An Easter Sunday First
I’m not the only one who’s fallen in love with Cat Ba lately and decided to stay longer than planned. My neighbor at the guesthouse, Pete from England, only planned on staying a few days, and has now been here for over five weeks. When he admitted to feeling as sloppy and lazy and I was, he suggested a hike up to the north end of the island, and I immediately agreed to go. When he said he’d come around the next morning to wake me at seven, however, I squawked. It took some pissing and moaning, but I finally talked him into rousing me at 8 am. And starting the next morning, Pete was to step into The Ig’s big shoes and see what he had to deal with on a daily basis for eight long months.
Unfortunately for me, Pete’s quite punctual, and at 8 am sharp I heard my wake-up call from our shared balcony.
I stumbled outta bed and joined him on the balcony, looking down at the road; it’d obviously rained earlier, and the sky was overcast.
“It looks awfully wet down there,” I said as I peered through half-opened eyes that wanted nothing more than to close again for a few more hours.
“Ah,” he answered, “it’ll be fine.”
“Could rain though,” I said hopefully.
“So we’ll get a little wet,” he said. “I’ll put the kettle on so you can have a coffee before we go.”
“Okay,” I said, and as soon as he’d turned to go to his room, I crawled back into bed.
A few minutes later he was standing in front of my door.
“What’re you doing!” he said, clearly amused. “C’mon, get up!”
I grumbled and threw the covers over my head.
“Get up you lazy cow!” he laughed. “You’re telling me you walked the Great Wall!”
I grudginly got up, had my coffee, got ready to leave, and then pulled on Pete what I’d pulled on The Ig every chance I had.
“How ’bout just one more coffee downstairs,” I pleaded. “Their coffee’s really strong–that oughtta get me going.”
Pete’s just as easy-going as The Ig, and readily agreed with a laugh.
Once I was sufficiently jacked up on joe, Pete and I set out to walk the entire length of Cat Ba island, a mind-boggling twenty-two kilometers.
I was a little worried at first, because Adventure Turtle flat-out refused to go, but Pete proved to be a stellar guide.
The scenery was stunning right from the begining, and it got better with every kilometer we walked.
I was disappointed the first time I stopped to pee, as I’d been bragging about the draw of the Beacon; my pants were already up before four motos zoomed by, proving my scarred behind doesn’t have the same pull as it did in days of yore.
We stopped at a small shop on our first break, and Pete whipped out his Vietnamese phrase book so we could chit-chat with the proprietors.
The man was quite tickled with my camera, and didn’t hesitate to give his photography skills a go. Seemingly bored with the beauty around him, he instead snapped a pic of Pete and I.
I couldn’t help but keep snapping away at the beautiful surroundings, and true to form, I’d bug Pete to see the map nearly every time we stopped on a break. I’d also pull my regular schtick when he was ready to roll again.
“Just as soon as I’m done with this smoke, ok?”
When we came across this woman with her goats,
I of course said hello, then much to she and Pete’s amusement, I bleated out greatings to the goats as well. Although Pete said he was going to walk on his own after that, he got over his initial embarrassment for not speaking goat and let me keep pace.
When I stopped to take this photo, a buffalo was standing out in the open. As soon as I raised my camera, however, he galloped behind the tree on the right, where you can see him peeking out.
For Shibble’s sake–who ever heard of a camera shy buffalo?!
It was a fantabulous day hiking the 22k up to the bay,
but then the moto drivers there pulled a mafia move; they quoted us double the price for the ride back, then when we refused, they made sure to run up to the bus drivers so they’d back ‘em. Disgusted, I told the Moto Boss I’d walk the 22k back before giving him a sinlge dong (dong being the Vietnamese currency).
We walked six kilometers back before a bus came by and I waved it down. This was one of the busses from the bay, and now that there weren’t any moto drivers around the price dropped to the normal fare.
Pete and I climbed on, and as we rolled towards home, I knew his experience in Ig’s shoes wasn’t quite complete.
“Hey,” I said, “have we passed the places where I peed yet?”
“I don’t know–why?” he asked with a befuddled smile.
“‘Cause then I could point to ‘em as we passed and say, ‘I peed there…and there…and yep, there too.”
Although Pete laughed, I’m sure he could’ve lived without having to experience the play-by-play of the day’s bathroom locations. However, he now knows what the poor Ig had to deal with, and he certainly proved to be a trooper.
Tommorrow I should be off on my first rock climbing trip if Onslo shows up. Keep yer fingers crossed and pray to Shibble that for once I’m confident instead of clumbsy!
Tags: cat ba, Hiking, southeast asia, Travel, Vietnam, Tag Index
April 10th, 2007 at 4:49 am
Ahhhhh, memories!!!
Hard to imagine I would think back fondly on all that stuff. Well, except the walking 22k and then 6k waiting for a bus….that I can do without.
Looking pretty tan, there, James….as soon as I get all this laundry done I plan on lounging by the pool and giving you a little competition!
missya, loveya,
Ig
April 10th, 2007 at 6:17 am
Hey James! Looks beautiful out there. I am home sick with the munchkin today. But looking at your pics makes me want to get out into the fresh air. Oh wait…I am in Michigan and it’s going to snow today…I guess that would just make me sicker! I will just peruse your pics and dream of warmer weather while I drink hot tea and blow my nose. (probably didn’t need that little detail huh? ) See ya soon!
