When I left for my trip I was told I wouldn’t be the same person when I returned. I didn’t really know what this meant or how I would measure such a change. I didn’t anticipate becoming Ghandi nor electing to live within a commune. Would I recognize these ‘changes’ or were they for others to notice?
“Day to day nothing changes but look back and everything is different”. While I knew I wouldn’t be able to track these changes in real time I was confident looking back, I would recognize how I may have handled a situation differently and with a new perspective.
I recognized such a moment recently. Anyone who has known me for any length of time might be familiar with my tag line concerning food, “I don’t fuck with flavor”. Meaning, I like my hamburgers and pizza plain. I like my meal rotation with little deviation. I always wondered, why waste time trying new foods when the ones I like already work.
At lunch the other day, I was having a bowl of pho and thought how it was a bit bland. Without thinking I reached for the chilli sauce and covered the bowl. After, I realised what I had done, I broke my cardinal rule, I was fucking with flavour. This sounds ridiculous but it felt like a huge symbolic moment for me. A piece of the old Joe had died and this new Joe seamlessly took his place. I would have never done that before, ever. I wouldn’t have been eating pho to begin with let alone volunteering to add chilli sauce. But here I am in the country side of Vietnam drinking iced coffee and eating bugs.
I arrived in Ho Chin Minh, Vietnam early in the morning on the 8th. Its surprisingly clean and I get a Grab (Uber of SE Asia) from the airport. First thing I notice is how cheap it is; 22,600VND = 1 USD. The 45min cab ride cost ~80,000 VND. The second thing I notice is Popeye’s Chicken. I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life. I have never felt that much overwhelming joy before; I felt comfortable and home. I am exaggerating by a bit but there is something special about a taste of home. It’s a reassuring and warm hug from the corporate imperialism of America. It reminded me of Denver and my time living with Rube off Colfax. I’m not really homesick but I appreciate it more and more each day.
I got to my hostel and greeted by a friendly army of Vietnamese college students who worked there. I was staying a bit off the backpacker district and the streets are lined with all sorts of merchants. The staff is curious about my travels and shared how I was living their dream of traveling for a year. They were incredibly helpful and on the activities board I saw they ran an exercise class at 5:30am most mornings. My love for Vietnam grew. I spent the rest of the day getting my bearings of the city and making my checklist.
That night I couldn’t sleep, I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas, up every few hours to check the time. 5:15am rolls around and I jump out of bed; stoked and excited to get in some exercise. I meet the group of locals and ex-pats in the lobby.
I like seeing areas of the city at different times of the day, things change so much. It’s before the merchants open for the day and the streets are empty. We spend the next 10 mins getting to know each other and making our way to the park.
I have been getting up around 5am consistently since 2014 when I was training for Kilimanjaro. Most people don’t understand how/why I would make such a choice. I think I got it from my mom, I don’t think I have ever seen her sleep in. Always downstairs with her coffee when I got up. People who get up early understand it, I don’t know what it is but I like it and it works for me.
When we got to the park I was blown away, it was packed. The park stretches across a few city blocks creating a circuit along its boarder measuring just over a kilometer. The border is connected with paths crisscrossing the park full of people of all ages doing all sorts of activities. Literally everyone and their grandmother was there. I found it weird that no one was using the grass and kept all their activities to the paved areas but whatever.
The paths are filled with Ho Chi Minh locals walking, jogging, and running mostly in groups. Chatting and catching up with one another. Along the route any large paved surface has a group of people participating in group activity. Dance classes, Tai Chi, martial arts, and group exercise classes are on every corner. Young people sweating wearing work out gear and retirees with walkers and kakis are all there bettering themselves. Dotted along the inner paths are competitive badminton games, tons of them.
I loved it. I loved being being up early, I loved being active again, and I loved the sense of community within the enormous metropolitan city. I committed to starting each day in the city with the same routine. After I set off to complete my check list.
My goal for this leg of the journey is to buy a motorcycle and spend the next three months snaking my way through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. When I decided to do this trip and forgo renewing my car lease, I decided to get a motorcycle. After I learned how to ride I thought a motorcycle trip along the journey would be epic.
