Thursday 12 September – Friday 13 September – Tam Coc
Thursday 12 September
Awake a bit after 7.00am. Our toilet, which was struggling to drain efficiently last night, is now pretty much not draining at all, and flushing of said toilet is now not an option.
While it could be a blockage, my suspicion is that it is related to the rising flood waters, which right now, are pretty much lapping at the end of the Viet Ha’s property.
And with it still raining, albeit not that heavily, I suspect it’s going to get worse, before it gets better.
Phone is perused for a bit while sitting on the side of the bed, until an overwhelming urge to lay back down washes over me.
It was clearly a good idea, as an extra hour of sleep is found.
Up to breakfast by 9.00am, a cà phê sữa đá each, fried eggs with tomato and onion, which is essentially an omelette, along with a bánh mì roll, for me, while Lisa has pancakes with banana.
All prepared by the husband.
It’s all good, but also helped by the setting we’re sitting in, which is undercover, but in an open area across from the pool.
Breakfast almost complete, a plate arrives, laden with fruit of pineapple, banana and watermelon.
The eating continues…..
I get a WhatsApp message from Toan, asking if we’d like to have dinner at his place tonight?
It’s far from a difficult question to answer, and his response to my ‘Absolutely!’ reply, is that he’ll pick us up at 6.30pm.
Breakfast finally done, I take a quick look out the front to check on the water situation, which reveals there is significantly more of it, with the narrow road beside the Viet Ha, now mostly covered.
View from the back of the Viet Ha.
Back to the room, light rain still falling, and the toilet is checked.
Yep, we have a problem, so it’s back up to report, using Google Translate, our issue to our guy who just made us breakfast.
I answer no, while shaking my head to the question I knew he was going to ask, which is that we haven’t attempted to flush toilet paper.
He disappears, returning a few minutes later with a plunger, and sets about making noises I’d rather not hear.
The plunging is a failure, and he uses Google Translate to tell us he’ll prepare another room for us.
We sit around for a bit, the rain stopping us from doing much anyway, and pack up for the third time in three days.
Damn one night stays….
On the positive, a decision is finally made on the design for another body altering procedure, and is then duly booked in for when we return to Hanoi.
Room finally ready, unpack complete, and with the rain having now finally stopped, we take a chance and head out on the bikes around 11.30am.
Our road into town, in a couple of sections, is now completely under water, which doesn’t come as a complete surprise, after seeing what we’d seen earlier.
Past our family of goats, as well as a couple of water buffalo enjoying the conditions, and into Tam Coc. The first thing that’s noticed, is the distinct lack of orange lifejacket clad bodies, in the boat ride area, with it all looking very quiet indeed.
Out of town, and in the direction of Hang Mua, and we’re quickly in amongst fields of lush green rice. It’s beautiful.
Getting closer to Hang Mua, and I begin to become aware that my stomach is perhaps unhappy with something inside it.
My immediate course of action is to ignore it, and hope that I’m just imagining something that is not actually there.
Turn off down towards Hang Mua; part of the road is underwater; and eventually reach the ticket booth.
We stop, watch nothing in particular, while contemplating my immediate future, as my stomach confirms that I most definitely have a problem.
Lisa, who is yet to hear of my issue, asks if we’re going to climb the steps?
But I’ve now come to the conclusion that being a few hundred steps above where we are right now, and in amongst a bunch of other people, is perhaps not the greatest idea, should things head to where I am of the belief they are headed.
We turn around, back past all the parking touts, and through the water, as more cars and buses arrive.
Back to the main road, and in the interests of not yet finishing this ride, as well as giving it a little more time to see where this ends up, we turn left.
It’s a pretty narrow road, mostly built up and kind of local looking, but not short of tourist oriented businesses.
It ain’t, however, Tam Coc central.
On we go, and despite the feeling of inevitability about it all, it’s all rather pleasant.
Well, it is, until that inevitability arrives, announced by the pulsing and tensing of stomach muscles.
