5. Monkey
Business
24th
January 2004
Happy New Year (again!)
I have enjoyed a great Tet season in Saigon. Due to
lack of transport and most shops being closed a lot
of trips weren't running last week which meant that
I got to meet up with several other leaders.
I
am trying to figure out if they were always eccentric
or if it develops with the job! My work companions are
a bunch of characters that is for sure! Extra curricular
activities tend to revolve around drinking and playing
pool. My pool playing is improving daily - although
I played an unmentionable game at the DMZ in Hue city
where if my competitors had known the Australian rules
I would have been dacked and running around the pool
table...
The
colour of Tet was brilliant, in the south people decorate
their homes with kumquat trees, beautifully styled in
shapes with the orange fruit looking heaps better than
any decorated Christmas tree ever could! As well as
apricot and peach blossoms, sunflowers, bonsai etc.
The parks in Saigon are taken over by huge flower markets,
cyclo men hang around outside so that they can transport
the trees back to the homes. So there are huge trees
being pushed along the streets by little men. The grounds
around the markets are covered in flower petals having
been blown off the plants. Pretty. Of course the gutters
are also filled with rubbish, plastic bags, human waste
but if you look past that...
The
main centre street in town was closed to cars so the
middle strip was turned into a flower park. Businesses
and corporations sponsoring corners of outside flower
art. Vietnamese families would walk through taking photos
at every stop.
Tet
night was a carnival atmosphere. Families cruising around
on motorbikes - I have to explain the traffic to all
those who haven't made it to Asia (yet -come and visit:-).
Imagine every single family hopping onto one motorbike
(squeeze the kids in between Mum and Dad) and doing
a motorcade down to Phillip Island for the Grand Prix.
Add in a couple of teen hoons, push bikes, cyclos, buses,
water buffalo, pedestrians and a limited understanding
of road rules and that sums up traffic here. Crossing
the road is great fun, just step out walk slowly and
the traffic weaves around you - in theory anyway! You
have to look at them to make sure they are looking at
you but when traffic is coming from a couple of directions
it can be a 'bit' nerve racking! I just received a note
saying that Mike, the guy who trained me in Vietnam
is currently in Bangkok hospital after being hit by
a moto, but I'm sure extra curricular activities played
a part as well :-)
So
me and seven million Vietnamese were crowded into Siagons'
centre watching the Vietnamese ballet and opera perform
on centre stage, delighting in coconut juice, fairy
floss and buying Happy New Year balloons. Come midnight
fire works go off along the water front. In very Vietnamese
style the whole lot went off with very little thoughtful
planning but looked good. Whenever there was a big or
pretty one the crowd would ooohhhh and ahhhh and clap.
Then they got back on their motorbikes drove off and
are spending the next couple of days seeing friends
and family and starting their good luck for this the
year of the monkey. Apparently an unpredictable year.
My
monkey year was meant to begin with a trip into Cambodia
but most of the Cambodian senior leaders are half way
through trips, in Oz having a break or lost! So I will
fly back up to Hanoi and start another Vietnam trip
to keep me occupied until a Cambodian leader is 'found!'
Happy Monkeys
Marlo
About
the Author
Marlo Perry is a Group Leader for Intrepid
Travel and has worked as a Voluntary Coordinator
for South American Explorers Cusco.
