Deborah's Southeast Asian Adventure

Correction: I mailed Air Asia a complaint letter and explained the situation. I received both an email and a registered letter in response from the company. They claim that someone fraudulently used my credit card to book a ticket on Air Asia and that their airline had no way of knowing that it wasn't me. I have subsequently cancelled this credit card and also filed a fraud claim.

My advice to anyone using credit cards extensively in southeast Asia, cancel it once you are back and have your bank issue you another one with a new account number.

Better safe than sorry.

I am very sad to report that I received my credit card bill and discovered that Air Asia, the budget airline I flew on several times during my southeast Asia trip, had fraudulently charged me EUR 146.00 for a flight I supposedly took in September. (On the same statement, I was also billed by a company in London called J2 EFax for fax services which I never ordered or received. I checked this company out online and discovered that it's a scam company run out of India. How it got my credit card number, I do not know.)

I immediately called my bank and had my credit card cancelled. Plus I'm now filing a complaint with Air Asia. Unbelievable!

Deborah's Hong Kong/southeast Asian Trip Itinerary

Airlines

Cathay Pacific: I flew non-stop from Amsterdam to Hong Kong/Hong Kong to Amsterdam in economy class. The airline was flawless. Comfortable seats and superior service. The food was amazing and the drinks flowed freely. I chose the Cathay Pacific multiple ticket deal through World Ticket Travel, a Dutch travel agency. For EURO 1100 (taxes included), I flew:
Amsterdam - Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific)
Hong Kong - Bangkok (on airline partner Thai Airlines)
Hanoi - Hong Kong (on airline partner Vietnam Airways)
Hong Kong - Amsterdam (Cathay Pacific)

Air Asia: This is a relatively-new Asian budget airline founded by a former Virgin Air executive. The service was quite okay, similar to EasyJet. The first flight I took, from Bangkok to Krabi, was on time but the flight from Krabi back to Bangkok was delayed 7 hours! They offered passengers a small lunch and a pop but nothing else. So be aware that Air Asia often experiences flight delays on less popular routes. Air Asia fraudulently charged my credit card EUR 146 almost a year after my southeast Asia trip (September 2007) so be careful!

Thai Airlines: Nice airline with great food. No problems there.

Vietnam Airlines: Nice airline with great service.

Hotels

Hong Kong, China
Hotel: L'Hotel Causeway Bay - http://www.lhotelcausewaybayhv.com/
Rating: 4/5
Comments: Located on Hong Kong Island, this small boutique hotel is clean and a room on the upper floors gives you a sense of Hong Kong life for the average person. The room was very sunny and bright and the service was great. The hotel was located right across from a subway station which made it very convenient to get around.
Travel Advice: When I return to Hong Kong, I will stay on Kowloon Island which has a great view of the famous Hong Kong skyline which is even more impressive than New York's! Recommended hotels are the Salisbury YMCA and if money is no object, the famous Penninsula Hotel.

Bangkok, Thailand
Hotel: Best Western Elegance Suites - http://www.sawadee.com/hotel/bangkok/elegance/
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: Located in the heart of Silom, a bustling area of the city which gives a fantastic taste of Thai city life. The hotel was very difficult to find as it's on a non-descript side street and a bit old and worn. The hotel suite was huge and clean, with a large bedroom and combo kitchenette, living room. In a city which can be very loud, the suite was surprisingly quiet.
Travel Advice: If possible, arrange for a limo or van service when you arrive in Bangkok as it is a huge, congested and overwhelming city. Four days was more than enough and I was glad to get out of Bangkok after that. Too crazy for me.

Krabi, Thailand (on Andaman Sea)
Hotel: Maritime Park and Spa Resort - http://www.krabi-hotels.com/maritime/
Rating: 2.5/5
Comments: This hotel was set in stunning surroundings but was way out in the middle of nowhere unfortunately. Getting to the beach was a bit of a trek. The hotel was dead at night, filled mostly with group tours. The staff was really friendly, especially the resident DJ who gave me a CD of South African blues guitarist, Jimmy Dludlu.
Travel Advice: I would definitely not recommend spending more than two days in Krabi, which is a small fishing port with not much to see. A better alternative would be to go to a quieter, more exclusive part of Thailand's beach frontier, Ko Samui or Phuket. If you want to stay in the Andaman Sea area, go to Koh Phi Phi (beautiful place but being re-built after the tsunami where the film "The Beach" was shot) or to Ao Nang beach where I ended up hanging out every day. You get there by taking a songthaew, or small motor boat.

