Two Days, Two Motorbikes, Four Hundred Kilometers and One Incredible Journey!

Day 108 - Monday 26th September 9.24pm 

Those enchiladas were incredible.

Yesterday we woke up to another lovely breakfast of bánh mi and fresh fruit, ready for an early start on our motorbike city tour - we finally get to spend a day on bikes!

We were picked up by Mr Bi and the boss's son, secured with helmets, feeling immediately safe in Bi's hands. Always checking we were okay, we set off through the city traffic and out into the open countryside, soaring (carefully and not speeding Mum) through the rice paddies and water buffalo, experiencing more to Hué than the brown river and busy roads. There's a lot of history and architecture spread through the city and beyond from the emperor dynasty period, which has been interesting to learn more about.

Our first stop was the Japanese bridge, which was built to join two neighbouring villages to trade, with a small local market selling all the bananas and chicken feet you need.

We visited the well-preened Thién Mu pagoda and then another temple buried between the overgrown trees, with incense smoke curling around the ancient Chinese architecture. Bi bought us some local green bean ché drinks to try too, something that I can't quite get my taste buds around.

My favourite place was Khai Dinh Tomb, an emperors ancient elaborate tomb which took 20 years to build and he only ruled for eight. It stands up a steep stone staircase facing a beautiful view of the jungle valleys below, guarded by weathered statues that look like chess pieces lined up protecting the emperor. A few of the emperors were apparently in competition to build the most impressive tomb, but I think he wins hands down.

Next was a walk around the old Imperial City, learning about the history of the Nguyen emperors and imagining their privileged lives ruling the capital.

At lunchtime Bi showed us to a local restaurant for some Hué delicacies - Bánh Khoái pancakes, Nem Lui pork on lemongrass sticks, Bánh Bèo steamed rice cakes and Gõi Cuôn Tôm Thit fresh spring rolls. The local food here is amazing - looks weird but tastes wonderful! 

Feeling very full and satisfied, we knew it was time for a nap and Star Movies. We had enjoyed the day so much that we decided to book the Hai Van pass tour with Bi, which takes you between Hué and Hỏi An... We had loved it SO much we spontaneously went for the two day trip, so we'd get more time cruising through the beautiful country!

So that's where we are at now. And what an absolutely brilliant day it's been - I think today has been one of my absolute favourites and definitely at the top of my travel experiences. I cannot believe the views and scenery, literally couldn't stop saying "Wow", and to do that with your best friend and two hilarious vietnamese tour guides on a motorbike was just the most delicious cherry on top.

Excited and ready for an adventure, we packed up our rucksacks and met Bi and the boss Mr Tu early this morning. Nerves were questioning whether this was the right decision, but I felt safe and relaxed with our tour guides and eager for the journey ahead.

We headed out of the city and soon found ourselves back in the countryside, where the air smelt deliciously fresh after the morning rain. All we had to do was sit back, relax and enjoy the view. Our bags were strapped up behind us which made a comfy little back rest, helping ease any fears of falling off backwards too!

We stopped for our first break next to a rubber plantation, where Bi showed us how the liquid from the sliced bark settles into an attached coconut and thickens to a white rubbery sheet. Next up was a refreshing ice tea in a hammock before clambering through the jungle to Blood Waterfall, nicknamed after the nearby scenes from the war. Nonetheless, the opening was beautiful, with a chance to cool off from the piercing sun and enjoy nature at its finest!

As we drove deeper into the country we joined the Ho Chi Minh Trail, where the winding river and road became the only thing breaking up the green surrounding us up every cliff and valley. During the war soldiers would wade through the thick jungle and cross over the Laos border, only 4km away. The track was  also used to transport food and goods between the North and the South, although sometimes the conditions and lack of bridges delayed the journey for up to six months. Uncle Ho renovated the whole trail, however we still witnessed the natural challenges as last weeks rain has triggered many mudslides along the way, sliding the trees down from the sheer cliffs over the road and down again.

