that for a run on sentence. I'm writing this all in retrospect, as usual, so trying to capture the noteworthy moments of the past days in China. - I just arrived back in Hanoi, but that is where this post should leave off, not start...

As I got off the bus, I was greeted by loud booms and the clouds lighting up over the sillouetes of the rocky peaks looming around me. Figured it probably wasn't the town getting shelled, but walked in the opposite direction, just to be safe... Or, 'cause I was disoriented after the bus ride, especially since they dropped me at the outskirts of town, rather than at the actual bus station in the center of the action. Oh well, all part of the game. Hope his friends, taxi drivers or hotel managers perhaps, got some other business that day. Finally got turned in the right direction, and let one of the local touts lead me to the hotel she worked for, through the throngs of people streaming away from the fireworks show over the river.

Apparently the party wasn't completely over - I strolled around town late that Sunday evening, to the sounds of loud hip hop and techno music blaring out onto the "pedestrian only" streets in the old part of town. Nice architecture, converted to use as bars and guesthouses. After meandering down a few dark alleys, I located the training studio for the kung fu classes I'd read about on travel blogs and in the Rough Guide. I'd made it there in time to get to class at 8:30 the next morning, only to find no one there...

But, a friendly neighbor directed me towards a place that would have information, and pointed out the instructor as we walked past him. Yes, she still pointed me to the travel agency, who then told me they couldn't contact the instructor now, but that I could swing by the studio, which she thought had moved... so I ended up back where I started, but at least "George" was now there, looking somewhat ready to do morning training. But first we had breakfast - well, I ate, he smoked and drank coffee.

Fast forward to the highlight moments of that segment of my trip:

Kung fu training every morning, for a couple hours. Quite comprehensive; did qi gong first thing, to warm up, with the 84 year old Master Guo. Then moved into a "body training" series of movements to improve balance and harness one's qi, to be utilized when we go through the kung fu moves (forms). I've noticed the similarities to yoga postures and breathing techniques. According to some, the Shaolin style of martial arts was developed

Had acupuncture treatment at a local clinic. It was the most needles I've had stuck in my body at one time... and in some of the most painful places, particularly a knot in my lower back.

Rock climbing on Tuesday. Rest easy, the German guy I was climbing with was alertly German enough to catch the frayed harness and exchange it for a better one. So, I paid attention to the condition of the ropes.

Floated down the YuLong River on Wednesday, on a "bamboo" metal pipe raft. We demanded a trip without the use of the motor. The captain abided by it for the most part, but put up an argument after we stopped for lunch, claiming it would take forever to continue rowing. Throughout the trip, I gave him a rest at times, when I took over the oar.(yes, single oar, pulled in a standing position, rotating sides when the boat started to wind through the water like a snake.

Had an unfortunate day in the toilets (I can go into detail, if requested!) on what is otherwise my favorite holiday. Lets just say I would have appreciated the first toilet of the day to be available the rest of the day - after barely containing it on the short bus ride from Yangshuo to Guilin, the public toilet there was an extra deep trough to squat over...

I managed to enjoy Thanksgiving day, regardless. I was in Guilin, where friends, Fiona and Joyce, who I met earlier (mentioned in blog about dancing in Guilin) treated me to a proper feast. Roast duck and taro supplanted turkey and potatoes as a delicious holiday meal. Practically every meal in China was a feast, actually. I found some good food this time. One favorite was a unassuming place on the main street in Yangshuo. An assortment of veggies and meat is yours to choose from. They stir-fry what you select, and serve it with steamed rice in a clay pot. Good way to get my fix of favorite vegies, and a filling meal for 10 quai (colloquial term for yuan, the currency). Plenty of dumplings. Eggplant was in season.

