Sua Sua!

Khaly and I did NOT want to get out of bed this morning. Not that we ever really do, but this bed was worth spending the day in! We both showered and I grabbed some pastries before Tai Chi on the deck. We realized Tai Chi is too slow for us..or at least too slow when we just woke up! We enjoyed doing it (hey, we were doing Tai Chi on a boat in Halong Bay in Vietnam..pretty cool!) but I don’t think we would sign up for a class any time soon!

We had to take a little boat to Surprise Cave, our stop for the morning. While we were waiting on this little boat, these women (in their own rowboats) rowed up to us with a little convenience store on their boat (Oreos, Pringles, Ritz, etc.)

The situation made me uncomfortable because it was a time where I felt guilty for the amount of money I have. Now this cruise wasn’t cheap, but Khaly and I both felt it was worth the splurge (and it was). But I was looking at these women (just trying to make a living) who were probably looking at me and thinking how unfathomable it is that I would pay so much to go on this nice boat.

I guess to a degree I have felt this throughout my trip (seeing how everyone here lives day to day) but I had never felt so transparent (someone seeing how I could afford something).

We arrived at Surprise Cave and started walking up the stairs. The whole cave was pretty cool and HUGE (we walked through about 3 different sections) but it was lit up in a way that almost made it look like Disney). We were joking that soon it will be a ride that you sit in a miner’s car as it takes you through the cave.

We left the cave to go back to the boat to finish packing and check out of our rooms! We then brought our bags with us to breakfast, which was again another buffet! Oh I was so happy! They did have pancakes (which I loved) and a lot of fruit and yogurt (which I loved as well) so I was a happy camper!

We then had about 1.5 hours as we were sailing back to the dock. We were able to sit upstairs on the sundeck which was very nice and comfortable!

When we arrived back at the dock, we sat in the “waiting” room again to wait for our transportation. Myself, Khaly, Alexis and Andrew all got in and off we went! We joked about how we did NOT miss 'train tracks' boy, but karma soon found us! We stopped again at a different dock and we all crossed our fingers, until we saw him! UGH! Oh well. We started the drive and it was SO bumpy we couldn’t even rest. The driver was playing with the radio, texting, swirling in and out of cars (literally) so needless to say it was not a time to relax.

When we finally arrived at our hotel (about 4 hours later) I was so antsy and could not wait to get out! Khaly and I were both hungry so we asked where to get food and luckily we could order from a restaurant and have it delivered to the hotel. It was a bit expensive (I just got spaghetti) but totally worth the convenience before catching our flight.

We had booked transportation through the hotel and I had told them our flight was leaving at 7:00pm when we had checked in. She told me she would book the car for 5:00pm. This made me a little nervous (it was at least 45 minutes to the airport) so I explained about rush hour etc. BUT she assured me 5:00pm would be fine. I then had Khaly speak to her in Vietnamese but she said the same thing. She also thought we wouldn’t be back from the cruise until 5:00pm anyway (although we were back around 4:00).

We got in the car (very nice) and our driver sped off! He was saying something (in English) about a 5 car accident..and we were moving slow, but I tried not to worry. When he got some free space this guy TOOK off..weaving in and out of traffic. I wasn’t complaining because I was nervous about time, but Mom you would NOT have liked it!

We were getting on an on ramp, when all of a sudden we came to a DEAD stop. I could see ahead on the high way, and everyone had turned off their car to just hang out outside. He said this was the 5 car accident! I wanted to ask him why we came this way if he knew the traffic literally wasn’t moving! I understand maybe this was the only way there, but wasn’t there a back road? Or even still, now the car was in the middle of the traffic jam and there was no turning back.

He kept telling us, “What time your flight? I worry, I worry!” Yes buddy I worry too! Haha! It was VERY obvious we would not be moving for hours. I realize this wasn’t the hotel’s fault (the accident) but this is why I wanted to leave earlier and really should have been more persistent. Our driver told us we should take a cyclo to get there on time, but said it would be 600,000VND ($33). I was a little confused because we had already booked this car, so if cyclo was the only way then we would have to do it, but shouldn’t pay for the car as well.

