Noodles and Notepads

Wow it has now been several months since we returned home from our Asian adventure and it has really hit home how quickly you slip back into your daily routines. Our most recent blog post detailed the biggest highlight of our trip, engaging with VDO (Childfund’s local partner in Batticaloa), Kiwifund, the Childfund sponsored micro finance programme in Batticaloa, our sponsored child and his family and the wider community of Manmanui West where the technology centre is located. Now that we are on the other side of Christmas, New Year and even Easter, we have enjoyed revisiting the wonderful memories of our adventure including the final leg in Sri Lanka.

First stop following Batticaloa was Kandy, this time we opted for a private van with a driver, during the 200 Km journey there were plenty of sights to captivate us along the way. The first half is on flat narrow bumpy roads shared by village TukTuks & school children finishing their day. The second half began with a steep windy climb with 19 signposted bends, we then stayed amongst the hilltops crossing fingers the next vehicle coming around the corner was on its own side of the road, we witnessed plenty of close calls! The jungle became denser, the air slightly cooler while the monkeys casually sat roadside eating scraps flung from passing cars. It is an extremely busy road, with just as many villages, dwellings and hardworking locals as down on the flat, however this time the homes are all stacked hillside, almost on top of each other.

Kandy lies amongst tea plantations high in the hills of central Sri Lanka. With narrow streets, houses perched hillside, steep driveways and a bustling town centre below it is quite a contrast to our previous destinations. On the shore of the picturesque man-made lake within the town ship is the historic palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy. One of Sri Lanka’s most well-known Buddhist temples is located within these grounds, the Temple of the Tooth relic, it is one of the holiest places for worship and pilgrimage for Buddhists around the world. Once again we were not only mesmerized by the construction and history that surrounded us but the rituals and ceremonies of hundreds of Buddhists had us captivated.

As well as an abundance of street food vendors, markets stalls and eating houses Kandy is a great place to buy local tea with many boutiques selling every type of tea imaginable and all made in the region. We took the opportunity while there to visit a tea factory enjoying a tour detailing the process from fresh leaves to tasting the finished product.  The smell inside was divine but we completely sweltered with the soaring temperature inside the drying room!

The train from Kandy to Ella is one of the most popular tourist routes in Sri Lanka (maybe even the world!) so we always had in mind we would like to make the journey. However planning very little in advance on this trip meant there were no reserved seats available on our day of travel! Trains in Sri Lanka are never ‘fully booked’ they just have varying degrees of standing/hanging space so we were a little nervous about our options. Fortunately Matt is the king of research, mostly to be prepared for the unexpected and to make sure we are all safe and as comfortable as can be. On this occasion knowing there were no reserved seats available and we were going to have to run the gauntlet of unreserved tickets (perfectly doable without three children in tow, much, much less so with!) for the seven hour journey to Ella Matt took the opportunity to witness the train arriving at Kandy the day before our intended day of travel. The train arrives from Colombo on it’s way to Ella and the chaos that ensued of passengers getting on and off led to Matt making the call for an early rise the next morning to board the train at two stations prior to Kandy – it was either going to work or not! Thankfully it was the most brilliant idea ever, we stood for two stops then were able to get seats all together for the five of us when a handful of passengers disembarked at Kandy, within minutes the carriage was packed to sardine capacity with people & backpacks lining the aisles. It was a huge sigh of relief knowing the kids were tired from the early start and seated but we did feel a wee bit sorry for those not seated.

The journey that follows is quite spectacular, most of the duration is 1000m sea level, surrounded by tea plantations, pagodas and bustling villages dotting the landscape, it really is a true insight into the daily lives of the Sri Lankans living in this central region. Ella is a popular tourist destination with many nationalities all taking the short walk from the train station to the quaint village below. There was a great range of eateries, tea & souvenir shops and what seemed like an oversupply of accommodation with almost every home converted to a guesthouse, it is economical and a wonderful way to stay amongst the locals who are extremely welcoming. One of the main reasons tourists visit Ella is for the walks and hiking with the most popular being Adams peak, unfortunately we were only in Ella for a short overnight stop so we had to pass on the opportunity to explore these trails but will definitely be back to take them in again someday.

Our final destination in Sri Lanka was seaside town of Unawatuna in the Galle district, the South West of the Island nation. This area suffered terribly in the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami wiping out most of the buildings along with a devastating loss of many lives. As Sri Lanka rebounds from civil war and the 2004 tsunami this part of Sri Lanka is redeveloping with hotels, restaurants and bars adorning this stunning piece of coast and while it is clearly catering for a burgeoning tourism market the Sri Lankan charm & hospitality is still alive and well.

While in Unawatuna we had the chance to catch up with the Cannon Family. These guys are really doing amazing things with a deep emersion in volunteer work in Sri Lanka. The Cannons had up and left their day to day lives in the UK to spend 6 months in Unawatuna where they were volunteering on various projects you can read more about their amazing journey here

And so that brings to an end our Asian travels. Sri Lanka, as hoped has really captivated us, it is a wonderful geographical masterpiece filled with welcoming smiles, warm hospitality, wonderful inquisition and a real affection for New Zealand. We are so happy with the choice we made to focus our efforts on the community of Manmanui West and even more privileged to have had the time we have with the amazing people on the ground who make this support happen every day, we will be back with even bigger aspirations.

We hope you have enjoyed following our journey and maybe you have found some motivation to find a cause and support it. If you have but don’t know where do start our attitude is start by doing, start small or with what you are comfortable with and let it grow. There is a far greater need than any one person can meet and it is easy to get stuck deciding what to do and end up doing nothing. If you are stuck please do not hesitate to get in touch, we would love to chat and help you find somewhere to get started.

This not the last you will hear from us, we continue to search for causes that captivate us and hopefully we can help others to take up the challenge no matter how big or small.

And so the focal point of our journey has arrived. It has been great to see large swathes of this brilliant country, Myanmar in it’s infancy and Ho Chi Minh’s vibrancy but this is the real reason we hit the road in the first place.

