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Southeast Asia 2011: Vietnam!

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Next up on our blog tour of our SE Asia offices is Vietnam! We asked Michelle about all her favorite things about Vietnam and what she is excited for in 2011. Keep checking back this week to see what she is looking forward to this year!

What are your top five places and things to do in 2011 in your country?

Sitting on a pineapple seller’s boat in Cai Rang floating market in the Mekong early in the morning, eating a freshly cut pineapple they have just prepared and watching the world go by.

The busy Cai Rang floating market

Wandering through the pepper and cashew nut groves on Phu Quoc island and chatting to the local families over a cup of green tea before heading to the beach for a beautiful sunset.

Stunning sunsets on Phu Quoc

Relaxing on the junk in the tranquility of Halong Bay, or in the hammocks of the fruit gardens on the outskirts of Saigon on a Sunday morning after cycling there.

Relaxing in Halong Bay

Dalat is my favorite for the cable car ride and serene feeling of Truc Lam Pagoda and the walks to the waterfalls.

The always tranquil Truc Lam Pagoda

Crawling through the Cu Chi tunnels, chatting to the veterans and imagining life as the local people must have experienced it during the years they were down there.

Going
Going...
Gone!
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Latest News: Journeys Within Tour Company Offers Special Pricing On Southeast Asia Tours

Posted by Andrea on (Updated: )  |  Leave a comment

TRUCKEE, Calif.-Journeys Within, the premier boutique Southeast Asia tour company, recently announced special pricing on their once in a lifetime tours to countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam for 2011.

“Each year, prices for the next high season in Southeast Asia increase in July,” said Andrea Ross, owner of Journeys Within. “This year, because of the increase in travel around the world, we’re expecting higher increases than usual. To avoid these higher prices and to help our guests get a better rate, we are offering our 2010 rates for any travelers that confirm their tours before May.”

In the last few years there has been a large increase in last minute bookings, travelers taking advantage of last-minute specials as well as waiting to feel more secure in their job before committing to an itinerary. As the economy is on the upswing, travel bookings are predicted to increase in 2011, along with the cost of travel, thus these last minute bookings won’t get the deals, in fact, planning ahead may be where the savings are. To avoid inevitable price jumps that will occur as the demand for travel increases, guests are encouraged to book in advance in order to take advantage of the lower prices of 2010. Booking travel plans early versus waiting until the last minute also ensures seamless travel experiences that include better service and thoughtfully planned itineraries.

Travelers who book a tour with Journeys Within between now and May for travel through December of 2011, will receive the 2010 pricing. For more information, visit archive.journeys-within.com… Read more »

Guide Training begins and a personal tour of the tunnels

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11 Jul 09 Saigon – Cu Chi Tunnels / Dinner with Mr Nam
Breakfast meeting with the guides for guide training.
Take an afternoon excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Arrive and descend into the Cu Chi tunnels where the guerilla fighters constructed an amazing underground base and meet a veteran of the Vietnamese/American war who will give you a private tour of the tunnels and recount his experiences as a tunnel rat. Finally, to end our trip, we will be taken to the private home of Mr. Nam where we will have dinner with him and his family.

Rookie Review:
I’m going to be perfectly honest, when I first saw Mr. Nam I was a bit intimidated. Here’s a man who I know was a veteran of the Vietnam/ American war, in addition he has a very noticeable and distinct war wound, a missing arm, which adds to the whole intimidation factor. In our first encounter we sat down for tea and I quietly sipped and sat without motion, wondering how the rest of the day would go. We made our introductions and quickly the intimidation faded away. He smiled and laughed, and cracked jokes and even though there was a language barrier, I could tell he was a man full of joy and he was enthusiastic to share his story with us.

After tea we walked over to a presentation area where Mr. Nam gave an overview on the Cu Chi tunnels and his daily life as a tunnel rat. He went into detail about how and where the tunnels were made, the rooms that they had, the different levels, the ventilation system, and so much more – it was extremely interesting information.

From there we went down into the tunnels. I was surprised at how big the rooms were and tried to imagine living there for 12 days, let alone 12 years as Mr. Nam did. Andrea and I crawled the whole way through and were, quite frankly, exhausted by the end of the hunched trek. Although we were exhausted, the experience of going through the tunnels was very memorable and I’m happy I did it.

