Phu Quoc Island
Trip Start
Dec 04, 2007
1
16
56
Trip End
Feb 26, 2008
Duong Dong,
Vietnam
Monday, December 24, 2007
Stern View of Fast boat to Phu Quoc
. Most choose not to use them. Meanwhile back in the van, our handler now insisted we make room for four more people. We found room for an elderly woman in the back. A man and wife and child were ordered by Mr. Smiley to crush in the fourth row of seats with four other people, one of which was a big angry Dutchman. We now were in full mutiny. The Dutchman behind us (in row four) was livid, screaming unitelligible Dutch at the top of his lungs. His wife was struggling to keep in in his seat. Mr. Smiley, kept on smiling. I offered to load the three additionals in Mr. Smiley's jump seat, and told him he could stay and have lunch, and that the van would pick him up on the return route. Others called the hotel that booked the van. Mr. Smiley, waving his arms and screaming, banging on our bags, decided to go to lunch. While he ate his bowl of pho bo (beef noodle soup), we sat in the van holding our positions. He came back, and again asked for more dong for each back pack, all 16 of us refused. We held our ground, 16 passengers was enough. Eventually we got underway again. About one hour from Rach Gia, where we were to catch our fast boat to the island, he made his final move. He had been on the mobile phone, then as we drove throught a small village, he slowed the driver down, opened the sliding door, and pulled another adult into the van. He gave up his seat next to the door, and leaned over new passenger number 17
Port side view
. Now he had to try and close the van door. For over 1/2 mile he struggled. His ass out the door, head into the van, trying not to fall out and all on board offering absolutely no assistance. It was a hoot. He finally managed to close the door, and offered me a toothy grin, his face now centimeters from mine as he leaned on and over the new rider. Over the next hour his head got lower and lower. He was surley earning the little dong he had pocketed earlier. He would periodically complain about the bags, then began pushing me in the stomach, complaining that I took up too much room and should hand him some more dong. He was really endearing himself to me at this point. I realize that this guy probably was not paid much money for his work. I thought also about the concept of "personal space" and that clearly there was a dramatic difference in the cultural application of the concept. Later, while leaning into my face so close I could not focus on him, he began bumping my money belt, then a few minutes later suggested I take a nap. I thought to myself "Right, that's just what I want to do now". This guy was beginning to piss me off. I think I managed to remain quite calm, considering, and only managed to head butt him once before we disembarked. In retrospect, he could have made much more in tips from happy passengers than he did by selling seats to folks along the road, pocketing the money, and essentially creating an uncomfortable and potentially unsafe situation for everyone. We have encountered a similar scam in Africa. A bus leaves mostly full of ticketed passengers, travels a few miles, driver pulls over and the bus is then overfilled with local passengers with no tickets, driver pocketing the profit. As our the week went on, we would meet other passengers from the over stuffed mini van, and laugh about Mr. Smiley and our adventure in mini van packing
Long Beach , Phu Quoc Island
. In every case. it was mutually agreed, that it was a truely good thing that the Dutchman's wife had held him down in his seat when he exploded. We never saw the Mad Dutchman again. Mr Smiley was, in fact, an anomoly. He was the one and only encounter we have had which was less than satisfactory. The Vietnamese have been wonderful, throughout the trip. The fast boat was a hydrofoil ride that took abut 2 1/2 hours to cross to Phu Quoc Island. We had called ahead to 5 hotels and had difficulty finding a vacancy. We decided to "step up" to a $38 US room at the Tropicana. The place had a nice pool and the food was great. The rooms, however lacked good "fit and finish". The doors and windows had big gaps for mosquitos to enter. The top of the walls had a huge gap open to the outside between the header and the roof. The rooms had nice mosquito nets over the bed. I carry masking tape to cover some window screen gaps, but this was ridiculous. We used the hotel bomb to apply chemical warfare to the space periodially, used our repellants, and the bed net routinely. I think that sometimes, when you step up to 3 star hotels you do't really get that much improvement in situation. The food and extras all seem to cost more. The food was excellent, and staff very friendly. Given that it was over Christmas, we were lucky to have a room. The Hotel wa located on the Long Beach area of the Island
Tropicana Hotel pool side
. Rob had asked in a previous post if I had seen and dogs on the trip. Indeed I have. On this island there is one kind of dog, and it comes in two colors; Brown and Black. It is a ridgeback, with a long curling tail. It is said to have a blue tongue, and is reported to be able to smell the scent of it's owner for over 1/2 mile. The Lonley Planet Guide Book suggests that there may be another reason for this ability. The Island produces some of the best "Nouc mam" in Vietnam. Nouc mam is fermented fish sauce used in cooking here, and the world over for that matter. The process of fermenting fish sauce produces an ordor not to be missed. You know when you are within a mile of the processing plants.