We have to start with a list of thank yous because so many people have made our time and commitment to Batticaloa a success. Firstly to those of you who have contributed to the fundraising for the technology centre project, we and the community of Manmunai West are extremely grateful for your contribution. We received a number of anonymous contributions and for those we cannot thank you personally so hopefully you picked up the link to this blog and are following us, thank you. A huge thank you also goes out to the friends and families of Holy Family School in Wanaka for their generous donations of balls, books, stationary, clothes and much more. This all now holds pride of place for many children in Manmunai West.

To the Childfund National Office’s in New Zealand and Sri Lanka thank you for your time and patience. We know we have challenged you a little on what is possible but it was worth it.

Finally we owe a huge debt of thanks to everyone on the ground in Batticaloa that made our time here so memorable, we cannot possibly mention you all by name and of course there are so many wonderful people and leaders in the community who probably do not have access to this blog (although some of their children soon might through the technology centre development). To everyone at Childfund and their local partner, Vavunathivu Development Organization (VDO), Bernard, Delima, Kajan (chief photographer) and your amazing team in the field, Nayeem, Alex, Kuhendran and the whole Kiwifund organisation and last but not least the hundreds of community children and parents that took time out of their days to meet us and welcome us with open arms into their early childhood centres, schools, learning centres, children’s clubs and work places, thank you for everything you did for us while we were in Batticaloa, we were truly humbled by the experience and are so proud to partner with you on your journey.

It is almost impossible for words and photos to do justice to the time we spent in Batticaloa. Those of you who have been following our efforts for a while now will know that this is a community recovering from the ravages of war and natural disaster, many without the bare necessities of life, but at every turn we were greeted by people with huge smiles, energy and willing to give everything they could to spend time with us.

Chronicling our time in Batticaloa in detail would require readers of this blog to take a days leave to read it so a summary is in order but we are itching to share our experiences so please do not hesitate to get in touch if you want to learn more.

Every experience was extremely overwhelming and always left us with huge smiles from ear to ear and more often than not at least one us fighting a little tear in the eye. Not least of which was meeting our sponsored child and his family. This meeting lasts for hours and you never want it to end, we were welcomed into their environment with a traditional welcome, taking time (through translation) to share our respective history and aspirations, learn about each others families and interests over shared lunch, exchange of gifts and customs, games and more. As a mother Anna felt an incredible sense of gratitude from our sponsored child’s mother, although there were language barriers, the emotions were high as both mothers embraced while watching their boys instantly connect sharing laughter and joy while kicking a ball between them and flipping part filled drink bottles! To know that our sponsorship will help him with an education and a promising future feels really really good!

During our time here we experienced almost every aspect of Childfund, VDO and Kiwifunds community activity. A visit to an Early Childhood centre saw us greeted by children aged 2 – 4 resplendent in beautiful uniforms with equally well presented teachers. A huge swathe of these children volunteered short performances for us which were a real treat. It was amazing to see the lack of inhibition in these children to perform, something very different to what we are used to.

Time at the Irudducholaimau Vishnu School where the technology centre project is being completed really opened our eyes to the impact this project will have. To realise that this project with bring a secure class room with a handful of desktop computers, power and internet to a school where classes are currently being taught on the verandas of old buildings and senior students were sitting exams under a lean to designed as a bike shelter helped us understand the magnitude of what is being undertaken. One of the things that really sits with you as you travel Sri Lanka is the importance placed on schooling, Sri Lanka actually has an abundance of schools and while the infrastructure often isn’t more than a concrete shell without doors or windows all of these schools are full of qualified, energetic and invested teachers, hundreds of children well presented in uniform, supportive parents and community groups all culminating in a lively and energetic buzz.

Through the efforts of organisations like Childfund and VDO these children, most of whom are enduring a walk or ride well over 30 minutes each way, also get access to facilities for after school opportunities and we got to visit these also. Learning centres are facilities where children voluntarily drop to do additional study and childrens clubs provide extramural activities, generally sporting or art related. At first these seemed like free baby sitting but it was quite the opposite, they are run by volunteers with strict rules of behaviour and performance, children’s clubs also have a community elected child leader responsible for upholding these criteria, there is no free ride.

It was on a visit to a children’s club that the goods donated through Holy Family School in Wanaka were gifted. This was just an amazing experience. At every destination we arrived at our hosts adorned us with the most spectacular and freshly prepared flower lei garlands, we were always presented with these one by one as we arrived. At this particular children’s club Matt was presented with so many we could barely see him once finished and he was struggling to carry the weight. The gifting of goods donated from Wanaka was not just a privilege to be able to do but a chance to have some fun also. With over 100 children and parents crowded around the donated goods were presented semi formally to the guardians of the children’s club with the responsibility of pumping up the balls which were deflated for travel passed to the child leader. Everyone watched on patiently as he pumped away to inflate everything, upon completion a frenzy broke out as 80+ children dove for every new toy they could get their hands on, how no one was injured in the aftermath of cricket, rugby, frisbee, badminton, football, catch etc that ensued in the modest sized field is a mystery. For the less sport inclined, our girls were eager to take a group inside. Armed with  pens, pencils and paper, it was such a treat to colour & draw spectacular creations, Charlotte & Ruby were thrilled to come away with a handful of drawings and handwritten notes many of which said “Thank you” and “I Love you” – very touching! For all of us but in particular Charlotte, Ruby and Bede this was a brilliant experience, children formed relationships immediately  and it was almost impossible to leave, in fact the departure process probably took almost an hour, it seemed like the children of Manmanui West didn’t want us to leave and new games, including a dance off kept breaking out.

