Legend has it that Halong Bay was formed by dragons. The jagged rock islands that tower over the landscape sprouted from the sea as these mythical beasts spat jade into the ocean to ward off invaders. After winning the battle, the dragons descended back into the deep ocean.
While some geologists would not be satisfied with this description of the formation of a world renowned natural landmark… a little mythology, folklore, and magic always make life a more enjoyable. So for the our last week in Vietnam we (Eileen and Ted) decided that after spending our time as “salt of the earth folk”, our team should spend our remaining time allowing a truly magical country like Vietnam to up the 'wow' factor of this trip. We decided to bring on the dragons.
After leaving Tinh Hoa, we spent a lazy day in Hanoi before taking a night train to Sapa – the northern highlands. The air in the mountains was cool and refreshing while the scenery was the stuff of legend. Though we encountered a lot of fog and rain, we managed to go on several hikes. The paths were a bit muddy and slippery, but with the help of Lang and Chi, our Hmong guides, as well as several of their relatives, we were able to explore the surrounding villages, hills, and valleys. And though the Hmong women have a slight frame (with some weighing less than 100 pounds), they have supernatural strength and balance. Many of them helped our students while carrying babies and small children on their backs.
Our three days in Sapa was short, but incredibly sweet… but unfortunately time is never on our side. We returned to Hanoi, again via night train, and, spent the day at museums and a water puppet show. At night we had Indian food, but chicken tikka masala was not the only focus of our meal. We (Ted and Eileen) made a surprise announcement… we’d be spending our last day at Halong Bay! This excursion was not planned in the original Putney itinerary but with some careful research we were able to find a good trip that would fit our timeframe.
Halong Bay was everything that we had imagined and more. We spent a majority of our day on a boat touring various islands and rock formations which the legendary dragons had created centuries ago. After lunch, we had the chance to try out our kayaking skills and paddled through tunnels, past miniature lagoons, and across the blue-green ocean. But for the most part, we just lazed around on the decks of our boat, enjoying each the beautiful landscape and each other’s company. For our last day in Vietnam, spending time together is all we really wanted to do anyway… but the gorgeous scenery did not hurt!
It is hard to believe, but we will be heading home in a few short hours. Our bags are already packed and the flights have been confirmed. As much as we do not want our Vietnamese adventure to end, I think that many of us are, at some level, ready to come home. We are ready to brush our teeth using tap water and cross the street without fear of a motorbike zooming in front of us. We are ready to sleep in our own beds without several roommates, and we look forward to showers with good water pressure and toilets that actually flush. And we are definitely ready to share our experiences with family and friends at home.
But one thing is certain… we are not ready to give up the Putney Magic that we’ve experienced this July. Only on a trip like this can nineteen complete strangers feel like family in four weeks. Only on a trip like this can a group like ours get to know and fall in love with a rural village in 'The Middle of Nowhere, Vietnam'. Only on a trip like this can we laugh and cry at the same time when someone says the phrase 'Chop! Chop!'
As we leave and as time passes, we’ll email each other, occasionally visit one another, and look through the thousands photos that will undoubtedly be posted on Facebook. From our past Putney experience, we (Ted and Eileen) know that some members of the group will keep in touch better than others. We know that eventually, we will forget some of the minor details of our trip that we hoped so hard to keep fresh in our memories. And we know that some memories will be exaggerated into our own Putney Vietnam folklore.
But no matter how much time passes, none of us will ever forget how magical this trip really was. Dragons may have formed Halong Bay, but they only wish they created the magic that we did.
Signing off,
Ted and Eileen
We hope you enjoy the photos below of the three completed houses (worksites 1, 2, and 3) with their respective students and workers/volunteers.
