I made a promise to an elephant. I prefer not to make promises, (as my children will attest), but today I do. I have no idea if I can help, but I have to try. We can look away,…
Day 6 and 7 (Ho Chi Minh Trail ) ~ Getting into Lak Lake Region
Our arrival into the Lak Lake area is heralded by a total switch of scenery and dynamics. No more traffic. No more construction. A steady stream of rice paddies, small hills, and return to rural Viet Nam’s easy rhythm. Unlike…
Day 4 and 5 (Ho Chi Minh Trail) ~ Road Construction and spills
After riding through the lush countryside and indigenous communities, we hit a less than idyllic patch. The multiple shades of green give way to a uniform grey, due to the seemingly endless road construction. The road narrows to one lane,…
Bahnar village, Central Viet Nam ~ “Village of children.”
Ever since we visited the National Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi months ago, we wanted to go and see the majestic tall houses of the indigenous people of the Central Highlands. There are 54 minorities in Vietnam and many of…
Day 2 and 3 (Ho Chi Minh Trail) ~ from Kham Duc to Kon Tum
The goal for Day Two is to get to Kon Tum. However, when we are still two hours away, it’s 4 p.m., and a huge storm is clearly moving toward us. We are all pretty beat anyway, so we stop…
Ho Chi Minh Trail, Viet Nam ~ Day One: From Hoi An to Kham Duc
The night before we embark on a big adventure — namely a motorbike ride form Hoi An in the center of the country, across the Central Highlands of Vietnam I have mixed feelings about this upcoming trip. Of course, I…
Paradise Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park ~ Voyage to a distant beautiful Galaxy
Hue’s appeal lies also in its magnificent surroundings. A short 4 hour train ride transports one from the center of Hue to Phong Nha. We drop off our “long distance” scooters in Hue and hop on the train for a…
The art-filled Imperial City of Hue, Viet Nam
Hue was the Imperial capital of Viet Nam for centuries. A succession of ten or so emperors constituted the Nguyen dynasty. The Imperial court had extremely formalized and hierarchical societal roles ~ from high level mandarins to the eunuchs whose…