Vietnam Part 1

So, I should probably post some stuff about my holiday. I had an alright time. I got pretty sick and came home to spend four days in hospital which has tainted my travel experience a bit but I did a lot of awesome stuff. Here is a best and worst list (which are terribly hip around this time of year) of some stuff I saw and some stuff that happened.

BEST

1. WATER BUFFALO
I fell utterly in love with these creatures. Every time I saw one my heart skipped a beat, I got clammy hands and wanted to squeal. I had to stop myself from running up to one and throwing my arms around its neck. They were always just hanging out in giant puddles of mud with ducks as bodyguards watching the world go by. Whilst roaming rural Vietnam I was chased by one in the dark when I was a bit tipsy and I still love them. 2.

TOFU
I had my own private three week tofu festival. I ate it raw, scrambled, deep fried, steamed, made to look like little sea creatures and in desert. It was awesome. It may have been my love of tofu that resulted in the hospital visit but I do not regret the tofu festival. Not for a moment. Highlights were “tofu dressed as little shrimp”, tofu curry baguettes, and tofu with tomato sauce which is more of a Napoli sauce then “dead horse”. I love you tofu… I love you Vietnam for what you do with it.

3. ELEPHANTS
I met an elephant and he tried to get into my pants. True story! We went to an elephant park that was like a sanctuary for these giant cheeky creatures. I had brought them some fruit as a present on my way there. I hung out with the elephant for a bit and fed him all the fruit I had. He started searching me for more food and opened my courier bag, sniffed my hair and then tried to get his trunk into my shorts. Too cute.

4. TEMPLES & MONKS
Whenever we visited a temple, I ate like a Queen. On my Birthday we went to a temple that was about 5km inland from China Beach and near Hoi An. We climbed 440 stairs to what I think was the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen. At the top of the stairs we met a tiny monk who had some vegan cake which he gave me. He then gave me some to take home with me (it was appreciated on the 10 hour train ride let me tell you!). Every single time I went to a temple I didn’t want to leave. I just wanted to help in the garden, nap in the grass and just appreciate what was around me.

5. DALAT
We spent some time in Dalat which is on top of a mountain. The weather was a cool 18 degrees, the people were indifferent (unlike everywhere else where everyone wanted to touch my pale skin) and the architecture was very French. There was a vegetarian market full of mock meat, lovely coffee, fresh vegetables and you needed to sleep under a duvet at night (which made me terribly homesick). Whilst around Dalat we had a look at a minority village, saw the palace of the last king and walked around lover’s lake which was terribly romantic. It felt a bit like Paris meets Carlton North to be honest. No wonder I loved it there.

Worst List to come shortly.