Vagabond Tales: The strange food of Vietnam

by Kyle Ellison on

Apparently, there are no sharks left in Vietnam.

This is not a scientific fact. It’s based solely upon the opinion of my dive instructor in Nha Trang, a trendy resort town in southern Vietnam. While you may initially think this is a good thing, the sad reality is that sharks are one of the most threatened animals in the undersea environment and the vast majority pose no threat to humans whatsoever.

The instructor claimed he hadn’t seen a shark underwater in over 8 years, a fact which led me to speculate as to why. Was the water warmer? Had their food moved further offshore? Had he just not been looking?

The answer, it would turn out, wasn’t as much of a mystery as I was making it out to be.
“Because we eat them all” he nonchalantly mused. “Vietnam, Korea, China, eat all the shark. No more shark.”

While I knew that shark fin soup was a much sought after dish in the Far East, I didn’t think it had reached such dire levels where a trained professional who goes into the water actually looking for them hadn’t encountered one in nearly a decade.His answer did nothing to surprise me, however, as the Vietnamese are renowned for eating absolutely anything; sharks, dogs, birds, snakes, cats, starfish-it’s all just food. Of the Vietnamese, a Cambodian friend of mine once quipped that “the only thing with two legs they don’t eat is a human, and the only thing with four legs they don’t eat is a table.”

I ruminated over this as I examined an oversized glass vase in the dive shop which had been stuffed with dead snakes and black ravens. A curious sight to be sure, the dead animals were soaking in a brackish looking liquid I was informed was rice wine, the final product of which was meant to be an aphrodisiac so potent it aroused women to uncontrollable levels and kept men “strong” all throughout the night. Much of this information was gleaned from an elderly Vietnamese woman communicating solely in hand gestures, a somewhat awkward state of affairs concerning the subject matter.

Regardless, later in the day as I flopped backwards overboard at the outset of my dive, I soon would realize that the Vietnamese don’t just eat anything, but they also will eat anywhere.
As I mentioned in my Vagabond Tales column on roasting marshmallows over Guatemala’s Volcan Pacaya, one of my favorite aspects of global travel is the refreshing lack of liability found in many parts of the globe. This is why it came as no surprise when 15 minutes into the dive we found ourselves inside of a cave 60 feet below the surface, a place where most US based operators would never take beginner divers (though I am a PADI Divemaster, my two mates from New Zealand were only on their second dive ever).

For those of you who have read my blogger profile here on Gadling, you have an idea of what happens next. Navigating his way through the cave with four hesitant divers in tow, a large shellfish suddenly caught the eye of the instructor. Seeing as this is Vietnam and you eat whatever you can find, it obviously meant this was feeding time.

Giving us the signal for “stop and wait”, our instructor hastily grabbed a medium-sized stone from the sand bottom and crushed the mollusk in a Neanderthal-esque display of force. Then, like an orangutan sharing its meal at the zoo, he divvied up the flimsy white meat and offered us all to have a taste, which is how we found ourselves eating raw shellfish, underwater, in a cave, in southern Vietnam.

To answer the question of anyone paying attention, yes, eating underwater is hard, but it’s not impossible. You take a deep breath in, remove your regulator (which is never done outside of the skills test when you first get certified), place the food into your mouth, reinsert the regulator, and attempt to breathe and chew at the same time.

So yes, there are no more sharks in Vietnam, some Vietnamese eat dogs, and if they find a shellfish underwater, there’s a good chance they’ll eat that too.

**Disclaimer: The author does not condone multiple elements of this story, including, but not limited to, tampering with sea life while diving, attempting to eat underwater, removing your regulator under any circumstances, fermenting dead ravens to make sex juice, embarking on a $15 scuba dive in the first place, or discussing politics with a Vietnamese man who’s been drinking, which although it’s not included in this tale, simply serves as a general warning**

Want more travel stories? Read the rest of the Vagabond Tales here…

The best walk in the world? Tackling New Zealand’s Routeburn Track

by Kyle Ellison on

“I keep wondering whether I really like tramping…the cold and the loneliness and the fear–do they outweigh the magnificence, the terrible impersonal glory of the mountains?”