It reminds me of the 2019 Green Village ride, which is a day that will be long remembered for reasons I’d rather not remember, and I quickly pull off to the side of the road, fortuitously as it turns out, at a clear grassy area.
The muscles do their thing, but it’s all just dry retching, and everything remains where it is.
Which is probably both good and bad.
Being pretty sure of a repeat, and more ‘successful’, performance, in the not too distant future, the decision is made to head back ‘home’.
Back towards, and past, Hang Mua, dodging buses on roads not really made for them, and then eventually back to the main road.
I’m alerted to the fact that it is definitely going to happen again, with signals given that it will be more ‘productive’ than the first time.
Appropriate places for the deed are scoured for, but there’s not too many options at the moment.
The signals get stronger, and reaching a reasonably clear, and vacant, grassy area once again, I pull off to the side.
But as I do, I notice a small group of western tourists walking my way. I’ve passed a point where I can do anything about that now, and the dry retching begins, while I strain as far away from my bike, while still holding on to it.
Like the first time, it’s a bit of a non-event, with the result just being aching stomach muscles and watering eyes, while the tourists continued about their day, seemingly not overly fussed with the scene I was making.
It all eases, but I know this isn’t over yet, and I wait a minute to confirm.
And sure enough, I don’t have to wait long, as my stomach gives me the sign.
About to reach away from the bike once again, I notice a second group of tourists about to cross the road towards me.
Talk about timing…..
Part two begins, and this time we have ‘success’. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough, and there’s certainly enough stomach acid with it.
Oh how I’ve missed this feeling and taste…..
Spasming stomach muscles and watering eyes once again, I offer an apology to the tourists, as they walk past.
They’re sympathetic, and one even attempts to lighten the mood, when he asks if I was perhaps riding too fast.
It’s funny. But only kind of.
Things finally ease up, and we move off.
But I now have two concerns; one, I really don’t want a repeat performance in the main street of Tam Coc, and two, and perhaps more importantly, there are now signals coming from the other end of my body.
Into Tam Coc, the pace is intentionally quickened, and then the relative safety of the turn off is reached.
Along our road, and one of the areas where the water was actually sitting on the road earlier, is now considerably deeper, with it being deep enough to see fish swimming across it.
It’s fascinating, but while the fish appear excited about their journey to the other side, I can’t but wonder if it’s as good an idea as they seem to think it is right now.
There may be no coming back!
I really need to get back to my issues at hand, rather than thinking about fish and their decision making…..
Into our village, there’s plenty of locals out and about inspecting the rising water, and then into the Viet Ha around 1.00pm.
Toilet utilised; it’s lucky we got back when we did; and then lay down, waking up an hour later.
Toilet again, not great, but better, and then take a couple of gastro tablets.
I feel okay-ish, but a little tender.
Back outside around 2.45pm, with the target being food, but food I’m not completely sure I want.
Down our road, and the water is even higher now, with plenty of locals out taking in the sights.
There’s even a group of kids, in an area in front of a building which is a little lower than the road, having an absolute ball, by using it as a bit of a makeshift swimming pool.
Getting deeper……
But taking advantage of it.
We can’t help but stop and watch for a few minutes, managing to save a pair of thongs belonging to one of the kids, as they began floating away.
I hand them to him, and with a very appreciative look on his face, he tells me that he loves me, while signifying a love heart with his hands.
Yep, just another one of those little things.
Into town, the fish crossing area now even deeper than two hours ago, and, because it’s easy, we head back to yesterday’s lunch spot.
Two pineapple juices (40 000 Dong each), a pork bánh mì (30 000 Dong) for Lisa, and a ‘devoid of everything’ bánh mì (10 000 Dong), for me.
It’s as good as it can be, but more importantly, it stays down without too much difficulty.
Back on the bikes, and take Lisa back to the turn off, buying some fruit of rambutan and dragon fruit along the way, from a local vendor.
This results in the realisation that I have no idea, as in absolutely no idea, on how to pick good rambutan and dragon fruit.
An Australian apple or orange?
