Author: chyde

Vietnam Grey – Day 6

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The house-build continues

Yet another early morning start at the Mekong Delta, waking up at 6 for a 6:15am breakfast consisting of omelettes, bread, jam, cheese and tapioca as well as some very interesting fruit. After our nutritious meal we headed off to the boat where we were transported to where our bikes are stored. We then proceeded to the building site which was a short but bumpy bike ride along the precarious jungle track.

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Once we had arrived at the site we got straight back into the nitty gritty work with all hands on deck. The boys began to mix more cement while others created a train-like system to move bricks from the back of the house to the inside to allow for the brick layers to continue building. The brick laying process continued as smoothly as could be with everyone putting in 100%. The once cement block, slowly began to rise brick by brick.


After 4 hours of hard work we began to tire a bit and we were all ready for lunch. We rode back to our boat where an amazing lunch was set out for us, so we got the privilege of journeying through the ‘Kong and enjoying a delicious meal. We then reluctantly returned to work where could finally see the house coming together.

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Throughout the whole process of building the house, all members of the group can agree that many valuable skills have been developed such as resilience, patience and overall the group has gained a sense of responsibility. Dinner was well worked for with everyone running to the table like animals. Something I really enjoyed about the village was that we got to socialise with everyone. We can’t wait for our next day.

Flo and Rose

Miss you mum and dad, all is well and good. Love u xoxo – Flo

Hope all is good at home, missing you loads. Lots of love, Rose <3

Vietnam Grey – Day 5

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The house-build – bricks and mortar

Today we started the house-build. We travelled via boat along the Mekong Delta for roughly 30 minutes, then got off the boat with our bikes and rode to the village where the building site was.

The village build started with instructions on how to make cement and how to lay bricks. Nic, Carlin, Sam and I made the cement by mixing sand with cement and water, which we found to be a very long, hard, strenuous task, although, it was also the task which was the foundation of the build. Everyone started the day with a lot of energy and sought out to help the family who were are building the house for. The parents of the family have been married for 17 years and have 2 children who they have raised and put through school on a salary of around AUD$5 a day. Because of their limited financial capability it means they have very little resources to fund a sustainable house meaning they live in a small shack which needs regular roof repairs as it is made out of leaves. Although the house build was very tiring today, it was all worth it to see the smile and constant happiness the family gave.

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For lunch we rode to a nearby restaurant to put our bikes away, got on a boat which took us out into the Mekong to eat lunch while drifting and looking at the scenery. It consisted of: noodles and beef, chicken, friend squid, sweet potato chips, rice and fruit. After lunch we rode back to the village to continue our work. At around 4 o’clock we finished up and rode back to the restaurant to get on the boat to take us back to our homestay were we had a well deserved shower and ate a beautiful dinner. We also took some time to reflect on the day and to realise how much the house build means to the family and how much help is appreciated.


We both very much are looking forward to the rest of the trip and will enjoy it a lot!

To our family and friends at home we miss you and want you to know we are having a fantastic time in this lovely country.

– Spike and Nic

Vietnam Grey – Day 4

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We visit the Mekong Delta and see our house-build site

Growing up in a privileged society, we are told numerous times about how lucky we are and how we should be more grateful as many others are living with the bare minimum. Being taken away from “the Brighton bubble” and into a remote area in Vietnam surrounded by poverty and pollution we are able to understand how fortunate we are. We started the day in Ho Chi Minh City, travelling by bus until arriving at the Mekong Delta. We then took a leisurely boat ride through the river and stopped at a small market. Here we were introduced to the process of producing foods such as; coconut candy and rice bubble treats. We then continued our journey to the village and were introduced to our beautiful home for the next four nights. After settling down into our assigned rooms we headed off to the site of the house build. In order to access this remote area we endured a sweaty bike-ride over various terrains and through local streets. After dodging past many motorbikes and struggling to balance on the rocky roads, we finally arrived at the house build area. Here we met the family of four, whom we would be building the home for. It was clear to see how grateful this family was and how we will be making their dream come true throughout the next three days.


Returning back to the home stay provided a bit of struggle for Vietnam Grey! Having some minor difficulties keeping everyone together throughout the ride, the night fell and we faced the challenge of riding back in the dark. This resulted in our group taking another safer, yet longer, route back with more lighting. Dripping in sweat we were welcomed home with a cold shower and a table full of delicious Vietnamese cuisine. It was a fun, and mostly laid back day and we are all eager to complete the house build and see the smiles on the family’s faces. Vietnam Grey is having a fabulous time in Vietnam and we are excited for what comes next.

~Brooke and Annabelle

Hey Halak family! Love and miss you xo-Brooke
I’m safe and having so much fun! I love and miss you mum, dad, Matt and Goldie! <3 – Annabelle

Vietnam Grey – Day 4 early

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We are en route to the Mekong river delta. We are super excited for the house build and experiencing village life.

