3 am

I don't know why time zone differences always hit me the hardest exactly 1 week after I've landed. Right not it's 3 am in Vietnam. I just woke up, wide aware, with no signs to be able to go back to bed for another few hours.

Oh well, let's make the most of it. Sometimes you don't always need inspiration to write... only boredom and 2 beers.

I don't know if this is for everyone, but every day while I walk around, my mind is taking notes. "This would be a nice picture. That would be a cool painting. How could I describe this on paper? That girl's pretty hot. What kind of ninjutsu would I have if I was from Konoha?"

So, hopefully, I'll be able to organise these thoughts into something concrete this very early morning, while listening to the roosters sing.

I wish I had a my camera lens! The locals will start to be active in about one hour. Dernit!

One thing I often fail to mention to people who ask me what I like about living in Vietnam, is that there seems to be something special going on every day, a special moment to notice or an even to witness. For example, a few days after moving in, during a torrential downpour, Henri and I went for some food down the street. All the tiny shops, restaurants and coffee shops seemed to be closed (heavy rain has the same effect as a blizzard in Montréal) but we soon found something that seemed open.

A sign above a big sliding door sported pictures of noodle dishes. We walk in, crossing the tiny river that has formed from the rain water, deep enough to completely submerge our feet. There's a few small plastic tables and stools set up, and in the back of the small room are sitting a group of 5-6 men, going through several dishes and beers while talking. As I'm taking off my poncho, one of the men asks me in English "What do you want?". "I want to eat", I reply. Discussions ensue with the lady who is working there (who seems to a few tic-tocs missing of a full clock, judging from the vacant stare in her eyes) and eventually we're told to sit and wait a few minutes while she cooks us some seafood noodles.

We order a dish of fried rice and a dish of noodles, but only one plate of noodles comes out of the kitchen. Oh well, it's 3 pm anyways, we're lucky to have found something open. A snack will have to do.

As we start to share our meal, the man who can speaka little bit of English starts a conversation with us. My housemate Henri is from Toronto, but a 2nd-generation Vietnamese migrant, so he can talk to him in Vietnamese. We quickly learn that it's one of the men's birthday! Figures, that's why they were having such a feast! They offer that we join them in drinking a few beers. I'm about to say yes when Henri turns to me and whispers "You know if we start this right now, we're not out of here for a few hours, and we'll be completely smashed. Look at the birthday guy..."

I look in the corner of the room. The guy who's birthday it is has just moved to a lawn chair set up by the far wall and is sound asleep.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't have to work today though".
"Me neither, but I don't feel like getting day-drunk".
"Hmmm. I'm trying to cut down on my drinking too".

After this quick exchange, we decline politely. But, just to prove my point, that day was unexpectedly special. We got to cheer for someone's birthday. I also talked with one of the men, a small Vietnamese of white hair who I originally thought was about 90 years old. It was hard to conceal my shock when he told me he was in his 60s.

As I was looking for food this afternoon, we met in the street. He said a big hello, shook my hand, and told me he liked me a lot. "Today, I drink beer" he adds with a smile. I already guessed that sir, from the way your breath killed all the plants on the street.

I'm happy to say that after moving 4 times since arriving in Ho Chi Minh city in March, I seem to have finally found a nice house where I can set my bags down for a while (aiming at 6 months). Okay, I could be somewhere else much cheaper, but my housemates are pretty cool and we have two roof terraces, one of which we have decided to clean up and pimp out.

Today I went up there and checked out the numerous neglected plants. As I was cleaning their pots I found myself worrying about spiders, but all I disturbed was tiny, dark geckos who jumped out of the pot at the first sign of danger.

I love these little guys. I saw one of them in my room when I woke up earlier.

I don't know why, but in every class I've taught to adults so far (not a lot, mind you), for the first few weeks, the students always try to find a flaw in me. I guess it's their right since they're paying customers, but I find it quite annoying and counter-productive. I teach conversational English (harder than it sounds, but easier than grammar for me) but am often interrupted and even challenged in the classroom about the way my sentences are built - either as I'm talking, or on written exercises.

I try time and time again to explain to them that written and spoken language are very different and what you learn in school books is too perfect - that no one talks like that in real life - but I am often met with sceptical looks and a respectful "Okay".

I mean, I've never heard "Furthermore" being used so casually before, and so often. Another example: these kids are drilled relentlessly with grammar and syntax as they grow up. They're walking dictionaries. If you make a spelling mistake on the board (which happens when you confuse English and French, like me) they'll get the classroom all worked up. They'll also ask you what a word means when they know what it means, just to see if your definition matches their dictionary's or Google's.

It's still fun however, and I'd like to think I'm quickly getting the hang of it.