We also had the opportunity to spend some time with the Kiwifund team, this is a brilliant story that really energised Matt. Kiwifund is a micro finance team in Batticaloa that received it’s seed capital from Childfund. It is a community group based funding organisation that supports local’s to grow their income. From initial seed capital of $40k they have written loans totalling over $160k with a 99.67% repayment rate and now have capital of over $60k with over 3000 people having benefited from loans. All loans are administered through local community boards from application through assessment criteria and repayment. Applicants access loans of between $150 and $600 with interest at 1% per month (much less than they would get through traditional channels) and use this capital to grow their income. We spent time with two recipients, one a carpenter who used his first loan to procure timber so he could turn his orders around quicker, now highly regarded and employing two people and another a sewer who used her loan to procure a machine rather than sowing by hand, she has now expanded her portfolio from garments to include bags (one generously gifted to us) and on top of loan repayments puts $10 a week into bank savings, this from people who previously earned less than $20 per month. There is still a lot for the Kiwifund team to achieve and a journey we will follow closely with interest.

And so it is that we have left Batticaloa armed with memories that will last a life time and a connection that will see us return often. This is just the start of our journey with this community, despite having so little it is populated with smiles, energy and determination. Thank you once again to everyone who has made this such a humbling and rewarding experience.

It is an easy drive from Habarana to Trincomalee, a straight line of around 80km, with air conditioning in the form of the canvas sides being down on the jeep, we were nicely wind blown and exfoliated on arrival, such fun! Another form of transport to tick off the list ✔️

Prior to arriving we made a short stop at the Hot Water Wells, these are hot water springs at a local temple, it was a wonderful sight seeing many of all ages splash the water over them selves, laughing and embracing this natural phenomenon. We also saw our first snake, he was a massive one being held by a local asking for money to have a photo- ah no thanks!

Trincomalee or “Trinco” as the locals call it is known mostly for its naval base and has many surrounding beaches. It is a town spread along a stretch of coast with bays and inlets. Our guest house was just a short walk to Uppuveli beach, built, owned & operated by Jacob, he had great English and was most helpful to us.

The sandy stretch of Back Bay is lined with colorful fishing boats side by side on the sand with the remnants of the civil war, which ended just seven years ago evident in the neglected and damaged buildings also dotting the coastline. Unfortunately the areas also dominated by the fishing trade are also littered with rubbish, not only spread over the sand but bobbing about in the water. Further up the bay there are a handful of resorts and backpackers where an effort has been made to clear the rubbish so we enjoyed our swim there in the bath temperature like waters.

Our full day in Trinco was spent attending a morning Catholic Church service spoken in English at St Mary’s Cathendral. It is always lovely to be a visitor at another parish and this was no exception. The best way to see a destination is always on foot so we did spend a few hours walking and exploring, however this has been one aspect of the trip the children have found most challenging especially in the heat, but we battle on and there is usually some form of reward in the form of something cold.

Earlier in the day we stumbled across Dutch Bay, as Mum had stepped in cow poo (cows wander freely here) she made a beeline for first sign of water she came across, which happened to be a cleaner calmer beach than our first day. So while Dad donned his long baggy pants to visit nearby Koneswaram temple, Mum took the kids to the beach for the afternoon where our little water babies were in their element.  We were a bit out of place with our fair skin & swimsuits, I guess swimming togs are not widely owned here as everyone was swimming in their clothes.

It was a wonderfully relaxing way to spend the afternoon, we spoke to many fellow swimmers, who were mostly visitors in Tinco for the long weekend. It was almost like any other beach scene with picnics, ball games, icecream & food vendors, apart from the fellow deer that scattered the beach in search of food!

Our last morning in Trinco we decide to hit one more beach, we dialed up our TukTuk driver from the previous nights ride home as he had an upscale “family size” TukTuk! We headed north to Nilaveli Beach, a little further north this stretch of beach is much less developed (although progress is evident) and subsequently cleaner and quieter, a lovely beach to visit that will no doubt develop substantially in coming years.

We enjoyed our time in Trinco, however there is much more of this fascinating country to experience so a bus ride this time onto our next destination…….. Batticaloa.

Coming from NZ we probably knew more about Sri Lanka’s cricket team than the country itself, however a work trip for Matt 2 years ago changed all that. For him the city & people of Colombo (Sri Lanka’s capital) captivated him, planting a seed with a desire to explore further and spend time embracing the culture and its people.

Just like the other Asian cities we have visited, Colombo is a bustling city and hot! There are many new office and hotels buildings being constructed, traffic is chaotic however this time there are less scooters and more TukTuks! They are however a cheap and efficient way to travel in a busy city & we proved once again it is possible to squeeze a family of five in one TukTuk, oh and one driver even let Charlotte & Bede Drive! Many locals choose to use the many commuter trains, crammed in like sardines and hanging on for dear life out the door, Matt wanted to take the train from our accommodation in Wellawatta to Colombo Fort Station in the city centre, thankfully a ticket purchase wasn’t that straight forward and we were spared the experience, for now!

With Colombo lying on the west coast we were able to walk along the beach in the Mt Lavinia district enjoying the warm sea water at our feet, sunset, dinner at a restaurant on the beach and some late night crab spotting using iPhones as light!

Already we have sampled many of the local cuisines, including fish rolls which are deep fried like a spring roll but soft with a fair amount of chilly! Curries and rice are served everywhere and the children jumped at the chance to eat like locals using their fingers, Nana would’ve cringed! I think they had the most fun when we ate chilly grab, donning our “bibs” and armed with metal claws to crack open the crab they enjoyed that more than the crab itself.

While in Colombo we also had the opportunity to meet Child Fund Sri Lanka’s National Director to discuss the impending visit to our sponsored child as well as the Technology Centre at Irudducholaimau Vishnu School in Manmunai West and potential future projects in Battilcaloa. All the staff we met at Childfund were so incredibly friendly and welcoming to us. The purpose of our trip is getting nearer and we are really looking forward to being there in person at last.