Kanchanaburi, Thailand (near the River Kwai)
Hotel: Duenshine Resort - www.duenshine.com
Rating: 2/5
Comments: This was the biggest mistake I made in terms of accommodation. The hotel was largely deserted, run-down and in the middle of nowhere. I arrived in Kanchanaburi at midnight, got ripped off in terms of a ride to the hotel in the back of an open pick up truck by myself on pitch-black roads. Thankfully, some Israelis hopped on so I had company for a while.
Travel Advice: Kanchanaburi is beautiful and its WWII history is fascinating so definitely worth a visit. Next time, I will stay on one of the river raft hotels.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Hotel: Chiang Mai Plaza Hotel - http://www.cnxplaza.com/
Rating: 4/5
Comments: I loved this hotel which was very luxurious while being very reasonably priced. I booked into it the day I arrived in Chiang Mai and the staff went out of their way to find me a nice room despite being in the height of the busy season. The breakfast buffet was stellar, the hotel facilities were 5-star and the location was superb. Again, Thailand's cities can be very noisy but the hotel was quiet.
Travel Advice: Definitely try to stay at the Plaza if you can. Just down the road is this amazing Italian restaurant run by a guy who ran a place in Amsterdam for 12 years before getting fed up with Dutch taxes and labour laws and fleeing to Thailand. The Plaza is also just a short walk from the most amazing hotel I encountered in southeast Asia, the Chedi. I couldn't afford to stay there but I did eat and drink there. You have to see this place to believe it. The Chedi - http://www.ghmhotels.com/hotels/hotel_home.asp?hotelid=15&section=home

Hotel: Chiang Mai Gate Hotel - http://www.chiangmai-online.com/cmgate/
Rating: 3/5
Comments: This hotel was cheap and cheerful. I had to stay there one night as the Plaza was fully booked. Lots of budget travellers, including a slew of Dutch people.
Travel Advice: Good place to stay with clean rooms closer to downtown and the night bazaar. Nothing special, though.

Overnight Stay in Tribal Hut (north of Chiang Mai)
I did a two-day trek with a group of about 15 other people. While marketed as a basic-level trek, it was quite demanding (hours of trekking over mountains, cliffs, steep uphill climbs, etc.) We stayed in a village belonging to the Karen people. Our accommodation was a grass hut where all of us were housed. The night got down to about 0 degrees and we were only given a thin sleeping bag (no pillow) so unless you are a seasoned camper and enjoy basic camping, I would advise you not to go on this trek. I'm glad I did it but it was also one of the longest nights I've ever had, up all night worrying that a snake would crawl through one of the many holes in the rattan floor.

Siem Reap, Cambodia
Hotel: Angkor Hotel - http://www.angkor-hotel-cambodia.com/Angkorhotel/index.html
Rating: 3/5
Comments: This hotel was cheap and cheerful, a bit down market compared to other hotels. Siem Reap is a total trip - strips of newly-built hotels, all catering to tourists visiting the famous Angkor Wat and other temples closeby.
Travel Advice: The staff is very friendly and is helpful in arranging private drivers and English-speaking tour guides to treks to the temples. Next time I'm in Siem Reap, I will definitely stay at the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC Angkor) which is this cool boutique hotel and great restaurant which is THE place to be for foreigners and tourists. Beautifully designed and a great layout. - http://www.fcccambodia.com/angkor/ Book early as this place has a small amount of rooms and the waiting lists are huge! Or stay at Hotel de la Paix, an uber-trendy and beautiful hotel in the middle of the city. http://www.hoteldelapaixangkor.com/ The hotel features exhibitions and when I was there, the exhibition featured the photography of Taizo Ichinose, a Japanese war photographer, who
documented the wars in Cambodia and Vietnam in the early 1970s before he was killed by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Hotel: Colonial Mansion - http://www.colonial-mansion.com/
Rating: 4.5/5
Comments: This hotel was by far one of the most amazing and unique ones in which I stayed. Apparently I was very lucky to get in as the hotel is frequented by loyal businesspeople and the waiting lists are long. The hotel also boasts one of the best French restaurants in Cambodia with an amazing wine list.

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Vietnam
Hotel: Grand Hotel - http://www.visit-mekong.com/grand-hotel-ho-chi-minh/
Rating: .5/5
Comments: Stay far away from this hotel!! It markets itself as a grand colonial hotel but it is noisy and the rooms are a bit shabby. Worse, there is a new discotheque at the back of the hotel and its music kept me awake all night, even after I moved to the other side of the hotel at 2 a.m. I left after one night.

Huong Sen Hotel - http://directrooms.com/vietnam/hotels/huong-sen-hotel-hochiminh-1411.htm
Rating: 3/5
Comments: Cheap and cheerful hotel with staff who are courteous and helpful. The hotel is located in themiddle of the diplomatic area near great shops and art galleries. It's wonderful to walk around at night and take in street life. The hotel took me on very short notice. The rooms were very quiet.

Mekong Delta
Hotel: some fleabag hotel which was part of two-day, all-inclusive tour
Rating: 1/5
Comments: This was just one step up from a youth hostel. The mattress was as hard as a rock and the pillow was little more than an empty pillow case. Luckily, I only stayed there for one night and I had my own room with airco.

