Welcome to China...

...or so I thought. But first I had to leave Vietnam. By the time the Vietnamese customs officer asked me to follow me into his office I knew something didn’t go to plan. It turned out that my Vietnamese visa expired the day before and he didn’t like this at all (I was just too stupid and completely forgot to check the expiry date). After a lengthy call with his bosses and searching for an English speaking official, they explained that I have to pay a fine of 1,000,000 Vietnamese Dong (USD 55). After withdrawing and handing over the money mood suddenly improved on both sides and they let me continue with my journey.

China here I am!

I boarded the night bus to Kunming and slept with my legs on the locked daypack, all covered by the blanket, as I was warned about thieves operating in buses on that route. When everyone started shouting at 4am I realized that my daypack had been cut open with a knife or razor blade. The two thieves left through the window.
Luckily nothing had been stolen from my backpack, the guidebook must have blocked access to the valuables. Other passengers were missing wallets, cameras etc so everyone went to the police when we arrived. This was definitely too much excitement for one day/night and I decided to spend the day relaxing in a quiet guesthouse in Kunming, planning the days ahead.

Hoi An, Ha Long Bay, Hanoi, Sapa (G)

In den letzten Wochen und Tagen war so viel los, dass ich garnicht dazu kam den Blog zu aktualisieren. Heute verlasse ich Vietnam bereits in Richtung China, deshalb hier nur eine kurze Zusammenfassung der letzten Stationen:

Von Saigon aus machte ich mich per Nachtzug auf den Weg nach Hoi An in Zentral-Vietnam. Hoi An ist eine hübsche Stadt mit unzähligen Kolonialbauten, die heute Souvenirshops, Restaurants und Schneidergeschäfte beherbergen. Ich verbrachte dort einige Tage mit Sightseeing und traf mehrmals Reisende, die ich schon Wochen oder Monate zuvor in anderen Ländern kennengelernt hatte.

Nach einem kurzen und völlig verregneten Zwischenstop in Hue ging es dann weiter nach Hanoi, wo ich gleich eine Tour zur berühmten Ha Long Bucht buchte und zwei Tage auf einem Schiff durch die wunderschönen Kalksteinlandschaften schipperte. Das Wetter hat auch hier nicht ganz mitgespielt (wie man auf den Fotos unschwer erkennen kann), aber Wolken und Nebel konnten uns die Stimmung nicht vermiesen – wir gingen Kajak fahren, Kalamari fischen und die nächtliche Karaoke-Session war der Hit!
Zurück in Hanoi genossen wir das Nachtleben in vollen Zügen und erkundeten tagsüber die Stadt und ihre Attraktionen.


Ein weiterer Nachtzug brachte mich nach Sapa, weit oben in den Bergen Nordvietnams, wo ich meine Wanderschuhe das erste Mal so richtig testen konnte. Die Landschaft hier ist spektakulär mit Reisterrassen soweit das Auge reicht und das Klima auf 1‘600 Metern Höhe ist angenehm kühl. Nach vier Tagen wandern werde ich nun heute nach China reisen, wo mir aber nur ein Monat bleibt bis zu meinem Flug von Peking nach Tokyo.

Phu Quoc Island & Saigon (E)

The last stop in Cambodia was in the town of Kampot, where the French built Bokor Hill Station in 1922 as a holiday resort for the rich and famous. Built on top of a foggy hill overlooking the ocean, various buildings including a hotel, casino and church have been erected but abandoned in the late 1940’s when war reached the area. Today the empty buildings are covered in orange lichen and the whole area has a ghost-town feel.


It turned out to be wise arriving in Vietnam after Tet as various other travellers have been stuck somewhere on the road when public transport shut down during the New Year’s celebrations. However Tet travelling still influenced my travel plans as public transport was booked out far in advance. This meant I had to spend a full week on Phu Quoc Island, a large Island belonging to Vietnam just off the Cambodian coast. Not a bad place to be stranded though, the island boosts some very nice white sanded and palm lined beaches, clear turquoise water and excellent food. I spent the days on the beach, lying in a hammock and exploring the island’s hinterland. Yvonne & Alex, a Swiss couple I met in Cambodia, have been great company and we spent the evenings dining and wining.

A week of beach life was more than sufficient for my round the world trip and I was glad to jump on a plane towards Saigon (officially known as Ho Chi Minh City). City life is what I really enjoy and Saigon is one of the best places to soak up the beauty and chaos of an Asian megacity. I ended up spending a full week in Saigon while the Chinese Visa was processed at the consulate. During this time I visited sights in and around the city and enjoyed the city’s excellent nightlife.