An early start saw us arrive at Colombo Fort Station at 5:30am, despite our prebooked taxi not turning up, thankfully were able to find a ride from a man living in his van in a neighbouring street! It was surprising how busy the station and CBD was at this time. We had prebooked our train tickets which ensured we had seats for the 6 hour journey ahead. We had been told to take along our own snacks however vendors jumped on board between stations selling a range of food including fish rolls, sliced mango, cold drinks even popcorn! There is much to see on the way, we even saw an old derailed train, left in place to rust and become part of the jungle. The train had no doors and opening windows which the children hung out of like dogs out a car window – freaked Mum out just a bit!

Our Arrival at Habarana made us feel like we were in the middle of nowhere, thankfully a short tuk tuk (three in fact for the 5 of us plus luggage) ride later we realised we were in a bustling village.

Habarana is on the main route heading east and a great base for easy access to major tourist attractions and safaris. Almost as soon as we were settled at our accommodation we were picked up by a Jeep to go Elephant spotting, our fabulous guide Asanka (who we later discovered was also a chef at our accommodation) took us 22km away to Kaudulla National Park, he had told us that some of the other parks didn’t have many Elephants today but this one did, and he did not disappoint. We witnessed more than 300 Elephants in their natural environment, we could get quite close, while leaving the jeep running in case the Elephants were not so happy about our presence. The mothers are very protective of their babies, if they sense they are in any danger (which of course they weren’t) they prepare to attack. We were captivated by these remarkable creatures, watching them curl there trunks like a corkscrew to pick grass for eating but also to throw over their backs if the insects or birds were bothering them. They were so content whether munching grass, bathing in the water or playing games in the nearby jungle stomping through the bushes. If you watched one long enough they look like they are giving you a smile! A special memory that will stay with us forever.

Our second day in Habarana, we ventured to Sigiriya and Dambulla. First stop the ancient city of Sigiriya. Home to the Unesco World heritage site of Lion Rock, it is unable to be missed from the vast flat landscape that surrounds it. The Lion rock is a former residence for King Kashyapa, built over 1500 years ago it is now a site of ruins with foundations still present showing the locations of his two (yes two) palaces and surrounding water gardens and swimming pools. One on the flat for use during the dry season and one on top of lion rock for use during the wet season. To view the one on top of Lion Rock we had to climb 1202 steps & stairs hanging from the cliff side, with monkeys frolicking nearby they were a perfect distraction from the drop below us!  The children did pretty well, with encouragement from our guide there weren’t as many grizzles as there would have been if it was just Mum & Dad. The climb was well worth it for the view and to witness the grandness of a structure built so long ago. It was abandoned following the kings death when it was then used as a buddhist monastery until the 14th century.

A short drive away was the township of Dambulla, this is a fairly large township, Matt knew of Dambulla as having one of Sri Lankas well known Cricket stadiums which our driver kindly drove him past, Dambulla is home to another Unesco World Heritage Site, The Golden Temple of Dambulla, also known as the Dambulla Cave Temple. Requiring another hefty but worthwhile climb in hot conditions this Temple is built near the top of another natural rock formation. Approaching the summit of the 160m rock is a rather typical temple entrance but what lies beyond are 5 caves carved from the rock containing over 150 Buddha statues and over 2000 square meters of murals painted and carved onto the ceilings and the walls.

 

There is so much more to explore in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka and there is no doubt that Habarana is a great base to do so but the East Coast is calling and today we have arrived in Trincomalee were we will spend just over a day before heading on to Batticaloa.

This week we are joined by a special guest blogger, Anna’s brother Dave has visited with us from London so he get’s the first crack at chronicling this part of the journey, take it away Dave…

Hi Chi Minh City. Hi Chi Wah-wah. Miss Saigon. The old Lady. Home of the ambitious new Vietnam to Japan Subway line. The city of a billion motorbikes, where their only road rule is ‘just close your eyes and hope for the best’   More recently, it’s become the most geographically convenient place to visit family.

To have the opportunity to explore with Anna, Matt and the kids (or ‘Big Papa LamLams and the Wanaka Weetbix Kids’, as the blog would have been called if I’d had my way) on their South East Asian odyssey is a rare treat. With Matt’s experience and exploration knack, plus the kids infectious intrepidity I was excited and confident I’d fit a lot into my one week here. Anna’s here too.

I flew into HCMC the night before the Laming’s, then on Sunday I set off for the Bin Tanh market to track them down. The market is a network of narrow lanes between over-stocked stalls, and I embarked on my Laming-hunt with all the gusto of the opening sequence of a James Bond film. When I found them I happened to just miss Matt throwing down some hard-line negotiation. Failing to achieve an amicable agreement on price this particular vendor lost his sale. I believe he even threw in an impromptu course in Vietnamese sign language (VSL), though that failed to sweeten the deal.

In general, Ho Chi Minh is a bustling, frantic yet polite and cosmopolitan city. One can walk from wide, leafy boulevards and air conditioned shopping malls to energetic, grimy markets in a few short steps. Matt, who has been coming here for work in recent years has even noticed the extent of the downtown development, further evidenced by the drastic change from photos in the HCM museum of only 10 or 12 years ago where the city looks almost unrecognisable. Today the development continues. Our new apartment building had another major development next door (with floors going up almost nightly), building sites occupy any open space and cranes dot the skyline in almost every direction. The traditional side remains though, in the markets, the small authentic local restaurants and street-food vendors selling Banh Mi, Vietnamese coffee and iced tea, Banh Trang Nuong (street pizza – amazing!) cheap Rolecks and Roy-Bans and almost everything else.

