Sorry Mom...I Went Shark Diving

Before I start this blog, I would like to wish an embarrassingly late happy birthday to my incredible Grama, who I truly consider the inspiration for this trip. Ever since I saw her pictures of South Africa almost fifteen years ago, I've known that one day, I would end up here. I'm having the time of my life, and if it weren't for you, I don't know if I'd have made it. I love you!

This morning, I found myself wide awake and raring to go at the very early hour of 5:00am. This was because after a year of waiting, today was the day I was finally going to climb into a steel cage and be immersed into shark-infested waters. Today was the long-awaited shark cage dive!

Since a family friend recommended the cage dive as a must in Cape Town over a year ago, I haven't had any doubt in my mind about it. I know for a fact that a lot of people at home think that I'm a crazy person for even thinking about it, but I can now tell you first hand: when in Cape Town, DO NOT MISS IT!

It is by no means cheap to do a shark dive. I paid about R1400 (roughly $230), but keep in mind that this included transport from my hostel to Gansbaai (two hours away from Cape Town), breakfast before the dive, lunch after the dive, snacks on the boat, and most importantly, the once-in-a-lifetime experience of looking Great White sharks in the eye!

The drive to Gansbaai is stunning. The mountains combined with green orchards and farmland as far as the eye can see are quite effective at calming a person down, even though the occasional glimpses you get of the ocean and its huge swells definitely bring the adrenaline up again!

Before the dive, I had heard horror stories about violent sea-sickness, and when I arrived, there was a notice saying that the water was 12 degrees! At this point, sharks were the least of my worries.

After popping some Gravol, and eating a quick breakfast - which I tried to balance between nutrition and not eating so much I would vomit on the boat - our guide Anthony gave us a briefing about what to do in case of the boat sinking (God forbid), and then told us some interesting facts about the sharks. For example, they lure the sharks with a bait that is basically the blood and guts of fish, so they are attracted to the scent, but there's no food for them, so they aren't trained to chase boats in the future. We were also told that while the bait was in the vicinity, the sharks could not care less about us in the cage. Although they do have good eyesight, so they would be able to see us!

Finally, we walked down to the boat. It was so windy that I was afraid of being blown right off the pier. I had stupidly checked the weather report in Cape Town instead of Gansbaai, and as a result, worn shorts. I don't know if I've ever been so cold in my life.

The boat ride started out over huge swells (I would guess they were 6 - 8 feet). It felt like being on a very wet, trecherous roller coaster. My stomach was doing a weird sort of Irish jig. After about three minutes of this, the water either smoothed out, or my Gravol kicked in like a champion, because I was able to enjoy the ride out, and did not get seasick.

For almost an hour, we sat in the bay by Dyer Island with the crew doing their darndest to lure the sharks. They had a sort of foam decoy (which would probably look like a seal to the average Great White), as well as the fish blood and guts on a rope. I also noticed a man at the back mixing more blood and guts together with a shovel, and then splashing it behind the boat. Let me just say that shark bait is the absolute worst.

At this point, I was starting to panic a little bit. What if no sharks showed up? I had waited for so long, and I was dying to see a great white! I know it would be circumstances beyond anyone's control, but I knew I would be disappointed. And then...

...SHARK! A baby Great White swam out of nowhere and all but launched itself at the foam decoy! The people on the boat erupted, and all but shoved each other off the sides to get a picture. Since I had been wedged right by the side since the beginning, I had the prime spot. Gradually, more and more sharks started appearing. It wasn't a Jaws-esque circle or anything, but every few minutes, one would lazily snap at the bait, and then go back to whatever it was doing first. Now, I know this is needless to say, but sharks are BIG! A few of them that passed by were easily four metres long! Interestingly, the smaller sharks were more keen on jumping for the bait, whereas the giants just passed on by.

