Jason Harley's Corner of the Web

Vietnam is amazing, it's like being in a film, everything is like you'd imagined it would be but so much better. Hanoi, the capital, is another world as this communist country gets to grips with western influences as controls have laxed over the last 20 years. The first shock was the tempreature which went from 35C in KL to a chilly 12C in Hanoi. No problem though, as most famous name clothes are made in this region and the factory seconds and copies soon make there way into the streets for bargain hunters. My new 'Diesel' jacket cost 3 quid.

Hanoi has 3 million people and 2 million motorcycles. At every cross roads, there is a display that the Red Arrows would be proud of as motorcycles, pedestrians, a few cars and animals miss each other by millimeters. At some point, you need to get on the back of one of these things to get across town, and the willing drivers who hang around outside the hotels will give you a ride straight out of Alton Towers. 30p will get you anywhere in town and after most of the journies the toilet has been the first stop! It's scary beyond belief as the constant tooting of horns has no effect but to attract other motorcycles and larger vehicles ever closer to your soft unprotected skull.

With 30,000 dong to 1 pound, our 'on the spot' currency conversion skills are reaching a new level. A trip to the ATM makes you an immediate multi millionaire and it's possible to live like one as Beer is 25p a bottle (8,000 dong), a meal will be 1 pound (30,000 dong) at most and unknown to most of the rest of the world, Vietnamese food is simply the best there is. Colonised by the French and having a border with China helps, but the amazingly tasty noodles, rice and meat dishes, all at excellent value, set this country at the top of the eating list. Yet, westerners will concentrate on the fact that they eat dog, which will stop many looking further down the menu, but along with chicken, pork and beef they also eat frogs, eels, fish, snails, insects ... the list goes on and it's all good! So after a few beers one night we got adventurous with our choices... not saying dog will be a regular in the Harley fridge but I'll never look at the family cocker spaniel in the same way again!... Come here, Jake!!

We arranged a trip to the Perfume Pagodas, a set of buddist temples a few hours outside Hanoi. A row boat takes you to the temples and a 3km walk to the main cave. At this time of year it is 'Tet' holiday (New Year) in Vietnam and thousands of nationals make the once in a life time trip to ask the gods for good fortune, improved health or even the sex of their next baby. The temples are chinese in apperance and very beautiful and enhanced by the fact we were witnessing them at this special holiday time - usually only a few tourists visit the temples outside Tet, but to see the delight on the local faces as they give money and bless their chickens at the alter!

Sapa 24th-27th February 2005

A train to the Chinese border (Lao Cai) and a bus to Sapa was the start of a two day walking trip in this mountain retreat. The treck of 17km took us through some of the most beautiful countryside so far with terraces hanging on to the side of the mountains (some 100 levels high) and trecking through small villages of individual tribes. The Hmong people are friendly and want to sell their blankets and souvenirs but most of the young kids just want to speak english with you and are happy to follow you for a few miles in exchange for conversation. Our deal meant we stayed in a homestay of the Red Zao people. Hospitality extended to a huge meal, comfy bed and a warm blanket - but the real treat was spending the evening watching them go about their normal life with the women preparing the next meal and the men sharpening tools and cutting wood.

Back to Hanoi 27th February - 1st March 2005

We arrived back in Hanoi and queued to see Ho Chi Minh's embarmed body in the mausoleum, there is so much history that goes with this ex leader that I can't fit it here but importantly he set up the communist movement and led the people to victory in war over the French in 1951 and the Americans in 1973 (although he died in 1969). A visit to his museum, the war museum and the old 'Hanoi Hilton' jail where american pilots were held during the war made for an interesting afternoon.

In the evening we went to the international accalimed Water Puppet Theatre , before sinking too many 25p beers and watching Liverpool unluckily lose the Carling Cup Final. Well at least the drinking to forget didn't cost me a fortune!

Hoi An 1st-4th March 2005

A flight and a bus journey along side one of the most beautiful train journies in the world (train was full!) brought us to Hoi An. Famous for its shopping and made-to-measure clothes, we headed off to see if we could get a a few things made up. A quick flick through some western magazines, a measuring session and a choice of material and I've got 2 suits (with extra trousers) and 3 shirts for a shade over 100 quid. The whole process took about 2 hours in which time Zoe had got her choice of colours down to seven. Another 6 hours later she was down to 3 different shades of green and as the sun came up over the river she finally decided green wasn't her colour anyway and has now chosen something in black.

We headed back for a fitting session in 24 hours and everything was ready within 48 hours (except for Zoe's - who has decided that black is TOO DARK!! and green would be OK if they can find a 'less-green' shade). As Zoe 'Imelda Marcus' put the 3rd world into action to design, produce and fit shoes on her feet, we enjoyed the rest of what Hoi An had to offer including food and a great little market. 48 hours later, I had 2 perfect suits and 3 shirts for 110 pounds and Zoe had the 7th Floor of Harrods, including shoes and handbags to match!

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) 4th-8th March 2005

While Hanoi is the capital, Saigon is the economic centre of the country and the foriegn investment sets the city miles apart from Hanoi. The neon lights and ex-pat theme pubs lean towards an all together different type of Vietnam. That said, Saigon has a few things for the travelling tourist. The War Museum (recently renamed from ' The Museum of American War Crimes') is a must as walls and walls of harrowing photographs and film clips bring the horror of the war to life.

The Cu Chi people gave severe resistance to the American and South Vietnamese army and the 'Red' area is a living museum complete with tunnels and resitance materials. You learn how these people lived through the war, by hiding and fighting from this hidden 75km network. The openings to the tunnels are tiny (too small for me to get in) but they have widened one enterance so you can see what it would be like. The have old captured American tanks and a collection of old AK47s allows you to try the power of these guns for a $ a bullet - I had to have a go, and would like to think I'm a hot shot but the power and noise of the gun doesn't give you time to see if you hit any of the targets.

With the sounds of motorbike horns, shop sellers and guns ringing in our ears, in the morning we move onto Cambodia and it marks the start of the last 6 weeks of the trip...!