Phan Tiet, Vietnam (near Mui Ne beach)
Hotel - Novotel Ocean Dunes and Golf Resort - http://www.accorhotels-asia.com/2067/detail/default.aspx
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: This hotel was very beautiful but had your standard North American look and feel of studied sterility. The staff was very friendly, especially the beautiful Vietnam hostess who lived in Germany for years. It was quite quiet so I only spent evenings there. Phan Thiet is a fishing village which is great for one day but there's not much to see.
Travel Advice: It's better to stay on the beach in Mui Ne which is a 20-minute taxi or motorcycle ride away. The beach is lined with gorgeous hotels and the place is lively. The beach was very rough when I stayed there so you couldn't swim. Mui Ne is known for windsurfing. I hung out at the pool at the Terracotta Resort which was gorgeous and reasonably-priced. http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.com/Vietnamhotels/Terracotta_Resort_MuiNe_PhanThiet/index.htm
Nha Trang, Vietnam
Hotel - Nha Trang Lodge Hotel - http://www.asiarooms.com/vietnam/nha_trang/nha_trang_lodge.html
Rating: 2.5/5
Comments: Nothing special about this hotel except that it faces the long beach in Nha Trang. I just stayed one night as the travel books advised that Nha Trang can be a rough city.
Travel Advice: I wish I had stayed in Nha Trang for at least one or two days. The city looked very interesting and there were day-long boat trips out to nice islands.

Hoi An, Vietnam
Hotel: Vinh Hung 2 Hotel - http://www.hotels-in-vietnam.com/hotels/Hoian/vinhhung2hotel.html
Rating: 1/5
Comments: This hotel was the second nightmare hotel I encountered. It was a budget hotel with paper thin walls and an open concept, courtyard in middle around which all rooms were assembled. I had a large party of Israeli teenagers down the hall who kept me up all night. I left the next morning.

Hotel: Hoi An Hotel - http://www.hoiantourist.com/hoianhotel/english/promotions.html
Rating: 4/5
Comments: This hotel was amazing. It is a bit out of the centre of Hoi An, going towards the beach. It's relatively new and the staff gave me this amazing bungalow suite with a living room, large bedroom, sunken jacuzzi bathtub and glass shower. Unfortunately, the room was too humid for me so I moved into the hotel proper where I had a lovely, large room.
Travel Advice: At the hotel, I met this amazing manager named Tommy Xuan who invited me to help him plan the Christmas Eve party. I ended up singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in front of 25 guests. Tommy took me home for Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner so I experienced an authentic Vietnamese family meal twice. Very lovely. Look up Tommy and give him my best. He can also take you to an orphanage which cares for children who are deformed due to Agent Orange. Next time I visit Hoi An, I will opt to stay in one of the nice resorts further away on the beach.

Hue, Vietnam
Hotel: Saigon Morin Hotel - http://www.morinhotel.com.vn/
Rating: 5/5
Comments: This hotel was the most beautiful and stunning in which I stayed during my entire southeast Asia trip. A historical landmark, the hotel was perfectly-run. The staff were friendly and helpful, my room was amazing and I totally enjoyed the luxury and the city of Hue. The hotel is situated across from the famous Perfume River.
Travel Advice: In hindsight, I wish I had spent less time in Hoi An and more time in Hue as Hue struck me as more authentically Vietnamese (quiet, tree-lined streets, baguette sellers on every corner, rikshaw pullers everywhere to take you around). I would definitely return to the Saigon Morin Hotel as the experience was amazing. For those who like a bit more modern, chi chi touch, I recommend La Residence Hotel & Spa, which is this amazing, art deco boutique hotel located down the street. It is way more expensive and exclusive. It was once the French governor's residence in Indochine. http://www.la-residence-hue.com/

Reunification Express train from Hue to Hanoi
Overnight train (first-class berth)
Rating: 2.5/5
Comments: I bought a first-class ticket and ended up sharing a four bunkbed compartment with two Vietnamese men who didn't speak a lick of English. I slept on the top bunk (with my Swiss Army knife conveniently closeby) with no incident. I sleep like a log on trains but these guys woke up at 2:30 a.m. to prepare noodle soup, talking very loudly and waking everyone else up. First-class train travel in Vietnam is third-class train travel in the West.

Hanoi, Vietnam
Hotel: De Syloia Hotel - http://www.desyloia.com/
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: This was a very pleasant boutique hotel which was a little outside of central Hanoi. The hotel itself was fine, nothing special. I found the staff a bit stand-offish but helpful. The restaurant inside the hotel was lovely and provided room service.
Travel Advice: For some reason, I didn't like Hanoi very much. I found the city very distant, unfriendly and lonely. If you go, I advise you to only stay 2 days maximum. I ended my southeast Asia trip in Hanoi but many people begin their trips in Hanoi and work their way down to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Either way is fine. Don't miss the fantastic Bobby Chin's Restaurant (recommended by David whom I met in Hong Kong) where I had dinner on New Year's Eve.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Inexpensive boat cruise from Ha Long City throughout the Bay
Rating: 4.5/5
Comments: I took a very cheap package boat cruise on a lovely old woooden boat. The boat was a bit worn but had it's own charm. For about US$20, I had four meals and a private room as I chose to spend the night on the boat. (You had the choice of sleeping on the boat or in a nearby hotel.) I hung out with a couple of Australian women on the top deck and took some amazing photos and video. Ha Long Bay is a magical place, these weird shaped, almost ghoulish limestone formations rising out of the water. It was one of the highpoints of the trip. I wish I had taken a longer cruise.
Travel Advice: If you want to experience the bay in real style, take an Emeraude luxury cruise. You are hosted on a Mississipi type riverboat with all of the amenities. It will set you back several hundred dollars but I would definitely do this if I go back to Ha Long Bay.