The second day on the island, we rented a motorcycle to explore the northern tips of this island. We rented only one as Barb had not operated one before. We choose a new 125 cc Suzuki, with automatic transmission. It ran well and had plenty ofd power. The traffic on the island was nothing like we had seen in the preceding cities. As we let Duong Dong the roads turned to a red dirt. You had to avoid embedded rocks and slow for the sharp leading edges of bridge structures. There were cows and chickens to avoid as we passed through small villages. We had planned a 100 km journey to both the NW and the NE tip of the island
Tropicana Massuses at work
. The Island is contested territory, as Cambodia has a claim to it as well as a different name for it. As a result of this dispute, there are some Vietnamese military bases located on this end of the island as it is closest to Cambodia. About 40 km into our adventure, the real adventure began. The rear tire went flat. We were in the boonies. We had at least 5 km to the NW tip of the island. A few vans passed by, and told us to go forward toward the village, as there was a repair shop there. So I began walking along side the bike, idling along, giving the machine enough throttle to engage the cluches, then releaseing it again. Barb walked behind, with the helmuts and the camera, enjoying the walk. It was cooler here, as we were in the higher elevations of the island. The insects were making an very loud whistleing noise in the bush. It was awkward walking alongside the bike. I was afraid to ride it as I didn't want to ruin the tire, and didn't want to leave Barb behind. What a way to spend the day before Christsmas.
Just when I had enjoyed about as much as I could stand, what to my eyes on the horizon did appear? It was a Vietnamese Farmer, with 5 tiny kids, riding a old Chinese Tractor, which had been worked to the nibs. In the blink of an eye, he turned it around, pulled a pin from his seat, and the trailer dropped down
Phu Qouc Ridgeback Dog
! I mushed on suzuki to climb the incline, the kids held it steady, it was simply sublime. In a blast of black smoke, the tractor roared, we were off to the village, our confidence restored. It was off to the village, our happy crowd flew, we we heading to repair the tire anew. Ok, Ok, enough with the Christmas stuff. We were delivered to a tire repair/mechanic shop. The Les Schwab of Bai Doi, a small village on the NW coast of Phu Quoc, known for their pearl oyster fields. The shop had three bikes in disrepair, and 5 or 6 children jumping and screaming about our arrival. We were a big hit! Immediately a 10 year old boy sprang into action, and began stripping the bike's right rear of muffler and brackets. I watched nervously as this was a new bike and I began wondering what I would tell them at the hotel when I cames back with a box of parts, and a partial bike. I was pleased to see that the kid kept all the parts organized and contained in a ring on the floor. His choice of wrenches was always spot on. Once he had the access clear, his dad appeared and quickly broke the tire seal, removed the tube, with tire tools made from old re-bar scraps, he then replaced the old tube with a brand new one of the correct size. He asked for 60,000 Dong, about $4.00 US, we gave him 200,000. He was thrilled.
Through out this episode, Barb had been keeping the energized children occupied with impromptu English lessons. She would hold up a finger and say "One", they would chant "one" in response. First they went through the numbers, then colors, then articles of clothing. Barb was having fun and helping to keep the kids from getting in the way.
When it was over, we tipped our rescue driver well, and we went to a local seaside resturant for on the othe best lunches of the trip
Rescue in Progress
. I had stir fried shrimp, lemon grass and chili, Barb had grilled Calamari. While there, Barb celebrated by buying herself a Pearl necklace. ($12 US)The next day we hired a boat for a day of snorkeling around the islands just off the south shore of Phu Quoc. We were joined by a wonderful family of five from Sweden. We swam at about four locations and enjoyed a walk on a tropical beach. The last dive spot was the best with many coral heads, and many brighly colored fish. We passed through fisdhing villages and saw boatmen on their boats.
That night was Christmas Eve. The hotel had worked for several days to prepare a seafood Beach BBQ. The Palms were lit up with christmas lights. People from the hotel and others from up and down the beach joined in the festivities. It was a bit sureal, sitting there on a South East Asian beach, listening to Jingle Bells, watching all the little Vietnamese Kids running around dressed as Santa's helpers. A good time was had by all.
We were lucky to find two empty seats on the Christmas Day flight to Saigon City (Ho Chi Minh City). Next post will be from there. Merry Christmas to all of you.
Comments
Your Best Yet
Hey
This was your best writing and photo journalism yet.
Was nearly on the floor over the Van Ride and the
motorcycle adventure. Nothing has changed. You're
picking it all up. Those were some of the same boats
on the river from the 60s. Nothing is ever new there
except the children. Smiley had gravy stains on his
shirt left from the French Occupation. And Dong, my
God we never stopped commenting on Dong. And they are such a happy lot. They just get up every day and
keep smiling. No one has ever convinced them that
they are poverty stricken. What a joy you are afford
ing us. Thanks. R&K