-Charles Brusch, Poet-

14 miles is too far to walk when you’re on vacation. And in the mountains. And carrying a pack. And with your wife, who, to be fair, is a trooper.

14 miles in a day is brutal, but to turn around the next day and repeat the same thing is just stupid.

This, however, was the only way I was going to hike New Zealand‘s ultra-popular Routeburn Track. This past year Lonely Planet listed the Routeburn Track as one of it’s top ten treks in the world, and the heavily trodden track has seen it’s annual numbers climb to over 13,000 walkers per year.

A sub-alpine pass which links the lush Hollyford Valley with Queenstown’s Lake Wakatipu, the Routeburn track was historically used as a trading route for native Maori moving precious pounamu–greenstone–from the quarries of Martin’s Bay to villages further inland. By the 1870’s European prospectors realized the strategic importance of the Routeburn Track as a way of crossing the Southern Alps en route to Fiordland, and the steady stream of visitors was on.

Now, as one of New Zealand‘s 9 “Great Walks“, the greenstone traders and early explorers have been replaced by Gore-Tex covered tourists carrying carbon fiber walking poles.

Nonetheless, like many uber-popular trails the world over, the Department of Conservation limits the number of people who can through-hike the 20-mile route by only providing 50 beds in each of the 4 backcountry huts scattered along the trail. During the summer months, the no-frills huts (mattresses and gas stoves are provided) run a pricey $40 US per person/night and reservations are absolutely crucial.

How crucial you may ask? Well, the Milford Track just down the road is already booked for the entire year, and the next available beds on the Routeburn Track weren’t for another month.

“Except”, chimed the ranger at the National Park office, “for a two-bed opening on Sunday which just opened up. I suggest you take it.”

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Which is how I ended up meandering through the Southern Alps at distances far too lengthy to be enjoyable.

But wait? The trail is only 20 miles. Why did you walk 28? Because one logistical dilemma involved with the Routeburn is that you finish the hike a full 225 miles away from your starting point and the parking lot where you left your car. Thoughtfully swooping in to solve this dilemma are companies who will gladly shuttle your car to the other side of the trail for a cool $200 US, or you can enjoy a five hour bus ride back to your car to the tune of around $100 US/person.

Or, as a third option, you can just save the money and turn your haggard butt around and walk in the way you came. When you are a budget-conscious travel writer who lives in your van, this is unfortunately the best choice.

So why then, if the trail is so fully-booked, expensive, and logistically unfriendly, would so many people choose to trek it?

Because, to put it simply, it might actually be one of the most beautiful landscapes in the entire world.

The trail begins by gently climbing through beech forest so thick it can still appear dark even at noon. Moss hangs off the tree branches like the beard of an old sea captain, the soggy green confines teeming with devilish sand flies Captain James Cook once described as “the most mischievous animal here.”

Even though the Fiordland region is in the midst of the one of the driest winters in recent memory, gently flowing streams cross the trail at regular intervals, with the highlight being 574 ft. Erland Falls which explodes down the mountain with such ferocity the force of its spray occasionally renders the main trail impassable.

Of the two lakes along the 20-mile route, Lake Mackenzie is rung by sun-heated boulders and begs the weary hiker to relax for a swim. Meanwhile, the elevated Lake Harris looms stoically in the shadow of 4,200 ft. Harris Saddle, which is the highest elevation achieved along the trip.

On the ridge line connecting the two sub-alpine lakes the Hollyford Valley opens up in a gaping cleft below, and the glacially carved peaks of the Southern Alps are bespeckled with so many waterfalls the mountains literally appear to weep.

In the distance it’s faintly possible to glimpse the Tasman Sea, the gaze cutting clear over the mountains which form the backdrop to the epically popular Milford Sound. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of a curious kea, the world’s only alpine parrot which numbers only around 5,000 left in the wild.