Sapa, Vietnam
Standard 3-Star Hotel
Rating: 3/5
Comments: I stayed in a non-descript hotel in Sapa which had a weird design. Basically, you walked in outdoor hallways which connected to the front door of your hotel room. It was winter in Sapa so freezing cold (0 degrees at night) but each room had a pretty powerful space heater. I ended up getting sick (severe cold) and leaving Sapa early as the weather was foggy and you couldn't see any of the beautiful landscape. I also got pickpocketed on the train back to Hanoi (lost US $25 which is a small fortune, three - four days worth of travel money in Vietnam).
Travel Advice: A trip to Sapa is definitely a must when in Vietnam but avoid going in the winter when it's freezing cold and often raining or snowing. Also, the fog prevents you from trekking through amazing countryside and taking National Geographic-style photos of the famous rice paddy terraces.

In a few hours, I will be ending my two-month journey through Hong Kong and southeast Asia, flying via Hong Kong to Amsterdam.

I feel a bit torn. I'm sad to have no more exciting destinations to visit and people to meet but I also long for the comfort of my friends, my own bed and familiar surroundings. I consider myself very blessed to have been able to experience this fascinating part of the world which is so different to the world in which I live.

Some life lessons learned:

1) Money can buy the conditions for happiness, peace of mind and safety. Several times I was caught in stressful situations eg. missing trains, buses and tours, being stuck in bad hotels and all I had to do was show some good ole greenbacks and the problems disappeared and solutions mysteriously appeared. I don't mean to sound materialistic but it's true.

2) Throughout life, one should occasionally leave one's comfort zone to travel somewhere with different beliefs, customs and traditions. Asia was fascinating largely due to its zen-like atmosphere where confrontation, anger and aggressiveness between people are largely frowned upon. People identify strongly with family and society here and more focus is placed on the collective good, although this is slowly changing.

3) I love coming from a multicultural society!! At times, I found it exhausting to be in such homogenous places where everyone comes from a similar racial, ethnic or cultural background. Life is much more interesting when you share your streets, communities, public transportation with different people. The fun is in learning to live and work together. I love watching Chinese movies, ordering pizza, listening to African music on my ipod, visiting Caribbean family members, enjoying American thanksgiving.

4) On a more political note, after seeing the effects of an ill-advised American war with Vietnam, I am firmly against any military aggression which is not based on a direct threat to an invading army, notably the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Thirty years after the Vietnam War, this country is still coming to terms with the death and destruction its people endured. On the train ride from Sapa back to Hanoi, I passed a man with a mine sweeper searching for mines in a field.

On a more personal note, in Hoi An, my friend Tommy took me to an orphanage where children born with Agent Orange-related birth defects are looked after. It was so depressing to see these children, some with heads twice the normal size and twisted bodies lying in cribs. After getting over my horror, fear and even disguest, I stroked the leg of one of the little boys. Human contact is a wonderful thing. His eyes, which were moving all over the place, immediately focused on me and a smile slowly spread across his face. His eyes sparkled. Maybe I'm being selfish but that moment was probably more significant for me than him. I felt such compassion and for the first time in a long time, I wanted nothing more than to bring someone much less fortunate than me some happiness and comfort.

If you ever get to Hanoi, the most fascinating museum in the city is the brilliant Ethnology Museum. The museum is quite new, opened by Jacques Chirac, and provides information about Vietnam's many ethnic groups, their histories and lifestyles. I particularly enjoyed the section of the museum which details life under heavy communist rule in the 1970s and 80s, including the rationing system. Everything was regulated by the central communist government: how much rice you ate, if you received a bicycle, radio or TV, what you could buy for Tet (important national holiday). I remember visiting the Communist Museum in Prague and feeling horrified and sorry for the Czechoslovakian people under communism but it's all relative. Compared to the Vietnamese, the Czechoslovakians lived like kings! In fact, one of the dreams of most Vietnamese during this period was to be able to travel to the Soviet Union or the Eastern bloc countries to eat well and buy goods to bring back home. Unbelievable!

Yesterday, I did a Ho Chi Minh morning. For those of you who don't know, Ho Chi Minh was a revolutionary and founding father of Vietnam's independence movement and communist party which is still the national government. Coming from the provinces, he studied in France (which was then Vietnam's colonial power) and became an independence activist and journalist. He later trained in Russia as a Comintern and returned to Vietnam to lead a nationalist party and command the war of liberation from the French. For anyone who knows anything about Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh or Uncle Ho is the most revered historical figure among Vietnamese, young and old.