In all honesty, buying a scooter and exploring Vietnam is pretty common. The hostels are full of backpackers doing the exact same thing. There are common routes along the coast and enough blog posts to make it look ordinary. What isn’t so common is land boarder crossings into other countries. The reason is due to the legality of the experience.
The first challenge is, Vietnam and the other countries do not recognize foreign drivers licenses for car or motorbike. Vietnam will also not give foreigners drivers licenses or legal documentation unless they are a resident. Proving residency is a long and arduous process.
The law states everyone driving without a Vietnamese license is driving illegally and subject to a variety of consequences. The most common repercussion is some sort of fine, the police can also confiscate the vehicle should they elect. You can recover the vehicle with a valid drivers license. The foreign rider can never get a license so the bike sits impounded indefinitly. Most of these infractions can be circumvented though a bribe of $5-$50.
The second challenge is, the health insurance coverage. Travel insurance is pretty awesome, as long as you follow the rules. It certainly beats the hell out of my coverage at home and so much cheaper. Horror stories of motorbike crashes fill the internet and passed from friend to friend. “Jessica crashed and had to spend $60K to save her foot because insurance wouldn’t cover it!”. What the story doesn’t share is Jessica was drunk, wearing flip-flops, and on paper, was driving illegally.
Travel insurance companies denying claims for motorbike accidents is as old as time. They cite illegal driving because no one has a Vietnamese drivers license. Nor can they get one if they want it. I am not a fan of the insurance industry by any means but I also was not going to allow an unforeseen medical claim end this trip. I took it as a personal challenge to get legal before I started riding.
Back in September when I explored my visa for Vietnam. The process in place is long, convoluted, and requires submitting your physical passport to the embassy. This wasn’t going to fly. I did some research and learned of "alternative methods” to avoid this process. I found visa services who promised for $20 they could deliver a year long, multi entry visa within a week; complete with stamp from the Ministry of Public Security. I rolled the dice, paid the fee, and received my paperwork within 12 hours.
This experience got me thinking. If I could throw $20 at a problem and save 2 months, what else could I throw money at? I crawled expat forums for threads about acquiring a Vietnamese drivers license. The most common answer is “forget about it, not gonna happen”. Tons and tons of threads ending without resolution all coming up short of a solution. Without an exception from the government, it was virtually impossible to complete. Every once in a while someone would achieve the impossible but unwilling to expand on their experience. That is, until someone did.
The post was old and so were the responses. The post stated they met someone on Facebook and he helped with the process. They provided a link to a Facebook business page named “Vietnam licenses for foreigners”. The page has zero information but the reviews are all positive.
I chat in and after a brief exchange they say they can do it and to contact them when I get in country. Once I arrived in Ho Chi Minh I got in contact again and arranged a meeting at a coffee shop the next morning.
I didn't know who I was meeting or what to expect, but I was a foreigner who needed a Vietnamese license; so again, I rolled the dice.
The coffee shop is packed with the expected mix of patrons. College students comparing notes, people watching shows on their tablets, and old guys reading the paper. I shoot them a message stating I had arrived.
Sitting by the counter is a guy about my age with a messenger bag. He waves me over and I meet Minh. Minh is a 30 year old Chinese expat living in Ho Chi Minh. I tell him that I am after a license and he asks a few questions. He normally works with expat residents and avoids working with travellers. Citing length of visa and lack of home country motorbike license as the two main drivers.
Vietnam won’t give a license to anyone with a visa under 3 months ( I have a year) and the process to pass the Vietnamese motorbike test takes a few weeks to complete (I already had mine from Colorado). What I am after is actually a license translation opposed to a newly issued license. Minh knows the process well and says he will help me.
He needs copies of my license, passport, and visa so he can have them translated to complete the paper work. First, we will translate the documents to Vietnamese. Then, we will get the Ministry of Transportation to stamp them. Last, we will go to the DMV to get my picture taken and process my paperwork. I tell him I am motivated to expedite this process and we arrange to meet at the DMV the following morning.