In other words, if ever you felt like Gandalf riding along a mountain crest, it’s from this very perch right here.

With weary legs, a full memory card, and a body odor sculpted by sweat, muscle cream, anti-itch ointment, and lemon-pepper tuna fish (you have to pack out your own trash), I crawled my way back in to the recesses of the campervan and wondered if hiking 28 miles of the Routeburn Trek was a good idea after all.

Scrolling through the camera and the images burned in my mind, it really wasn’t even a question.

It was.

So is it the best walk in the world? If you do the suggested 3 day/2 night route and the weather is nice…maybe. But really, there are too many trails to be trodden to make such a claim, although I’m more than game to chalk this up to research…

For 2 months Gadling blogger Kyle Ellison will be embedded in a campervan touring the country of New Zealand. Follow the rest of the adventure by reading his series, Freedom to Roam: Touring New Zealand by Campervan.

10 free things to do in Paris, France

by Jessica Festa on

While Paris, France, is not typically thought of as a budget travel destination, with some research and planning it is possible to visit the The City of Lights without spending a fortune. Just add some of these free and fun activities to your itinerary to help you save cash while still exploring the city.

Take a walking tour of the city

While most tours charge a fortune to show you the sites and give you historical background, SANDEMAN’s NEW Paris tours are not only free but also fun. They run on the idea that their tours are so worthwhile that your tip will be enough to sustain the program. I took a tour with them when I was in Paris and our comedic yet knowledgeable guide had the entire group laughing the entire time. And at the end, he invited us to go out with him that night to see where the locals drank. Walking tours depart daily at 11AM and 1PM from the fountain on Place St Michel.Learn something new at a the Musée Carnavalet

The Musée Carnavalet is one of the many free museums in Paris and is one of the best museums for learning the history of the city from its birth to its present through exhibits, art, furnishings, artifacts, recreations, photographs, and letters as you learn about the French Revolution, Voltaire, Rousseau, death by the guillotine, 20th century paintings, and more. The museum’s structure itself is also historical as the museum resides within two mansions, one from the 11th century and one from the 17th century. Some other notable free museums include the:

  • Maison de Balzac- Museum dedicated to the French novelist Honoré de Balzac who produced works like “La Comédie humaine”, “An Episode of Terror”, and “Vautrin” in the mid-1800’s. The museum is actually housed in his former residence.
  • Petit Palais– A fine arts museum with a range of exhibits like The Eastern Christian World, Paris 1900, Renaissance, Graphic Arts, and The Classical World, to name a few.
  • Musée d’Art Moderne– Modern art museum that houses works from the 20th and 21st centuries from artists like Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, Henri Matisse, and Pierre Bonnard.
  • The Louvre– While this famous and overwhelmingly large museum isn’t free everyday, it is always free on the first Sunday of each month.

Hear live music and get a bird’s eye view of the city at Sacré-Coeur

Sacré-Coeur is my absolutely favorite spot in Paris and sits on top of a giant hill. I love going there at sunset with a picnic and a bottle of wine and enjoying an all-encompassing view of the entire city. The area is named after the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, which is a Roman Catholic Church that you can go inside and explore. You can also stroll around the church and visit little shops and small parks. The best part about the area, however, is the live music. There always seems to be a talented singer or musician playing for tips with a big crowd of people gathered around, sitting on the steps near the church, listening to music and sipping their drinks. It’s a really laid-back yet social atmosphere.

Do the Avenue des Champs-Èlysées stroll

This famous walk will allow you to see the many different sides of Paris all in one stroll, as there are bars, clubs, restaurants, theaters, monuments, landmarks, and tons of upscale shopping venues like Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Hugo Boss (okay, so buying diamonds and designer clothing isn’t free…but browsing is!). You will also see the Arc de Triomphe, where you can get a great view of Paris as well as visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Grand Palais, a historical palace and museum, and the Place de la Concorde, a huge square with monuments, fountains, and French architecture.