I visited his impressive mausoleum which is the most popular tourist site in Hanoi. There were long lines snaking around the complex which is heavily guarded by soldiers. Inside, a perfectly-preserved Ho lies on a beautifully-carved wooden berth in a simple communist party suit. Apparently, he is shipped off to Russia every fall for an embalming touch-up. I was hustled quickly passed him but it was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. The closest thing to a a religious experience that communist Vietnam can provide. Next, I visited Ho Chi Minh's simple wooden house on stilts where he preferred to live which is located next to an imposing, yolk-coloured Presidential Palace. Located conveniently close is the Ho Chi Minh Museum which combines an overview of the suffering of Vietnamese people under French colonial rule with a fascinating photo gallery depicting resistance, independence and communist rule under Ho.

What a crazy few last days. Sapa was beautiful but extremely cold and I was in no way prepared clothing-wise for the winter-like conditions there. I did have a fleece and spring jacket but it rained non-stop and my hotel (open-air concept with my room door facing an outdoor corridor) was heated but draughty.

To keep a long story short, I ended up getting a wicked cold and being bed-ridden with a high fever and runny nose. I took the decision to leave Sapa and return to Hanoi (and the comfort of my hotel) early, taking the 10-hour day train instead of the overnight train. The complication was that there were no first-class sleepers or berths available on such short notice so I was herded into what I would characterize as the "cattle cars": the cars that normal Vietnamese use which are benches made of wooden slats with no cushions. (I did mention that the journey took 10 hours, right?!) So I show up and am confronted with hundreds of Vietnamese faces staring incredulously at me ('What the heck is she doing here?) I took my seat under the gaze of a crowd of eyes.

The journey actually turned out to be okay and it gave me a chance to have a bit of contact with Vietnamese people beyond the usual tourist exchanges. A few people practised indeciferable English, more shared their food and still others just walked back and forth along the train car to have a glance. Two tips for future travellers to Vietnam: bring plenty of food as only strange, unappetizing snacks are available on the journey and have a catheter or pouch inserted so you don't need to use the toilets on the train. O learned the hard way. After my small stash of cookies and mints ran out, I had to purchase some terribly-tasting local snacks and over-priced water. Then, I had to use the bathroom. All I can say is "oh my gosh". I have travelled to a lot of places but that train's bathroom was by far the most disgusting toilet I have ever encountered in a public space. To the point that I was retching the whole time from the concentrated amonia-like smell and used a bottle of hand gel to sanitize my hands. I am happy to report that my bladder is good and strong as I refused to go again until I was back in my hotel room.

During the train ride, several young women seemed to take an interest in me and became quite friendly. One who sat across from me took pity on me and shared her thick wool blanket with me: she using it as a pillow, me using it as a cushion for my very sore butt. Another came and sat beside me. I was sitting beside the window and I noticed that when I got up to stretch my legs and came back, she was sitting in my place so I sat down beside her. We both kind of dozed off with her resting her head on my shoulders. I didn't want to wake her up so I sat quietly.

However, just as we were about to disembark, I checked my zippered pocket where I kept a wad of cash plus an envelope containing my passport, credit card and ATM card. My cash was gone (about US$30 worth) but thankfully, everything else was there. The only person who was anywhere close to my pocket was that woman. Panicking, I tried to explain to my fellow passengers that my money was gone but no one spoke English. I tried to confront her but she kept looking under the seat and pointing to the bathroom as if I should check there. She then quickly gathered her bags and left the train.

I am sure it was she who stole my money. The worst part wasn't losing the money. It was my illusion that I was having genuine contact with local people and then realising that it was a scam. So, lesson to all of you, do not blindingly trust strangers, especially in poor countries where locals see all tourists as rich and privileged, and always keep your guard up. Put money and valuables in inside pockets while on buses and trains and keep your eyes on your stuff.

I've been reading a lot about Buddhist philosophy on this trip. According to it, I should interpret the situation in a neutral way. It's neither good nor bad that the theft happened. I should perceive it in a non-negative way. Perhaps the woman needed the money (definitely more than me) for some important person. And (this part I like due to my small wish for revenge), she will receive her come-uppance because karma is the name of the game. What goes around comes around.

I literally staggered off the train, having lost all feeling in my butt about half-way through the journey, rolled into a taxi and sped off to the lovely De Syloia hotel to enjoy my last days in Hanoi.

While I hadn't originally planned to visit Sapa and the hilltribes of northern Vietnam located on the border with China, so many fellow travellers recommended it (and my colleague, Kitty) that I changed my plans. I took the overnight Tulico train from Hanoi and arrived in Lao Cai this morning at 7 a.m.