We climbed up a mountain overlooking the city, which had the luxury of a cable car to get those less intrepid tourists up the hill. And, an actual slide with luge-type sleds big enough for adults to descend half of the slope! Never seen it before on an otherwise regular hiking trail... That's China for you though, always offering a surprise. Finished the day with some plastic-bouncey-ball volleyball with their friends. It makes for a bit easier version of the regular game, except the ball doesn't fly straight and true - much more wind resistance. There's probably been a study on the aerodynamics of this variation... Which bringss to mind that I saw a game of SlamBall on TV - anyone else heard of it? Short court basketball played with 4 trapoline launching points around each basket, to enable more acrobatic dunking. Quite entertaining. Which further brings to mind products with Japanese names, Thai flavors, produced by Vietnamese companies... a bit random association, but today's snack.
Will have more to say about China, but must get this posted...

Tidbits and Tips from Hanoi

Greetings from Hanoi. I made it back here, after some seriously grueling bus rides through Lao, and a hassle to get from the VN border to Hanoi on a series of motorbike, bus, pimped-out SUV, and 14-year-old-drivers bus... The water had receded (apparently the main lake in the Old Quarter rose to street level and washed up to the businesses' steps across the street, a couple dozen people died due to the floods, and other roads were 2 ft underwater).

Speaking of water - went swimming at a public pool in VN for the first time. Yes, they swim like they drive. No lanes, no speed limits, no order - so, there were several moments of certain head-on collisions, avoided at the last second with a swift kick or stroke to the side. So that was fun.

More time on the motorbike the last couple days. I consider it one of their biggest compliments (and one of their few) that they'll confidently rent out their motorbikes to foreigners, with the words "it's easy to drive, runs well." And then send you out to the beehive frenzy of the streets here. General rules: whoever is out front (even by a thread on the tire) has the right of way - correlates with rule that you're only responsible for not running into what's in front of you; no word for U-turn - instead the description of it literally means "turn your head," since that's the only time you do; bigger vehicles trump smaller ones; sidewalks are occasionally necessary to utilize as roads.

Found venues for badminton and pingpong the last couple days. One of the better ways to make them think you're a local. I recommend it while traveling.

Found favorites for street food - bun cha (grilled meat with fish sauce and rice noodles), banh bao (steamed buns), various soups (bun bo, of course pho, and rice porridge with eel); eggplant and pumpkin are in season and delicious. I'll bring a few new recipes back with me...

Let your sense of smell guide you around Hanoi. Walk down the Chinese herbal medicine street (Lan Ong St), then past the durian corner (I wonder if there are zoning laws for that fruit), maybe hold your breath along the metal works (Thuoc Bac St) and granite carving (plaques, portraits on stone, tombstones?) streets. The streets in the old quarter were named after the main item sold there; there are still streets with filled with, for example, wedding and business cards, holiday celebration decorations (incense or, now, cheap plastic Christmas crip crap), tools and tailors.

A couple more days here in Hanoi, then I'll go back to China for a week or so. I want to do some rock climbing on the karst peaks, in Yangshuo (near Guilin), where it also sounds like camping is an option. So, will be good to get out of the city and into nature. Hopefully the weather holds - the last couple days have been downright chilly! After acclimating to the tropical weather, 65C is surprisingly cold - though that would be shorts and t-shirt weather in Seattle late spring or early fall...

Lowkey in Laos

Whirlwind tour in laid back Laos

I arrived in Vientiane, Lao PDR after a 24 hour bus ride from Hanoi, VN. Let me back up and describe part of that journey. After getting deposited on a dark, anonymous street south of Hanoi, on a rainy evening, we (two French guys, rhymes with "keys") waited for an hour before being hustled into a parking lot and rushed onto a bus that took off within minutes (quickest takeoff I'd been on... until the return trip... but I'll get to that later). We drove through the night, and arrived at the mist-strewn mountaintop border crossing at 5:30AM, 1.5 hours before they opened. The ride was relatively comfortable, and the foreign fellas that got on at about 2:00 in the morning were relieved to see some other Westerners among the crew of young men (one of which was "security" - he offloaded an assault rifle at the end of the trip), several other Vietnamese men transporting various cargo, a couple of Lao men, and a lone female passenger. We had the friendly bus, apparently; they even provide free water and a snack. At the border, we encountered another, larger group of travelers, who told of how their bus stopped in the middle of the night, loaded black plastic-wrapped packages onto the bus, which they buried under a layer of bricks in the aisle... They got through customs inspections, however. Our cargo supposedly only consisted of Choco bars and pig feed (40kg sacks of which I helped load in the middle of the night, as my hourly exercise, and attempt to speed up our passage). We arrived in Vientiane without incident. Moved on to Vang Vieng, but declined the innertubing and rope swinging on the river, of which I've heard several stories of broken limbs... Getting wiser in my old age. Then on to Luang Prabang, at which my previous post takes up the story. Yes, I realize this is about 3 weeks ago now, but I've finally been able to come to terms with it... Yes, that's a joke.