No problem.
But ‘exotic’ stuff?
Yeah, clueless.
Being 4.00pm, I head off to do the beer thing; not totally convinced it’s a good idea; while Lisa heads back to the Viet Ha.
Off to the Pig Family, and the first tentative sip is taken. I’m relieved, as it actually goes alright.
A bit of catching up on WhatsApp, while sitting and watching pizzas get made, as well as the people who ordered them.
All with a reasonably confident belief, that I may have dodged a bullet after today’s earlier proceedings.
Bill at 25 000 Dong each fixed up, it’s off to my convenience store for beer, as despite Toan telling me they had beer, I just can’t go emptyhanded.
15 000 Dong beers purchased, my lady rather happy to see me again, and then it’s back to our village, and the floodwaters.
It’s rather dark, but there’s still locals out and about checking the rising water. They are incredibly friendly, and I receive lots of hellos and acknowledgements, but I am a little worried how much worse this is going to get.
Not for us, as we can just pack up and leave, but the locals are sort of stuck, as well as then having to deal with the clean up.
Back at the Viet Ha before 6.30pm, quick shower, and all of a sudden Toan is out the front.
Big hug, and it’s just great to see him again.
Introduction to Tuc, our driver, and then into the car and on our way.
Back through the water, and as we make our way through Tam Coc, it absolutely buckets down.
Just more water the area, and the people, really don’t need.
Out of Tam Coc, onto some main roads, which we share with a heap of trucks. It takes me back to Ninh Binh in 2014, with the number of trucks going through town, being one of the first things I noticed.
Lots of chatting with Toan; I no longer have any idea of where we are; and all of a sudden, we’ve arrived.
Into the house, we’re introduced to Toan’s wife, sister, and three kids.
Dinner is served in the usual Vietnamese way, which just means there’s so much of it, and the night is spent chatting, eating, drinking beer, and more chatting.
Toan’s daughter, Mai, takes a shine to Lisa, and the two of them are almost inseparable, helped along with Mai absolutely loving the opportunity to try out her English. Which, just happens to be excellent.
Toan mentions a possible trip on bikes tomorrow, out in the countryside, if we’re free?
Apart from ‘conquering’ Hang Mua, we have no plans, so we take him up on the offer.
The subject of rain pops up, which then results in the offering of travelling in the car, instead.
“No”, is my immediate response, to which Toan laughs. He knows me too well.
Almost 10.00pm, it’s time to call it, with our visit having flown by. It’s been a fantastic night, almost surreal, and I’m incredibly grateful that we got the opportunity to meet and spend a little time with Toan’s family.
A couple of photos, and we’re back in the car, and on our way. Into Tam Coc, and then off onto our road.
The water is where we left it, but now, there’s even more of it, to the point that the car almost stalled, as we made our way through the deepest part.
It’s all getting a bit serious now.
Into the Viet Ha, and the young group of English tourists who arrived today, are milling around the front.
Our hosts had warned them not to go out tonight, and instead stay in for dinner and drinks. A few of them are a little worried, not just about this location, but where else they could, or should, head.
We have a bit of a chat, just trying to help if we can, and in the process, find out that a number of rooms that they are using, also have toilet draining issues.
It’s unfortunate, but I am just a little pleased to hear that it wasn’t just us, as well as the fact that it appears to confirm my belief that the flooding is causing the issue.
Into our room for the usual.
The day started with a bike ride and a public vomiting display, and then came to screeching halt, with fears about where it might all end up.
But, it managed to turn around pretty quickly, with the rest of the day, even though we didn’t really do anything, actually being a bit of fun.
That ‘sights’ versus ‘sites’ thing again, I guess.
And then there was the dinner, which just capped it all off. Again, I just feel incredibly fortunate that we get to do some of the things we do.
So, loose plan for tomorrow, is that Toan and Tuc will pick us up at 9.00am.
But with this weather, and the flooding, I’m just not terribly confident it’s all going to go to plan.