Our drive so far had been clear blue skies and sunshine, but as we creeped further up in altitude there was a sudden change. Literally separated by a long tunnel through the mountain - as we entered it had just started to lightly spit, but waiting for us on the other side (after playing with the echoes) was heavy rain and thick fog. It hung all around us and the trees and the mountain tops, where the vegetation had suddenly morphed into giant ferns and tall Amazon-jungle-style trees. It felt like we'd just entered a completely different country! Luckily at the exit of the tunnel Bi and Tu had dressed us in our sumo latex rain suits, looking ravishing, guarding us from the rain.

Along the whole trail there has been next to zero traffic, which has made the experience all the more enjoyable. The waterfalls and sheer drops and endless jungle mountains have had me in awe, I really can't believe how stunning this place is!

In 2009 a tragic typhoon had wiped out all the hillside houses of the local villages and took the lives of 300 people. We passed one of the new settlements that the government had built afterwards, seeing the contrasting mix of ancient traditions and modern infrastructure.

Our guides stopped at another ethnic minority village to show us how they live in their bamboo huts on the mountain. It was one straight dusty path about 100m long, with the homes dotted in a row either side. A group of teenage boys were gathered around one, cutting each others hair into their latest trend, while the girls giggled shyly as we passed. As we left, the downpour started and we saw all the little kids cycling home from school, bags bigger than their bodies, peddling fast to get back to shelter.

We arrived dripping wet to our hotel here in Prao after 100km of pure jungle. A hot shower and a snooze were necessary before our traditional Vietnamese dinner, sharing delicious dishes of fish, stir fry beef, exotic vegetables, omelette, copious amounts of spinach and grilled aubergine. We learnt about Mr Tu and how he began EasyRiders sixteen years ago, when he spoke no more English than "Hello, motorbike", seeing how he could make a better future for his family. He's had jobs all over Vietnam from making chairs to building an airport to cooking in restaurants, but he's always loved being on his bike. He gets to travel the best parts of his beautiful country for free, every day, meeting new people and sharing this experience with them. Now that sounds like the best job in the world!

Day 109 - Tuesday 27th September 3.17pm

We made it to Hỏi An!

Wow. What an incredible two days. Four hundred kilometres. Absolutely loved it, haven't stopped smiling, it's been an amazing experience!

This morning we left Prao after a delicious Banh Mi breakfast, continuing along the Ho Chi Minh trail through the local villages, rice paddies and tea plantations. We swapped bikes so today I was with Bi on his big old school motorbike, it took a bit of getting used to after Tu's new comfy one!

The highlight of the day was of course the Hi Van pass (more commonly known as that wicked place on Top Gear). I've got to admit I've never actually seen the episode so I had no idea what to expect, but it was amazing! The road winds up through the mountains lining the sea, with an amazing view down the the beaches and Da Nang city. We rode up to the top for views from the American bunkers, which divided the North and the South of the country, then back down again for the funnest motorbike ride ever!

Spectacular view, arms in the sky (sorry Mum), it felt like we were flying through the mountains. For anyone visiting Vietnam, make sure you do this trip!

"One of Those Days"

Day 105 - Friday 23rd September 8.00pm

So today has been another one of those days. Arriving into an eerily silent Hanoi at 3.30am after a non-sleeping sleeper bus, we decided straight away to pay for a bed for a few hours kip. Instead, we got a snoring dorm mate and our rumbling stomaches got us up and out earlier than we had hoped.

My camera lens had been acting up recently so I thought I would take advantage of my specialised insurance and get it fixed ready for our trip through Vietnam, with positive news it would be ready before our night bus to Hué. Perfect. Next on the agenda, to our favourite Bún châ street restaurant for the most delicious dish ever, which I devoured until I couldn't possibly eat anymore. We thought our day was going pretty well considering...

Luckily next we spent some time repacking our rucksacks for our trip, leaving my work bits to make it easier to lug around the buses up and down the country. Generally just chilling and chatting to our hostel staff, wasting away the time until our 10pm bus...