Well folks, that's all my brain can muster at this time of the night with 3 hours of sleep. Have a good one!

Des vacances à la maison et le retour au Vietnam

Alors voilà, c'est déjà mon deuxième jour de retour au Vietnam après 3 ultra courtes semaines de vacances à Montréal.

Ce petit retour au bercail, booké sur un coup de tête quand tout semblait aller mal pour moi à Ho Chi Minh Ville, a fini par se prouver essentiel.

Essentiel pour se reposer. Essentiel pour se ressourcer. Essentiel pour se remettre les idées en place. Essentiel pour s'inspirer.

Essentiel pour ne rien regretter.

Après un gros fuck-up de la part de China Airways qui a faillit me couter 4 jours de retard, je me suis retrouvé à Otterburn Park, dans le coin du Mont Saint-Hilaire, dans la nouvelle maison de mes parents. Il faisait à peu près 20c, avec de la pluie et du vent. Moi et mon père on est allés à l'épicerie... Lui en shorts et t-shirt, moi en jeans, hoodie et jacket, complètement gelé.

Le monde me regardait bizarre au petit café du coin.

Après 2 semaines de cavales sur les nombreux sofas de copains, la dernière soirée, assis dans la cour de mes parents sur le bord d'un petit feu avec quelques amis, à boire de la bonne bière et rire, respirer l'air frais et déguster une poutine, je me suis surprit à me demander "mais est-ce que je m'en retourne pour de vrai moi-là? Est-ce que je suis en train de faire le bon choix?".

Je me le suit demandé encore pendant que je disais mes au-revoirs à mes parents à l'aéroport, ma mère avec un petit air penseur et mon père qui essayait de pas avoir les yeux plein d'eau.

Assis dans le taxi Vietnamien s'éloignant de l'aéroport, l'air climatisé dans le tapis pour ignorer la chaleur accablante, j'étais en train de regarder le décor défiler. C'est pauvre. C'est chaotique. C'est poussiéreux. Je suis seul. C'est loin, si loin. Je me suis encore surprit à me demander "Est-ce que j'ai fait le bon choix? Est-ce que j'aurais du rester au Québec?"

Après avoir ramassé les clefs de ma nouvelle chambre et défait mon sac, je suis allé me promener dans mon nouveau quartier où il ne semble pas avoir grand autres "Westerners". Je me suis senti petit dans mes shorts pendant un gros 4 secondes, jusqu'à ce que je donne un sourire à une ptite madame qui me fixait de dessous son chapeau cônique, et qui m'envoya la main avec un gros sourire plein de manque de dents.

"Ouaip" je me suis dit, "T'as fait le bon choix". J'ai marché 10 minutes le temps de me trouver un banh-mi et de bien suer ma vie, et aussi de me faire rentrer dans le dos par un petit garçon en vélo.

J'étais sur le bord de la rue (les trottoirs, c'est pour les parkings et restos) en train de marcher quand une petite madame a reculé sa moto hors d'une petite porte, directement dans la rue. Comme c'est par leur coutume de regarder avant si quelqu'un pourrait s'y trouver, elle s'en allait clairement me rentrer la moto dans les genoux, alors j'ai fait un petit pas vers la gauche pour l'éviter. C'est à ce moment que le garçon m'a percuté, à quand même pas pire vitesse. C'est pas dans leurs habitudes de prédire ce qui va se passer dans la prochaine seconde non plus, alors il n'a surement jamais pensé que j'allais essayer d'éviter la madame et la moto.

Il m'a rentré dedans par derrière, la roue dans la jambe, le guidon dans le dos et le coude gauche, et lui qui a faillit tomber sur la madame. Si j'ai appris quelque chose à propos du Vietnam, c'est que les accidents c'est tellement commun que se fâcher, c'est que pour les cas ultimes. Je me suis retourné pour voir si la petite madame était ok. Elle semblait sermonner le gamin, qui lui de toute manière avait des écouteurs sur les oreilles, donc il ne l'écoutait pas. Il m'a regardé d'un air effrayé, en train de ramasser son vélo.

Je lui ai envoyé la main et donné un sourire malgré ma douleur (mon coude fait mal encore, mais j'ai vu pire dans mes jours de skateboarding) et j'ai continué ma marche. Il est passé à côté de moi après quelques instants et a insisté pour me dire "Sorry sir", très rare au Vietnam. J'ai fait un air approbateur en hochant la tête.

Le soir je suis allé manger avec mon amie Rose, ancienne collègue de travail qui déteste autant que moi cuisiner. C'était délicieux, comme d'habitudes. De petits plats de cuisine Viet du centre du pays. Ensuite on est allés boire une bière sur le bord de la rivière et Rose s'est mit à me raconter plein d'histoires de fantômes, car Septembre, c'est le mois des fantômes au Vietnam!

