The adventures continue

I thought I'd write a few words while looking for ways to kill the next 9.5 hours in the Hanoi airport. My flight to Bangkok was cancelled and the next available one is at 9 pm (it's 11:30 am local time). And that's too late to catch a connecting flight to Chiang Mai, as I had planned. I hope my Chiang Mai hotel gets my email indicating that I'll be arriving a day later than anticipated.

Anyhow, I was skimming my earlier posts and realized I'd painted a rather idyllic picture of things here. The reality is very much a mixed bag. I've seen incredible sights, eaten wonderful food, and met all kinds of warm, friendly and interesting people. I've been to places I'd go back to again in a heartbeat. I'm halfway through my trip and I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

But there also are a lot of things that are unpleasant or difficult to see. Shantytowns outside of the cities where people live in makeshift homes out of wood scraps and sheets of plastic tarp. Toothless women carrying burdensome loads of fruit & vegetables on their backs. Schoolgirls and one-legged men on crutches roaming the streets and hawking kitsch to any Westerner they see. Garbage strewn along the sides of roads. Countless stray, mangy dogs looking for any scrap of edible garbage they can find. Chaotic traffic, with neverending motoscooters belching out clouds of grey-blue filth. Smog in some cities that makes it difficult to see buildings that aren't at all far away. These last two things have given me a hacking cough for the past few days.

So, like anyplace, this region has its share of good and bad. Thankfully, the pendulum seems to be moving in the right direction. For years many areas in Southeast Asia had no regard for the environment whatsoever - and it shows. But local governments, tour agencies, farmers and fishermen are beginning to realize the importance and value of their natural surroundings and are taking steps to protect them. Development in a lot of cities seems to be providing opportunities that didn't before exist. There are plenty of reasons for optimism in the face of the ugliness.

One last thing, following up on the mangy stray dogs - on the way from Hoi An to the Da Nang airport the other day I saw a dog on the side of the road wearing a freaking necktie. I swear I am not making that up. I thought it was a shredded leash remnant or something, but as we got closer it became clear that he was wearing a tie. I don't know who decided to spruce him up like that, but plaudits to them. It's a sharp look. I need to look into some neckwear for the lads.

Okay, that didn't take much time. I've still got another 9 hours to kill. At least it's past noon, that makes it officially acceptable to have a beer. I'll post Hanoi & Halong Bay updates when I can.