I then experienced one of the most hair-raising drives of my entire trip. The weather is cold and overcast here. Sapa is located high in the mountains (you can see Vietnam's highest mountain, Phan Xi Păng). The road to Sapa is full of sharp turns and the higher you ascend, the more mist you encounter, to the point that you can't see much in front of you. Motorbikes and scooters are plying the highways, often without their front lights turned on. My knuckles were blue after that ride and I almost kissed the earth when I was dropped off at my hotel. I was blessedly relieved when the porter swung open my hotel room door and there in the middle of the room was a big-ass heater spewing delicious heat throughout the room. Which is what I clearly stipulated when booking the hotel at least five times!

I ended up hiring a private guide to take me trekking and to visit a Hmong village. The Hmong are one of Vietnam's many ethnic minorities. They are famous for their black clothing which they make by producing indigo dye and dying the hemp they weave. They are gorgeous, friendly people: incredibly petite.The older girls and women wear their hair wrapped around their heads with a black, pillbox-like hat on top and large silver hoop earrings. They wear black velvet wrapped around their legs below the knee but either brightly-coloured rubber boots or plastic sandals on their feet. I was shocked as it's freezing here. I'm wearing a rainproof, lined jacket, a fleece and a long-sleeved shirt, trekking pants and hiking boots, plus gloves and a hat.

The Hmong women carry their babies either directly tied to their backs or in woven baskets strapped to their backs. Usually, they marry between ages 15 and 18 and have up to six children each. Most of the year, they work in the fields growing rice and indigo but in the winter, very little grows this far north so they embroider and weave their famous cloth to sell to tourists in the Sapa area as well as in the big cities like Hanoi and Saigon. Curiously, there were no men around the village. My guide told me that they are in the fields with the animals preparing the ground for the spring or doing odd jobs in Sapa City.

I had the opportunity to visit the inside of a Hmong house which was quite big. It had a dirt floor and two places where a fire was roaring. The kitchen itself and a sort of sitting room. Three generations of a family live together in the house (11 people) and the children were grouped around a colour TV running off of a generator. Some of the children were wearing short pants and had bare feet which I couldn't believe. We then had lunch at a Dai home. The Dai have taller, larger houses and appear to be more modern.

One middle-aged Hmong lady proceeded to follow us miles as we made our way back to the point where a car was waiting to take us back to my hotel. It was quite slippery as it was raining. She took my hand in hers (she is literally half my size) and guided me over the rocks and mud in her plastic sandals. She was so agile, like a little pixie. At the end, she pulled out some cushion covers and asked me to buy them. I didn't but did give her a small tip for guiding me so well. She seemed a bit shocked (I debated whether or not to do this) but I thought she deserved something for her act of kindness. The Hmong are poor so I knew my tip would help her out.

Right now, I'm preparing for a long soak in my hotel room's bathtub. I plan to head out for a pizza (I can only do so much Vietnamese food) and watch TV. Tomorrow, I will trek again for 15 km to another minority village before catching the night train back to Hanoi. I can't believe I will be returning to Amsterdam in four days!

I have just experienced the second real high point of my trip, a cruise in Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is located 40 km from Hanoi and has also been twice declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's a beautiful bay with almost two thousand limestone formations rising from the South China Sea. I took a two day tour with one night spent in a cabin on the boat moored close to a limestone formation.

The days we sailed were overcast with lots of fog which put me in mind of pirates and bandits. In 1320, a famous Vietnamese general thwarted attempts by Kublai Khan to invade Vietnam via Ha Long Bay by placing sharp bamboo poles in the misty waters which effectively destroyed Kublai's fleet. The bamboo poles are on display in one of Hanoi's museums. During the trip, we stopped at a huge cave where we observed amazing stalagtites and stalagmites. Unbelieveably, one was an exact replica of a penis. The tour guide claimed it was completely natural and not carved but I have my strong doubts. (When I can, I will upload a photo and let you be the judge.) Miraculously later, we sailed past a limestone formation which was natural and in the spitting image of a penis, complete with testicles. (I will also upload a photo of it.) The god of Ha Long Bay is definitely a man!

About 12 of us spent the night on the ship. I slept like a log. Luckily the boat was anchored so there was no rocking. All around the bay, I could see the twinkling lights of hundreds of moored boats. A bunch of my brave companions woke at 6:30 a.m. to go kayaking. I took a pass on this.

New Year's in Hanoi was a muted affair. On the advice of David, the Chinese-American guy I hung out with in Hong Kong, I reserved a table at Bobby Chin's, an Asian fusion restaurant located beside Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of Hanoi. It's a gorgeous, trendy hotel with a red velvet interior. It was hopping on New Year's. Alas, the restaurant messed up my reservation and I ended up eating at the bar but that was okay as it gave me the opportunity to talk to various guests, the friendly bar staff and Bobby Chin himself. After that, I took a long cycle (rikshaw) tour around the old quarter which was lit up nicely and full of people. So sweet: the Vietnamese yelled "Happy New Year" as I passed. They, themselves, celebrate the lunar new year, known as Tet, in mid-February.