After I gave a strange man my identity at a coffee shop in Vietnam I asked him how he was going to make this happen. He tells me a story from his boarding school days in Singapore. He went to school with the son of the head of the Ministry of Transportation. He forgot about the contact until he went to university in Ho Chi Minh and heard some classmates were having difficulty completing the license process. Recalling his old friend, he reached out for support. He was given direct unlimited access to the department who manages the approval process including the all important stamp.
He helped a few friends then eventually he became the man with the stamp hookup. Everyone who needs a stamp goes to Minh. Seeing an opportunity, he created a Facebook page and posted his services. With no advertising and relying on word of mouth, seven years later he has a sizeable monthly income and spends his time pursuing passion projects.
We met at the DMV the following morning with two other customers, coincidentally from Colorado. He walks us through the process and what to say to who. It’s too sketchy if he accompanies us and waits outside. His instructions are concise and accurate. 15 minutes later I am having my picture taken and the woman behind the camera is instructing me to remove my croakies for the shot.
Outside we slip around the corner and discuss next steps. I have my temporary license in-hand and will pick up my actual license in a weeks time. I give Minh his fee plus a little extra bringing my total cost to $43 ($35 fee + $8 tip).
With my new documents I set off to meet with some motorcycle sellers. Scooters and motorbikes are everywhere in Vietnam. There are more motorbikes than people within the country, they are mostly the same and readily available.
The most common bike for locals and travellers alike is the 110cc “Honda Win”. Honda introduced this bike a few decades ago, sold a ton of them then pulled out. After, a Chinese manufacturer introduced their model “Honda Win”. This is a knock-off and named the same as the original. The naming convention combining the manufacture and model name as one. These bikes run $250-$500 and are easy to get. I didn’t know what I wanted but it wasn’t this, I didn’t want an automatic scooter.
The Win has a reputation of being unreliable and everyone has a story of them breaking down. Along every roadway in Vietnam there are mechanics waiting for the next Win to be pushed in. Before you have a chance to say hello, the mechanic knows whats wrong and gets to work. Every Win on the road has been up and down Vietnam too many times and has more mismatched parts than a junkyard. It’s not a question of if it will break down, but when.
The flip side is a proper motorcycle. Limited to the 150cc range due to license and import luxury tax laws. The supply is limited but the bikes are more capable and higher quality.
I narrowed it to three bikes. Two different 67’ Honda motorcycles in the cafe racer style and a 2015 Honda XR 150 dirt bike. I saw the dirt bike when I was first researching the trip. I knew I would probably end up with it and decided to save it for last.
Coincidentally the owners of the first two bikes worked at the same building and we arranged a time to meet around lunch.
The first is the Green bike. It’s tiny but has an enormous engine and looks cool as hell. I could easily pickup the bike and there wasn’t much room for my luggage. It’s not a good fit but its fun to consider. He tells me that his friend is selling his bike too and shows it to me in the parking lot. It’s the same bike I already identified and turns out he built both.
The second is the Blue bike. Again, cool as hell. A bit bigger, sits higher and starts up well. I drive it around the block a few times and have some concerns about the size, transmission and suspension. I am bottoming out on the paved street with just my body weight and the bike struggles to keep up with traffic. There also isn’t much room for me or my luggage. The listing is 3 weeks old and the seller seems desperate to sell which is a problem i'll inherit. We discuss building a sissy bar off the back like a chopper to hold my bag. I am excited about the prospect of the idea and Instagram encourages me to buy it. We agree on 14m VND (~$620) for the bike and any additional work.
I leave to see the Red bike, the one I already had my eye on. As soon as I saw it and before I hopped on, I already knew I was going to buy it. My plan is to explore the jungles and trails of south east Asia. Not to cruise the streets of major cities. The bike fits my frame and is well maintained. There is plenty of room for me and my gear. The owner agrees to replace the tires and fluids alleviating any of my hesitation.