Then the frustration began, first wasting my entire millionaires credit packet on my Vietnamese sim, trying to get hold of the insurance company. Then my lovely mummy helped us out from across the sea's - managing to get in touch with them. Next, the issue of the repairs, having to be from an 'authorised Nikon repairer'. When in Asia it is probably not very common to be 'authorised' by anyone, and I'd already committed $62 to the rude unhelpful woman who took away my camera. That's a lot when you budget $1 for a meal each day. My naïvety and rush to repair it before our bus had kicked me in the face, stressing me out even more. Insurance is never simple of course!

So to ease the pain I immediately treated myself to a full body massage and scoffed a Kit Kat ice cream cone (the ice cream was amazing but the masseuse has maybe broken my foot). We passed a Mexican place on the way and immediately decided that would help lift our spirits before another long night ahead, who doesn't love a burrito!

After picking up my camera and reluctantly handing over my credit card (which I was very concerned didn't need a PIN number), we headed to the restaurant feeling excited for a happier evening, but stopping off at the travel agents on the way. The lady we had booked our Sapa bus with had given us some wrong information so we just went to tell her, but next thing we know she is flapping about saying they have been waiting for us... Pick up is 6-6.30pm. Tonight. For Hué. Not 10pm. This was 6.41pm. Right now. We're late. We're not even ready. We're gonna miss our bloody bus we haven't even eaten I was so looking forward to that burrito we haven't even got our bags I'm so hungry ahhhh how's this happened I'm so anal about being organised I really want that burrito we didn't get time to shower it's too late now to buy any snacks ahh what is life let's go go go! Four rucksacks, two stressed girls and one laughing driver on a motorbike, we raced for the bus, obviously stuck behind a blockade of traffic and police, thinking how the bloody hell did this happen. Obviously couldn't find our tickets anywhere in our bags but it couldn't go too smoothly could it. We got on with the last seats at the back, finally able to breathe out. Silver lining is I got my camera back, just as well I had that Kit Kat ice cream too eh mum.

10.12pm
After being told we could stop in Ninh Binh after two hours for food, we eagerly darted straight to the front when the bus stopped. Of course, we were greeted with "No! No! No!" Back to our seats we go.

Then alas, we stopped again, spotting food packets in the stalls ahead. It's dinner time baby!

The appetising menu invited us to try the chicken noodles and chicken rice. Just what we need. Perfect. Of course it will be delicious!

Of course not. They first bought out a school dinner style metal tray, shovelling rice into one section, followed by the grimmest looking chicken parts you can imagine, green slime and cold soggy tofu. This is apparently what chicken noodles meant too. Mmmm. We were so hungry we just went for the rice and greens, steering clear of the other unidentified objects. Perfect perfect perfect.

Oh and of course the toilets, how could I forget?

They seem to have this weird concept of communal squatting, literally a row with two raised bricks for each foot, a slight slope down and a small hole where it would flow along to the next person. We chose the ever so slightly better squat options with doors (fantastic almost-clear windows though). The smell was the best part - something that you truly can never explain with words. Apart from I gagged quite a few times. I'm normally fine with Asian toilets - I've seen a far few mingers on my travels, but this I found quite hard to stomach.

At least I don't feel hungry anymore.



Day 106 - Saturday 24th September 7.22pm

Well this is a new experience. I've had some weird and hilarious leg waxes during my time in Asia, but never have I been standing in a foyer whilst she rips A4 paper off my leg! I'm open to new experiences I guess.

We managed to sleep for a bit on our night bus after our terrible evening, then our day got a little brighter receiving vietnamese tea, fresh fruit and a free upgrade to a private room when we checked in!

It was nice to wash and relax after two very weird days, so we decided to have an extra day here in order to get the chance to chill out a bit. We navigated the streets towards the Perfume River (not sure why it's called that - no fragrant scent radiates from it and it looks brown and muddy), stopping to try the local noodle dish Bún Bò Hué, crossing the bridge to explore an old pagoda filled with dragonflies, Đông Ba market that sells everything plus your kitchen sink, then resting from the heat inside a familiar ice cream parlour for An Oreo cookie shake. Somehow the diets not going too well...

Our plans for later on... Enchiladas! Yes yes yes.

