Audrey Zong, HKUST Exchange, Fall 2013
One of the coolest things about Hong Kong for students studying abroad is its convenience and proximity to numerous southeast Asian countries. My first travel experience was to Vietnam.
(Tip: For anyone else studying abroad in Hong Kong now or in the future, check out this deal called “Fanfares” offered by Dragon Air and Cathay Pacific. Every Tuesday morning at 8 am, there are 10 or so fantastic flight deals to all different southeast asian countries as well as others that are farther away. For example, last week, there was a Fanfare to from Hong Kong to Chicago for $550 roundtrip! But you have to be quick. Some of these deals are snatched up in less than an hour)
Through Fanfare, a group of 12 exchange students booked a flight to Hanoi, Vietnam, which is the large city in the northern part of Vietnam. In Hanoi, your first and biggest fear is death by motorbike. Seriously, every second person in the city owns a motorbike. So imagine Hanoi’s rush hour as such: driving in LA during rush hour with motorbikes touching tail to head, completely stuck. I think it’s plausible that if everyone left their motorbike and walked home, they could easily cut their commute time. But surprisingly, I did not see one single accident the entire stay in Vietnam. Perhaps it’s the fact that everyone is constantly being attentive to their surroundings because there are so many cars, motorbikes and people everywhere.
The first activity for us was a Ha Long Bay Cruise. The Bay was very scenic and cool, but the picturesque aspect of this Bay was tainted by the hundreds of commercial cruise boats, like ours, out on the water. During the cruise, we were able to explore a cave, kayak in the bay, learn to make traditional Vietnamese spring rolls, and tan out on the top of the boat. The more interesting part of Vietnam was hidden in Mai Chau, a rural village 180 km to the northwest of Hanoi. We went to Mai Chau with no tour guide and no plan, but it turned out to be fantastic. We stayed in a stilt-house homestay, where our bedroom is a floor with 12 pads laid out, each with a pillow and blanket, and a mosquito net around all 12 pads. It wasn’t the most comfortable sleep we’ve ever gotten (especially because of the roosters at the crack of dawn), but in comparison to where the host stayed, we were very lucky. The host and her entire family lives in one single room, with a mattress in one corner, a small table at another, and the kitchen at the third corner, and the door at the 4th corner.
The most exciting and exhilarating part of the trip is riding motor bikes. With only a helmet as protection, we were able to go as fast at 80 km/hour. Doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re out on a windy road with only a helmet and an unpredictable road of animals, your life feels very precious. We explored up and down, left and right, and found a small, untouched lake, where we were able to jump into the water from the bridge. Roaming through Mai Chau through foot and bike made us all recognize how different these people’s lives are, and perhaps they don’t know what else is out there, or maybe they do but they prefer the simpler life better.
Below are a few pictures from Vietnam:
Biking
Upgraded Biking