This bike is one of the most rare and sought after in Vietnam. There aren’t many dual-sport motorcycles due to the luxury import taxes. It’s a popular bike and the price reflects it. There isn’t much room for negotiation as it's a sellers market. The seller is a British guy who runs a tour company. He gives me two options, long term rental or purchase with the option to sell private party or back to him in Hanoi. After running the numbers I felt most comfortable with taking the risk of purchasing outright and taking my chances selling at the end. If I cannot sell private party for a higher price I will sell it back to him for a cost of $500.
Since he is a tour company I am able to get a nice mix of new and used protective gear. I recognize a few of the pieces and the shop doesn’t know what they have. I get everything I need for a steal at $60.
I take the next day to play around with my new toy. I gather tools and necessary gear. I buy a length of heavy chain and lock to complete my security system. I negotiate for dry bags to protect my belongings and electronics.
Uttering the words “Vietnam” and “Driving” to Westerners triggers panicked responses due to the absurdity of the driving conditions. I really don’t find it all that bad. First it is terrifying but it quickly fades. The speeds are slow and the traffic is fluid. India and Nepal had much crazier drivers and conditions.
Quickly, you learn the fluidity of being both pedestrian and driver. Learning how to participate and what role to play within the eco system.
While crossing the street on foot, be alert, walk at a constant speed, and above all be predictable. Drivers will find their path around you with no effort on your part.
While driving be alert and forget any notion of road rage. You will get cut-off and its just part of the game. You’re going to cut someone off seconds after you get cut-off. Stay consistent and keep moving. The lanes of the roads are divided between motorbikes and cars so be aware of your lane.
At first it’s overwhelming but then it clicks. My moment came when I was making a left hand turn at a major intersection. Until this point I would look and wait for an opening, these openings were few and far between and I was constantly being overtaken by drivers behind me. Easily finding seemingly impossible paths through the traffic. As I inched into traffic I saw that the decision of the path was not mine at all, it was decided by the oncoming traffic. They chose which path they were taking based on my actions. Either crossing in-front of me, blocking my path. Or, crossing behind me forcing me forward along the path. If I misread the choice and stalled, it would result in an unexpected dangerous point of congestion.
I quite enjoy driving around. I drove like the locals which would have resulted in me being arrested back home. Splitting lanes, running red lights, and using the sidewalks as an alternative lane bypassing traffic. It’s awesome.
At home a few times when I mentioned I would be traveling to Vietnam, Americans asked if I was concerned or worried about historical implications of the war. I wasn’t but was interested in how they wrote the history and any associated propaganda. Winners write history and it’s naturally biased. I don’t know a ton about the Vietnam war but was excited to learn more.
I spent two days exploring the Cù Chi tunnels and War Remnants museum. The Cù Chi tunnels are a 250km network of tunnels outside of Ho Chi Minh which helped supply soldiers and was an important resource for the Viet Cong. The War Remnants museum is a museum explaining the war and does cover both Vietnamese and American perspectives but created from the Vietnamese perspective.
60km outside of the city is the location of the Cù Chi tunnels. We spent a day exploring the complex and learning about the war. Our tour guide was very good and took the time to answer our questions and explain what we were seeing. He explained his personal connection to the war and shared stories of his family fighting. He shared how his dad lost his hands fighting the Americans while maintaining eye contact with me.
The complex is vast and gives off more of an amusement park vibe than a museum. There are attractions and people dressed in military uniforms showcasing aspects of the war. A Russian lady with a handicam films every exhibit. Her family poses in-front of a bombed out tank. The tank displays a message “American M41 tank was destroyed by a delay mine in 1970”.
The exhibits honour peasants who earned the ‘Killing Americans’ awards. Their names showcased with their stories. Highlighting how they were brave and against all odds succeeded. They spent their days plowing the fields and nights fighting the enemy. Stories of a 12 year old girl boasting how the Americans are never safe because she is small and nimble, she can go places they can’t. Every person is a soldier and every person is a hero.
We reach the exhibit showcasing the traps and guerrilla aspects of the ground war. Two workers in uniform demonstrate how the trap works with a stick imitating an American leg or body. Each trap containing some sort of barbed metal spike or a pit filled with poisoned bamboo shanks. The traps were gruesome and terrifying. On the wall behind the traps and workers a mural depicts American GI’s falling into the traps screaming in agony. It was like wall paper, no one noticed and just part of the display.