Upon the arrival of the sharks, the crew started putting people in the cage. It was freezing cold, but hell could freeze over before I decided against getting into that cage! Myself and seven other people put wetsuits on, and were instructed to climb over the side of the boat into the cage. At first, I didn't realize that there was a bar in the cage to put one's feet, and I had a terrifying moment where my right foot floated through the bars.

Once I was in the cage, I actually felt pretty safe. There were bars to hang onto, and we weren't completely submerged; whenever a shark would swim by, we would hold our breath and duck to the bottom of the cage. It was definitely a rush when one of the crew members would yell, "DOWN! RIGHT!" And we would all duck under the water, look to the right, and watch one of the sharks drift - literally - in front of our faces.


Remember when I said the big ones didn't jump so much? There were a few exceptions. One more than the others. About a minute after I got into the cage, one of the biggest sharks I saw the entire time jumped at the bait, landing on the cage for a split second, which shook it with the force of a truck. For a moment, I was completely stunned. When the seven other divers in the cage with me came up, we were all whooping! A shark had jumped on us! Top that!

I was lucky enough to take two turns in the cage. The second time, I was on the far right side, and at one point found myself eye-to-eye with a Great White! I still have the shivers. I had been so worried about not seeing any of them, and within the course of about four or five hours, I had seen tons of them, both from the deck and in the cage. It was a lucky day for shark-viewing.

I found this trip exhilarating, educational, and all-round amazing. It was definitely one for my bucket list, and probably one of the best travel experiences of my life! Massive props to Downhill Adventures, Anthony and the crew, and I suppose the sharks themselves (even though I'm still feeling a bit of ocean motion as I type this). The shark cage dive was truly an incredible experience beyond words.

I would also like to say a massive, massive thanks to my amazing boyfriend Myles for the camera! Not only did it work perfectly under water, but I now have a video of a 4-metre shark going right by the cage!

Oh, and for the record, I'm typing this blog with all of my fingers, and I walked to the computer on both legs. Just so you know.

Questions? Comments? Criticisms?
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

About Time for a New Post, Eh?

For the past week, the power has been very low at Farm 119, and therefore, Internet use has been very minimal. But don't worry, my faithful followers! I'm back!

Since Farm 119 relies on solar power in order to power the farm, using water, turning on lights and other such activities has to be done with discretion. Actually, it's pretty amazing how they've managed to rely almost solely on solar power and rainwater for basic needs. Once you get your head around adamantly turning off lights and taps, it's really not so bad. As long as you have a trusty headlamp and a good book, once the work is done, evenings on the farm without power are pretty awesome. I can't remember being so relaxed after work...ever.

On the farm front, I've mainly been working on building a path to the shed I helped build and paint. In Bibby's Hoek, when it rains, it pours...literally. It rained nonstop Sunday and Monday, and as we speak, I've still been sliding around in the mud while working. My boots are nothing short of caked in mud every day after work. The solution: put down small stones in front of the shed to keep the mud away. As far as laying the stones down, I have also lined up tyres around Tanya's greenhouse, filled them with soil, put a top-layer of stones, and planted an aloe plant in the middle (for aesthetic value). The effect is actually quite attractive. And it keeps the cows and chickens out. Bonus.

I've been working on filling tyres and making the path since Tuesday. My limbs are beyond sore, but I feel a huge sense of accomplishment...there are no machines to help me out, so when I look at all the work I've done, I'm reminded that I've done it all by hand. I've never done work like this before, and I have to admit, I'm quite proud of what I've done in the two weeks I've been here...sore muscles notwithstanding.

Today I had to dig out fenceposts so that I could transport them to the path I'm building, dig a shallow trench, and place them around the outside. A pickaxe, shovel, three rusty nails and a very sore left hand later, I was able to knock it out of the ground, drag it across the farm, and put it in place outside the shed. I would be lying to you if I said I hadn't thought about giving up. But when that sucker finally came out of the ground, I was fist pumping for joy! Sometimes you really don't know your own strength. It's just a matter of time before I'm sending out pictures of myself flexing in the mirror. WWOOFing is one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done.

