Day 54 - Vietnam, Hanoi

The moment I took my first bite of pho in Vietnam, I knew I made the right decision in coming here. Even though my original plan was to go explore Thailand for a whole month, 2.5 weeks later I felt I needed a change of scenery. I had tremendous fun in Thailand and loved my time there, but in the end Thailand was a little too tourist dominated for me. I wanted an escape from all the planned excursions and bars geared towards younger audiences, and many travelers I met shared the same sentiments.

So when I felt ready I set off to Hanoi in northern Vietnam, the second largest city in Vietnam, and discovered a whole new culture. In general I noticed the locals here are not as smiley as the Thais, but they are just as friendly in a more bashful way. English is not as widely spoken here but hand gestures and smiles have gotten me far. Aside from the crazy taxi drivers at the airport, no one here has tried to scam me or pressure me to buy anything. The other travelers I've met here also seem to have a different mindset as the ones I met in Thailand, we're all here in search of a more unique experience. 

I didn't know what to expect at all in Vietnam,  but so far it had exceeded all expectations. The scenery here, the traffic, the streets are amazingly compact. Picture twenty mopeds all going in different directions with cars and people trying to squeeze by. It's all chaotic but in a fascinating kind of way. And the food here is ugh- AMAZING! Noodles, pho, broth, spring rolls, coffee, seafood, fresh juices, I can go on forever.

The Old Quarter, which is the main part of town in Hanoi is delightfully intricate. I got lost quickly on my first day here because the streets are were so maze like. It's a labyrinth of coffee shops, juice bars, hostels, shops with dried goods, clothes, restaurants filled with little plastic chairs and more. All the streets started to look the same after awhile. My eyes and ears literally could not take everything in all at once, and I'm from New York City.

On my second and third day I decided to take a trip to Halong Bay, which is one of the world's (seventh? eighth?) wonders. I was a little hesitant at first because I was afraid it would be another tourist trap, but I have no regrets. The boat, the mountains, the stars, the water, and the people that I met there were all so wonderful. I met people from Georgia, Seattle, different parts of U.K, Poland, Denmark and Australia.

After my trip to Halong Bay, I enjoyed another full day in the Old Quarter. I discovered a cafe with umbrellas as roofs, I discovered .25 cent beer, I discovered the best pho in the world and a new type of noodle called soya, which I've never seen in the Vietnamese restaurants back home.

At my new hostel, I also met lots of other solo travelers, which was nice because we all understand what it's like to travel alone and keep each other company. We also swapped a lot of good tips and advice with each other. Before coming into the hostel I had fears of insanely obnoxious or dirty roommates, but all I've met were polite, clean and reasonable roommates and friendly hostel staff members. I don't know if this is all luck of the draw or what but I hope it continues.

Well I can probably go on but the sweltering heat is sucking up all my energy. Time to pack and head to my next destination!

Enjoy the pics!

Day 46 - Alone in Chiangmai

I think when most people hear about Thailand, the first thing that comes to mind is Bangkok. Then the second thing is the beaches such as Phuket or Koh Samui, and then usually if you know someone who went you would hear about Chiangmai, a province in Northern Thailand closer to the borders of Laos and Myanmar. 

Before arriving to Chiangmai I had just spent a few days being a beach bum at Phuket with Alex. While that was all fun and good I was also a bit disappointed by how touristy the whole area was. After spending a few days in Bangkok, you really get tired of seeing generic souvenirs over and over again with the words "Phuket" or "Thailand" written on it. Instead of shopping and booking the normal day excursions, we just chose to relax on our own time and lounged around wherever we pleased. And perhaps the most radical thing we did was not visit Koh Phi Phi, the glorious island nearby known for its rock formations, white sand and emerald water. Why? Personally for me the way the island was over-advertised, and the fact that the island is well on its way to an ecological crash, plus a not-so positive experience of water activities from the past, all left a pretty sour taste in my mouth. So we decided not to go, and we have no regrets. We still enjoyed ourselves quite a bit by the beach and pool, and Alex went home happy and dandy. 

Today I'm writing to you from Chiangmai, and all I have to say is I love this little town. It's got everything that Bangkok has to offer but without all the hassles from the tuk-tuk drivers, taxis, and souvenir shops. It's REALLY nice to be able to walk around town in leisure without being stared at like a dollar sign! And I actually find myself in a less hurried, lighter mood, and I actually want to shop because there are so many more private boutiques selling unique artisan goods. It's fun to look and they don't make you feel bad for not buying. Sigh. What a relief.

For the first time also I'm truly alone and by myself in a foreign place. Before this I've always had family or friends around even if I wasn't always with them everyday. But they were there and it made me feel safe. The night before I departed Bangkok, I'll admit I was extremely scared, nervous and homesick. I even started to doubt myself. Do I really want to do this? Am I ready to do this? Who am I to wander around this big world? My hotel room without Alex also felt extra empty and unnecessarily big. I couldn't even sleep. But in the end what helped comfort me was reading the advice of others traveling and trusting that everything will be ok and that I can do it. So the next morning I headed out. 

