Trip to Kota Tinggi Waterfall

We spent the past few days leisurely with the family and friends. I should say, it was good time spent.

Last Friday, we brought the kids to Kota Tinggi Waterfall. Some might say, what’s so nice about this “ulu” place? Anyway, it is special for the kids, since they like to explore esp. my daughter who takes to climbing rocks like she has scaled many mountains in her last life. This time, is also special, because we brought along John’s nephew, who is only 5 years old. It is like we have 3 kids all of a sudden. We try to treat him like our child because this poor kid’s mum has left him (his parents are the couple we tried to counsel and are separated).

So, we started off with a good deed in mind, but at the end of the day, both my husband and I concluded, that someone else’s child is just not the same as your own child. It is not easy to teach/handle him because the upbringing is different and you just can’t scold them in case, they brand you as ‘bad aunty’ or throw tantrum until it is out of your control.

So, just try your best, with your most genuine heart, as long as they are happy. That is all that is important!

Vietnam Trip - Day 8 Hanoi-S'pore

We checked out of the hotel at 8.30 am and got transferred to the Hanoi Airport.

On board TR2309 at 11.30 and we reached S’pore at about 3.20pm. Home Sweet Home!

Overall, this is a good trip. A trip which open our eyes to another country's culture, other less fortunate people's plight, deeper meaning into gratefulness, family togetherness, moral values etc. I hope everyone will remember this trip for the time spent together.

Vietnam Trip - Day 7 Halong Bay-Hanoi

8.30 am After a Western breakfast of eggs and bacon, we took a small boat that will send us to a nearby island, where we would be climbing up more than 400 steps, and able to get a bird’s eye view of the Halong Bay.

We had early lunch at 11.30 am and after that, checked out and docked. Thanh was there to meet us for our transfer back to Hanoi.

We had another meal of chicken noodles, which my mother craved for and the durian juice again. Some last minute shopping and it is back to the hotel for a good night's rest.

Vietnam Trip - Day 6 Halong Bay

Today, we would be taking a 4 hours drive to Halong Bay, Vietnam most scenic sight, a recognized World Natural Heritage Site.

At about noon, we reached our destination and boarded the Phoenix Cruise , which is a wooden junk-like boat for a cruise around the beautiful limestone seascape. Lunch was served with a welcome drink.

The kids were so excited that they immediately explored the boat, the deck, the captain's cabin, the rooms etc. Now, they say, this is even better than spending a night on the train to Sapa!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After lunch, we visited the Amazing Cave which boasted some rare shapes of Buddha, turtles, finger, sword etc.

!

We enjoyed a pre-dinner fruit platter and red wine. After that, is was delicious seafood dinner which my father couldn’t help taking pictures of. Yum!

After dinner, it was free and easy time. Some enjoyed the night breeze on the decks, chatting, drinking wine or beer. We walked around and after that, all of us cramped into one room, to play UNO and Memory game. Even the grandparents enjoyed themselves.

Vietnam Trip - Day 5 Hoa Lu-Tam Coc

27th November 2010

Our train reached Lao Chai at around 4.05 am. Our guide, Thanh was there to greet us, he will bring us to our next destination, Hoa Lu, just 100 km southeast of Ha Noi. Hoa Lu is the Ancient Royal Capital under Dinh Dynasty and pre-Le Dynasty, which lasted 41 years (968-1009). We saw some temples where they worship olden days’ kings.

After that, we continued to Tam Coc, which is named after the low caves through which the Ngo Dong River flows. The essential Tam Coc experience is to sit back and be rowed through the caves. The kids enjoyed rowing the boat. The scenery throughout our boat ride was really breathtaking.

And the classic one,... watch the boatman rowing the boat with his legs when he is exhausted. We were told they earn 60,000 dong (about RM9 or USD3)  for the 2 hours of boat rowing, and they are allocated one trip a day!

We stayed at The Long Hotel, which is quite big, facilities eg. toilet is quite old, restaurant food is not fantastic, but the tv satellite has so many channels the kids enjoyed clicking away.

Vietnam Trip - Day 4 Sapa

26th November 2010
Sapa

The weather was still foggy. We walked around the markets nearby and bought some local dried stuffs eg. mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, some local crafts etc. I bought 2 handbags for myself (I never pampered myself so much before!).

We came across a Hmong lady who was carrying a 9-month old baby on her back, while trying to sell her goods. The baby looked so cold and small. She had dirty hands and face, but she was smiling out from her mother’s basket. We gave her some biscuits, she gladly took it in her small hands and put in her mouth. Yum! Her mother, who is 45 years old told us, she has 4 other older siblings, the eldest who is already 20+ years old!

Even a few days after that, I was still thinking of the little baby. What future does she have? What will she be when she grows up? Walk around, selling goods to tourists, just like her mother, and the other girls we saw? But the children there look so carefree and happy. Maybe, that's the simplicity of life!