Tomorrow is finally a weekend...I can sleep in all the way until 9:00am, and I've heard talk of possibly going on an outing to the Knysna Rastafari Festival. My fingers are way, way crossed.

As for now, I'm going to go see about a shower. I can't see my legs for all the mud covering them. It's hard to believe that I only have a week left on the farm! As excited as I am to see more of South Africa, it's going to be very hard to leave. This feels like home.

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

Farming in South Africa: Part Two

As we speak, I am completely and totally bagged! My day started at 7:00 this morning (as the last five days on the farm have), I'm starting to feel slightly geriatric, what with all of the rise-with-the-sun/go-to-bed-at-8:00 I've been doing lately. Seriously. I've been asleep by 8:00 at night. I'm adapting to the farm life way more quickly than I thought I would.

My host family has been nothing but accommodating. Tanya and Kevin are always friendly, and never fail to remind me to feel at home! Yes, this means full-on access to the fridge. Mila thinks that I have been brought in as her personal attendant (and I've considered hiding in dark corners in order to have a minute of peace). Still, she's a spunky little thing, and will probably rule the world one day. I wouldn't have it any other way. Luke always has a massive smile on his face; he loves Lego, and ever more, his parents' iPad. He can't remember my name, so he's resorted to calling me "Hey, let's go play Lego!" "Woman!" or "Mister WWOOFer!" Yup. Mister.

Today, I finished painting the shed, and then moved on to the daunting task of weeding the flower garden. I'm pretty sure the weeding will never end, as every time I turn around, there seem to be more and more growing out of the nooks and crannies I could swear I checked.

Although it's definitely hard physical labour, I'm really enjoying being outside. Today was in the mid-twenties, and I was able to work in a tank top. Take that, middle of winter! I'm pretty sure "winter" in Rheenendal is still warmer than "summer" in Calgary. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

Halfway through m y long, drawn out weeding process, I heard the dogs start barking their heads off. I looked up just in tim e to see about five baboons dash through the field and onto the roof of the neighbours' shed! Baboons, for the record, are freakin' huge! I was tempted to move in closer to get a better look, but was reminded of a warning in my guidebook about their razor-sharp teeth and tendency to attack people if they saw fit. Needless to say, I had second thoughts. Maybe next time. In the mean time, it was quite entertaining to see the two least-ferocious looking dogs in South Africa doing their best to intimidate the baboons into staying on the roof. Only in South Africa.

I'm really enjoying the farm work. Although it's definitely full of physical jobs, I love being outside, and I feel like the work I'm doing is actually beneficial i n some way, shape or form. It's nice to have a job where I don't feel like dead wood. I work all morning, get an hour break for the most delicious lunches ever, and then work a few more hours in the afternoon. Between then and dinner, I actually get some time to myself. I can usually be found exploring with my camera, writing, or most likely, wrestling w ith the dogs.

Right now, I'm counting down the minutes until dinner is ready. After that, I'll probably be heading back to my room, and shortly to sleep. I really can't complain.

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

And So It Begins...

I've only been in South Africa for three days (not counting the eight-hour, hair-pulling layover in Jo'burg), but it feels like it's been forever. This isn't a bad thing. After flying an agonizing eight hours to Amsterdam, another twelve hours to Johannesburg, and then waiting for eight hours in the OR Tambo Airport, I was starting to feel like I would never get here.

Upon arriving in Jo'burg, there is loud, traditional African music playing, which got me all pumped up (or delerious after the flight...take your pick). It felt like a big, exciting "WELCOME TO AFRICA!" Unfortunately, this was short lived, as I realized very quickly that I was stuck in the airport, the lights were being dimmed, the shops were closed, and there are only hard, metal benches, so try as I might, I could not get to sleep.

Finally -FINALLY - 5:00am came, and I was able to board my flight to Cape Town. Let me just add that this two hour flight felt like a joke next to the last couple of flights I've been on. The sun was a gigantic, bright red ball in the sky, and it was coming up just as we were taking off. I think this was the moment when it hit me: I was in Africa!!