Trekking the Peaks and Paddy Fields of Sapa

Day 102 - Tuesday 20th September 4.07pm

Sipping an orange and pineapple juice, overlooking the most spectacular view of Sapa's rolling mountains, lined with endless greenery and rice paddy fields, stretching up to the 3,143m peak of Mount Phang Xi Pang, hidden by the misty clouds. Give me a woolly blanket and I'll be in heaven!

Sapa is a popular mountain town in northern Vietnam, used as a French hill station in the 1920's for the Tonkinese Alps. The air is very crisp and fresh - something that's taking me a while to get used to! Definitely enjoying nestling into the thick duvet in my dorm at night. The view here is really incredible, you can't quite get enough of it and a camera will certainly never be able to do it justice. 

Our journey to Sapa on the night bus was not as bad as we dreaded - last time I came here we had a few nightmares and ended up sleeping squished up in the aisle! A new highway has been built so the journey has also shortened from about 12 to 6 hours. Not that this gave us any more faith in our driver, there were times I had to force Megan to stop looking out the window at the lorries one inch from our bus or the steep slopes below at each tilting bend...

We arrived extremely early yesterday morning, all dreary and confused after a night of broken sleep. So Megan and I spent the rest of the day curled up in a cafe until we could check in, with a constant flow of comfort food and drinks, reading our books and a blissful nap.

Rain was hanging in the air and the whole town was covered in a thick fog, so you couldn't see or appreciate any of the mountains and views surrounding us. Instead I was so excited when we got to our hostel to see lovely thick duvets, instantly climbing in and falling asleep.

As the sky went dark we walked through the market and misty streets to enjoy a warm drink and found somewhere for dinner before the rain got too heavy. As we entered the first restaurant we were told they were closing early as the chef was tired, so ran through the rain for the nearest alternative, coincidently bumping into our roommates and joining them for the evening.

Looking ridiculous in our mismatched mountain outfits, feeling dreary from the overnight travel, we ended up having such a fun night - the highlight of travelling is the characters you meet along the way! Megan and I were asked if we were twins, then realised our new friends were identical to us too, especially sense of humour, my cheeks haven't hurt like that from laughing in a while! After some great food and cocktails we called it a night, ready for a day of exploring (and an unfulfilled plan to get up extra early... As if.)

We started off today in the best way - a steaming hot shower (trust me it's bloody freezing here) and a fancy brunch at Baguette & Chocolat - a restaurant that helps train disadvantaged young people in the area. Definitely the first time I've ever seen banana and chocolate spring rolls on the menu!

We have just finished our hike back from Cat Cat village, which sits in the valley below Sapa. It was a really nice walk, the scenery is so beautiful and the lifestyle is really fascinating - tourism now certainly plays a huge part but you can catch aspects of their everyday traditional life in the mountains. The walk took us past women dressed in their colourful tribal patterns and beautiful waterfalls surrounded by giant butterflies. The steep hike back to the top was a challenge as the sun pushed through the clouds, but I was quite happy to be warm again!

Now it's time to head back and prepare for two days trekking with Mama ShuShu - a local lady we've been recommended who hosts backpackers in her home. Time for an early night before our 6am start.

Goodnight! 

Day 103 - Wednesday 21st September 10.28pm

Trying to wash the taste of homemade rice whisky out my mouth, but I've had the most brilliant day in Sapa!

It started by meeting Mama ShuShu at the old church in the early misty morning, where we were joined by two guys from Germany and two girls from the Netherlands. Kitted up in our sexy trainers, backpacks and already sweaty tops, we headed through the town towards the hills separating us from their H'mong village 16km away, accompanied by her sister Mama May and two younger girls. It started off pretty easy, still feeling quite chilly in the fresh morning air, until the jungle climb began. When I say climb, I mean literally a steep muddy slope upwards, clinging onto rocks and trees and people in the hope of not slipping down again! It had rained earlier in the morning leaving us a very funny challenge ahead, one of the girls fell on her bum spectacularly quite a number of times which made me feel slightly less nervous! One of the local girls helped me all the way up, holding my hand and pulling me, even though she was about 4ft tall and wearing flip flops...