Now after a few days in Chiangmai I'm happy to report I'm feeling much better and more confident traveling alone. I've also had the fortune of picking an awesome guesthouse (Vanilla Place) with a wonderful, wonderful owner, who offered me invaluable advice during my time here and truly made me feel at home. After serval days of unbelievably fun activities, sightseeing and meeting wonderful travelers from other parts of the world, I can now see why so many people fall in love with Chiangmai and decide to stay here for weeks and eveb for months. Except I won't be. After almost three weeks here in Thailand, I'm starting to feel like I need a change of scenery. I'm sure I can visit some other areas of Thailand and discover new scenes there, but for some reason my heart is pulling me in a different direction and I feel ready for a completely new country. So in a few days I'll actually be heading out to a neighboring country. Which one? I won't tell you yet, but you'll see in my next post if pay attention... :)

Now for pictures! So many but I can only share 8!

Day 42- Bangkok, Bangkok

Bangkok I'm not sure what to think of you. Yet.

Your unfamiliar curvy winding roads, your relentless tuk tuk drivers, your friendly ladies with carts of shiny greasy foods. It seems everything I do I have to proceed with a caution.

I have read about the many common scams that people fall for in Bangkok, but I didn't expect to have seen so many already. Some of the common scams I've been approached with so far are:

- tuk tuk drivers offering me a ride around town for 10 baht (that's like 30 cents, impossible)
- tuk tuk drivers telling me places are closed or open only today (which I know aren't)
- taxi drivers offering me a flat rate for my ride (knowing a metered trip would be cheaper)
- an old lady forcing bags of corn onto me to feed the pigeons for good luck, and then asking me to pay (yes this really happened!)

The good news is though all of this is extremely easy to walk away from, simply by being smart and doing research beforehand, and staying firm, and giving them a hard "NO. Thank you."

It terrifies me a little though the amount of people who do not do their research and fall prey to these scams. I always hear pepple say being tricked and lied to is a part of being a tourist. And I suppose that's somewhat true, but it doesn't make it ok. Being overcharged a dollars or two here and there with souvenirs, sure. But paying double for a taxi simply because you didn't know they were suppose to have their meters on, NO! That is not ok! Nowadays with phone plans so cheap, and the internet at the palm of your hand, and tons of guidebooks, I simply see no excuse for not knowing things that you could've easily looked up. 

But not to scare you guys, I've had plenty of good interactions here as well, including discovering a local market that I wasn't hassled even once and then feeding a hungry alpaca. Getting lost looking for Chinatown then stumbling into a Chinese expat's restaurant trying their Thai infused Chowzhou dishes and asking them about life in Bangkok. Finding a Blues bar just down the block from my hostel with people who loved musicfrom all over the world.

The tourism industry in Thailand as you can see is on full blown, and it's easy to be seen as a walking dollar sign here. But be smart and know where you are walking into and you should be fine. I'm not letting the gritty parts scare me, or at least trying!

I'll give you more time Bangkok after my trip to Phuket! The 'h' is silent by the way just so you know.

Picture time!

Day 40 - See you later Hong Kong

Hong Kong you've thoroughly impressed me but now it's time to go.

Your convenience, your attitude, and your grit both impressed and scared me. It's no wonder my grandfather can be so loving and scary at the same time.

Growing up in NYC, you often think you live in the biggest and best city in the world, but this is simply not true. While NYC may be the most well known city in the world, it does have some catching up to do. Certainly there are still things I think NYC are better at, but you simply can't ignore the things that the other cities are better at.

For example when I was in Seoul, I was blown me away by the way they incorporate modern technology into everyday life. Have you ever tried paying for gum with your credit card? In Seoul you can. Walking from one train cart into the next? Easy! Press a button and the glass door opens for you. And just about everything in South Korea is not only functional, but cute, pretty or beautiful.

Then in Hong Kong, they're unbelievably organized and efficient with the ways they serve their large population. Train platflorms have markers telling people where to go, where to line up to get on, and which carts are designated quiet carts. You can charge your transportation card in seconds at 7/11, and you can use it for all sorts of things like to buy food, or even pay for the binoculars on top of the famous Victoria Peak building. There are literally dozens of examples I can think of that the HK government has thought out to make things more convenient for their residents and tourists. Buses with TVs, buses with luggage compartments, train stations with conveyor belt escalators, free Wifi at malls and public spaces, soup and herbal kiosks, ect.

To date Hong Kong has 7.2 million people and NYC has 8.2. What is our excuse?

Another thing I'd like to mention about the people in Hong Kong is that they've got grit and attitude. What do I mean? I mean 80 year old grandmothers cussing left and right with no shame. Passengers who are not hesitant to tell my grandfather to grab one of the priority seats on the bus because it is his right, and people who are not afraid to tell off others when things aren't done the way they want it. All this in contrast to the generally more passive attititude in China, makes Hong Kong a really different and special place.

Hong Kong I learned like New York is also a city of immigrants, and in the process of learning how my grandparents migrated to this buzzling city, I also learned that my great-grandmother had once lived and worked in Singapore by herself for decades before returning to China. A solo female traveler in search of a better life in the 1800s is by no means an easy feat, and I'm so proud to learn that she was my great-grandmother. It sounds kind of silly but in a way by going to Southeast Asia I feel like I'm reliving her footsteps.

Thanks everybody so far for following me on my journey. Hope to see you in Bangkok!