The sky was clear with barely a cloud in sight as we landed in Cape Town, and right out my window, I could see Table Mountain, and right next to it, the ocean. Before leaving, I had googled dozens - nay, hundreds - of pictures of this exact sight, but I can't even describe what it was like to see it appearing before my eyes.

When I got off the plane, I had a minor panic: the Backpacker Bus, a super handy service, where travellers are picked up at the airport and dropped safely at their hostel, did not appear to have arrived. I wandered around, looking at all the people holding signs, and could not find my name. For what was probably realistically two minutes, I paced back and forth, wracking my brain for who I could call and coming up with nothing, when I turned around, almost knocking over a man with my backpack. And yes, his sign said - in big bold letters nonetheless - my name. I guess I should learn to read properly before taking off on another big trip.

After arriving at Penthouse on Long, a hostel on Long Street, Cape Town's main backpacker district, I decide to take a shower, as I had been doing nothing but plane-hopping for the last three days. I unpacked, only to find that I had managed to buy two shampoos and no conditioner. Well, I now had a mission! I asked the front desk staff where the best place to find said hair product was. Let me just say that not only is Penthouse on Long a funky place to stay in a very populated (and therefore safe) area of Cape Town, but the front staff are friendly, and know everything. More on them later.

After buying my conditioner, and scouting out a place to eat dinner (The Long Street Cafe - best margherita pizza EVER), I retreated to the hostel, and asked the man at the front desk what the best way to get to the bus station was. After all, I was leaving at 6:00am to head to Knysna, the town closest to Farm 119, where I'm WWOOFing for three weeks. Although the bus station wasn't far, I had my doubts about walking that early in the morning. The man at the desk told me that taking a taxi would be the fastest way, and he promised that he would call the cab for me, and have the driver come up to get me so I would know which cab to get into. He then told me all of the things to do in Cape Town, and was very excited to hear that I was returning in a few weeks. I will definitely be back!

I then went to bed. At 6:30pm. I hate jet lag.

The next morning, bright and early, I showed up at the front desk, and the man called my cab (I should really get names, eh?). Within five minutes, my ride was there, and I was taken to the bus station. The driver made sure that I got inside alright, and apart from the pesky porter who really, really wanted to carry my bag (and subsequently, a tip), I had made it. The bus was already there, so all I had to do was load my bag, and take a seat.

I would definitely recommend the Intercape bus service for anyone travelling in South Africa. They were safe and efficient. Although after the buses in Southeast Asia, that could be said about pretty much any bus line. The prayer at the beginning of the trip, and the Christian programming for the entire eight-hour duration of my bus trip was a little surprising for this Jewish travel writer, but like I said before, as long as I'm safe, I can put up with a little Gospel. I always have my iPod...

I'm now sitting comfortably in the office of GORGEOUS Farm 119, in Bibby's Hoek, in the Rheenendal district, just outside of Knysna. The air is clear, and there are 360 degrees of million dollar views. Kevin and Tanya, as well as Mila and Luke, their children, have made me feel more than welcome right off the bat. So far I have been fed home-grown vegetarian food right out of my wildest dreams, met their two dogs (Mushroom and Fettucine), who guard my room whenever I go in, and have helped build a shed, and today, I painted it. I just love being able to work outside all day!

There was a bit of a communication breakdown when I first arrived, and my host family and I missed each other at the bus station. However, the man at the bus station walked me to a hostel in Knysna (just around the corner from the station), and made sure I got in safe. The staff at the hostel was friendly, and helped me get in contact with my host family. Everyone I met in Knysna went out of their way to make sure I was safe during my stay, and I am more than grateful. The people I've met so far in South Africa are some of the friendliest, most genuine people I've ever met - at home or while travelling!