Daily Life in Luang Prabang, Lao

Getting familiar with the locals

The past few days in Luang Prabang (after a day in Vientiane, and a run-around 6 hours in Vong Vieng), have been quite pleasant - I can breathe again! After the smog and exhaust, a constant in Hanoi, VN, the air here is refreshingly clean. The Mekong River and lots of forest must help...

Lao people continue to be very friendly, outgoing, and engaging. Two friends and I went to Big Brother Mouse to have English conversation practice with a large group of about 12-15 college-age students. More boys than girls, many studying to become English teachers, impressive language ability, and quiet demeanors. I've hardly heard a raised voice in this country.

After chatting for an hour, it was time to find lunch. We've been sampling the traditional foods of LP, including a beef stew with a piece of "spicy wood," literally a branch that will make your mouth tingle. It's not a hot spice, but definitely provides a unique sensation. Another delicacy is dried, spicy buffalo meat, rather like beef jerky. The fish curry soup has been the best item so far (closely followed by grilled fish). The morning glory is reputed to be tasty, but hasn't been available in the places I've eaten thus far.

In the afternoon, a friend and I ended up babysitting two girls for a couple we met on the ride to the waterfall the day before. They're 7 and 11 years old, so, active and giggly. They are a family from Belgium, and the girls could communicate quite well in English. The older would often translate for the younger sister. There have been more families traveling together than I've seen in the past. Maybe a good market for babysitting services! "Mother May I" and a hand-clap, song-singing game were popular.

Speaking of the waterfall - Kuang Si falls was worth the negotiating with taxis to get us there. First you come upon an 10' cascade into a large pool of silty white/green water, deep enough to jump into from the top of the falls. There are other spots to let the water pound on your back while you perch on rocks. Then, further along, th evalley opens up where a series of longer falls drop over ledges for 200' or so. It was possible to walk to the top, tramp through the swamp-like streams, stand in the middle of the top of the falls and peer over the side. Don't worry, they had a branch across the stream to prevent any falls over the edge...

Tomorrow, it's another bus ride north, to Nong Khiaw, where I will take part in the book-party. We'll distribute books to each child in a village, have a ceremony, and time to read and play together. Should be another great way to connect with the locals.

The vats (Buddhist temples, "wat" in Thai) here in Luang Prabang are numerous, every hundred paces or so! And, quite active. I've gone into several, and the young monks are eager to chat. Most say they're 16-18, doing the culturally expected monk experience for young men. They have the chance to study Buddhism, as well as English (most had their English textbooks out, so it was an easy conversation starter), and have plans to go on to become business people, or study in Thailand (where there's a selection of universities, whereas there's only one national university in the capitol, Vientiane).

Signing off from Luang Prabang. More later, probably after a long bus ride heading east back to Vietnam. Perhaps with a stopover at the Plain of Jars.
Cheers.

Land of Eternal Bus Rides

Hanoi to Vientiane, Lao

24 hours on a bus, 2 hours waiting at the border, a downpour, mist rising through the jungled mountains. We 20 or so men, one lady, and one more tag-along we picked up at the border (she had forgotten her passport in Hanoi, so waited a day for friends to bring it) looked like a human jenga game as we tried to extricate ourselves from the seats. We each had a seat to ourselves (and one 25kg sack of rice/ pig feed/ better disguised opium?) and were sprawled out trying to get comfortable. We had the friendly bus apparently, as the other stopped in the middle of the night to load black plastic-wrapped packages, which they put under bricks in the aisle. A bit shady, to say the least. But, running foreigners across the border as their cover got them through customs...