The view as we climbed through the trees and ferns and bamboo was amazing - despite the mist it still looked incredible through the valley of paddy fields and up to the mountains opposite. We passed isolated traditional houses, waterfalls, families collecting bamboo and harvesting the rice from the paddy fields. Our group was really great, I'm so happy we all ended up together and our lovely local ladies topped it off!

After a whole day trekking we were all very relieved to arrive at Mama ShuShu's home in Hau Thao, with the obligatory ceiling of corn hanging above the door! Muddy socks off, we went straight into a universal game of cards accompanied by some fresh Vietnamese tea. And probably the best hot shower ever.

We spent the rest of the evening altogether, feeling instantly like one big family, joined later on by two very funny girls from Israel. I think us British completely take for granted that people from all around the world learn to speak English - it's bizarre watching all these countries speaking together and always using our language, we have it so easy!

We could all feel our stomachs grumbling after our long hike, so we helped Mama ShuShu and Mama May preparing the dinner, even though the power had just decided to switch off for a while. I was in charge of cutting French fries and frying tofu, the boys were taught to chop bamboo then we created a great team chain to make Nem Ran - fried vegetable spring rolls, which were absolutely delicious if I do say so myself (obviously from the brilliant rolling skills...) The atmosphere was brilliant - sat in a traditional village house built by Papa ShuShu, preparing spring rolls on miniature wooden stools with the dogs and cat lined up to enjoy the warmth of the kitchen open fire. Who needs electricity and wifi!

Dinner was as delicious and filling as we hoped, sitting altogether on more mini chairs with an abundance of fresh Vietnamese dishes covering the table. Mama ShuShu likes to get everyone involved in her own homemade whisky; you can imagine just how piercing that was to your taste buds! Cheers-ing in a whole ray of languages was very amusing, especially as Mama ShuShu began to hiccup between every other word!

Both Mama's are brilliant, they're really lovely people and have only learnt English through talking to tourists and leading treks to their village, which I think is amazing. It was great to chat to them this evening, even with their very limited English; they both have an interesting life story and culture, and a cracking sense of humour! To keep me warm they tied the traditional scarf around my head and said I could try on their full tribal costume in the morning, I am already hoping we can come back again one day to visit them!

 

Day 104 - Thursday 22nd September 7.51am

What a view to wake up to! You can hear the children arriving at school just below, see the ladies out cutting their rice harvest, and the sun has even spread to show the high mountains on the opposite side of the valley. Simply observing everyday life here is fascinating - this place is one of my favourites.

3.46pm

Our third day of walking is complete, my legs are burning! Mama ShuShu guided us through the villages and paddy fields, down to the river in the valley, past the beautiful waterfall and back up the hill for noodle lunch. It was great to watch the local life from an arms length away, especially families harvesting the rice and the cute kids waving from their bamboo houses.

Mama ShuShu also showed us how they make hemp thread from the marijuana plants and indigo dye for their clothes. For the indigo plant, if you simply rub the leaf against your hand the colour will stain your skin, first green then turning teal, blue then a deep indigo.

The mist is settling in and my muscles have cooled right down, ready for a hot shower before our long night travelling ahead!

6.39pm

Absolutely buzzing after the most amazing motorbike ride on the 11km back to Sapa, adrenaline is pumping through us all and everyone's thinking "Let's go again!" It was the best way to end our adventure, winding through the bumpy roads on the mountain edge following the river valley, the scene was incredible and the sights we passed along the way of local life couldn't help but make me smile. Sapa I don't want to leave!

From Coconuts & Curry to Chopsticks & Chicken Phở

Day 91 - Friday 9th September 3.58pm

Xin chào!

Currently sitting at the arrivals hall in Hanoi, waiting for Megan to burst through the doors at any moment armed with her shiney new backpack!