In the distance you can hear gunshots. Eventually we reach the source of the sound. Situated half way through the complex is a gift shop and shooting range. The range is live and visitors can shoot era specific weapons from both the Viet Cong and American forces. Magazines of 10 bullets can be purchased for ~$25. To my left I can buy an ear of corn or souvenir, on my right I can fire a M1 carbine of AK-47. The military runs the property and there is no shortage of ammunition.
After, we reached the crown jewel, the entrance to the tunnels. The military has updated the section of tunnels specifically for tourist by widening them and adding lights. They stretch between 20m-100m and dip 3m-10m deep depending on the route. I entered and quickly exited. I didn’t know I was claustrophobic until that moment. They said the tunnels had been widened and now the tunnel was just wider than my shoulders as I crawled along on my hands and knees. During wartime the tunnels were intentionally much smaller.
The complexity of the tunnels is incredible. Equipped with living quarters, supply rooms, cooking areas, traps, surface ambushing exits, and ventilation systems for fresh air and smoke. A complete city deep under the ground, safe from the American B52 carpet bombing campaigns. They would recycle any undetonated bomb they could find and create their own explosives to use against the Americans. The craters left by the detonated bombs were used as fishing holes and duck ponds. Nothing was wasted and everything was used to help progress the mission to gain their independence and rid the country of any invading force.
Following the tunnels the following day we explored the War Remnants museum. A few locals told me the museum was very biased and reassured me it was not what they all believed. I am interested in propaganda and was excited to see how the war is depicted from their side.
I don’t remember learning a lot about the war in school. I remember about the era but not so much around the specifics around intention or who won. Seemed like the US didn’t lose we just kinda stopped and pulled out.
The museum starts with the French occupation which was supported by American government. Support lasted through the decades leading up until the start of the direct American conflict. The US had a clear economic interest in the area and needed the strategic occupation.
As you step through year by year, the scale of the war becomes overwhelming. The tonnage of bombs dropped dropped on Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos doubles that dropped in Europe and Asia during the entirety of WWII. Cambodia and Laos weren’t even part of the direct conflict, more or less collateral damage. Trillions of dollars spent to force a peasant farming people to change their way of life and thinking is difficult to comprehend.
I became aware of the Strategic Hamlet Program. The US’s attempt to control the spread of Viet Cong ideology within the peasant farmer communities. The farmers were moved off their land and onto government controlled economic zones with the promise of security and a better life. They were compensated $21 for their loss of property and often forced to move at gunpoint. The program was an utter failure and was canceled after President Ngo Dinh Diem was overthrown through a military coup.
Similarly to the museums in Cuba, there is no mention of the Russian influence within the war and a lot of mention of the CIA’s involvement. The success of the war is entirely credited to the Vietnamese people; which, I don’t think is the case but I wasn't there. The actions of the US and CIA that are often categorized as conspiracy theories are on display as fact. It also displays the international support for Vietnam and international response condemning the US’s actions.
The museum follows the timeline of the conflict in chronological order. Each exhibit focuses on a different time period and aspect of the war. It also explains the effects of Agent Orange and other chemical agents showing the devastating immediate and the ongoing generational effects of the weapons. Sounds of gunshots and explosions are played over the speakers in each room providing the soundtrack of the afternoon.
One exhibit showcases the wartime photographers their photos and stories. Excerpts from their notes and the pictures they captured are on display providing yet another perspective. The exhibit is sponsored by Cannon and Nikon which I found strange. “From vacation photos and war crimes; Cannon and Nikon have you covered”.
While the museum showcases the Vietnamese point of view, an attempt is made to be unbiased and provide an US point of view. The stories on display from the Americans are overwhelmingly sympathetic and side with the Vietnamese. Focusing on placing the blame squarely on the US government and displaying stories of atrocious US warcrimes. One focuses on the massacre of 13 unarmed women and children in Thanh Phong. On display is the sewage drain where a some children hid to survive. I watch as a visitor bumped into it and casually comments “oh this is just that drain they pulled those kids from”.