Then it was off to Mr. Nam’s house for dinner. While I was really excited to visit the tunnels, having dinner with Mr. Nam’s family was what I was really excited about – and it actually managed to exceed my high expectations. It is hard to put into words exactly what made the night so special. The evening was filled with great company, incredible food as well as unique and interesting conversation.

To speak of the great company – At Mr. Nam’s home we met his wife whom he met while living in the tunnels, his daughters and his beautiful grandchildren. They were all so kind and welcoming, I felt as if I was joining an old friend for dinner.

Oh and the food? All I can say was that when I left there was certainly not a scrap left on my plate. Although, I guess I could have gone without the second “taste” of the homemade rice whiskey Mr. Nam insisted on pouring.

For the conversation, we discussed more about his experiences during the war and also went more into how he feels now about the war and also Americans. I found it very profound when he explained how he didn’t chose to fight simply to fight – he choose to fight to protect his family and his country. He went on to say that he has no ill will towards Americans and he hopes that anyone faced with the choice between war and peace, would chose peace. Having never personally had to make that choice, I found it special to hear that someone who had once had to make that difficult decision did it not to fight, but to protect what he loves most. It opened my mind to something I had never really thought about in true depth and it is something I will remember forever.

Expert Edition:
Guide training was fantastic! It was great to be able to introduce April to all the guides and they had some great new suggestions for tours and when we discussed family travel they were really interested to hear our suggestions on how to make the whole family happy. I love that I know all of our guides and I know that they will take wonderful care of our guests, which is so reassuring to me. We had breakfast and lunch with the guides and had some good laughs, a great start to our guide training this year!

Our afternoon trip was also a great start to our tour. I met Mr Nam 5 years ago while leading a group of high school students through Vietnam. I was having trouble getting through to the students and it seemed that for them the Vietnam War was ancient history…Mr Nam made them sit up and pay attention. He joined the guerilla forces at the age of most of the students and he fought and lived underground for years. Seeing Mr Nam again was a joy and I love hearing about his first-hand experience in the tunnels and the way but he answered all our questions so matter-of-factly that sometimes it was easy to forget the difficulties he lived through.

I had never been to his family home before and loved seeing the photos of him as a younger fighter and hearing his opinion on the past as well as the future. I asked a lot of questions as I wanted to make sure that he would be comfortable if our guests really wanted to know as much as they could. He took all of my questions in stride and was a pleasure to talk to. It was so fun to be a part of his family for the evening and I thanked him and his wife for all the meals they had cooked for our guests. He told me that he enjoyed the company and meeting Americans and I believe he genuinely is honored to be the host and show off his beautiful family. It made me proud that I can offer this amazing experience to guests and with that pride and the rice whiskey I drove back to the hotel glowing!

Guide training in Saigon
Guide training in Saigon
April in the tunnels
April in the tunnels
Yo! (Cheers in Vietnamese)
Yo! (Cheers in Vietnamese)
With Mr Nam and his family
With Mr Nam and his family
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Ready Set Go, Go, Go! We’re leaving for guide training!

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At 01:20am tomorrow morning our guide training trip to Vietnam and Laos begins! Andrea and myself will be taking this trip together, focusing this year’s guide training on family travel.  Ironically, this will be a trip with out husbands or kids – we’ll be far too busy!! I’ve outlined our itinerary below, because there is just no way you will believe how busy we will be until you see the itinerary.

10 Jul 09   Saigon – Arrival and City Tour

April arrives at 1005am

Andrea arrives at 10pm

Arrive in Saigon where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon enjoy a City Tour.

11 Jul 09   Saigon – Cu Chi Tunnels / Meet with Vets

Breakfast meeting with the guides for guide training.

Take a full day excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels.  On the way to the tunnels, visit Tay Ninh Cao Dai Great Temple, a unique religion worshiping Jesus, Confucius and Buddha! Enjoy lunch at Ngoc Tuyet restaurant in Tay Ninh. Arrive and descend into the Cu Chi tunnels where the guerilla fighters constructed an amazing underground base and meet a veteran of the Vietnamese/American war who will give you a private tour of the tunnels and recount his experiences as a tunnel rat. Finally, to end our trip, we will be taken to the private home of Mr. Nam where we will have dinner with him and his family.