I can't quite believe I am back in Vietnam, it feels distantly familiar but still a world away from being in Sri Lanka. Hanoi is a marmite city - you really love it, or can't stand it. Personally I love it, but can see why some people would be put off. Coming to Hanoi attacks all your senses - the roar of a thousand motorbikes, the smell of weird and wonderful delicacies, the millions of people bustling around the small streets. But if you just take a small step back, open your mind and embrace the madness, you can learn to love it's quirkiness!


As the end of my time in Sri Lanka drew to a close, I made sure to make the most of every moment. After our luxurious night in Chaaya (where I couldn't handle the aircon and missed being hot), we were presented with the ultimate all-you-can-eat breakfast of champions. You name it - they had it for breakfast. Fresh juice, pastries, cereal, full English, pancakes, waffles, egg hoppers, curry, noodles - the lot! It was probably the best thing about our stay, definitely no need to eat for a few days. I made the most of good wifi and Skyped with Mum for a long catch up and to sort out my life for Vietnam. It's handy having people coming and going to see me on my travels - there's always more I need from home in exchange for my new souvenirs and boring outfits!

My final week was pretty chocka, trying to squeeze in moments of packing and present shopping when I could. On the Tuesday was Thamari's Birthday, so at 7am Callie and I joined her to the local temple where we gave special offerings and experienced the surreal peaceful atmosphere of hypnotic chanting with the monk. In the evening the whole family came over for a little party, filled with fish patti's and samosas and tonnes of our favourite cake!

I was also able to finally have the opportunity to volunteer with the elephants. After the tasteful chore of clearing the dung and chewed papaya leaves, we were able to hand feed our male elephant some fruit snacks. For anyone who's not come close to an elephant before, they are fascinating. Their skin is so leathery thick, with coarse black hairs and gorgeous long eyelashes. Their mouths and tongues are incredible - bloody weird but incredible! They only have two teeth and as you hold up the fruit the huge alien tongue will digest it and crush it, it is very bizarre to watch. Then the rest of the morning was the best part - walking the elephant down to the river for a good old scrub! He very willingly sprawled out sideways in the water as instructed by his mahout, allowing us to scrub away all the dirt and dry skin with coconut shells. It was great to get up close and personal - elephants are truly brilliant beings.

On the Wednesday I was fortunate to be able to arrange a meditation session with one of the local monks who speaks English. He guided us through what meditation means for Buddhism, reflecting the core beliefs around positivity, openness and reducing desire. I only wish I'd had the time to visit more regularly, it was extremely interesting to hear from his perspective and perhaps it would have helped me reduce my stress levels recently!

Thursday was back on the turtle project for one last day, this time sprucing up the sanctuary with a lick of paint. The owner also taught me how you should bury the fresh turtle eggs in the hatchery, away from danger, replicating the mothers nest in the wild. I was gutted it was my last day with the turtles, I have really enjoyed taking part since I've been here, especially with the company of a great coordinator like Saniru!


Later that evening was time for us to host our leaving party, celebrating our summer with all the fantastic staff who became our friends and family. Of course more cake, patti's, cake, samosas, ice cream, waddi and cake to mark the occasion...

We were lucky enough to witness Ambalangoda's annual perahera festival on our last day - a Buddhist festival for celebrating the local fisherman communities. The parade comes complete with marching elephants, traditional dancers and costumes, drummers, then a selection of the most bizarre concoctions! Any group from the local community can play a part in the parade, so you can go from delicate peacock dancers to masked characters on stilts to topless men banging metal jumping around 'dancing'. Rather odd but amazing to see the whole community come together down the street to celebrate each other!

Then all the goodbyes came flooding in at once. I think I'd been putting off the thought for so long, not quite ready to leave, feeling particularly emotional saying farewell and thank you to Callie, Ashika and his family. I had thought about it before, but at that moment I knew I was going to return to Sri Lanka again soon enough. Waving goodbye one last time out the tuk tuk, I felt a fond sense of belonging to all the people I'd met. "Paradise isn't a place; it's the feeling you get when you're part of something."