A few noteable sights as I was leaving Vietnam (yes, a pic is worth more but I'll try not to use 1000 words, didn't have camera handy):
live pigeons (presumably for sale as food) bundled together by their ankles on display, with the hawk that caught them standing guard nearby...
goldfish (the large ones) for sale off the back of a bicycle...
dogs on their way to the market (don't worry, they don't eat their own puppies, these were imported from Lao and Thailand)...
a string across the road for security at the border with Lao...

This list will grow, I'm sure. I'm not even listing the things that seem commonplace now, such as frogs with heads cut off, still hopping around in buckets at the market.

Vientiane, Lao was indeed a small, quiet town. Lots of friendly smiles and "sabaidee" (hello) greetings. That is a welcome sight. And, it's hard to get them to sell you anything! No one rushes over to you and hands you something, which, at that point, indicates the assumption you're going to buy it...

Yesterday, in Vong Vieng, I did some "caving," though I didn't get far without a flashlight, and was led to the best swimming hole by three young Lao boys. Took morning bus from Vientiane, stayed for 6 hours to run around the rice paddies, and then got on late bus for Luang Prabang. Will stop here for a couple days, to do the volunteer project I mentioned to many of you. Hopefully that will lead to small villages surrounded by bamboo thickets and streams. Will update again soon. Sabaidee.

Guilin, China

Town out of the Landscape Paintings


After one of the longest days in China, waiting at the Shanghai airport all day for my evening flight, because I booked in hurry one day, so didn't get to check all my options. Next time, just head to the airport and find a flight that leaves when you're ready for it to leave!

On bus from Guilin airport, I could catch a glimpse of the karst/limestone rock formations rising from the otherwise flat landscape.
Locals (or Chinese tourists) were out late at the clubs, with techno music thumping down the street. Found some dinner at midnight, paying prices designed for tourists (food was cheapest in Beijing, as was transportation, many things are subsidized in the capital city).

For my one full day in Guilin, I went to a neon-light lit cave. Despite the gaudiness, it had some interesting formations, and was refreshingly cool.

Located the badminton gym, where I only had to watch for 5 minutes before I was invited to play. I held my own against the formidable Chinese contingent. The others were in their mid-20s, so close in age. They invited me for a sweet dessert/drink (with beans and aloe) afterwards, and to party later that night. Mostly foreigners at the party, exchange students at the nearby public university. My group, following my lead, got the dance floor started...

Quirks of Hanoi, Vietnam

Comments on VN so far

I now know it's possible to have a traffic jam in a city of motorbikes - I was stuck in gridlock.
Funeral procession this morning, complete with monks, nuns, mourners with white headbands, and a coffin-carrying bus. Filled up the street.
Traffic rules as far as I can tell: You're only responsible for what's in front ofyou. If you can inch your nose ahead of another vehicle, you now have the right of way! Just beware, ready to dodge dangling power lines at head level in the middle of the road.
Looking left-right-left is for amateurs - just walk straight across, with eyes on your destination, or map...
Got lost first 3 days attempting to return to hotel. There are no square blocks or direct roads in Hanoi!
All manner of business is conducted on the sidewalk: making stoves, bamboo ladders, fixing bikes, fruit stand, beer garden, florist, painting mannequins (and flowers), restaurant...



Went to couple of bars on Saturday night, where bellydancing, all the rage now, was being performed. Therefore, the only ones on the "dance floor" were the performers - even after they were done, no one would join me on the floor... The garage door shutters were closed at 12:00, per government regulations, but the music and drinking continued unfazed. Second club was on a barge on the river, so, apparently, far enough from residences to allow it to officially stay open later.


