Well, it is good to be back, alive and kicking.
Trip has been memorable. Secret is -
a. go with some one half your age!
b. better still - let them plan it! Their enthusasim for life or at least their sense of adventure is just beginning.
c. go on trips planned for Westerners. Why? they want to see things that we take for granted, or do things like trekk for 14km a day - non stop; except for half an hour break for lunch! We need 'to do things' - every thing must be result-orientated. This is as opposed to stopping and enjoying the moment!
Overall lasting impression?
d. my legs wobbled (literally) over, up and down, on one of the steepest mountains, at Sapa, Vietnam; where the Hmong villages terraced their fields! Hits home the fact that I need to exercise; and must do Tibet before my legs could no longer handle it!
e. was knocked down by a motobike in the middle of Hanoi city. Did a double roll and stood up without a scratch!
f. jumped into the waters at Halong Bay, at about 4degrees C. Just so I could add North Pacific Ocean into my list of Oceans and Seas, I have had 'bathed' in. It gave the tour guide called Power, a near heart attack; to quote him - we are the first Asian and female tourists in his charge and experience of ten years, that jump into the bay in winter! Water was so cold that it took more than my breath away!
g. got 'kidnapped' and taken to another hotel. Apparently it is a typical trick done to tourist. Hotel turns out to be relatively cheap and four star standard!
h. doesn't matter what background we were from, and how we are brought up! if we cannot let go of our past and move forward, we are what we were! A lesson I seem to witness or reminded ever so often!
i. missed the flight, although we were standing in the long queue! Just another of our Malaysian inefficieny!
j. So we miss the first part of the journey. Originally supposed to spend two days in Kunming, cross the Chinese border in an overnight bus (with bunker) into Vietnam. Other than the fact that I have had to pay double fare, apparently, we were lucky that we missed this part of the trip. Our Friend threw away her towel-blanket after the bus journey!
Last but not least, Yup, my God and Lord, Jesus Christ, is with me where ever I go! Amen!
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