Yesterday morning, Kevin came to get me first thing, and drove me to the farm. The views on the drive were breathtaking. I'm becoming one of those nerds who takes pictures out of windows. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Which brings me to today: my first day on a self-sufficient, off-the-grid farm. I could definitely get used to this! As for now, my painting is done, and I think I'm going to relax with 'On the Road' before dinner. Good travel book, no?

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

So...What Did I Learn in Southeast Asia?

1. Successfully crossing a road in Ho Chi Minh City makes you feel like Rambo.

2. After seeing S-21 and The Killing Fields, your moto driver will ask if you want to go to the shooting range. It's okay to say no.

3. Being constantly covered in a full layer of grime is the great equalizer among travellers.

4. The ubiquitous "Same Same But Different" slogan on t-shirts applies to everything...from guesthouses to food to ladyboys.

5. The worst bathroom in Canada is shangri-la compared to the nicest one in Laos or Cambodia.

6. Kids in Cambodia know some very colourful language.

7. Canadians have to pay an outrageous amount for a Lao visa.

8. A tuk-tuk driver proposing? Not so uncommon.

9. Menus and signs have hilarious typos.

10. Gorging oneself on Pad Thai is not frowned upon.

11. Estheticians are trained in arm-to-arm combat.

12. Squat toilets should be made illegal.

13. All the backpackers are reading Shantaram.

14. Moto drivers will earnestly offer you a ride, and then whisper almost seductively in your ear "Marijuana??" Laughing and walking away is okay.

15. You will meet genuinely friendly locals who you wish would adopt you.

16. Listening to the Woodstock soundtrack while taking a bus up the coast of Vietnam makes for an entertaining ride.

17. When it rains in Laos, everyone hunkers down in restaurants or bars to watch Friends or Family Guy reruns.

18. When you mention that you're from Canada, people will ask if you know Justin Bieber.

19. If you're sitting at a cafe waiting for breakfast, and you witness the chef chasing a stray dog out of the kitchen, don't be alarmed. Your omelette will probably still be fine.

20. When tuk-tuk drivers in Bangkok start making clicking and popping noises at you, that is their way of inviting you to a ping-pong show. Proceed with caution.

21. Leaving is very, very hard to do.

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all.
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

The End of Laos, and the Second Round of Thailand

I'm back in northern Thailand after a whirlwind through Laos.

After Luang Prabang, most of the people from the Spicylaos Hostel travelled to Vang Vieng together, so that we could partake in the infamous tubing. I would just like to say that the Spicylaos crew consisted of some of the most amazing and fun travel mates I've ever met. Rock on guys!

My last day in Luang Prabang was quite rainy and cold (for Laos anyway). Since we wanted to go to Vang Vieng anyway, we decided that the next day would be a perfect time to leave: escape the rain, and get our tubing on.

How very, very wrong we were.

There were about fifteen of us shoved into a minivan, and without warning, we headed south, down a snaking, muddy, sometimes-overflowing road. Because the road conditions in Laos are famous for being terrible, the minibus hardly ever accelerated over fifty kilometres per hour. After a while, my legs had completely cramped up, and I was ready to start walking.

We finally arrived in Vang Vieng. Now, normally, Vang Vieng is a happening little town, full of backpackers, lively bars and of course, hundreds upon hundreds of people tubing down the Nam Song river. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the town was completely deserted, because there was torrential rain, and the weather was around twelve degrees. What do you do in Vang Vieng when the weather is unnaturally awful, you ask? Well, the answer is to hang out with your mates in one of the thousands of restaurants that play reruns of Friends or Family Guy during the day, and at night, spend some time bar-hopping, while dressed in a sodden raincoat, and try to forget how cold and miserable you are.

I'm going to be honest, I'm pretty upset that I didn't get the chance to go tubing. That was definitely one of the parts of my trip that I was looking forward to the most. However, I can honestly say that I didn't have a terrible time in Vang Vieng. I owe it all to the group that I was travelling with. Had I been alone, I would have jumped on the first bus out of there. But hanging around with other waterlogged travellers actually proved to be quite a fun and memorable time. As for the tubing, I guess I'll just have to go back one day. Man life is rough!