I felt extremely relieved not to be heading to the airport at this point, I don't think I could deal with leaving the country altogether yet! Instead I spent a relaxing weekend Mirissa, with time to chill out, explore jungle beach and have a chance to get stuck in my book again. Saturday consisted of great seafood and snoozing; Sunday was the day the sea stole my favourite dress. The waves had been huge and particularly strong, tossing any paddlers under and at times reaching right up to the sun beds. One wave came crashing right over the top of me, then a few minutes later it completely took the sun beds, stealing my suncream and shoes from the chair and soaking my bag and book up on the table. I didn't realise until a moment too late that it had also managed to steal my new absolute favourite tye-dye dress, which I had searched weeks for previously. To this day I still can't seem to get over it. But I know that thinking about what people lost to the waves in 2004 obviously puts it straight back into perspective. I should be extremely grateful for what I still have.

After my weekend in Mirissa, I (literally) jumped on the white-knuckle express bus straight to Wadduwa, to spend my final few days with my lovely Sri Lankan family. As always, I was fed a ridiculous amount of mouthwatering food and treated like part of the family. I was extremely excited to be able to meet my sister Diana from the airport after returning from her year studying in England, even if it was the first of two long 2am trips to the airport in a row! I got my final 70p eyebrow threading and we made the most of the beach sunsets at our doorstep. Before I left Diana and I went to visit little Evin's family one last time, being invited to the tastiest traditional lunch at their home and playing cricket on the road outside.

It has been very sad to say goodbye to this beautiful country this time, but I know I will return again soon :)



Day 100 - Sunday 18th September 6.00pm

And there goes our first week in Hanoi! Adjusting ourselves to the humidity, food, constant sweat, culture and craziness, I think Megan's done pretty damn well.

We've taken it easy this week so Megan can acclimatise and get over her cold, so I've had a chance to find my feet again here. Navigating the maze of the Old Quarter, we've tried out the street food selections perched on low plastic stools, repeatedly going back for BBQ and Bún châ, found the best avocado and mango shake in the city, and learnt about the history of the war and women's culture in the city's museums.
 








On Tuesday I was able to meet Que, my previous volunteer project manager from CSDS, to visit my students at Phuc Tue special needs centre again. After two years I wasn't sure if they would remember me, but when my older class saw me I was grateful for their excitement! It felt strange walking the same route again from the bus along the river, passing the familiar sights of fruit vendors and fisherman. It didn't surprise me that everything else was still exactly the same, apart from a growth spurt from my little ones now towering over me! We stayed for a short while to play Uno and practice my Vietnamese again, but my teacher Miss Nhien was unfortunately not in that week so I'm looking forward to going back again to see her and Anh, the beautifully inspirational young girl who I became friends with.


The next morning I set off to meet one of the volunteer coordinators from CSDS, where she took me to visit her language centre on the outskirts of the city. We made Nem Cuốn fresh spring rolls for lunch and Moon cakes to celebrate the Mid Autumn Festival, flavoured with green tea and green bean mmm.

 
The next day for the festival we had offered to help out the staff from our homestay who organise charity events at a local hospital. We had absolutely no idea what to expect, and in hindsight should have asked more questions, as what we thought would be an hours helping hand ending up being an entire day out! They set up for a little show for the patients and children, with singing and a dance performance from children in the local area. After failing to persuade Megan and I to sing or dance, we got the kids up for some funny balloon team games which they absolutely loved, before giving out food donations and our freshly made tonne of soup for all the families. It sounds like fun, but at the time it was a very bizarre day, mainly as we were sat in the hospital reception, filled with balloons and children running around, with the occasional emergency body casually strolled through on a stretcher; even through the middle of the dance performance at one point... One of those things that you think "Only in Asia!".



At the weekend Amy and Maddie, my colleagues from NCS, arrived in Vietnam so we gave them a little tour of the city. We took them up to our favourite cafe, perched on a rooftop balcony overlooking the lake, then around the maze of streets to witness the variety of every day life in Hanoi. The next day we visited the famous Turtle Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake, where a legendary turtle offered a sword to the King to fight off enemies many years ago. Then a trip to the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam, built by an emperor in 1070 and dedicated to the principles of Confucianism. We had a stroll around the lake in the Botanical Gardens and past Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, standing tall and pride behind the Vietnamese flag. Ending the day at Fannys Kem, our favourite ice cream parlour in Vietnam!