We spent the first couple of days familiarizing ourselves with the sights, smells, sounds and humidity of the city. The kids quickly adapted to the traffic, and the cautious yet confident ducking and diving though motorbikes to safely traverse every intersection (and most footpaths). They were all surprisingly comfortable and confident in their new surroundings, though we had to refrain from shouting “Charlie!” across crowded public areas, lest we induce flashbacks in any visiting American veterans. You are constantly reminded, however, that you are indeed in the tropics and a long way from London or Central Otago, with lunch-time downpours and humidity pushing 100%

Our escape to air conditioning very nearly led to an international incident. At lunch we discovered we’d left the kids’ backpack at the shopping mall, which seems so unlikely given they were all constantly offering to carry it for each other! As I raced back to fetch it my mind immediately wandered to the bag being stolen, to it being held by mall security, to the whole building and surrounding blocks being cordoned off while the counter-terrorism unit bought in its bomb-disposal robots, to what safe passage to Cambodia would cost me (both in monetary value and self-respect) when I needed to flee Vietnam. Thankfully the good folks at Buds San Francisco Ice-Cream had safely stowed it for us. The seriousness of our near miss didn’t hit home until Anna pointed out that the backpack had 5 passports in it (Don’t tell Matt).

The afternoon ended calming our nerves at the award-winning Pasteur St Brewing co (which would have looked more at home in San Francisco than HCMC). Say what you want about modern technology and our growing dependence on it, but when Anna and Uncle Dave want to enjoy 6 beers each, YouTube and free Wi-Fi provided ample pacification for 3 hot, tired and weary little travellers (don’t tell Matt that either).

Though craft brewing is relatively new to this part of the world, Vietnam has always had a strong culture around coffee. Served on street corners and Starbucks and everywhere in between it is traditional to drink strong, cold espresso over plenty of ice, and sweetened with condensed milk. Your average serving is about 50ml of actual coffee, with the melting ice doing something to thin it down and ensure your $0.50 goes slightly further. But boy is it sweet and delicious. Day one I got a little too excited and had a couple of coffees while I was waiting for the Laming’s but then when I found them I think Matt was keen to have another coffee as well which we had over lunch which was shortly before we had to go and get our bags so we had another couple of coffees while we were waiting back at the first place then after we got our bags we went for more coffee this time with even more condensed milk and by now I had had about 7 coffees and the I felt like my chest was going to explode and then I had to lie down.

We the spent that afternoon wandering around the north of District 1, looking for the former US embassy, from which the last Americans were evacuated out of Saigon in 1975. We found the current US Consulate, a well-guarded compound of largely grass and no recognisable buildings. Hours, and at least 3km of walking later I discovered the original embassy was demolished in 1998. Needless to say, the kids weren’t impressed.

Then to the Mekong. Our guide was Tommy, a cherry and informative Mekong local who entertained us with his delicate grasp of the English language and mildly sarcastic take on Vietnamese life. The 4th of 5 boys, Tommy was also prone to sharing too much personal information. he took an immediate shine to the kids, in particular Bede, whose names he heard as ‘Pete’. Spelling out ‘B-E-D-E’ certainly didn’t help either. It even sounded the same to me.

The Mekong, to use its international name, is the lifeblood of millions in Vietnam. Travelling for over 4000km from the Tibetan plateau through China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam before meeting the sea at the Mekong Delta. From here locals farm, fish and live supporting themselves and the needs of millions in the nearby towns and cities, most significantly Ho Chi Minh. The first stop on our boat trip was the Cai Be floating market, where boats gather from 5am to sell wholesale (min order 10kg) fruits, vegetable, meats, fish and almost anything else. Each boats chosen produce is strung from a high bamboo pole so buyers can easily identify what each is selling. By the time we arrived in the late morning the market was all but over, with a few remaining boats selling sweet potato and pineapple, neither of which we particularly needed 10kg of.

We had a wonderful opportunity to see into the lives of the locals of the Mekong (the inevitable question of just how authentic everything was and whether it was largely for tourists notwithstanding) – local honey production, performance of traditional songs from the Mekong, local fish and tropical fruits for lunch, and the coconut candy factory (a favourite of the kids). The latter specialised in coconut ‘taffy’, and what can only be described as ‘Vietnamese Rice-Crispy Square’. Their ingenious way of ‘popping’ the rice is hot sand in an enormous wok, then filtering out first the sand, then the rice husks before mixing with peanuts into hot caramel made with coconut milk. The husks were used to fuel the fires, with the resulting ash spread on crops for fertiliser, thus completing the circle of life (AAAAH-SIPEMYAAAAA…..)

After lunch the kids took off on their bikes while Uncle Dave read a book and slept in a hammock. It was then time for the bus ride home, during which the rains hit and we nearly left Ruby at a gas station, but other than that it was fairly uneventful.

By Thursday, Anna and I had agreed that we were pretty well Pho’d out (or ‘over pho-ing’), and a slice of toast wouldn’t go amiss. The kids had their well deserved sleep in while I snuck out early-doors to explore a couple of sights solo. First was the memorial for the Venerable Thich Quang Duc, a Buddhist monk who, in 1963, self-immolated in protest of the oppressive politics regimes treatment and policies towards Buddhists. The iconic imagines of this generated widespread international condemnation and pressure on the ruling Diem government. Despite proposed reforms the government failed to implement any meaningful change as was toppled by a military coup in November of that year.

A few blocks from here is the War Remnants museum, now with a somewhat softened name since 1995, prior to which was the ‘Exhibition of US and Puppet Crimes and Aggression’. Though a fascinating depiction of the events that led to and took place during the war, one feels as though it should be taken with a grain of salt. The story is told with a no-holds-barred blunt view from the North Vietnamese of their efforts to bring peace and unity to Vietnam and aggressions and brutality with which they were met by the South, and then the US. Heavy attention is paid to the international protests against the war, events of brutal force and atrocity against civilians and the aftermath on Vietnam of Agent Orange. All harrowing and confronting, and a stark reminder that history remains the account of the victors.

For many of us, the highlight of our time in Vietnam came on Thursday night. This was when we strapped on helmets and threw ourselves headfirst into the fierce HCMC traffic on the back of a motorbike. We were collected from our accommodation by an awesome group of students from Saigon Food Tours, lead by Michelle, who promised to take us to the most authentic food hotspots in the city. Despite some initial reservations, Matt, Anna, Charlotte, Ruby, Pete (Bede) and I all paired off with out rider and tore off into the melee, clinging on for dear-life. If you can’t beat em, join em.