The Spicylaos Hostel in Vang Vieng is more or less a bamboo shack. I think that if the weather was sunny, it would have been one of the most awesome places to stay that I've been so far. Unfortunately, because it was freezing, I was too afraid to roll over, lest my blanket would move. I'd suggest checking the weather before booking into this place.

The second night, Reena and I returned from a five-hour Friends marathon, only to discover that everyone else had relocated. We were the only two left at Spicylaos. I refuse to believe that we are anything less than badass.

After two days in Vang Vieng, we realized that the weather wasn't going to get any better for a couple of days, and the combination of being in a time crunch as well as not being able to bear any more of the cold, Reena, Adam and I decided to bite the bullet and head to Chiang Mai.

The trip to Chiang Mai from Vang Vieng took us about twenty-three hours. We were loaded onto a decent bus to Vientiane, where we transferred to an older, creaky bus that lacked any shock absorbers, which would take us over the border. Luckily, the journey from Vientiane to Udon Thani isn't too terribly long. I was anticipating another shaky, disorganized border crossing, but like Cambodia to Vietnam, it was short, sweet and to the point. Now all my border crossings are complete, and only Thailand to Cambodia was a complete crapshoot!

In Udon Thani, we transferred to the nicest bus I've ever been on. The seats reclined, I could move my legs more than an inch at a time, and - most importantly - we were given food and coffee! I would definitely suggest weaseling your way onto a VIP bus in Thailand if you get the chance. They do not disappoint.

We arrived in Chiang Mai fairly early the next morning, and decided that after days at a time stuck in the mud and the rain, we wanted to find a guesthouse and shower. We checked into the conveniently located A Little Bird, which had clean rooms, and was only $3.50 a night!

Trekking, rafting and elephant-related activities are definitely the main pull to Chiang Mai. After walking around the city all day, I felt that I had more or less seen everything in Chiang Mai that I wanted to see. The night market is definitely worth a go, and the food is pretty fantastic, but two days in the city itself are really all you need.

On our first night, we had heard people at the hostel talking about seeing a Muy Thai fight, and we figured that it would be worth a go. The fight turned out to be in a seedy-looking ring surrounded by bars. Although I would have been terrified to be there alone, being in the company of others made it a rather hilarious experience. The people watching was worth every baht.

The fights began with a match between two kids who looked to be about twelve, and went from there. After a while, I felt that I was seeing a show as opposed to an actual sporting event. It was just as well when we left.

After Chiang Mai, Adam and I headed to Pai, which I had only heard good things about. The coffee shops, bamboo huts and dreadlocked locals are definitely reminiscent of the hippie trail. There are quite a few waterfalls to head to during the day to beat the forty-degree heat, and at night, there are little bars open, mostly featuring cover bands.

Pretty much everything around Pai is accessible by motorbike. Because I had never ridden a motorbike in my life, and on top of that, had to deal with driving on the left side of the road, I was quite terrified. But I can assure you that after a few minutes it's really not so bad. We wanted to head to a waterfall that was marked on the map, but en route, we were told that it was only accessible by foot, and it was three hours each way. Because the day was almost too hot, we decided to head to a different place. Although it wasn't as amazing as the waterfall in Luang Prabang, it was a nice place to chill out for a few hours, and watch local teens continually slide down the falls - something I'm sure I'd break a bone or two if I tried.

I really liked Pai. After Chiang Mai, it was nice to kick back and enjoy some time in a small, chilled out place. I had heard from quite a few people that it's easy to get attached to Pai and don't want to leave. I definitely understand where they're coming from. One day, I just may be one of the old hippies hanging out in Pai. I can only hope, really.

I'm now back in Chiang Mai. I think I'm going to do a trek tomorrow, and then after that, I need to figure out what I want to do. I need to be back in Bangkok by the end of the month so that I can fly home. I don't believe it!