Get spiritual at the Notre Dame Cathedral

The Notre Dame Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church designed in a stunning French Gothic style that is not only a place the spiritual will enjoy, but also the artistic, with 17th century paintings, a Virgin with Child sculpture, beautiful church bells and organs, intricate stained-glasses windows, and a trippy 360 degree panoramic view when you look up. The cathedral also plays the important role of housing the official chair of the Archibishop of Paris, which is currently André Vingt-Trois. It is open Monday-Friday, 8AM-6:45PM, and Saturday-Sunday, 8AM-7:15PM, and is always free of charge to enter. You can also take a look at their service times as well as times for free guided tours organized by language preference by clicking here.

Spend time outdoors in the city’s many parks and gardens

Paris is home to many beautiful parks and gardens where you can spend hours just relaxing and taking in nature. My absolutely favorite outdoor garden area to visit is the Luxembourg Gardens, which was once only open to members of royalty but is now open to everyone, regardless of class. They are formal gardens that are extremely well-manicured and peaceful with statues, fountains, and a large pond known as the Grand Bassin. There are also a lot of activities that go on in the park, like puppet shows, live music, toy boat races, chess games, and Tai Chi. The Tuileries Gardens, which is also a formal and immaculate park that was once owned by royalty, is also a favorite of mine to visit. If you’re there in the summer, there is an annual amusement park held there annually. To change it up a bit, I’d also vote the Jardin des Plantes as one of the best parks in Paris, as it is a bit more sprawling and unkept, in a natural way, with tons of tropical plants, irises, climbing plants, roses, medicinal plants, and more. It is also the site of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Natural History Museum), a zoo, and an aquarium.

Picnic at the Eiffel Tower

No trip to Paris would be complete without a trip to this iconic landmark. When I was in Paris I visited the Eiffel Tower both during the day and at night, and I would definitely recommend buying a bottle of wine and some picnic supplies and heading over there after the sun goes down. It’s a lot more striking at night when it’s all lit up, and every hour a light show occurs where thousands of flash bulbs start going off, which is a pretty mesmerizing sight to see.

Take in the music scene

There are many venues in Paris that offer great music free of charge. If you like dramatic organ music, visit Saint-Eustache Church at 5:30 on Sundays. You can also enjoy free classical music concerts put on by students at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris. Moreover, certain nightclubs like L’Opa (live bands on Tuesdays and Thursdays), Le Régine, and Le Showcase are usually free to enter and offer more upbeat musical fare. Another option is to show up to a free concert put on by Radio France (arrive an hour beforehand). Click here for a schedule.

Sample wines at Taillevent

Taillevent in Paris is well known for its superb wine selection, and every Saturday from 10AM to 5PM in their wine cellar guests can sample vinos in a tasting led by sommelier Brice Mancelet. Each week is a different theme and visitors will also get 10% off the purchase of a bottle of wine.

Nosh on couscous

Couscous is a popular bar food in Paris, and there are a variety of venues that offer the food free of charge. Le Grenier is the most popular; a laid-back jazz and manouche club that offers complimentary couscous with the purchase of a drink on Saturdays. La Chope du Château Rouge is another option as it serves free couscous Friday and Saturday nights after 9 PM to drinking patrons. If you’re out on a Thursday (or Saturday), head to La Cordonnerie, where they serve the delicious dish free from 8PM on.

[all photos via Jessie on a Journey aside for the glass of wine, which is by Davide Restivo]

Life in Japan, from sushi’s perspective

by Jessica Marati on

In Japan, conveyor belt sushi, or kaiten-zushi, is the equivalent of a burger joint or taco stand: a cheap, quick dining option for people from all walks of life. At kaiten-zushi establishments, small plates of sushi, sashimi, and other Japanese specialties are placed on a rotating conveyor belt. Diners select multiple plates to make themselves a meal, and the bill is tallied at the end based on how many and what kinds of plates were consumed.