Friday 13 September
Up at 8.15am. Lisa’s ready by 8.30am. I’m not. She goes to breakfast.
I get a text. Toan’s already here.
Pretty sure 9.00am was the plan…..
A quick cà phê sữa đá, along with some hastily eaten fruit, and we’re on our way a bit after 9.00am.
Avoiding the deep water, we head around the back, past where I saw the efforts of the levee bank builders, the other day.
That ‘levee bank’, is now under water.
As are the lower portions of our tyres. It’s fun. It’s like being a kid again.
Through more water, which is making the usual picturesque scenery, even more picturesque. I like this place.
Eventually out of the water, and into, then out of, Tam Coc, with the scene of yesterday’s breakfast reemergence, just a little further on.
Into the countryside, and then past Trang An; geez I’m glad that we did it ten years ago, and now don’t have to do it again; and we leave all the tourists behind.
We travel roads unseen before, or perhaps they’re just unremembered, and stop for our first break near a river, that looks more like a lake.
It’s huge, complete with appropriately sized boats for something so big, and apparently, there’s a floating village somewhere out there, as well.
Rest had, we head off, waiting patiently for a wedding not far down the road, that included at least three buses, to go past.
A conversation we had last night, about Vietnam’s now stronger drink driving laws, is recalled, with the new law being that drivers are to have no alcohol in their system, should they be in control of a vehicle.
Could buses now be a part of any sensibly organised wedding?
On we go, more typical Vietnamese countryside, while we dodge, and share the road with, water buffalo, cows, chickens, ducks, and countless dogs.
The vast majority of them understand how to share a road, but the chickens are yet to evolve.
They just seem to have a knack of being able to run into danger, as they hurriedly try to run away, from their perceived danger.
The others get it, which causes a touch of guilt in me, because I eat them. The chickens, on the other hand, I really should eat more of.
We pass a river lock, which is probably more like a dam wall, and it gives a little more understanding to just how much water there is. There’s areas that are flooded, but rather than that being a problem to the Vietnamese, they instead see it as an opportunity.
Some are fishing, in boats and on land, some are using nets from the bank, and there’s even kids with kitchen colanders, scooping at the water’s edge.
We pull over for another break, and again, we’re next to the water. The scene in front of me is stunning, and it reminds me of something. And that annoys me.
It looks a little Halong Bay-ish, and I’m reminded of the often trotted out comment about Ninh Binh being like Halong Bay on land.
That analogy has always annoyed me, because to me, Ninh Binh and Halong Bay are so very different.
I am, however, comforted by the fact that we’re not really in Ninh Binh at the moment, as well as the fact that the karsts that I’m looking at, are pretty much in water themselves. Just like Halong Bay.
Annoyance level returns to the long term average, which according to Lisa is higher than the average, knowing I can still justifiably be annoyed when I see someone make that silly comparison.
The water is eventually left, and it’s all, mostly, fields of rice, with mountains in the distance, and tombs dotted throughout the fields.
All so quintessential.
The harvest is well underway, done either by the traditional method, which is by hand, or with mechanical harvesters.
There’s rice already drying on the side of the road, with Grandma looking after it by raking it around with her feet. First raked parallel with the road, then raked perpendicular with it.
Her OCD is good, with straight lines being her forte.
We stop in a small town, dropping in at a family run convenience store, where Tuc buys a set of plastic wet weather ‘clothes’, consisting of a pair of pants, and a top.
I’m slightly perplexed, but assume he just needed some for a ‘just in case’ moment.
We head off, and two minutes later, that ‘just in case’ moment arrives, as the sky opens up.
Undercover at a local’s store, we plastic up, as the rain absolutely buckets down.
It eases, so we make a move, but the easing is only temporary, and it’s once again hammering down.
It’s heavy, and probably the heaviest I’ve ever had the privilege of dealing with, while sitting on the back of a bike.
Damn my stubbornness on refusing the car option…..
I spend my time ‘hiding’ behind Toan, occasionally, and very carefully, tipping pooling water in my plastic jacket, off the side of the bike.