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

Lovely, Lovely Laos

At the moment, I'm sitting in the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, Laos. Prior to my arrival, I had heard only good things about Luang Prabang: the people were genuine and friendly, the prices were out-of-this-world cheap, and the surroundings were breathtakingly beautiful. Well, my friends, I can now personally tell you that these are all massive understatements. Although I hate picking favorites, Luang Prabang just might be my favorite place that I've travelled to...ever. Top five, anyway.

Before gushing on about Laos, and the last leg of Vietnam - which I will do, so fear not -I forgot to mention one of the highlights of Hanoi in my last blog! Believe it or not, I gave the traditional water puppet show a go...and liked it! The tradition was started by rice farmers in the 1100s, and has carried on since then. I'll admit that I was a little bit apprehensive to see the show, as I was expecting a lame, slightly creepy It's a Small World-esque atmosphere. However, I decided to try it out, since it is one of northern Vietnam's most famous attractions, and it only cost me $3. I was pleasantly surprised! The musicians wore traditional northern Vietnamese costumes, and played wicked-sounding traditional instruments. The theatre was well constructed, with a set of palm trees, a backdrop of a traditional northern Vietnamese home, and a large pool of water. The puppets were worked quite professionally, portraying Vietnamese customs such as picking coconuts, dragon parades, and rice farming, and set to an amazing soundtrack. The dragon puppets shot water...I thought that was pretty awesome! Altogether, I would suggest going to a water puppet show if you ever find yourself in Hanoi. It's inexpensive, fun, and not as lame as you would think...I promise!

After two days in Hanoi, I took a night bus to the hill-tribe village of Sapa. All of the travellers I've met who had been to Sapa raved about how beautiful it was, so spending a few days in town wasn't even a question for me. It's home to a large handicraft market, villagers who wear colorful costumes, rice fields and Fanispan, Vietnam's highest peak. Unfortunately, my two days in the mountain town weren't quite as ideal as I had hoped. Upon arrival, the temperature had dropped significantly, causing me to trade my shorts and tank top for long pants, running shoes and layers! The temperature was about eight degrees at most, which is freezing in Vietnam. The locals were all bundled up in North Face parkas, and none of the buildings seemed to have heating systems - although my guesthouse had heated mattress covers. They was truly heaven-sent. The fog was so thick that I could only see about twenty feet in front of me at a time, making it difficult to figure out where I was going, and ruling out any chances of seeing the mountains and terraced rice fields. It was quite disappointing.

But somehow, Sapa became one of my favorite destinations in Southeast Asia. The ambience of walking around a tiny mountain town in the fog is actually quite relaxing. The markets sold amazing crafts and jewellery, some of which I'm bringing home with me. And the food was absolutely delicious! I indulged in one of the most fantastic wood-fire pizzas I've ever tried. If you find yourself in Sapa, I strongly suggest trying the Nature Bar and Grill or the Sapa Lotus Restaurant. It has the same feeling of sitting in a mountain lodge in Banff, but you only pay a fraction of the price for the food!

After the aggressive hawkers in Sihanoukville, I was a little gun-shy to venture out in a market by myself...one death threat is enough for my trip, thank you very much. However, the methods of selling in Sapa were completely different. They take a gentler, more calm approach, and instead of selling manicures, and leg waxes performed in front of the whole beach, they sell homemade bags, jewellery and other little doodads that a person might actually want to spend money on! When I first arrived in Sapa, I accumulated an entourage of hill-tribe women, who followed me silently to my guesthouse. I did run into two women who convinced me to buy purses from them. We agreed on a decent price, and I think that I made their day. The locals were so genuinely friendly in Sapa, and I felt very safe. It was also nice to be able to say no without being hassled. If you smile, say "No thank you", and keep walking, the women will follow you for a little while, and then get the picture and move on. Definitely a step up from having scissors held in my face!

After two days, I had to say goodbye to Sapa. I really wish that the skies had been clearer so that I could have seen the amazing surroundings, but I guess I'll just have to come back one day!