Looking like Minions with our yellow and black striped helmets we set off, delicately negotiating our way through the chaotic peak-hour traffic. Clearly the most sought after food options were out of District 1, so we soon were out in the sticks among the locals. Any intrepidation of riding pillion was soon replaced with sheer joy. We started with learning to make out own pancake rolls with fresh Thai Basil, ‘Fish Mint’, Perilla and fresh rice paper spring rolls with shrimp, lettuce and spring onions, then to the traditional South Vietnamese speciality of Bahn Canh Cua, a rich and hearty crab and noodle soup served by the fierce Vietnamese hostess who ran a tight ship in every aspect except hygiene. Our final two stops on the tour were to a trendy coffee bar on District 3, then finally to Cat Creme for traditional coconut ice-cream, replete with all the traditional toppings, like sweetcorn!. The kids fell in love with our guides – a group of local university students with excellent English – and vice versa. The camera work coming from Matt’s moped was reminiscent of the tour de france – never before or since have I seen such balance and poise from a camera man equipped with a Samsung smartphone. Then it caught fire.

The following day they were on email giving more advice of places that we should go on our last full day in HCMC. One of which was a ‘real’ Vietnamese coconut ice cream shop (the one from the night before was apparently Vietnamese-Thai – THAT’S going in their Tripadvisor review!). For the second time this week Uncle Dave traipsed everyone out to East Saigon to track it down, only to discover that it was shut. This was the last place I was allowed to pick. Despite this, we would all recommend this group to anyone that comes to Saigon. If it’s the only thing you do, do this – book, eat, hang on tight and enjoy every moment!

And with that our time here is almost at an end. It’s been a solid week in one spot, but rarely in travel do you have an opportunity explore a place of such complexity, history and diversity from so many angles. It’s either a fleeting sample before you fly off to your next stop, a tight schedule of meetings and corporate hoo-rahs, or a blissful sun-drenched laze if you’re lucky, but with no real colour or experience. We got out hands and our feet dirty.

For me it is back to London, and for Anna, Matt, Charlotte, Ruby and Pete (Bede) it is onto the next stop on their journey. Thank you for letting me share in the adventure!

Two nights in Bangkok…..

Our next destination is really Ho Chi Minh but international destinations direct out of Mandalay are fairly limited resulting in a quick stopover in Bangkok.

Matt had been here a few times for work and loves the city, of course for Anna it was really only known for it’s stereotyped ‘other side’ and the kids were none the wiser. What greeted us was vibrant, exciting and very metropolitan city with great architecture both modern and historic.

This quite literally was a ‘splash and dash’, two nights and one day and the tail end of the rainy season. The first night we ventured out heading for Saphan Phut Night Market. Dad had us walking to catch the train when a Tuk Tuk driver confidently said he could take all 5 of us, well that got the kids excited and also meant the only way they had any interest in travelling was by Tuk Tuk. With rain clouds building and lighting flashing around Matt piled us on the first river express boat that came by, we were well past the Saphan Phut Market by the time he realised not every boat stops at every dock! Eventually disembarking outside The Royal Palace, the focal point of mourning for King Bhumibol, the first several hundred metres of the walk back to Saphan Phut were quite surreal with everyone dressed in black and various armed forces manning food stalls for mourners along the road.

In our first blog post we talked about the tap being turned on in a sudden downpour, little did we know that was just a trickle, we soon found ourselves in the middle of a fierce downpour and thunderstorm, taking shelter under street vendors umbrella’s soon became futile, within minutes we were drenched, the thunder was enough to make the ground shake and the kids, soaked to the bone actually started shivering despite it being 30 degrees. A couple of bowls of hot noodle soup did little to hearten them and despite the downpour continuing we soon found ourselves in another Tuk Tuk bound for a hot shower.

The next morning saw a leisurely start and a quick trip on the MRT (train) to Chatuchak Market. A sprawling market of over 8,000 stalls selling everything imaginable the biggest challenge was not getting lost! After successful navigation and few bargain purchases it was time to head back and get ready for an early  morning departure the following day. Charlotte took it upon herself to organise a Tuk Tuk ride home, she bargained wonderfully on the price, what she didn’t bargain on was Bangkok traffic, inevitably the ride was a lot longer and hotter than the MRT but it didn’t seem to deter them, it is still their preferred mode of transport, what a treat they are in for when we arrive in Sri Lanka!

Our last night comprised a quick jaunt down the street for dinner and another amazing electrical storm although this time great, with cries of delight and dancing in the rain from the kids, what a difference 24 hours makes!

Bangkok was short and sweet but a real delight. The food delighted us at every turn, on every street corner in every market and the people were amzingly hospitiable. Matt had cashed in some loyalty points to book us into Hotel Indigo Wireless, an absolutely charming boutique hotel with amazing service, if you are visiting Bangkok it really is a must. Unfortunately we had to leave Bangkok behind for an early morning flight to Ho Chi Minh, another new city where we will be joined my Anna’s brother Dave for a whole host of new experiences.

Upon arrival in Mandalay we headed straight to the U Bein bridge spanning Taungthaman Lake. At 1.2km long and constructed around 1850 it is believed to be the oldest and longest teak bridge in the world and a very popular tourist destination. U Bein bridge is actually quite some distance from the centre of Mandalay so visiting it on your way in or out is the most practical option.

Whilst we had two nights in Mandalay the reality is we had one day and it is a city that deserves more, nonetheless we managed to cram a lot in.

With a fairly civilized start time of 8am we headed straight to the Ayeyarwaddy River where we hired a river boat and took a trip up to the village of Mingun. Mingun is a small village but home to several great attractions. We started at the monumental Mingun temple begun by King Bodawpaya in 1790, it would have been the largest in the world but remains uncompleted due to an astrologer of the time claiming that once completed the king would die. Just a few hundred meters up the road is the gigantic Mingun Bell, weighing 90 tonnes it is one of the largest ringing bells in the world. Finally there is the Hsinbyume pagoda, a brilliant white pagoda with a distinct style it allows access to the higher parts offering great views of the surrounding area, the Ayeyarwaddy River and back to Mandalay.

