Adventures of Klaus and Meg: The Pain Train

Moon shot in Nui Chua

5 days later and I’m headed north again on the train of death. This time it is just me and one of my classmates. We are now starting our independent research projects which will last for the next month. I will be starting in Hanoi, meeting a friend for a week and traveling around the north and then meeting my guide and traveling to four karst locations to study cave management in Vietnam. I couldn’t resist after National Geographic’s Jan ’11 issue noted that Vietnam now has the world’s largest cave: Phong Nha-Ke Bang after a British exploration team mapped the previously unknown passageways. After the caves I head back south to meet some classmates and relax at the beach while I write up my project. So that is the plan at least. We’ll see what reality brings…in Vietnam you just never know. That is one of the biggest personal lessons I’ve learned so far – just go with the flow and take life as it comes.

So back to the train. This time knowing what I was in for I came much more prepared. This included buying a ticket for the 4 person cabin with a power outlet versus the 6 person cabin with no outlet (amazing what $10 difference can equal). Lots of movies, a stop at the grocery store to prevent the train stomach revolt from last time and a positive mindset. Riding the train has a lot to do with the mental preparation. So the first hour was actually glorious. I could sit up in my bed. We had one roommate and for come reason the train actually seemed clean (ish). Next stop, the train slows, people shuffle on and off and surprise we have 6 roommates with a crazy amount of luggage. This makes 8 people in a four person room. This is where I have to remind myself this isn’t America and what is rude in America isn’t rude here. Sometimes this is a really hard concept for me here especially when it comes to personal space. There are now 4 people sitting on my bed with me. Their luggage is on top of my feet. They brought two birds and a giant box of durian. Now, in the event you don’t know just what durian is its claim to fame is being one of the world’s smelliest fruits. Its an odor quite unlike anything you’ve ever smelled – half rotten, a forth puke and forth unknown awful. And I am sitting on my bed and all I can do is smile and laugh until I cry. Meanwhile the Vietnamese are giving me strange looks and I want to talk to them and ask them why they are traveling with birds and where they come from/what they do but unfortunately my Vietnamese skills don’t allow that. The most I get is that they are headed to Hanoi also. Eventually the room cleared out a bit and I fell asleep only to awake to all the lights being turned on and a bunch of people standing in my room having an impromptu dining party at midnight. I try to just roll over and block out the loud slurping and bury my head in the lice blankets trying to let the jerking train movements rocks me to sleep. This morning I woke up and it was sunny and the scenery was glorious and I made myself a big cup of coffee and peeled my mango (yes, I did think bring coffee and a fresh mango with me – survival is about the little things). My roommates are actually this cute old couple with a lot of friends that come in and out =). I also met a couple of Vietnamese whose English is much better than my Vietnamese and we had a great conversation. What can I say life is an adventure…

View from the resort

Pre-train I spent my time at Nui Chua National Park and Marine Protected Areas. Absolutely gorgeous! We stayed in an amazing resort right on the ocean (in this program we seem to frequent the extremes of the accommodation spectrum – either real bad or real great). We had a rare free day to enjoy the beach which started with a fabulous run along the break waves watching fishermen pull in their catch.

Campsite

Day two was a hike up the mountain and camping overnight along a river. Lots of swimming in water holes and trekking to overlooks.

Overlook

Nighttime was fireflies and frogs croaking while I was rocking to sleep in a hammock. Sounds amazing and it was but hammocks are actually really hard to sleep in. My guide tied it up to a tree running an 8 lane red ant highway. Upon putting my ropes up there ants started utilizing the new exit and marched across my mosquito net. I was a little skeptical this would work but I think only one got into my hammock tent. Despite that I only slept about an hour. I just haven’t mastered the hammock angle yet. I am open to suggestions =p.

Puddle in the rocks at the campsite

Dusk Falling

Sunrise

B-fast =)

Day 3 was hiking up to a remote steep slope farm belonging to an ethnic minority family. We dug for roots for lunch and enjoyed watching an endangered languors swing in the nearby trees.


Raglay villagers making money my handicrafts from seeds they gather in the forest.

Gathering the root.

Trek down the mountain with the owner of the farm.

Day 4 was a trip out onto the water and snorkeling on a reef. So awesome! I saw some butterfly fish, parrot fish, a trumpet fish, lion fish, spiny urchin, sea cucumber and numerous species of coral. Loved it! Then as the sun set we hiked up to an overlook and discussed a turtle conservation beach that lay below. This is where I will be returning at the end of my caving venture.

Family I met waiting for the snorkel boat.

Bay the boat left from - all the fishermen here have these round boats to empty their traps into.

Life in the bay

Reef Location

So that is life right now. I am loving it and excited to venture off on my personal research escapade. I am sure there will be some good stories to come!