Hmong kids playing rope jumping.

I wanted my kids to see the the poor people's life in Sapa, I think they would want me to see how other kids enjoy their childhood...

In the evening, we took the overnight train again, from Lao Chai to Sapa.
More to come...

Vietnam Trip - Day3 Lao Chai-Sapa

25th Nov 2010

We reached Lao Chai at about 4.30 am. It was raining cats and dogs, and we had to quickly run for shelter after getting off from the train. We met the tour guide, Shawn who spoke some English, although broken, we could understand him.

And we were transferred by tourist van to Sapa. Upon reaching the Sapa Boutique Hotel, we requested for early check in, as we needed to get a shower and change out of our filthy clothings.

The hotel was superb, facilities good, rooms immaculately clean, staffs friendly. Breakfast was bacon, eggs, fried rice, noodles and abundance of bananas.

After breakfast, we were to do some trekking at the nearby villages. Armed with bamboo stick and umbrella, we walked some distance to see some mountain sides/paddy fields. But alas, due to the fog and rain, visibility was not good. We only managed to see some corn fields and muddy patches. What a letdown!

All along the way, as we trekked, the Hmong girls from the local minority group followed us closely and repeatedly asked, “ Will you buy something from me?” It is a wonder how they learn to speak some English even without going to school. They try very hard to persuade tourists to buy their handmade pouches, bags, souvenirs etc.

 

The girl on our right side is only 13 years old and the other woman should be in her 30s. She told us, her name is Lily! So, they followed us down the slopes and all the way up again.

 

We visited the home of a Hmong family.

We should remind ourselves what good lives we have, after seeing their living condition. So, kids, be contented!

In the afternoon, we did some shopping around the shops.

We had hotpot dinner, which was not much to talk about and retired early.

Vietnam trip - Day 2 Hanoi

24th Nov 2010

After a nice Western/Vietnam breakfast at the hotel, we started the day with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Many of the local Vietnamese were seen queuing up to pay respect their national hero who died in 1969. It was said that if a Vietnamese has never seen Ho Chi Minh in his life, it is like he/she has never existed. Our tour guide briefed us the history of Vietnam. This is story from another angle of history.

We moved on to visit the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda.

The Temple of Literature (pic with the Vietnam girls in their pretty ‘Ai Dao’) and Tran Vu Pagoda.

After lunch break, we visited another pride of Vietnam, which is the Museum of Ethnologic, which exhibits the history and lives of the minorities in Vietnam.






We were rushed off to watch the Water Puppet show. Kids were quite entertained by the puppets but the adults were quite bored since the show was a little too long and we couldn’t understand the story line which was all in Vietnamese language.


After that, we had a one-hour tour around the Old Quarters on the cyclos (like trishaw in Malaysia) – street pollution is worse than in Malaysia, since you see hundreds on motorcycles and cars honing their way through the busy traffic and dusty roads. Motorcycles going in opposite directions is a common sight.

We had a dinner of chicken noodle soup (35,000 dong per bowl). Normally a bowl of noodle cost only 20-25,000 dong each. Only 2nd day and we had the our 2nd experience of being charged sky high. On the day before, we were charged 175,000 dong for a taxi ride which normally would only cost 26,000 -50,000 dong! So, beware of “axes” around Vietnam.

And off we go for an overnight train to Lao Chai-Sapa (on the Kings Express).

My 2 kids shared a 4-berth cabin with A-ma and Ah-Kong.

Vietnam Trip - Day1 S'pore-Hanoi

23rd Nov 2010

John and I had meticulously planned this trip for the past one month. This is the first time that we are travelling together with the kids, my parents and my mother-in-law. So, you see it is quite a challenge to ensure that the kids enjoy themselves, while the older ones don’t find it to tiring or boring. It is also a little pressuring on my part, since I was a little worried, about the weather condition in the Sapa highlands.We were also kind of sceptical about the credibility of the local tour agent in Vietnam - Vivu Travel, since we have found them from the website. As it turns out, we are quite satisfied with the tour arranged.

The day started off with everyone waking up at about 4am, so that we can be in time for the early flight on board TR2308 Tiger Airways to Hanoi, departure time 8.00 am. The kids were so excited, they woke up at the slightest pat on the back, and got ready within minutes.

Excited girl’s pic



The streets of Hanoi, infamous motors zipping by





Our hotel, “Indochina 1” at last…



And fabulous dinner at Quoc An Ngon (the food is considerably good though we were a little pissed off that they wouldn’t let us sit at the open air area, which we think they will only reserved for the Westerners!)The pricing is also reasonably,we ordered quite a lot of dishes and variety and it costed about 660,000 dong (about RM120)