Ho Chi Min Trail

So, I figured Carla write a bit about our cross country adventure, and figured that I would lend some background info on the HCM Trail, and its significance here in Vietnam.

The trail was conceptualized by General Giap to build a safe route for northern troops to provide aide to Communist troops fighting in the south.

It initially took 6 months to walk the jungle path down the west side of the country, from North to South, carrying rations for the North Vietnamese army. By 1975 the trail was 15,000 km long and was wide enough for trucks and tanks as opposed to the foot path. By the end of its construction it was well protected and had food stores, ammunition dumps and hospitals along the way. Along with an oil pipeline whose whereabouts remain a secret from the people now inhabiting the land around the trail.

All this work required thousands of men, along with a crew of 50,000 youth volunteers used to repair bridges and fill bomb craters by night. People on the route had to contend with almost constant napalm and conventional bombing. Everyday in 1965, the year of the Tet Offensive, US Air Force troops flew an estimated three hundred bombing raids over the trail, and in 8 years dropped over 2 million tones of bombs in an effort to cut the flow of supplies. The trail ran through Cambodia and Laos in parts of the south, and along riverbeds, mountainous terrain, and areas plagued by the daily threats of leeches, snakes, malaria and dysentery. The trail was never completely severed and supplies continued to travel throughout the war.

The trail, now rebuilt as a paved two lane highway, and alternative to highway 1 running from Hanoi to Ho Chi Min City, has its significance preserved through numerous statues and dedications along the way. And is now remembered as a symbol of their victory and their sacrifice. Although critics argue that the completion of the trail due in 2010 will threaten numerous wildlife reserves.

As we traveled down this highway for two days by moto, it may be so that wildlife is being threatened as the jungle bore no evidence of wildlife, hardly a bird in sight. Although the numbers of wild buffalos and cows being herded up the highway to graze were abundant. So many nomadic and minority people live off the highway, and travel by foot to gather food from sunrise to sunset along the fields that border the road. The government also placed laws against using the trees to build their houses as they have traditionally done, as clear cutting of the jungle is becoming a huge problem. Also, as the families are too poor to buy cow dung to re-fertilize their Fields two years in a row, there is constant burning of patches of the forest, to create new farming land and fertile earth. It is so sad to see such a gorgeous jungle being slowly burned away.

The poverty of this area is immense, although does not pertain to everyone in the area. There are some successful farmers and families getting enough to eat. Then again, some of the people we passed by had their clothing literally disintegrating off their backs. And all the while the smiles on everyone's faces as we drove by and waved were priceless. The land is incredibly mountainous, and it is so impressive the angles upon which the people can farm. It was amazing to drive through and see the bear mountain tops from bombing, houses closed due to Agent Orange spraying and infertile land, and many children have downs syndrome and birth defects from the spaying as well. Even bullet holes in house walls, and bomb craters patched up along an American air strip.

We walked on patches of the old trail, and could see it emblazened through the jungle. It is a gorgeous drive, and we are lucky to have experienced the area, mostly untouched by tourists.

Happy in Hoi An

We've just finished our five day motorbike tour, and it was amazing. Our "Easy Rider" tour guides Hieu and Thien were super enthusiastic and know everything about Vietnam. It started with a visit to Thien's house to meet his family (his father was the first Easy Rider) where they fed us green tea and mulberries and a cup of "medicine" (ginger wine) for me because my tummy hurt that morning. Then to the oldest house in Dalat, Thien's grandmother's, where we met her and his uncle. They took good care of us the whole way; stopped often so our bums didn't get to sore, practically force fed us to make sure we had energy for the next leg of the trip and so we wouldn't get hungry "half night", and made sure to take our picture in front of everything we saw just about.

Most people we pass by have never seen a "foreigner" before, all the kids wave, yell and jump up and down, the adults often stare in awe, and the men all want to know if we're married. Thien said he was jealous because everyone kept telling them how beautiful they thought we were while he got no compliments. Not suprising considering they all covet white skin (all the women are always wear gloves and masks in the sun) but still, a big boost to the self confidence.

The Ho Chi Minh trail was incredible, reminded me alot of driving through B.C. .... but with more jungle. The only disappointment was not seeing any gorillas, but we did get to pet a baby monkey. We learned all about how they make silk, and how they grow everything and what they use it for - rubber, rice, tapioca, mushrooms, coffee, bananas, pineapple, tabacco, peanuts, cashews, lots of other fruit that I can't remember the name of, and I'm sure I left some out. We visited numerous waterfalls, a couple pagodas and war memorials. We ate lots of different food NOT including dog, cat, snake, scorpion, crickets or monkey brains, but they do eat all of that. We saw how they weave baskets, make bricks, coffins and canoes, altogether an informative 5 days, mind you I probably already forgot half of what he told us, should have been taking notes.

We ended up staying in fairly nice guest houses apart from the cockroaches, which we're almost used to. Not really actually, neither of us showered this morning cause there was one in the bathroom, 3 inches long or so, but I managed to pee in there still, all the while keeping my eye on it to make sure it didn't come to close. We almost didn't shower the day before yesterday too cause there was a frog in the bathroom that could jump from floor to ceiling, we had Hieu shoo it out for us though (with a stick, he wouldn't touch it either)

Robin can fill in some of the blanks here, this leg of the journey was to much for one entry. We're in Hoi An now and pretty tired. Our room is really nice with controls for air conditioning, fan and lights on the bedside table, plus satellite T.V.! I don't think I'll leave the room tonight, they also have room service. Wish us luck on not going WAY over budget here. There are tailors everywhere that will make you anything from any fashion magazine at a pretty good price, just thinking about what I could have made makes me giddy.
Love and miss you all,
Carla