Views of any scenery are not possible, as I’m looking down, trying to limit water hitting my face and spectacles.
I can’t see much, but what I can see is water. It’s bright orange in colour, the result of the top layers of the local area’s soil, being removed by this torrential rain.
And there is sooooo much of it!
It finally eases, and then stops, as we pull over at a petrol station to fill up, and use their toilet.
My plastic clothes did the job, but only sort of. I’m wet, but I don’t care. It’s stopped raining.
Lisa’s mildly amused. At least she’s smiling at the moment. Little looks I’ve noticed this morning have told me she’s struggled a bit at times.
Early on I made noises to pep her up a bit, but I’m now just ignoring it.
On we go, rid of our plastic, and then into another small town, this time stopping for lunch.
It’s a noodle soup. Probably phở, but maybe not.
Doesn’t matter, as it’s good. As too are the interactions with some young kids, who are more than a little interested in these strange westerners.
Their parents too, have looks on their faces that suggest we may be a bit of a rarity in these parts.
I like that.
Back outside, and it’s raining again. We wait for a few minutes, but it’s not stopping, so we plastic up, and brave it.
More looking at the ground; more bright orange water.
We begin making our way up into the hills, and then down again. The rain eases, then stops, and minority houses, and their owners, become common. As do rice, and rice terraces.
It’s beautiful.
A rest stop is taken outside a local Hmong house, overlooking a very scenic valley, in front of another mountain.
It’s stunning, but it’s the home owner’s water buffalo that have my interest.
They’re interested in us almost as much as we are interested in them, but they’re a little wary.
That’s okay, because I am wary of them, chickening out of the huge desire to pat them.
Instead, we just watch, and photograph, as they spend their time ‘sniffing’ us.
They are officially my favourite Vietnamese animal; possibly my favourite animal of any nationality; and I believe I have eaten my last one.
They’re just too cute.
The view taken in one more time, then selfies to commemorate the occasion, before heading off.
With Toan and Tuc.
I wear it well!
Onto roads that go up, and then onto ones that go down, and sometimes, ones that just go around. It’s beautiful, and at times it reminds me of Mai Chau, and at others, more Pu Luong.
We stop occasionally to take in the views, and now after all that rain, it’s dry and hot.
Past a huge waterfall, that you can hear better than you can see, and then back towards the ‘main’ road.
Through a wet and muddy patch, but not cleanly, with Toan having to use the water flowing down the side of the road, to remove the unwanted mud from one foot.
Back down the mountain, and familiar sights from earlier begin to appear.
That’s good, it’s been a fairly long day, but it’s also a reminder that we have a long way to go to get ‘home’.
On we go, the roads getting busier, and as such, a broader cross section of driving abilities.
It’s mostly pretty good, except for the arrogant truck driver, who gave Toan no other option but to veer off the road surface. This idiot’s total disregard for anyone else but himself, was seriously at another level.
And then there was the guy driving the big four wheel drive, who, after overtaking us, then cut sharply back in front of us, only to then pull over to park his car.
The truck driver scared me, because it happened so quickly, but this moron just made me mad.
I let him know my displeasure, but he being of the type that has an overly inflated opinion on his whole self importance, was completely oblivious to anything he had done.
Toan, on the other hand, took it all in his stride, and not for the first time, his skill and expertise in all things driving, kept us safe.
Rest stop had, while watching the harvesting of rice in the roadside field. It’s only really the cutting of long grass, but it always fascinates me.
We go on, another rest stop, and it’s starting to become a little difficult.
And if I’m starting to do it tough, then I know Lisa will be doing it harder.
I try and avoid eye contact, but a quick glance shows there’s potential for her to go all ‘Paradise Cave meltdown girl’, on me.
I look away, and instead concentrate on washing my feet in the water flowing around the rice field, with the belief that the rest of our day will be without the earlier rain and water hazards.