The conveyor belt can also have additional uses, as this travel video recently posted to YouTube shows. In it, a group of Western tourists places a digital video camera on the kaiten-zushi rotating conveyor belt in an unnamed restaurant in Japan. The camera makes its way around the room, capturing the atmosphere of the restaurant and earning smiles, laughter, and curious glances from its patrons and staff. The video, simple in its capture, offers a rare glimpse at everyday life in Japan, from sushi’s perspective.

Vagabond Tales: Nobody plans to visit a hospital in Uruguay

by Kyle Ellison on

About the last thing that anyone wants to have happen on their vacation is to end up in the hospital. This much nearly all travelers can agree upon.

What’s even more fun is ending up in a hospital in a country that speaks a foreign language, realizing your vocabulary doesn’t yet include the translations for words such as “syringe”, “infection”, and “spinal tap”.

Luckily for me I found myself in a hospital in a country where I actually do speak the language (Spanish) and I didn’t need any of the aforementioned words listed above. Also, perhaps even luckier is that I wasn’t actually hurt, but instead was simply in search of some prescription drugs.

Allow me to explain.

Punta del Este, Uruguay is a South American beach oasis that’s part South Beach and part Las Vegas. Furthermore, it’s safe to say it’s one of the premier party spots for global jet-setters who may be interested in obtaining some prescription drugs for a big night out.

It also just so happened to be the beach town that my wife and I found ourselves in on our honeymoon when we realized the Xanax she had been packing for the trip home was actually long-expired and completely ineffective, and we had 21 hours of flying coming up before we were safely back home in Hawaii.

It’s been well documented here on Gadling that many people frequently cope with a fear of flying in their own personal ways, and the seriousness of this situation was not to be taken lightly. With the issue of the expired Xanax making itself known, we were really reduced to only two options: buying a used car in Buenos Aires and driving back to California without being kidnapped by FARC rebels in Panama’s Darien Gap, or finding the nearest hospital and getting another prescription whipped up and bottled with our name on it. Stat.Which is how I ended up in the waiting lounge of a Punta del Este hospital attempting to convince the receptionist that two twenty-something year old foreigners who hadn’t even checked into a hotel yet and held no travel insurance really did in fact need some prescription drugs and could only pay in cash.

Yeah. Right.

To be fair, I knew that extracting drugs out of a foreign hospital with no prescription in a second language was going to be a little tricky in the first place, which is why the hospital wasn’t the first place we tried.

Prior to aiming our rental vehicle for the skeptical confines of the Punta del Este hospital we had actually done our best to terrify everyone in an upper-class residential neighborhood on the tip of the doorman at our hotel. Informing him of our immediate need for Xanax, he gave us some rudimentary directions to what was essentially “the house of a guy he knew who could hook us up.” He said the guy was a doctor and ran a home practice, but it was sketchy at best.

Some people go to Punta del Este and lay on the beach or gamble at the casino, while others apparently creep out amongst manicured lawns and spend their day on a mystical hunt for a home-practice doctor who’s mentioned only in hushes and whispers. After having lurked around at least 6 or 7 different yards with the glazed determination of international drug fiends we finally settled upon the hospital as our best bet.

Finally planted in the backroom of the beehive that all hospital’s the world over seem to be modeled after, we actually received a doctor who was very understanding and forthcoming with the goods. No English, but at least forthcoming.

He said he could recognize the genuine nature of my wife’s distress, but we must understand that the number of people who go into doctor’s offices complaining of anxiety to get their hands on some Xanax had taken a disastrous turn in the past few years.

Counting out some little blue pills and securing them in a sterile clear baggie he finally handed over what was literally our ticket back home.

Come to find out later the dosage of drugs such as Xanax in Uruguay is apparently much higher than the legal dosage allowed in the US, which is why to this day my wife on airplane flights can usually be found spilling her drink into my lap with either her chin or eye socket.

Is the hospital in Punta del Este the best way you could plan to spend part of your honeymoon? Absolutely not. But it beats losing all of your money at the casino.

Read more of the Vagabond Tales here…