http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hhBho4vGKo
This is one of those songs I discovered a long time ago. But it's one of those songs that still makes smile every time it comes on.
It's overall mood (not necessarily the wonderfully romantic lyrics) described my contented, mellow mood while traveling.
Enjoy
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Danang.
Danang is worse than Buon Ma Thout, which really wasn't bad, just difficult to navigate with all the jeering and solo tours being so high priced. I can see why they would be higher and all the distance trekking, travel, etc but they still seemed exorbitant to me.
Either way, here I am in Danang.
I got here shortly after 5pm and went right to sleep, waking up to the ever present needless noise at 9am. Must have completely crashed from the barely sleeping I do.
I am very excited to head toward the laid back reputation of Laos. I think after all the constant in your face touts from these two cities (and really all of Vietnam) I'm ready for some peace and even more so QUIET!
I'll do one full day here in Danang and probably one more in the city of Hue, then head to the Laos border from there-published as the easiest land border to cross into/from Vietnam.
Oh, just to throw this little tip out there. If you want to meet other travelers it's best to go out at night, like after 9pm. I'm usually winding down about that time. :)
(After visiting here and writing this I heard many people, locals and travelers alike say, "yeah, that's the last Vietnamese city and they hate everyone, even other Vietnamese, who aren't from their city.")
Either way, here I am in Danang.
I got here shortly after 5pm and went right to sleep, waking up to the ever present needless noise at 9am. Must have completely crashed from the barely sleeping I do.
I am very excited to head toward the laid back reputation of Laos. I think after all the constant in your face touts from these two cities (and really all of Vietnam) I'm ready for some peace and even more so QUIET!
I'll do one full day here in Danang and probably one more in the city of Hue, then head to the Laos border from there-published as the easiest land border to cross into/from Vietnam.
Oh, just to throw this little tip out there. If you want to meet other travelers it's best to go out at night, like after 9pm. I'm usually winding down about that time. :)
(After visiting here and writing this I heard many people, locals and travelers alike say, "yeah, that's the last Vietnamese city and they hate everyone, even other Vietnamese, who aren't from their city.")
Thursday, December 2, 2010
I want my bubble back! Or: Jag vill ha min bubbla tillbaka
Today I am sick of being a tourist. I'm sick of being yelled at, followed, grabbed, dragged, pulled, and pushed. UGH! All of it!
All of this I'm sure has been heightened by the new city I'm in: Danang.
The German girl I met in Cambodia described Saigon very much the way I feel about Danang. Constant noise at stupid volumes. Insane traffic. Rude people and someone, multiple someones, always in your face.
I'm tired of "being rude" if for one minute I don't want to smile and play games or answer the plethora of questions meant to trap and ensnare me into dishonest games.
I don't want to be on display anymore. "My western ways" of space and quiet, and respect for other people's body (there have not been any inappropriate touching-I don't mean to imply that, but there is tugging, pulling, blocking one's way, and literal in-your-face confrontation of whining and pretend begging), wishes, requests is screaming out.
I ended up going to the movies just to get a much lowered level of volume. I saw Harry Potter 7.1. Funny when you go to a loud movie theater for some peace and quiet. I need some solice and it's no where to be found, even and especially at the hotel. SO LOUD. All. the. time. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!
*sigh* I found a cafe ran by the deaf :)....aaaaahhhh. Still loud but not as much. a bit of peace. It was fun to not have people constantly talking to me...it was like a family there, that little group. And I did do a bit of eves-dropping to see how many of the signs I recognized. I was able to understand quite a bit of it, if not the details, at least the main topic. I will come back tomorrow if I'm still in town even though, like the rest of Vietnam, I don't love the bland food.
I've also taken to pretending I don't speak English :). It works some times believe it or not. A few speak French and will give that a try but if I do a Nordic (i.e. Swedish) or Germanic accent with gibberish talk, I can get a little less attention.
I'm ready for a little more Laos and lot less Vietnam.
All of this I'm sure has been heightened by the new city I'm in: Danang.
The German girl I met in Cambodia described Saigon very much the way I feel about Danang. Constant noise at stupid volumes. Insane traffic. Rude people and someone, multiple someones, always in your face.
I'm tired of "being rude" if for one minute I don't want to smile and play games or answer the plethora of questions meant to trap and ensnare me into dishonest games.
I don't want to be on display anymore. "My western ways" of space and quiet, and respect for other people's body (there have not been any inappropriate touching-I don't mean to imply that, but there is tugging, pulling, blocking one's way, and literal in-your-face confrontation of whining and pretend begging), wishes, requests is screaming out.
I ended up going to the movies just to get a much lowered level of volume. I saw Harry Potter 7.1. Funny when you go to a loud movie theater for some peace and quiet. I need some solice and it's no where to be found, even and especially at the hotel. SO LOUD. All. the. time. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!
*sigh* I found a cafe ran by the deaf :)....aaaaahhhh. Still loud but not as much. a bit of peace. It was fun to not have people constantly talking to me...it was like a family there, that little group. And I did do a bit of eves-dropping to see how many of the signs I recognized. I was able to understand quite a bit of it, if not the details, at least the main topic. I will come back tomorrow if I'm still in town even though, like the rest of Vietnam, I don't love the bland food.
I've also taken to pretending I don't speak English :). It works some times believe it or not. A few speak French and will give that a try but if I do a Nordic (i.e. Swedish) or Germanic accent with gibberish talk, I can get a little less attention.
I'm ready for a little more Laos and lot less Vietnam.
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