Apart from having to cross several sets of planks to board our boat and the children insisting on practising their titanic poses on an unrestrained bow, a trip up the Ayerwaddy with the breeze blowing through is a great way to spend some time. Taking in the people who make the river home be it on boats or in flax huts along the river banks.

Upon our return to the riverside port in Mandalay we found the customary riverside seat for lunch. This particular restaurant had the first ‘western’ menu options we had encountered on our travels so the kids, possibly a little rice and noodled out went for burgers. Burgers in Mandalay weren’t what they expected and we will leave Myanmar with a Beef Burger and a Fish Burger the only two food orders left uneaten!

Like the majority of Myanmar, Mandalay is awash with unique pagodas a few which couldn’t be missed. The afternoon saw us take in Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to ‘the worlds largest book’ with Buddhism’s sacred text inscribed on 729 marble shrines erected uniformly across an area of 13 acres, neighbouring Sandumini Pagoda which follows a similar pattern with 1774 marble shrines inscribed with commentaries on Buddhism’s sacred text and the Shwenandaw Kyaung Temple. Recognised as the most significant of Mandalay’s historic buildings it was originally part of the Royal Palace of King Mindon. Reconstructed as a monastery on it’s current site in the mid 19^th century it is built entirely of teak with intricate wood carvings and really is an artistic masterpiece. The final visit of the afternoon was to the adjacent Atumashi Kyuang Temple, significant for it’s deviation from traditional Buddhist architecture the original temple was considered one of South East Asia’s most magnificent buildings. It’s original 9m high Buddha included a 28.8 carat diamond on it’s forehead which disappeared under British annexation in 1885. The temple was mysteriously burnt down in 1890 while acting as a British military barracks it’s charred remains where left largely untouched until it rebuilt according to it’s original plans in the 1990’s.

After a short afternoon’s rest we trekked down to the Ayeyerawaddy Riverview Hotel for a rooftop view of the sunset, well worth the visit with happy hour including free cocktail of the day and non-alcoholic punch for the kids! Finally after sunset we made our way to the top of Mandalay Hill. Adorned with religious sites most visitors climb to the top of Mandalay in the heat of the day for sweeping views of the city and the sunset. We had been advised to visit at night and great advice it was, the lighting is spectacular, the temperature much cooler and vehicular access permissible.

Mandalay Hill effectively closed out our visit to Myanmar with a departure the following morning for Bangkok.

To those who have looked after us so brilliantly, Zaw, Thiri, Yeemon, Sai and Nyi Nyi, thank you so much, we are grateful and truly humbled.

We remember planning the trip and wondering if a week in Myanmar was too long, in short it was quite the opposite. This country has so much to offer, the people are wonderful, inviting, curious, kind, eager to learn and eager to please. There is so much more of Myanmar to see, she has captivated us and we will be back for sure.

One Pagoda, Two Pagoda, Three Pagoda……..

Day 3 saw us travel from Yangon to Bagan via Naypyidaw (more soon). A trip of about 10 hours in total but relatively easy driving with the vast majority of travel on a relatively modern two lane highway, albeit not with it’s fair share of bumps and stray animals and Burmese farmers. There are regular ‘service centres’ along the way, these are clean and tidy and pretty cheap, lunch for 7 including ice cream for the kids and beer for Mum and Dad totalled 21,700 kyat (about 24NZD)

With a bit of gentle persuasion we managed to convince our driver to detour through Nayypidaw, the somewhat interesting and controversial capital of Myanmar. It is literally a brand new city purpose built from scratch. Complete with modern roading networks (most about 6 or 8 lanes wide), new hotels, shopping centres, housing estates (with the roofs colour coded to your functional area of employment) hospitals, schools and a stadium the only thing missing is people, it is reported that almost 1 million live here, we saw just a handful. It really has to be seen to be believed, we only drove through it as a short detour but it was an experience in itself.

Not long after passing through Naypidaw we turned off the highway and were back on country roads for the final two hours to Bagan. This part of the journey is far more typical of developing nations in SEA, no real road rules (other than toot to pass) and roads shared fairly between buses, trucks, cars, scooters, animals and pedestrians.

Having arrived in Bagan under the cover of darkness the following morning was a real treat. Formerly Pagan the ‘city’ was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan the first Kingdom to unify what today constitutes Myanmar. During the height of the Kingdom between the 11^th & 13^th centuries over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed of which over 2,000 survive to the present day. Many people will think once you have seen one you have seen them all but it simply isn’t the case. Each temple, pagoda or monastery has it’s own unique history and point of difference. It is common for visitors to be up early to climb a temple or pagoda for sunrise, with three travel wary children we skipped this option but we did climb the Shwe San Daw pagoda for sunset. The weather didn’t play ball allowing only small glimpses but don’t let this stop you, climbing a pagoda in Bagan at any time of the day is a must to get an appreciation for the area. Going in the opposite direction a real highlight was the Kyat Khayon Monastery, as well as typical above ground structures this particular Monastery also has a series of tunnels, sleeping areas and meditation rooms underground where some Monks will stay for days, weeks or even months.

As well as it’s ancient history Bagan is also the centre of the lacquerware industry in Myanmar. This does mean that everywhere you go a street vendor will try to sell you some but it also gives you the chance to visit a workshop and witness these intricate items being manufactured. There are a number of these workshops that you can take in, no doubt many only there for the benefit of tourists. We certainly aren’t experts in the genuine article but we visited Everstand Lacquerware, it certainly seemed very authentic and we would definitely recommend a visit. There are some amazing works on display however many aren’t very travel friendly on either the luggage limits or the wallet.