Bean
April 10th, 2007 at 7:21 am
Hiya James. Just looking at those pics makes me real glad that I’m not walking up and down those hills!! Imagine doing an ass-tobogan down one of those.
Beautiful scenery – I’m starting to get that green tinge again. Wish I was there.
Shaggy °¿°
April 10th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Jamie,
Very nice! I might be wrong, but didn’t they film the James Bond Movie “The Man with the Golden Gun” around there? Either way the scenery looks just as breath taking. Be careful on your Rock climbing adventure.
Peace and Love from Y-Town!
Oscar
April 10th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Wow! the pics are great. I like the one of the goats on the rocks, cute. The bull is shy isn’t he. LOL The scenery is beautiful. Praying you have a wonderful rock climbing adventure with no missed steps along the way.
thank you for sharing it is truly awesome!
April 10th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
I know you are loving Cat Ba. It is so beautiful. Although I know you are having a great time I am looking forward to your return. Be safe and enjoy the last few weeks of your trip, then get thy buttocks home! Love Ya!
April 10th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
You’ll never stop, will ya? ANOTHER 22k after all those k’s that you JUST walked. Unbelievable. But if you’ll hike it, I promise I’ll read about it!!!
Just promise me in return that when you finally make it to Florida someday you won’t make me walk any further than from the car to the door of the bar! (That reminds me- I gotta get Ig to promise on that too…)
April 10th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Hey Oscar – Man with the Golden Gun was filmed near an island near Krabi in Thailand.
Gorgeous photos, Jamie! I love karst cliffs. They look like something from a sci-fi/fantasy movie.
April 10th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Hey Jamie! Great to see you haven’t lost your photography skills. You always seem to get the best pictures. And manage to torment your hiking buddy in the process. Such a talent! I have a friend who’s working in Hanoi for a bit teaching the locals how to run a clinical study. If you’re ever up that way for a time, let me know. I’m sure she’d love to speak with someone without an accent! Keep posting and we’ll keep reading. And it was great to see Ig again. In person. If only briefly before he ran back to Florida like a sissy.
April 11th, 2007 at 6:11 am
Kirsten,
Thanks for the correction. I am now incorrect on an international scale! lol
Oscar
April 11th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Jamie, what great scenery, and you only had to walk 22K to see it. Remember when you are home that peeing in the yard is not necessary. I’ll have to watch you for a while until you break that habit. ROCK CLIMBING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now there is something I didn’t need to know until afterward. Oh Well, be careful and enjoy yourself. See you soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 11th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
MMMMEEEEEHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Goats… ;+)
April 13th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Ig; give up now, you’ll never beat my tan! ;~)
Bean; well, I’ve tortured ya’ll with details that certainly could’ve (and should’ve) been left out! Hope yer feelin’ better!!
Shaggy; wait ’till you see the next ones, brotha! You’re gonna be greener than Kermit!
Oscar; my next adventure involves a TC’s burger and a Strongbow cider! ;~p
Laura; the goats were shy as well–I had to zoom all the way in just to get ‘em, the buggers!!
Jay; I’m nearly there, brotha, I’m nearly there! :~) You pickin’ me up at the airport with dad? ;~)
JP; it was 28k when you count the 6k we added trying to get back!!
What about walking to and from the bar? :~)
Miss Kirsten!! :~p Long time no hear! Heard about yer own adventure in shark infested waters; and yesh, the circus music is applied to yoos both in that one! :~)
Craig; tormenting is my specialty. Just ask my dad, brother and Ig. :~) I’ll be in Hanoi in less than a week now, but there’s TONS of foreigners there, so my guess is your friend isn’t too starved!
Dad; I don’t think I can make any promises about not peeing in the yard! ;~) And don’t look at the pics in my next post if I ever get it up! However, it’s not as bad as it looks! ;~)
Scooter; I expect that to be the first thing you say to me upon my return. :~p
April 14th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
Jamie, you sure are taking so many wonderful photos, excellent shots. In picture http://www.thegreatwallnut.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/P1020525.thumbnail.JPG, that is the jackfruit tree. It has fruits on it. As far as the kind of karst topograhy you are experiencing, if you want to continue, you may go to Guilin in Guangxi (just take the train north to China the neighbour. You may go next to Zhangjiajie then, another scenic place in neighbouring Hunan province. Enjoy the ups and downs of the Karst terrain.
April 14th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Jamie, second try to send it to you.
Jamie, you sure are taking so many wonderful photos, excellent shots. In picture http://www.thegreatwallnut.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/P1020525.thumbnail.JPG, that is the jackfruit tree. It has fruits on it. As far as the kind of karst topograhy you are experiencing, if you want to continue, you may go to Guilin in Guangxi, just take the train north to China the neighbour. You may go next to Zhangjiajie then, another scenic place in neighbouring Hunan province. Enjoy the ups and downs of the Karst terrain.
April 14th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
RE send
April 20th, 2007 at 3:11 am
Soong; I was hoping you’d leave a comment and lemme know that fruit! :~) Thanks! :~p