Pouring down rain on Sunday. Nice to have the road to myself - everyone stayed indoors. But, even this Seattleite donned a rain poncho (less substantial than garbage bag quality plastic).

Taking the overnight bus (20 hours?) to Vientiane, Lao tonight. Looking forward to a change of pace - by all accounts, calmer, friendlier in Lao. So, I should get this one posting from VN published!

Sample of the foods on offer

Street stall food on Beijing's "Walking Road" fancy shopping district

Here's (left to right) snail (nice that it's pre-shelled, saves you effort),


starfish - which I never knew was edible, kind of a meaty, turkey-stuffing taste with a couscous texture,


"Sea Snake" (not sure what that might be) - most pricey item, not particularly fabulous,


and octopus (just your standard tentacles).

Inaugural Posting by Postel

Greetings from the road. Hanoi, Vietnam, October 23 2008

Finally get a chance to get my first blog to the publisher. I am at a resting point in Vietnam, having spent the last 3 weeks moving about Thailand and China. Some thoughts so far, in no particular order, just what comes to mind:

China, 8 years after my first visit, was a brand new country, 5000 years after its founding. The daily articles and stories in the US media hinted at what was happening there. I can verify it, firsthand. Arriving from Bangkok on Egypt Air (its stopover from Cairo to Beijing), I was impressed by the brand new Terminal 3 - built to handle (and impress) the foreigners showing up for the 08 Olympics. Friendly greeting at the passport booth, and I was on a train to the another new building to pick up my baggage.

Juxtapose that with entering VN, 4 days ago, where I received an impressive grimace and frown, upon showing the official a passport sans visa, and a computer printout letter saying I was sponsored to receive one at the border. I was half expecting some troubles, so, I went to find a phone to call my solicitor. $4 later, for 5 minutes worth of calls (the amount demanded by the taxi driver), a liasion showed up to try to assist me with the documentation necessary to get into VN. Fortunately, I had a multiple-entry visa to China, so I had some leverage that I could always go back to China and skip VN. Rather than forego the chance of money, the official found me on the bus (I thought they wouldn't check again, but, I later found out, they would), changed his mood a bit, and offered to help get it sorted out. 2 hours later, I got the final stamp and was legally allowed into VN. I got the last laugh on the taxi drivers, as I had retained my necklace pass and ticket to the "big green bus" that the Chinese side had agreements with to continue the journey on the VN side.

Anyway, return to China for a mention of:

• planter boxes along the well-lit highway from the airport into town,
• spacious, clean bus (one of numerous leading from airport to parts of downtown, at all hours of day and night) for a brisk, 3-stop, 40 min ride to within 2 blocks of my destination
• huge, 8 lane roads leading into and out of the airport
• drivers who, mostly, stayed in their lanes and used turn signals with minimal horn honking
• easy to navigate streets, pedestrian under- and over-passes upon stepping off the bus and onto the 3rd Ring Road NW of city center (Tiananmen Square)

Thus, first impressions were positive, and upheld throughout my 2 weeks in China. I quickly found a friendly neighborhood park, on my orientation walk the first morning, at which I could play jianzi (like hackey sack, but with feathers like a shuttlecock), speaking of which, badminton, and even tennis! The majority of the other participants were middle age (or older) Chinese men and women - yes, I got laughed at by agile grannies when I missed the birdie. But, held my own, and could communicate that I do indeed enjoy playing soccer, and that I was from the US. That was about the extent of the conversatio, except for the frequent use of "hao" (good) and a complaint against the (occasional) strong wind that interfered with the game. Along the same street as the park, I found buns with green, 1 yuan each (about 15 cents), for breakfast - total cost=.30 to feel full. Later, stopped at the Muslim restaurant on the same street (I'll point it out for you on a map if you're there) for a solo dinner - 4 courses, including soup with various parts of lamb I assume, skewered bbq meat, tofu with black, preserved eggs, and a 4th dish I picked out by pointing to the table next to me. Total cost = about $3.5, for the most filling meal I had in China. You can see I was beginning to like this place.