Les gens brûlent de l'argent et lançent du riz dans la rue pour les "Hungry ghosts", ceux qui meurent sans cérémonie. Si ils deviennent trop affamés ils deviennent méchant.

J'ai plein d'histoires de fantômes que j'ai hâte de vous raconter, mais c'est pas pour maintenant. J'ai demandé à Rose qu'on aille se prendre un café cette semaine et qu'elle me raconte toooooout et me laisse prendre des notes, mais elle m'a dit que je devais la payer. "Don't worry, I offer competitive prices", qu'elle me dit. Je pense que quelques soupers vont faire l 'affaire, j'aurai qu'à l'enregistrer en secret avec mon app de Voice Memos (truc de mon ami Guillaume).

Aujourd'hui c'est le jour d'indépendance du Vietnam. Ça l'air qu'il va y avoir des feux d'artifices au dessus de la rivière, et énormément de traffic. Je sais pas encore si j'y vais, j'hais les foules.

Bon matin!

Pluie

Cher Jocelyn,

j'allais te demander si tout va bien mais je ne t'ai jamais entendu te plaindre.

Je vais ecrire en anglais car j'ai pas les accents sur le clavier de l'hotel.

Turns out I didn´t check the weather correctly when planning my trip. I've been getting rain for the past week. If I were to push south I would get nice weather, however, but my visa ends in 3 days.

Lucy can't seem to get better. Every time I bring her to the motorbike doctor, they fix a problem but a new one appears. Last time, my motor would simply shut down, even while riding in 4th gear. The mechanic cleaned the engine and over-charged me. Now, the button for the starter is almost disconnected.  My front wheel is bented. The welding on my bag rack just gave up, I have to tie my backpack sideways and it's harder to ride cities that way since everyone drives inches from you.

I decided to leave her at the hotel for a month, for a small fee they will keep an eye on her. I will take a bus to Laos and enjoy a little bit of peace of mind and pick her up on the way back.

Leaving Hanoi with her was amazing, however. We drove to a little beach town during tourism low season and had a good swim, coconuts, and a night drive just watching bored teenagers ride around and shoot the shit.

From there, quiet and short rides through small villages. Every time we'd stop for Pho, the whole village would come by and sit, staring at us and smiling. The kids are the ones who know English and they would practice their textbook sentences with us.

After a few days I decided to go to Pu Mat national park that I had spotted in my road atlas. A quick search online told me that the only thing to do was hike and see waterfalls and that sounded pretty good. Riding the main road towards it, I went passed the small backstreet that takes you inside the park. Stopping for directions in a tiny restaurant (2 tables, a cooler), a small Viet man lets me know through hand gestures that he needs to be going there. Before I can understand, he's sitting on my bike with a huge smile.

Needless to say, it was pretty cramped for the both of us AND my backpack and daybag, but we managed. After another 30 minutes of riding a tiny paved road through even smaller villages I reached a dammed river where 3 restaurants were waiting for customers, built on floating rafts. I asked to go see the waterfall but it was too expensive - you need to rent the whole boat so it gets cheaper with a group - so I just sat with a beer, pondering what to do. Shortly after, a group of young Vietnamese showed up to do the boat tour so I got in with them and enjoyed beautiful scenery of jungle canopy and local people riding on bamboo rafts.

After a quick swim in the river we went back to the restaurant where a young and pretty Vietnamese girl was waiting for me. She owned one of the restaurants and could speak English very well so we started chatting. Within a minute she offered to come with me on my trip before we went back together to Canada. I explained Canadian winter and the fact that people are not nice like the Vietnamese there and she changed her mind. Seeing that it was getting dark, I asked for a place to sleep but there were no hostels of any kind in the area.

I then asked if I could sleep in the restaurant, I would give them some money. The whole family got excited - apparently I was the first ever foreigner to ask such a thing here - and they opened more beers. I spent the night joking with them. They cooked the best fish I have ever eaten, I learned how to suck snails out of their shells and drank rice wine with the men. We then went for coffee and billard and came back to the restaurant where I was shown my bed. A matress and several bedsheets were laid out on the floor but I would be sharing it with the drunk of the family who tried to spoon me all night. I didn't sleep much.

The next morning we jumped off the dam and I made everyone sad when I announced that I had to keep going. It was one of the best days of this trip.