He then got on the phone with the hotel (as I was on the phone with Jetstar asking about other flights and how much it would cost to change it). The hotel was SO kind and said they would get a cyclo for us and they would pay for it.

I was still on the phone with Jetstar (getting nowhere because I could not understand her)! I am sure it was a combination of our languages and the noise from the street, but when Khaly asked if I wanted her to try I gladly handed over the phone.

We were still trying to figure out which future flights we could get on (there were some, for a fee of about $22 which isn’t that bad), when our driver started waving at us to follow him. So we grabbed all of our things (we each had a backpack STUFFED and a purse..stuffed as well!) We began running up the ramp, in between the parked cars and our driver pointed at a man and had Khaly jump on the back of his bike. I THINK (although this was all such a blur) there was like, a house or a restaurant or SOMETHING because there were people sitting around. Anyway, before I knew it the guy pointed at ME to get on another guys bike. He literally was driving away and threw me my helmet. I tried to put it on (and balance my bags and myself) as he drove along the rocky edge of the highway. There was like, massive construction or something going on because there were huge piles of rocks. He must have tried to go around them because next thing I knew we were falling! Luckily (having been on a motorcycle before..thanks Dad!!!) I was ready to brace myself, but with the weight of my backpack I kinda flung myself around. I do remember Khaly yelling, “Are you ok?” but I was too busy getting myself and my luggage back on the bike. This is the same time when I realized my helmet was nowhere NEAR my size.

Anyway next thing I knew we were going down this little dirt path to the on ramp. Why we were going that way I have no clue. But we were leading the way and there was nowhere to go! All of a sudden my guy started yelling, “SUA, SUA”! I learned VERY quickly that meant, “Get off!” so I did and he turned the bike around and that was the LAST I saw of Khaly. The quote “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” never rang truer (Sorry Steve!)

I was now on my own with some random Vietnamese man driving me somewhere (I could only hope the airport). We then got to the other side of the on ramp but I realized he wanted to cross over to go down the ramp! So WE had to lift his bike over so we could be going the opposite way.

After we did that we were back on his bike and off we went! I had lost ALL sense of direction (as well as Khaly) but hoped he was actually taking me to the airport. We were on back roads (scary) and then on a highway (even scarier). As we entered the highway I saw a MASSIVE 18 wheeler that he decided we should pull out in front of. I could hear its loud horn the entire time we were pulling out and I really do remember thinking, I may very well die here.

We were on the highway for a bit and he kept saying things to me (it is amazing how they think nothing of turning around to talk) but I kept replying, “I don’t speak Vietnamese, airport please!” I cannot tell you how I felt when I saw an airplane ahead!

We DID make it to the airport and I was so excited! I had wanted to go on a motorbike..but not like this! I quickly hopped off (but was worried he would ask for money) and thanked him! All of a sudden he was yelling at me..because I still had my helmet on! I would like to blame that on the fact we were in a HUGE rush and not the fact that I am blond.

Once I got inside I sprinted to the check in (it was about 6:40 at this point..) and called Khaley. Out of breath, I asked the lady if we were too late (the NEXT flight was already up on the board). She nonchalantly took the ticket and my passport like we had all the time in the world! I kept calling Khaly and telling her to RUN, which she did! We checked in and were off!

So we are idiots. When we flew to Hanoi we had a ton of liquid and they didn’t care at all. On the boat, we got a couple bottles of water..so we decided to bring those back (hey..buying them all the time adds up!) However, after going through security she stopped us to say, “2 water, 2 water, 2 water!” as she pointed to each of our bags. We had to laugh, but we did think, “What were we thinking”?

We managed to get on the plane without any problems and we had to get Khaly ice because she had burnt her leg when getting off the cyclo! Luckily it didn’t look THAT bad (we didn’t need to go to the hospital or anything) but I could tell she was in pain.

I was SO happy when we landed in Ho Chi Minh..I felt like I was home! We took a cab back to the hostel and even the people, the noise, the everything felt familiar.

Also..videos are updated but I am going to change them (hopefully) before I leave for Cambodia..so definitely check those out! Pictures are coming soon!

Hugs and kisses from my cyclo man telling me “SUA SUA”!