The wifi will be unreliable for the time we are in the village so our daily blogs will not be posted until we get back to Ho Chi Minh City. Look forward to all our stories!

  

Vietnam Grey – Day 3

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Orphanage and Cu Chi Tunnels

Today was the day we visited and volunteered at the orphanage; an amazing and rewarding experience. If you ever get a chance to visit you would be very welcomed. When we arrived after the long bus ride in peak hour traffic we got to see the kids from the British International School who were also visiting the orphanage. We were split into two groups. One group stayed upstairs with the children who are immobile due to spinal disabilities and the other group went downstairs to the more mobile and slightly older children where they played with plasticine, made moulds with them and made them laugh. Some of us pushed the wheelchairs of Down’s syndrome kids who really enjoyed the whizzing sensation. We really enjoyed spending time with the children. We also fed them which was challenging but definitely an experience to be had. When we gave them some gifts, such as hot wheels toy cars and soft toys, their faces lit up with excitement and thanks which melted our hearts. We were all so touched at all the time and effort the workers and volunteers put in to help out these children in need. The Head of the orphanage, Sister Kim, was so grateful that we had visited as well as made a small donation. In return she gave us some yum rice cakes which were delicious.                       

  

 
After the orphanage, we went onto the bus and had another bus ride, that took a little over an hour. When we arrived, we had lunch on a platform on water, which I (Siobhan) personally think was the best lunch by far, even though we only have eaten 2 lunches so far. After the exquisite lunch we saw a really old documentary which explained the reason behind the tunnels underground, and the audio wasn’t 100% but, it was 1960’s so I guess we can excuse that. Then we saw how the traps were made and how deadly they were. The group took many photos and really learnt a lot about the American war against Vietnam. After seeing the deadly traps we got to go into one of the teeny tiny trapdoors that open into the Cu Chi tunnels. Many students and some teachers even went inside to get a photo of them coming out. It was very squishy inside and all of us had to squat to fit into such a confined space. Following on from that most of us decided to actually go into the tunnels and crawl through 20 to 120 meters of the restricted spaces that would make anyone feel claustrophobic. Right after it was time to hit the road, Jack. On the bus we had lots of banter thrown around the group and played some fun games. 
  
    
    
    
   

    

 Once back we filled in our journey docs and headed for dinner which was Indian which was delicious. We were glad we had napkins for once in a restaurant. As the day started to end we headed home from dinner and bought bubble blowers from street sellers and took photos of people in Pickachu costumes. Once we got back to the hotel we headed to bed.    

We miss you all!

Luke and Siobhan

Vietnam Grey – Day 1/2

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Ho Chi Minh City Adventures

 

We began our Big Experience journey as we boarded the plane from Melbourne to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The plane journey was a long nine hours, but we arrived safely and excited. We were greeted at the airport by our two friendly tour guides Hai and Quien, who took us to our first hotel, Bong Sen Hotel, and gave us an insight into the city. After settling into the hotel, we all went on a night walk to first experience the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City. Our first impressions of Vietnam were: the high humidity and heat, the intense smells and the friendly people. During our walk we stopped for dinner and had our first taste of Vietnamese cuisine. After a good dinner and an exhausting day, we returned to our hotel for a well earned night’s rest.

Today was our first official day in Vietnam. We started our day with a traditional Vietnamese breakfast of fried rice, chicken and dragon fruit. It was different to what we are used to having but still delicious and filling. We then were briefed by our tour guides and leaders about our first activity – the Great Race around Ho Chi Minh City. We were spilt off into groups and set out, by ourselves, on our journey to learn and understand more about the city. The Great Race was very different to the one we completed in Melbourne, as there are different traffic systems in place here and because we weren’t familiar with the city at all. Crossing the road here is challenging because not only do they drive on the opposite side of the road, but there appears to be fewer road rules at traffic lights. Crossing the road is challenging as there are so many motorbikes and cars constantly on the road that don’t stop for you. The key to crossing, we all learnt, is to stay as a group and cross like there’s no tomorrow.

  
   
   
After the Great Race, we were all tired, sweaty and ready for lunch. For lunch we went to Pho24, for a traditional Vietnamese soup called pho. The locals here eat this food as it is quick, easy to digest and fills you up. We then went to the War Memorial Museum, where we learnt about the Vietnamese War and the effects it had on people and families. The museum was confronting as we saw and read about all the terrible things that happened during the war and the effects it had, not only of the soldiers and their families, but even the later generations. It was really interesting to learn about the Vietnamese War and its history as it isn’t something we learn about in school. To finish the busy day on a high, we went to the Ben Thanh market to do some shopping. We were able to bargain for cheap prices and purchase many different items, including shoes, bags, clothes, etc..

   
   
To finish off the day, we went to a restaurant where we were served fried rice, chicken, beef noodles, a Vietnamese pancake to share and watermelon to finish. We all had a great first day and are really excited for what the rest of the trip has to bring.
Gemma and Kim!