We managed Bagan one very full day, it is doable but if you have the opportunity to take more time we would encourage it. The ‘villages’ of Nyuang U, Old Bagan and New Bagan that make up the town of Bagan all deserve some time in their own right. We were spoilt to have the services of our English speaking drivers and we would recommend to anyone visiting Bagan to employ the services of an English speaking guide for at least some of your time there.

Day 5 saw us travel from Bagan to Mandalay via Mount Popa, again Mount Popa has to be seen to be believed. Sitting 770 steps atop the 1,518m (above sea level) extinct volcano are a number of Nat (spirits worshipped in conjunction with Buddhism) temples making it a popular destination for Burmese Pilgrims. Mount Popa is a bit off the beaten track but well worth the effort to see it.

One thing that initially took us by surprise was that every temple, pagoda and monastery is adorned with vendors selling everything from clothing to postcards, to artwork to jewellery to laquerware, it isn’t quite what you expect from historical sacred sites but it is just the way of life and something you get used to very quickly. The vendors in Myanmar are not pushy like those in many other Asian countries but they are very determined, upon arriving at one pagoda we were greated by the very same vendor who Matt had brushed off at the previous pagoda several hundred meters up the road, just how she got there before us is still a mystery but enough of an effort for Matt to cave and acquire another pair of baggy printed cotton pants.

Next stop Mandalay…

Min-gala-ba! Here we are in Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar. 48 hours ago we arrived here with our three exhausted but hearty children. After a 10 hr flight from NZ, arriving early morning into Singapore we had a chance to stretch our legs taking in Chinatown, then a freshen up before heading back to Changi for our flight to Yangon.

Like many cities when you first head out to explore by foot there is so much to take in, walking is a great way to see anywhere so to be amongst the residential apartment buildings with market stalls on street kerbs it gave us a real glimpse into the everyday lives of the local Burmese. Like many cities in the developing world the streets of downtown Yangon are dirty, damp and chaotic on the surface but underneath, if you let them, they draw you in with an infectious vibrancy. Stray dogs roam, rickety rusty buses with no doors ply their route and street vendors adorn every spot imaginable but do not let this deter you, for many Burmese this is their life, they know no different, they are extremely hard workers, kind, welcoming and very curious about these five westerners. We have endured many staring eyes, given there are not many western tourists, especially any with kids! But we feel safe, everyone is polite and eager to say “hello”. We tried different street food, some we had no idea what it was but the rice noodle bowls were a firm favorite.

Day one was spent around the downtown area and a look at the port on the Yangon river, as Yangon is inland this is a major transport route for shipping. We visited Sule Pagoda (more on pagodas soon) and stumbled across Riverbank Gallery, which Matt had read about somewhere as being owned by a New Zealander so we popped into say hi. It was great to chat with Gill and Gavin who have lived here for 12 years, extremely welcoming, a wonderful gallery full of original works from Burmese artists and very tolerant of travel wary children! Do pop in and see them if you are passing through. We also spent time in a market place with mostly clothes-accessories, there are very few western brands but we spotted the occasional ‘copy’ which made us giggle such as a cap emblazoned with ‘Quicks liver’. The children discovered an amusement arcade with over 100 games/machines they had a ball, they were in their element  playing air hockey and “wii” type games with fellow gamers & sharing plenty of laughter. Great value, they purchased 24 tokens which cost approx $3NZD.

Our children were great, they followed us through the streets, negotiating their umbrellas through the low awnings and passers by, we walked many miles and they were still a bit tired. They were quiet as they observed their new surroundings and adapted to the heat, but they soon came out of their shells………

On day two we had the honour of being guided by a local connection through Matt’s work. Having an english speaking local sure made a difference and allow us to see a lot more of the city. Early morning saw us take in  Dagon, an area known for its embassies & parliament, for a traditional breakfast of Mohinga, a rice noodle soup with fish, it was delicious but I don’t think I could eat it every morning as many locals do.

The Highlight of the day was visiting Shwedagon Pagoda, it is 2500 years old and even more spectacular than expected, in fact I did get the goose bump & teary eye thing happening! It is glorious, words can not describe the brilliance of the detail that surrounds you. The pagoda is a sacred place where Buddhist have come for thousands of years, to worship and gather together with many traditions bestowed. We each had the opportunity to wet a Buddha that presented the day of the week we were born, this brings good luck. For many westerners this experience would be missed without the knowledge of a local guide, if you were to come here in the future it is highly recommended to employ the services of one. They are not expensive (about $10NZD) and add so much to the experience of a visit.

During our visit we had a sudden downpour, they occur on a frequent basis in many Asian countries however our children had never experienced this. The laughter from them was infectious “who turned the tap on” “I am soaking wet” it really was brilliant! It felt almost therapeutic to be walking barefoot through the puddles afterwards.

Our evening saw us having a stroll through Chinatown as it was being set up for the evening. We had enjoyed a rather large lunch at a BBQ duck restaurant which was delicious but boy we were full. We had no appetite for dinner, but possibly we were also put off by the chickens running around then being served on a skewer at the next stall.

Farewell Yangon you have been captivating and we are so glad to be here, who knows how the city will be in years to come when it has only been in recent years tourists have been allowed to visit.

 

We are on our way……. Flight # 1 . Tick. Flight # 2 cancelled- but huge thanks to the great Air NZ staff who had us rebooked in no time. The kids have gone from trepidation to hyperactive in the last 24 hours and Mum provided the first laughs by queuing with all our luggage in the wrong line at Queenstown airport. Game face Anna!

After many many months in the planning our grand adventure has finally arrived. Over the next 6 weeks we will backpack through some of South East Asia with our focus being on Sri Lanka where we will meet our sponsored Child, Perinparasa, he is 9 years old. We have also engaged with Childfund NZ to help raise money to build a technology Centre in Batticaloa in the east. For more detailed information https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/noodlesandnotepads

A huge thank you to all our family and friends for your interest, encouragement, support and donations. Together we will provide a brighter future for children who have so little.

So watch this space. Next destination Singapore for a short stop before we head to Myanmar.