I took a night bus to Hanoi, where I caught a ride to the airport. I had originally considered putting myself through the treacherous, twenty-five hour bus ride from Hanoi to Luang Prabang, just for the experience, but because of my time crunch, I made the decision to fly. The flight cost $185, which was expensive, but since it saved me a whole day, I reasoned that it was a fair trade. The Hanoi airport isn't huge, but no one speaks much English, and all of the signs seemed to say "domestic terminal". I was feeling a little bit panicky, so I took my e-ticket to one of the kiosks and pointed frantically, only to recieve a huge smile from the lady working there. She told me in broken English that I was in the right place, and could check in in twenty minutes. Phew!

A tip: if you decide to make this flight, go with Lao Airlines. They have friendly staff, and although it's a short, hour-long flight, they'll feed you!

When I arrived in the Luang Prabang Airport (one tiny terminal), I was directed right to immigration, where I got my Lao visa in a matter of minutes, and then was able to get my bag and take a cab ($2 from the airport) to my hostel. I couldn't help noticing that the visa fee for Canadians was by far the most expensive. It cost me $42. I really want to know what Canada ever did to have to pay so much! On the bright side, that's it for visas, as I don't need one when I re-enter Thailand. Like I said, phew!

Luang Prabang is magical. There is no other way to put it. The Spicylaos hostel, a UNESCO Heritage house, isn't as hostel-y as I expected, but it is definitely one of the most social places I've stayed. I've met tons of friendly people, which is one of my main priorities as a solo traveller. The town is so quiet and laid-back, especially after two weeks in Vietnam! It has French architecture, and tons of delicious bakeries, cafes and fruit shake stands line the main street. Not far away from the hostel is the Mekong River, where you can sit at an outdoor cafe and have a delicious meal for ridiculously low prices. I just finished a pad Thai an hour ago, and I'm considering going back later. If you're a penny-pincher like me, you can head to the food market. Every night at about 5:30, food vendors set up stalls where you can pay 10, 000 kip (about $1.20), and help yourself to all sorts of veggies and noodles. The idea is to fill your plate as full as you can, and then get the vendors to fry it together with hot sauce. Delicious! I've been three nights in a row. The Beerlao is also cheap, and tons of travellers hang out here for dinner.

The main street also shuts down about this time for the infamous night market. You can buy pretty much everything here, from t-shirts to unique textiles and handicrafts. I did a fair bit of shopping the other night. It's easy to barter the prices, although every once in a while they offer such a good price that you don't even need to!

Today it rained, so a group of six of us from the hostel decided to head to the Red Cross for a Lao massage. It was totally worth it! It cost about $5 for an hour, and the money goes to legitimate causes. My back feels a lot better now! I'm ready to carry my ever-expanding backpack!

Yesterday, we took a day-trip to a waterfall outside of town. Although the trip out was a little rough (about an hour sitting in a tuk-tuk driving over bumpy dirt roads), the scenery was totally worth it. The countryside was unbelievably stunning, and it was interesting to see non-touristy towns, where people were just living their day-to-day lives.

It cost 20, 000 kip to see the waterfall ($1.20 Canadian). It was a quick walk through a park. En route, you pass a bear protection centre...and I saw two sun bears playing! I stayed and watched for a while...they were so cute, although it made me miss my dog. The centre was set up to protect different species of bears from poaching. The area was spacious, and I was glad to see that in countries outside of North America, there was still effort put towards protecting animals.

The waterfall was just what the doctor ordered on a hot day. The water was sapphire blue, and you could swing on a rope out of a tree and jump in, or jump from a rock into the pool below. The water was colder than I expected, and very refreshing. It felt like a jungle oasis in a movie. I had been debating whether or not I wanted to go. Taking the trip was definitely a good call!

Tomorrow, I'm leaving Luang Prabang, and heading to Vang Vieng, home of the infamous tubing. I wouldn't mind staying in Luang Prabang forever, but I'm excited to try some tubing, and see more of Laos!

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com