I made it to Phong Nha the next day and had a beer at Easy Tiger Hostel. That's where I saw the most westerners I had seen in a week, all grouped together. I stayed 3 nights in this little town, visiting amazing caves, playing board games, trying grilled pork belly. I met a german guy who was looking for a partner to ride the western branch of the Ho Chi Minh trail - a 200km segment up in the mountains with no gas station and only one village - and I jumped on the offer. It was easily the best drive I have ever taken of my life. Not a soul for hours, delicious curves, ridiculously amazing views. We stopped A LOT to take pictures, and every time we just stared at each other with giant smiles, WHAT the actual FUCK coming out of our mouths a lot.

During a pee and smoke break, we watch a big monkey, black with a white mane and red legs, jump up and down a tree and skillfully swoop around. It was beautiful to watch.

The trail took us about 7 hours to complete and it was pure bliss. Beautiful, not a pothole, not a truck.

The next day we visited, in the same day, an ancient american base and and ancient Viet Cong tunnel system. Impressive stuff.

In Hue we visited the Forbidden Purple City, not as grand as the one in Beijing but more charming. We also visited the tombs and mausoleums of ancient egocentric Nguyen emperors and then I got absolutely hammered in a small bar.

Last week all I did was hang around in Da Nang, the 3rd biggest city in Vietnam. Beautiful, lots of trees, tonnes of tailors, and a beach. I found a good ex-pat bar. I had an interview to get into an Intesol college the next morning so I took it easy in my room, watching HBO and eating Springles all night. The next morning I went for a drive around town and got proper dress pants and a button shirt and cleaned my trekking shoes with a toothbrush to look presentable. The interview went really well.

I spent a few days in Hoi An in this barbaric hostel, hoping to make friends and meet some girls but it turns out that I hated almost everyone I ran into. I got obliterated in another small bar, speaking with the Vietnamese girl working there.

I made it back up to Da Nang after 2 miserable nights and went back to the Ex-Pat bar where I met my first Quebecer, Yves de l'Outaouais. He's been working in Da Nang for a few months and he took me to another, slightly classier bar where the waitresses had a pretty good sense of humour. I closed the bar with them and they then invited me for some street food.

When it was time to leave, 3 young Vietnamese guys invited me over for a beer and I joined them, curious about where this was going. It was 1am. After a whole crate of beer they took me to a Karaoke place. Turns out I can read Vietnamese pretty well and can even sing it, judging by their screams of hapiness. Around 5am, they all took their shirts off and started grinding me - even after showing me pictures of their girlfriends - and after a few minutes of respectfully pushing them back I had to leave, drunk and angry. They had puzzled looks on their faces.

Came back up to Hue to cross over to Laos. The rain just relaxed a little bit. I'm gonna go for a walk, wearing a swimming suit and a poncho.

I miss my friends and family.

Have a good day everyone.

Pictures! Yay!

I don't always get a fancy $7 hotel room with its own laptop, but when I do, I share my GoPro pictures.

Considering I'm shooting blindly I'm pretty happy with the results.

(Some are not in chronological order, deal with it)


Enjoy,

 Ha Long Bay

 Dark Cave ziplining, Phong Nha

 Pu Mat National Park

 Skippin' rocks

 Forbidden City intruder

 Forbidden City

 Pour Jocelyn, ils jouent au Loup Garou en Chine!

 Mocha, Ping Yao

 Not this time, Dr. Tail

 BMW

 Yamen Hostel, Ping Yao

Petite princesse, Xi'An 

Lovers Locks, Hua Shan 

 I heard the pay's good

 Two days of this

Hua Shan 

Sky Planks, Hua Shan

 Yo, I heard you like locks, so

 Top bunk of sleeper train, China

 Tiger Leaping Gorge, China

I like how they're ALL looking 

 I seem to have grown manteets on this one

                                          Right after she kicked the ball right in my face

                                         All he could say in English was "Oooo-Kaaaay"

It ain't no party like a GoPro party!  

 Ha Long Bay

One of the islands of Ha Long Bay 

Brixton hat in Vietnam, Saint-Henri represent! 

Leaving Hanoi with the biking partners, nice German people that I actually met on Hua Shan a month before. We ran into each other while buying our motorbikes.

 Hoa Lu boat ride, yes, she is paddling with her feet

 I hope I do not wake the anger of ze german with this picture. Sorry Phil

 Small inconvenience, Ninh Binh

 "So you press here and"

 Sam Son beach

 After a small incident. Villagers helping Phil by chewing leaves to make a healing paste. It worked.

 Little break

Longer break 

 Quite the cheeky one, she was

 Pu Mat National Park

Ho Chi Minh Trail 

 Dark Cave

Dark Cave

Don't wear shoes.

 Mud Cave

The gym at Easy Tiger Hostel 

 The prettiest place I have ever seen, Ho Chi Minh trail

 D'awwww

Still breathing, Khe Sanh

 Pour Phil D.

 New break line for $4, in 20 minutes

 

The shop, Vietnam

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