Hanoi is very French, with old colonial buildings, wide streets and touches such as baguettes and pate being sold on every corner, chi chi French restaurants and exquisite pastry shops. Not much French is heard here amongst Vietnamese people. In fact, the only French you will hear is from French tourists (lots) and some very old Vietnamese and tour guides. English is the main foreign language and I think Chinese will soon become just as popular.

So far in Hanoi, I've explored the French quarter, the old quarter and the area around my hotel which is a bit out of the centre and devoid of any tourists. I know this because I went in search of a laundromat and Internet cafe. I managed to make a woman selling flowers on a street corner understand by miming the washing of clothes. She left her stall and marched me down the street to a little store where a crowd eventually gathered to help the foreigner. With at least six friendly people yelling and gesturing simultaneously, the laundry lady finally understood. But I was mortified when she began pulling out my dirty clothing (including bras and underwear) at which point everyone, including the men, began guffawing and clammering for a view. Next it was my turn to gesture and yell frantically. I covered my eyes and made groaning noises which were surprisingly effective and the clothes disappeared back into the bag.

One interesting thing I've found out. Abortion is a major form of birth control in Vietnam. In fact, the magazine I read claimed that Vietnam is the country with the second highest rate of abortions in the world. I find this very surprising as sex education as well as HIV/AIDS prevention is taught all over. It's especially high among teenagers and young women. I asked a Vietnamese woman about this and she said it's the result of changing cultural behaviour. Young people leave home to go to university or college, shack up with boyfriends and get carried away, far from parental supervision.

Sorry for the delay in posting. Six days ago, there was an earthquake near Taiwan which damaged the fibre optic cable which connects the Internet within Asia. Deep sea divers are still trying to fix the cable which is 30 metres below sea level so it will be some time before Broadband Internet is restored. So in the mean time, chug, chug, chug goes the Internet.

I spent three glorious days in Hue, the ancient imperial capital of Vietnam located in the centre of the city. Compared to Saigon or Hanoi, Hue is laid-back and almost provincial with its wide boulevards, tree-lined streets and quiet old city. One thing that strikes me is that for the first time, I'm in a city where there are more bicycles than motorcyles, mopeds or cars. I stayed at the lovely Saigon Morin Hotel, the oldest luxury hotel in Hue, which has the best service I've encountered anywhere in Asia. (The big plus: it was relatively quiet.) However, be warned if you come to Vietnam: most Vietnamese work seven days per week and the official starting time is 7 a.m. Even in a luxury hotel, I was woken up every morning at 7 a.m. by staff going about their business.

I should definitely write something about Hoi An, the lovely town where I am now staying. Hoi An is different from anywhere else I've been in Vietnam. It's a very quiet, laid-back city which retains a bit of a village-like atmosphere despite the fact that it's crawling with tourists. Hoi An was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999 due to its famous architecture which is a mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and European influences. The town has three main streets which feature traditional wooden shops/houses. Unfortunately, most of these buildings are now stores, art galleries or cafes catering to tourists. However, it's still quite normal to see elderly women with no teeth selling vegetables from baskets or a traditional funeral procession going by.

The chief sites to see are the famous Japanese bridge which connects two parts of the town. Adjoining the bridge is a small Chinese temple. There are also many Chinese Assembly halls, places where communities from different parts of China gathered to worshop and hold community activities. One of the most fascinating things to see were the old merchant houses. I visited one called the Tan Ky House which is beautifully-preserved and offers a peak into the lives of seven generations of a family which traded rice, tea and silk.

I also took a half-day tour to the famous My Son Cham ruins just outside Hoi An. The Hindu Cham kingdom was built between the fourth and 13th centuries, making them older than the Angkor temples in Cambodia. The temples are very impressive, very much in a similar style to those I visited in Ayutthaya, Thailand. They're set in a lush, tropical surrounding on hilltops. You are warned not to venture off of the laid-out track as the area is full of unexploded land mines. During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong holed up in this area and the Americans bombed the heck out of this area, unfortunately destroying a large area of the temple compound.

During the tour, I met some really friendly, kind Vietnamese young people. The two girls giggled non-stop and took thousands of photos, mugging it up for the camera at each and every temple. The young man was more serious and looked a little bewildered but took everything in stride. They are all young professionals from Hanoi and spoke excellent English.

The boat ride back to Hoi An was lovely. While I'm used to living in close proximity to water in Amsterdam, it's slightly different. There, water is everywhere but it's not an integral part of life for me. I occasionally go on a tour of the canals or sit in a cafe or restaurant by the water. However, here in Vietnam, water is crucial as a transportation network, a place to bathe and wash clothes, a source of food, a necessity for agriculture, a force to battle during floods. More than any other place I've visited, Vietnamese seemed to be defined by water.

Merry Christmas and happy Boxing Day from central Vietnam (a charming city named Hoi An). For my first Christmas in Vietnam, it was grand. On Christmas Eve, I met Tommy, the Vietnamese Guest Relations Manager, at the resort where I'm staying. (Guardian Angel #3). Tommy is young, friendly, hard-working and very ambitious: he typifies the new generation of Vietnamese professionals who are transforming the country's economy and who have big plans for their futures.