The war and the actions that transpired don’t feel real in this setting. While I know both sides are responsible for horrible acts. It’s war, what can we expect. I have heard the stories from American veterans and I can’t say anyone is wrong or that anyone is right. I can’t pass judgement on anyone involved, it’s a fight for life or death not necessarily right and wrong. It’s easy to point fingers and condemn others. We judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions. It did leave me with the realization that the actions of a few can reflect a larger population. You are always an ambassador whether you want to admit it or not.
It’s weird to go to places like these but I am glad I am able to experience them. I was asked by someone if I felt bad or uncomfortable seeing the history of my government and country. War is terrible there is no way around that. Do I feel responsible for the history, no. Do I feel a sense of responsibility for the future, I do.
Experiencing the exhibits and seeing people in the streets being born disabled due to a war that happened 50 years ago is beyond horrible. I’m left wondering why? What did we accomplish? They won. Vietnam is a communist country. We didn’t just leave we lost. We lost a war we had no business being part of to begin with.
Hindsight is 20/20 but I can’t help but drawling parallels to the conflicts we are involved in today. Will there be a museum like this in Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Iraq that future generations will visit in 50 years?
All things considered, the Vietnamese people don’t hate American’s. As it was explained to me, that hatchet is buried and they have moved on. No sense in reliving the war time and time again when it won’t change anything.
I can’t imagine being in any war but the Vietnam war is mind-blowing. It feels as if it is a true tale of David and Goliath. Peasant farmers fighting the most advanced military the universe has ever seen with recycled munitions and snake venom soaked sticks. I don’t know how you beat a people who are that committed and believe in their cause.
The following morning I took off on my bike and headed for the town of Da Lat, Vietnam. About 300km away and took around 9 hours. Along the way I passed village after village and town after town along the mountain passes. I got pulled over three times and escaped without offering any bribes. The police are unable to see it’s a dumb western when I am wearing my gear. They laugh once I lift my visor and reveal I am not a local. Shaking their finger as if to say “ohhh youuu, there are rules here you know!”
After a few hours I realized I made the right choice with the bike. It’s big, fast, and comfortable. I can load all my belongings with plenty of room and it can climb the mountain passes with ease. It averages 40km/L which is ~94mpg, it’s a monster. I stop every few hours for some bread, iced coffee, and water.
Each time I stop I am approached by an old woman selling lottery tickets. The tickets are preprinted are are good for the drawing that day at 4:30pm. They are very popular with the locals and cost $.50. Match all 6 numbers and win the jackpot, 2 billion VND or $80,000. People joke that if they win they are turning off their phones and disappearing. Sounds familiar. It’s enough money for most to retire and never worry again.
The following day I followed a motorcycle tour with my bike. We visited the waterfalls, local monuments, weasel coffee farm. and a silkworm farm. I climbed around the waterfalls, ate crickets and silkworm larva. The bugs really weren’t bad and it was interesting to learn about the local economy and how the locals live. The silkworm farm used a punchcard computer to spin the silk and create the fabric. After the silk is collected the insects die and are brought to the market for consumption.
The economy is growing but at the expense of the forest and environment. The land has not fully recovered since the war and farming is very lucrative. Farmers are seen as wealthy and while their salaries are not public, it is evident through their property and car ownership. Car ownership is a dream of every citizen. Due to high purchase prices and taxes, automobiles are out of reach.
I am really enjoying Da Lat. It’s a comfortable little mountain town and reminds me of a larger Pokhara. The owner of the hostel has a similar bike to me and we spent the afternoon tuning it. We cleaned grease build up off the engine and chain using gasoline and a toothbrush. Environmentally friendly? No. Effective? Incredibly.
I’ll take off for Ho Chi Minh on Wednesday in order to pick up my license on Thursday. After, I’ll make a run for the Cambodian border. I’ll spend the next few weeks taking a lap around Cambodia. I have a few locations identified but no solid plans. All I know is I will find a bar on the 4th to watch the Eagles win the SuperBowl.
- Joe