Our drive continues, a detour forced up us, seeing as a flooded road is deemed too deep for bikes to traverse, with the solution being that all bikes will be loaded onto a truck for the journey, with their owners either following suit, or being put on a bus.
I’m not exactly sure, as we don’t hang around to find out, and instead, eventually, find another way.
Back to that big river that looks like a lake, another rest stop, with Tuc saving a fish that has somehow become ‘trapped’ on floating rubbish, and then on towards Tam Coc, still avoiding eye contact with Lisa.
Past Trang An, then a stop at a ‘beach’, which isn’t really a beach, before continuing on.
Now getting dark, and while I know we’re not far away, I’m completely lost as to where we are.
The earlier belief that we were perhaps done with water hazards for the day, is an incorrect one, as Toan navigates a road that is covered with vast amounts of the stuff.
At least this time it’s clear, and not bright orange, with it also being quite refreshing.
Past Hang Mua, that road also holding more water than yesterday, and then back into the main street of Tam Coc, which is swarming with tourists, along with a couple of dogs who are now ‘stuck’ together, following their very recent intimate moment.
Out of tourist central, and off onto our road, and not surprisingly, there’s more water than there was this morning.
We make it through, but only just, as the bikes coughing and spluttering let us know that the depth was close to their ‘wading’ limit.
Back ‘home’ just before 6.30pm, and it’s time to do that much dreaded goodbye.
It’s been a long day, impacted somewhat by the earlier rain, but it’s had been a good day, as days spent with Toan always tend to be.
I leave Lisa to organise our transport to Mai Chau tomorrow, while I grab a bike to deal with our dwindling beer supply issue, as well as to see if our flooded road is actually navigable on a bicycle.
Into the water, and with pedals well under that water, it’s both slow going and rather difficult.
It’s also difficult to know exactly where you are on the road, with only the occasional light enabling sightings of the painted line.
Success is achieved, supply issue solved at my convenience store, and the whole process is repeated, with the knowledge that while it is possible to reach town, there’s also every chance that one, or both, of us could end up far wetter than we would ideally like.
Back to the Viet Ha, quick shower; not sure why; then dry off; even less sure why; and then off on the bikes.
Into the water, and part way through, it’s all going well.
But the hope and desire of that continuing is doubted, when car headlights appear up ahead.
Thankfully, he takes it reasonably slowly, with the resultant wake only making things slightly more difficult than what they were.
Through unscathed and no wetter than we needed to be, and into Tam Coc, and back to the Pig Family restaurant.
A pork, noodles and salad dish for me, while Lisa goes with chicken, vegetables and rice.
Again, while it’s far from my preferred type of place, it’s hard to fault both the food and the service.
A couple of beers, the 215 000 Dong bill fixed up, and we start to make our way home, stopping off to buy someone an ice-cream (25 000 Dong), because she was good today, after managing to suppress that meltdown she looked like she might have.
Onto our road, through the first lot of water, and then onto the second, and much deeper, one.
There’s a few locals about, and they give us smiles and acknowledgements as we make our way through.
Back to the Viet Ha around 9.15pm, a quick chat with our very friendly hostess; she seems rather impressed with our bike riding efforts, but our efforts are only attempted because it’s exactly what the locals do; and then it’s onto the bed for the usual beers, Trip Advisor and some note taking.
Tam Coc done, and while it was, as expected, pretty touristy, I’ve loved the place.
Not so much the main strip itself, but the general area that we’ve stayed in.
The scenery, flooded or not, is stunning, and the locals are just so incredibly friendly.
I’m not really ready to leave, and while I’m a little disappointed we didn’t achieve the one thing that was on our list when we decided to come here; climbing Hang Mua again; I am comforted by the fact that it gives us an excuse, and reason, to return.
So, Mai Chau tomorrow, for the second time in two years. But this time staying somewhere far less touristy than that last brief visit.
Here’s hoping my long and drawn out researching of accommodation places pays off.
Alarm set for 6.30am, with pick up booked for 7.20am.
Really should change that alarm jingle…..
Cheers,
Scott
seriouslynot 