Tommy asked me to help him plan the resort's Christmas Eve dinner and party and to join him in leading a round of "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". We also planned a game of charades. Before the party, Tommy invited me to join him, his fiance and her family at home for a traditional Vietnamese meal. So off we sped, with me hanging off the back of his moto in my dress and heels.

It was very interesting to enter a middle class Vietnamese family home. House Description: There is a tiled front yard where family members park their motorbikes (four in total). The family run an Internet cafe and classroom which is where the main entrance is. Off to the side is a tiny alleyway which leads to both a formal dining room and a small kitchen with a dining table painted bright green. At the back of the kitchen is a small outdoor courtyard where laundry hangs and a few bonsai are arranged. There is a tiny little room in the back where their elderly grandfather stays. I only spied him once. He looks like a wise old man in his pajamas and wool capped pulled down with only a small, leathery face and deep-set eyes peering out. According to them, he likes to stay by himself in his room. I didn't get a chance to go upstairs to the sleeping quarters but there are three rooms. The house was spotlessly clean.

His family are wonderful, kind and generous people. Surprisingly, all of them spoke a bit of English and took great pleasure in teaching me some Vietnamese (strange sounds as in ow, awe, whaa, etc., which we hardly use in English). They squealed in delight when they met me and kept stroking my skin and pinching my cheeks. Apparently, people with dimples are considered sweet here. I faced a barage of questions: 'How old are you? Are you married? Do you like Vietnam? How much do you weigh?' (peels of laughter at my response and the words 'You are very strong' which I interpret to be a kind translation of 'You are fat'. I've heard that phrase over and over here when being described by Vietnamese people. It isn't hard to be 'strong' here. The women are tiny, just like "China dolls" as they are so often described. No tits, no bum, no hips, little body fat.

We sat down to a lovely dinner of salad, fried chicken and a very hearty chicken soup served in little bowls with chopsticks. They served a little of everything at a time. Now, I'm quite deft with chopsticks but I struggled with the fried chicken until they thankfully encouraged me to use my fingers. As soon as I did, the family joined in as well.

After a quick dinner, Tommy and I sped off to get ready for the party at the hotel. The guy with the keyboard was waiting so we practised "Jingle Bells" a few times. Then the party began, featuring Apsara dancers, traditional Vietnames minority dances, opera, and of course, karoake singing performed by one of the house cleaners, a security guard and Tommy. I now understand why karoake is so popular in Asia. It really allows people from every walk of life to pour their hearts and souls into their music in a way which is not necessarily available in everyday life here. These people that I greet everyday in the hotel were confident, happy, passionate singing sensations that night. You can't judge a book by it's cover is all I can say. Our rendition of "Jingle Bells" was a resounding success with the guests joining in heartily. Some lovely Americans from California saved our game of charades. Luckily, some of them were grade school teachers so were game for this kind of entertainment. The staff ended up moving the tables off to the sides so we could all dance to the karoake singers and keyboard player. It was lovely to see that even the hotel's general manager and one of its owners joined the guests dancing. The lovely Americans invited me to join them for Christmas dinner in town the next day.

So how did I spend Christmas? I slept in, ate breakfast and then Tommy and I headed to the market where I bought a bunch of flowers for his family. We were invited to share lunch with them, this time served in the kitchen. Then, Tommy took me to a tailor's shop. Hoi An is renowned for its cheap tailor shops where staff can whip up anything you want for very reasonable prices. I ended up ordering five linen kaftans, two cotton shirt dresses and two button-down shirts which would be ready in 24 hours. They can make anything: business suits from top-quality Italian wool, evening gowns of the finest Asian silk, wool winter coats in any colour. You name it, they can do it. Despite being sceptical about having shoes made, I broke down and ordered two pairs of leather, wedge-heeled strappy sandals in red and black which would also be ready in 24 hours. After so much shopping, I was happy to treat myself to a lovely oil massage and hot stone treatment at the resort spa. Ah, the wonderful ginger oil they used on me was heaven on earth. Later, I headed out for Christmas dinner with four lovely American women from California and Arizona: Sandy, Rose, Harriet and Anne. Sandy is the Mayor of a small town in California so all evening, we addressed her teasingly as "Your Eminence". The setting was lovely, beside the river in a garden with brightly-coloured silk lanterns, fish ponds and tropical plants.

Today, Boxing Day, I'm going to pick up my stuff and do some last-minute shopping. Tomorrow, I leave for the royal city of Hue.

P.S. The Vietnamese are incredibly hard-working people. Most work seven days per week with only a few days holiday per year, if any. The workday starts at 7 a.m. for manual workers, I've discovered, after being woken up at this time every morning as there is some construction going on on the lot beside my room. At first, I was really irritated at being woken up so early on my holidays but it's sobering to think that relentless work schedule is all they know. We are soooo blessed to live in the West.