My Summer in Sri Lanka

Day 76 - Thursday 25th August 1.02pm

And suddenly I only have eight more days left in Ambalangoda. Since when did the Summer come and go? Exactly two weeks and I will be brushing up my chopstick skills in Hanoi. I'm excited to see what the next few months brings!

The past few weeks have mainly consisted of Wadis, Rottis and Samosas, with a side of coconuts and too much shopping (obviously working hard as always). No more hospital trips or dengue fever recently (touch wood) so my job has been a lot smoother for the last couple of weeks, organising projects and transport and making sure all the volunteers are having a great time!

Last weekend was mine and Callie's final volunteer orientation of the summer, so one more morning of Do's & Dont's in Hiro's (the best ice cream shop in Sri Lanka), one more hike up the temple staircase to the largest reclining Lord Buddha statue, and one tempting trip to the moonstone mine and showroom. Still can't believe this is the end of the summer!

I've spent the majority of my mornings renovating our turtle hatchery - shifting umpteen million buckets of sand to fill the hatching tank and surrounding areas. Lugging heavy buckets in this heat is hard work! But I've thoroughly enjoyed finally doing some exercise to keep off the rice and rotti's. Today we emptied our last bucket, so it's great to know we can now bring in eggs to hatch safely and help with turtle conservation in Sri Lanka. I've spent a couple of days at the Turtle Sanctuary too, which looks after baby turtles for 48 hours before releasing into the wild, as well as care for disabled or injured turtles - sadly most from fishing nets or digesting plastic. It's a great project and turtles are such fascinating creatures, did you know the egg gender is determined by the temperature of the sand it is buried in? And yogis use the turtles slow breathing techniques to live a longer healthy life. They are the modern dinosaurs who are slowly becoming extinct from human consumption and lack of care - which is why it's so rewarding to see the people fighting for their conservation.

My afternoons have consisted of outside-office work (got to make the most of this beautiful country...), visiting the children's homes and our teaching projects. It's been really great to see the volunteers' work and students' progress first hand, benefiting so many different parts of the community. It's made me excited to start with my new students and see what opportunities arrive!

On our few days off this month Callie and I have escaped to the beautiful beaches of Mirissa and Unawatuna, for excessive gift shopping, Banoffee rotti's and napping under blue skies and swaying palm trees. We're trying to make the most of being here before we leave, so we don't feel too guilty for a well deserved break! It's been a rollercoastering challenge this summer - working through communication barriers and cultural differences, dealing with hospitals and illness and varying issues, as well as trying not to miss home comforts and those closest to me.



Nonetheless I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and have had the best beginning to my life abroad, thank you to Ashika, Callie, Phillip and Josh from PMGY, as well as all the staff friends and family around me who have made this experience possible. It's sadly time to start the goodbyes, but I'm excited to see where the road leads me next. :)



Day 78 - Saturday 27th August 2016 3.22pm

I won an award!

Well ok, all coordinators got the same but even still! Ashika treated us to a chicken burger and Mars ice cream at Hiro's to present our 'Best Overseas Support' Awards to us and thank all the staff for a great summer. Still can't get to grips that it's nearly the end!

Trying to get in those things we'd been meaning to do since day one, we finally got a chance to visit one of the local temples, which is beautifully lit up at night time. The whole place looks so majestic and peaceful, with soft coloured lights and around the statues, dagoba and Bhodi tree. I wish I could come here every evening to unwind!

And now for our final weekend, Callie and I have been treated after the hard work we've all put in this summer; a night of luxury at Chaaya Hotel in Hikkaduwa. Anyone who has been to Hikka knows this place is a beaut, especially to a backpacker! Our balcony overlooks the pool which backs onto the beach, surrounded by palm trees. We even get hot water and a duvet and clean towels! The things you appreciate when you live simply eh.

So now we are lounging by the pool, reading my book, not quite sure whether to believe I only have one week left in Ambalangoda.