Don Daeng Bike Adventure

I was off to explore the small island of Don Daeng on my last day in Champassak. The hotel arranged a boat to take me and pick me back up 5 hours later. I was assured "easy to get bicycle on island." I should have asked more questions. But, I didn't. A short boat ride and I arrived on the beach of Don Daeng. My boat captain left me at the shore and said I had to bring him a Beerlao when he picked me up. Ok!

I walked up the beach to the hotel. As I approached the resort, I was greeted by waterbuffalo happily grazing the grounds. I went to the office to enquire about a bicycle rental.  The manager explained he could only give bicycles out to guests, since he had a limited number of bikes. He was very apologetic and told me good luck finding a bike in the village. Oh well. I would walk the island if I couldn't find a bicycle. I thanked him for his help and headed towards the village. It was a beautiful little island and the people were friendly. As I passed their homes they yelled out greetings "sabaaidee!"

  

I was humbled at how excited the people were to see a foreigner. This must be what movie stars feel like! They were friendly and excited to greet me. I walked a kilometer and found a place to rent a bike. Finally! I think it was the only place on the island. I was off to explore the island. It was so quiet and beautiful. I only saw one guesthouse/resort and family restaurants along the side of the road. The island is primarily a farming island with cattle and rice fields. As I biked down the main road, the children would run out to look and wave. This island was more laid back and quieter than Don Khone. I didn't think that was possible.

I biked to the end of the island when I decided it was time to head back towards the boat dock. I was hot and I knew I could relax and have lunch before going back to Champassak. As I biked back, I suddenly got a flat tire. Uh-oh! I was 8 km from the village! It was hot and I had drank my bottle of water. I got off my bike and started walking back to town. The locals would stop me, look at my tire and shake their heads. One young boy walked me to a man's home where I could get my tire fixed. I was so thankful! The man took me into his house and pulled out a chair for me. Then his wife and daughter came and brought me a bottle of water. I thanked them and took a big swig. Immediately, I knew I had made a mistake. The water was salty and gritty tasting. I couldn't spit it out. That would be rude.  I realized it was not bottle water. When they brought out a bucket and poured it into another bottle, my suspicions were verified. They brought me a plate of fruit and filled my glass with more water. They smiled and the woman pointed to my eyes and her blue socks. Then she pointed at my hair. I smiled and she ran her fingers through it. They were so sweet. What could I do? I smiled and thanked them. The daughter left and came back with a bag of ice and a 7-up. I thanked her but tried to explain I don't drink soda. They would not take no as an answer and so, I had some 7-up. The woman then grabbed my hand and took me to her garden. It was beautiful. She had flowers and fruit trees. She cut flowers and made me a bouquet. Then she took me to where she was drying mangos and gave me a whole bag of dried fruit. I thanked her again. When we returned to the front porch there were 4 people waiting to meet me. The smiled and giggled at/with me. I laughed as people walked by their home and stared. I was definitely the attraction! When he finished repairing my tire, we talked a while and then I tried to pay him for his work. He kept refusing. I could not let them do this for free. I felt bad. I finally got him to take some money when I gave it to his daughter for her education. I smiled as I left this generous family. They were so kind and hospitable to a stranger. I truly love the Lao people for this trait.

I jumped back on my bike and looked at my watch. I had 40 minutes to meet the boat. I pedaled quickly towards the village. I was a kilometer from returning my bike when I got a flat on the front tire! Oh no! I walked quickly and returned my bike. I apologized to the family for the flat tire and they said no problem. I thanked them when they offered me a ride to the boat. I was back in time and had a cold Beerlao for myself and the captain. Whew! It was a fun adventure even though things went wrong. I felt safe and was never worried. My only worry is will I get sick from the Mekong River water? Only time will tell! I am keeping my fingers crossed that I have a strong system and no GI trouble.

Hoi An - Beautiful City of Laterns and Culinary Delights

Beautiful Hoi An

We arrived in Hoi An on Friday. We had pre-booked a hotel that was in the city center and walking distance from the bus station. When we arrived, we were greeted by the motorbikes and taxis soliciting us. We have learned there is always someone ready to give you a ride. We asked the direction of our hotel and were told that the hotel was far and would take 30-45 minutes to walk the distance. We knew that wasn't true. We declined the offers, put on our backpacks and started walking. I laughed as the price went from 100,000 Dong ($5 USD) to 40,000 Dong as we walked a block. We declined and continued the 15 minute walk to our hotel. Once again, another beautiful hotel for $15/night and it included free breakfast.

Hoi An is a charming riverside town in central Vietnam. It was once a major shipping center for central Vietnam but as shipping was moved north, Hoi An became a tourist stop. Luckily, it was not bombed in the "American Aggression War" (Vietnam War) so it has retained its charm. I instantly loved the city for its walkability and the architecture. The streets are lined with ancient homes, souvenir shops, tailor shops and restaurants. The pace is slow and quiet as tourists wander the streets of the old town. The center of town is a cycling and pedestrian only center which adds to the ambiance. The lanterns lining the shops and streets add a beautiful ambiance. I loved this city!



The town was filled with tourists and locals celebrating International Woman's day. Flowers were for sale on every street corner and beautiful red and yellow flower lanterns were hung in the intersections to celebrate women. As the sunset and the lanterns were lit it, the lanterns set a beautiful glow on the city. We spent the day wandering the streets and enjoyed the ambience.