12 Jul 09   HoiAn – Arrival

You will be picked up and taken to the airport for your flight to HoiAn.

You will be met at Danang airport and driven to HoiAn

Dinner meeting with the guides for guide training.

13 Jul 09   HoiAn – City Tour Half-day

After breakfast your guide will meet you and take you on a walking tour of HoiAn. Visit the Ancient Town including the beautiful Chua Cau, or roofed bridge, Hoi Quan, the ancient meeting places, some ancestral family homes and some of the lovely and hidden pagodas. Have lunch at a local restaurant.

Drive to Danang where you will transfer to the airport for your onward flight to Hanoi.

Arrive at Noibai airport Hanoi, where you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.

14 Jul 09   Hanoi – City Tour

Your guide will meet you and will discuss with you what you would like to see. There are so many options that we like to leave it up to you and your guide to decide what suits you best. Some interesting highlights are the Hanoi Hilton, where John McCain and other prisoners were held during the war, it now houses a museum. Or head to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where you can see Uncle Ho laid out to rest. If you like art you can visit the Fine Art Museum or see which local galleries are offering shows. The Temple of Literature is always a nice place to stroll through and is a great stop before or after lunch as you will be having lunch at KOTO, a restaurant benefiting at risk youths. Your guide will be with you all day so discuss what suits you and then have fun. Dinner meeting with the guides for Guide Training.

15 Jul 09   Luang Prabang – Arrival

Transfer to Noibai airport for your onward flight – Vietnam AirlinesVN869 departing at 09:00 & arriving at 09:55

Upon arrival in Luang Prabang you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon meet with JWOC Scholarship students. In the evening, visit the night market. April to go out to dinner with friend honeymooning in Luang Prabang!

16 Jul 09   Luang Prabang – Day in the Life

Today you’ll escape the tourist hubs in town and see Luang Prabang through the eyes of a local. First, you will drive up the Mekong to visit the small village of Ban Mueng Keo, known for its production of Lao whiskey. Here you will receive a demonstration of the whiskey-making process by a local Lao Lao producer. And if you’re up for it, sample the finished product for an early morning punch! From here board a small boat and take a tour of the local fishing area, checking traps with the fisherman along the way and collecting any fish you might find. Return to Ban Pak Ou, where the former village chief and his family will cook you a Lao-style lunch and you’ll learn about dining customs and etiquette. After lunch, drive to the small weaving village of Ban Phone Xay, where you’ll receive a weaving demonstration and have a chance to purchase handmade items directly from the source. Learn the story behind who really makes the beautiful textiles sold at the night market! You’ll be the only tourist in town who knows the real story behind the boffles of Lao Lao, the grilled Mekong fish and the night market stalls. Dinner with guides for guide training.

17 Jul 09   Luang Prabang – Sunrise to Sunset

Wake up at sunrise to give monks morning alms. You’ll be accompanied by your guide who can demonstrate the proper method of alms giving and explain this daily Buddhist ceremony. Return to your hotel for breakfast, after which your guide will take you on a tour of the city, including visits to The National Museum, Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Visun and Wat Sen. Enjoy lunch in town at a restaurant of choice. After lunch your guide will meet you and you’ll continue your tour, finishing with a hike up Mt. Phou Si in the late afternoon to see a sweeping view of Luang Prabang and watch the sunset.

Transfer to Luang Prabang airport from your hotel in time for your flight to Vientiane. Arrive Vientiane where you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

18 Jul 09   Vientiane – World Ecotourism Conference

Attend the World Ecotourism Conference.

19 Jul 09   Vientiane – Departure

You will be transferred to Vientiane Airport in time for your onward

flight to Cambodia. You will be met by a Journeys Within representative and taken to Journeys Within Bed & Breakfast. (Andrea)

You will be transferred to Vientiane Airport in time for your onward flight to Bangkok (April). You will go on to Bangkok to visit Jeab and have dinner with the guides.

20 Jul 09   Bangkok – Departure (April)

21 Jul 09   Saigon to Phu Quoc (Andrea)

Arrive in Phu Quoc where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

22 Jul 09   Phu Quoc – Day at Leisure

Have a free day to explore on your own.

23 Jul 09   Phu Quoc to Saigon and departure

While we will be very busy touring, training, inspecting, checking emails and working – this trip will still be a lot of fun too. Andrea and I will be sure to make time to buy trinkets for our families, enjoy the fantastic food and maybe even fit in time for a massage. What can I say, my job is tough ; )… Read more »

A Bumpy Start

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Our Vietnam guide training got off to a bumpy start this year. As Brandon pointed out, the positive side was we got to check out the response to an accident at the Siem Reap airport and we got to try out the SOS clinic in Hanoi, the negative side was why we got to try these out.

We arrived at the Siem Reap airport nice and early for our big trip. We loaded up the luggage carts and I checked us in while Narla and Brandon got ice cream with the kids. As I was paying the departure tax Callie came running up, singing her “we’re going to Vietnam” song. She grabbed the back of our luggage cart and swung. With all the luggage now out of it and only hand luggage on the top basket it was top heavy and crashed down on top of her. I was there first and pulled the cart off her, only to see blood everywhere. My heart literally stopped. I grabbed her and immediately put pressure on her eye where most of the blood seemed to be coming from. Narla, was right behind me and had a small towel in his fanny pack which he gave me. I was able to push this on the cut and slow the bleeding, but I had seen how deep the cut was, just above her left eye. In the meantime Callie was screaming, I mean really screaming, she has my low pain tolerance and that, coupled with the blood everywhere, was just too much for her. I sat down in the middle of the airport with her on my lap and held her as tight as I could. Even Brandon, who is always calm in situations like this, looked scared. We started to discuss who was going to stay and who would go, but neither of us wanted to be the one that left her. Meanwhile the airport had called their EMT crew and Narla had gone to get me some ice. The EMT crew was fantastic. They helped stop the bleeding and then put a cleaning solution on the cut (they will forever be known as the mean men with the spicy stuff). Callie had calmed down slightly and the bleeding had stopped so we were able to get a gauze bandage over the cut and Brandon and I decided that a clinic in Siem Reap and one in Hanoi were going to be about the same so we might as well just get on the plane. We were escorted through security and then taken to a private medical room while Narla (on his first trip out of Cambodia) got all our passports through immigration. Poor Callie was still pretty upset, but was pulling herself together. We were able to get on the plane and she seemed to forget about her boo boo for a while.

In Hanoi we were met by Van and Loan, our Vietnam directors and despite it being 8pm they kindly went with us to the SOS clinic. In my years here I have recommended this clinic to a couple of guests who got sick in Vietnam so this time I got to really inspect it! The doctor was great and all the nurses were really kind. They couldn’t give her stitches because the cut was too close to the eye so they said they wanted to glue it. They said she would have to hold still for 2 minutes while they held the cut closed and the glue dried. I tried to explain that under the best of circumstances Callie didn’t hold still for two minutes and that pain actually would make it the worst of circumstances. I asked if there was anything they could give her and they agreed they could give her some valium anally (forever knows as the tickly in my booty). The valium took a while to kick in, but finally she was asleep on the table. They bundled her in a sheet and the doctor leaned over to put the glue on. That first drop hit and Callie was up. It took three nurses and Brandon to hold her down and still the doctor couldn’t hold it for the full 2 minutes. At the end of it the doctor just shook his head and said, “you right, she an active one”. He told me not to get it wet or let her run around…I asked if I could take a tub of valium to go, he didn’t get it.

We went back to our hotel and Callie was like a little drunk person, trying to walk and falling down. She was having so much fun on the valium I finally had to just hold her on my knee, turn all the lights off and not let her go until she was asleep. Inevitably the glue came out, I couldn’t stop her from bouncing and it’s Asia, we all sweat, so it ended up getting wet too. The scar isn’t too bad and as everyone keeps pointing out, at least she’ll have a good story. We went to pick someone up at the airport the other day and she kept her distance from the luggage carts! All in all it was a horrendous experience, but from the EMTs in Cambodia, to SOS in Hanoi we couldn’t have asked for better help so at least I can go on with my recommendations feeling secure that I don’t just know ‘of’ the clinic, I know it well!

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