After enjoying a delicious meal in town, we knew we had to find a cooking class. We took the advice of our hotel and signed up for the Thuan Tinh Island cooking school. We were off at 8 am to meet the guide and start our shopping in the market. We were each handed a shopping basket and the guide and chef explained how to pick the freshest ingredients. We bought fresh ingredients to make four dishes:

1. Goi Con Nuoc Leo- Vietnamese Spring  Rolls with Peanut Hoisin Sauce

2. Banh Xeo - Sizzling Vietnamese Crepes with Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

3. Bun Bo Nam Bo - Southern style Beef Vermicelli Salad

4. Pho Bo Ha Noi - Hanoi Style Rice Noodle Soup with Beef

I loved the mint, morning glory, watercress,  lemon basil and Thai Basil but wanted nothing to do with the cilantro (icky!) and had no plans of using it in my cooking. Then it was on to the wet market for the seafood. Our guide showed us how to pick fresh shrimp versus day old shrimp.

Our next stop was to buy fresh beef and chicken. Whew! No killing of the animals in the market. And the last stop was the fresh rice noodles for the Pho and Beef Vermicelli salad. We finished our shopping and we were off to the island to start the class. Yes, by boat which meant we got to wear the lady hats again! 

Our first stop was a village where we made fresh rice milk. It was a lot of work. We ground the rice to remove the husks, separated the husks, soak the rice and then turn it on a stone to grind and press the rice milk.

Finally we were off to start cooking.

The Goi Cuon with Nuoc Leo was fabulous. This was the most delicious spring roll I have had the entire trip.

Goi Con Nuoc Leo- Vietnamese Spring  Rolls with Peanut Hoisin Sauce

Then it was on to my favorite dish, the Bahn Xeo. This is a pancake with shrimp and chicken. The pancake was made from the rice milk and rice meal and then added turmeric, black pepper, salt and coconut milk. We cooked rice and shrimp and then added the pancake mixture. The hardest part was flipping the pancake.  I tossed it into the air and caught it in the pan! Success! What makes this really delicious is the addition of green onions, bean sprouts, lettuce, watercress and mint. You press it all together, kind of like a taco, and add the dipping sauce (garlic, red chili peppers, sugar, kumquat juice and fish sauce).

Banh Xeo with Nuoc Cham Sauce...wish you could taste it!

 

On to the third course, a Beef Vermicelli salad. The salad consisted of greens (lettuce, watercress, mint, lemon basil, morning glory), fried shallots, fried garlic, cucumbers, carrots, red chili slices, bean sprouts, beef, peanuts and fresh vermicelli noodles. Then drizzled with a sauce. 









Beef Vermicelli salad

One of the things I have appreciated about Vietnamese cooking is the small amounts of meats that are used in the meal. The meats in these meals are for flavoring and not huge portions like we are use to in the USA. All of the meals were delicious. I was so full by the end of this course, I forgot to take a picture of the Pho. It was good too! Trust me! We finished eating and were returned to the city to walk and work off the meal.

On my final morning in Hoi An, I woke up at 5AM and decided to walk through the city to get some early morning photos. It was just me and the early morning exercisers! I found the walkers and the women in the park.

Early morning workout

I walked for three hours. Through the market as the women set-up there stalls, down by the river as the fishermen arrived with the fresh catch of the day and through town before any of the tourists were up and moving. It was beautiful and allowed me time to reflect on my visit to Hoi An. I love the quiet in the early morning, as the city first comes to life. Hoi An only has one issue. The tourists have made a negative impact on the city. The people in Hoi An have been taught that they should expect money from tourists if you take a picture of them. As soon as you take your camera out everyone is asking for $1. It becomes very overwhelming as you wander the city. I found myself taking group photos from a distance so I could capture the real life. Once again, I realized I need to make conscious decisions and travel responsibly. 

Banana delivery to the market



The World Is Calling

It is official! I am taking a career break and traveling the world for a year!!  Many of you have asked how did this happen? How are you financing the trip? What about your job? Well....it was all very simple and I was quite fortunate. No, I did not win the lottery or inherit a fortune from a rich relative. It was much simpler. In November, I was informed the company had conducted global alignment of all positions. My job was downgraded. I was offered to stay in my position with no growth opportunities or to take a severance package. I could not believe what I heard.  They were handing me my dream on a silver platter!!  I was shocked. I was planning the trip before they had the offer on the table. There was never a question of what I wanted to do. Only what I should do. I wanted to follow my heart but my head was going through all the "what if's." I was shocked as I confided in friends and family and they immediately asked "Where are you going first?"  I had one month to make a decision. Obviously, I decided to follow my heart, take the severance package and plan the trip of a lifetime.
I realize a solo around the world trip does not make sense to many people. I am walking away from a successful career in a slow economy.  It may not seem logical, safe or normal.  Some of you will find this to be reckless, selfish and dangerous.  It is gutsy.  But what is a woman to do when a blessing is handed to her on a silver platter? This is my dream. It is time for a change. I am shifting my perspective and opening myself up to new possibilities. I am open to new cultures, the way I think, where my life is headed and how I spend my time. I am ready to experience all life has to offer, learn new languages, explore and develop new talents and breathe in life. I have decided to let life happen. I am hungry for this change. It know it will be hard. I will have lonely days.  Things will go wrong.   I will get lost.  Believe me, the fear is real. It is a rock in the pit of my stomach sometimes. But, the fear does not last long. It is replaced by joy. I have never been happier. I am at peace with my decision. No second thoughts. I know the success of this journey depends on me.  If I am not having fun, it is me. Nobody else. I will adapt and change.  I am putting trust in my abilities and the kindness of strangers. I have faith it will be an amazing adventure! I refuse to allow fear and responsibilities to get in the way of my dreams.  I am letting go of all the things I am supposed to do and living my life to the fullest.  I know that no matter where I go, each of you are with me. You are always with me. My family and friends give me love, support and confidence to explore and enjoy the freedom of  travel.  Thank you for sharing this journey with me.  Hugs and love to you all!