Author: Prue Schwarz

 We began today with a tour of Hoi An. While we have already been in Hoi An for two days, today we got our first real look at the rich culture and heritage of Hoi An. We visited a Chinese “culture/community” temple and learnt about how the many different styles of Asian architecture can be woven together to create coherent and beautiful buildings. After that we walked to the old centre of Hoi An, which is marked by a well. We continued our tour of Hoi An and visited a bridge that was designed and built by the Japanese while they occupied the area several hundred years ago. Later we visited the oldest house in Hoi An and while there, learnt about the Zodiac signs and animals for the different years that our group was born in. We then were given free time to buy lunch and to do some last minute shopping. Many of us had to return to the tailor to try on the finished garments that were made. 

   
 
During the afternoon, we returned to the hotel and played pool and had a swim. We then went back into town and caught a boat ride around the rivers that surround Hoi An. Unfortunately, we missed the sun set which is suppose to look amazing but we still took some great photos of the town at dusk. 

   
    
 We then cooked out own dinner at “Morning Glory Street Food and Cooking School”, which we ate, along with other dishes that professionals had cooked for us.

   
    
 After dinner, we roamed the street market of Hoi An, where we discovered a trick that the local vendors use to get the best price for their merchandise. The trick involves the use of different coloured plastic bags to show how much to charge an individual. Plastic bags are given to the person that has purchased some merchandise to put their item in. The colour of the bag is dependant on how hard a person haggles. A white bag means that the person bought at or near the starting price of the object. A pink bag means the person haggled about 20% off the price. A blue bag means that the person haggled down to around half the original price, while a black bag was used if the person got the price down to under 50% of the original price. They do this communally to let other stall owners know how high to set the starting price and how easy it is to make a sale. The way we countered this method is by putting coloured bags into white bags, deceiving the stall owners into thinking that we wouldn’t haggle very aggressively. 

Overall, our last day in Hoi An has been a very enjoyable experience. 

-Tom T & Tom N

  

  

Today we went for a bike ride to the beach, had lunch, went back to the tailor’s for a fitting and then had some relaxing time by the pool – time to reflect on a favourite meal, activity or purchase made on the trip thus far. 

  After a few hours of abseiling on a large mountain known for its marble I purchased a small marble bowl for 60,000 Vietnamese Dong which is roughly $4 Australian. I purchased the bowl as a reminder of the day and the area we were in just out of Da Nang. 

Connor 

 My favourite activity so far was the overnight train from Hanoi to Hue. It was a completely new experience and I really enjoyed the view and talking to mates.

Pat
  Hoi An has been one of my favourite towns so far. It is much quieter than the big cities. But what I like even more is the old architecture, all of the buildings are really old (more than 100 years old.) It is also nice and cool because of the big river that runs through the centre. So far Big Experience has been very good.

-Will

We are on day 11 and are staying in Hoi An at the Van Loi hotel. Hoi An has been my favourite town so far. I remember a few places from when I was here last time and all of the memories are coming back. I love Hoi An as it is a great town for shopping and free time. I also love the food as it is a mix of both Aussi and Vietnamese food, which mixes it up a bit. I am loving the big experience and don’t want it to end. Miss you mum, dad, Katie and Charlie!
-James Reid
  
After a few days in the busy cities, Hoi An was a great change of scenery. It’s an amazing town with many old and beautiful buildings. As it is a very popular tourist destination there are many interesting things to buy and see. The food here is of a high standard and very reasonably priced. The same can be said for the tailor shops, I’ll be returning with a nice new shirt! I’m enjoying the big experience a lot and can’t wait to see more.

-Magnus
  
So far the most interesting things in Hoi An, other than the architecture, have been the stalls. Most specifically bartering and making the prices reasonable. In Hoi An I have had two very interesting experiences – the first was when I wanted to buy an item and was offered an insanely high price. I stated the price I wanted and then the girl selling it asked me to “open my heart, open my wallet”. I’m going to be honest, that was a selling point for me as it was so shockingly hilarious. 

-Parker 
  
Since arriving in Hoi An one night ago, we have walked around the French-influenced architecture, eaten at decently priced restaurants with good service and food, got shirts and chinos tailored and bought Vietnamese knock-offs of nearly everything, including hats, watches and t-shirts. It is a lot quieter here than in any other city, with less scooter traffic and wider streets. It is a recognised world-heritage site and is a popular tourist destination, with lots of people of European ethnicity visiting. Because it is such a popular tourist destination, everything is more expensive, but the price can always be brought down by bartering with the locals, who are sometimes very persistent in their pricing. So far the Big Experience has been really fun and I am really enjoying it.

 -Tom N 

  
So far the most fun things we’ve done in Hoi An have been abseiling and bike riding. Yesterday we went abseiling after climbing up almost 500 stairs. We got to abseil down into 15 metre high cave, which was fun because it was a small slope then a sudden drop, and we also went down a 25 metre cliff. Today we went bike riding which was a great experience because I enjoy riding my bike and have not had a chance to in ages. So far the BE has been an amazing opportunity and I can’t wait for what’s coming up.

-Taliesin G M

   
 After feeling not too good, I was overjoyed to find that this morning all of my symptoms had disappeared. Hoi An is a beautiful place but I was feeling a bit homesick until the bike ride of this morning, which reminded me of my rides along beach road. Now that I am happy and healthy I am ready to continue our journey.

-James Saint-John
       
We are now only 7 days away from home and I’ve enjoyed every bit of this experience so far. My favourite part since the village has been the abseiling that took place near Hoi An and we got to abseil down a 25m cliff and 15m down into a cave. I was so excited but I was definitely not as terrified as I thought I would be. The feeling of jumping from the top of the cave was exhilarating but the hundreds of steps we had to climb wasn’t as exciting. I’m enjoying this trip and making the most of it while it still lasts. P.S. Mum, Dad and Sara can’t wait to see you soon 

Sofie
  
We are now in Hoi An and have had lots of fun getting tailored clothes. I’m getting a blue and a white long sleeve top. I am also getting a pair of chinos. I am really looking forward to going to Ho Chi Minh City.

-Andrew
  
My favourite part of this trip so far had been the Mai Chau home stay. It was truly something that I had never experienced before and was a new feeling of joy and goodwill! I also liked the community feeling of the village which really brought the group closer! The Big Experience is an experience of a lifetime!

-Meghna

P.S Love you Mum, Dad and Bro!
  
I think that most of the experiences that I have had whilst in Vietnam have all been great. I really enjoyed Mai Chau and the people that I met there. Hanoi was really interesting with its lack of road rules and its culture. Hue, while we were only there for 20 hours, was very beautiful and the pagoda that we visited was very cool to see. We are currently in Hoi An and I have gotten a smart casual shirt made up, as well as, a pair of brown chinos. I am really enjoying this trip.

-Tom T

P.S. I miss you Mum, Dad and Charlotte.
  
My favourite thing I have bought on the trip is my big gore-tex jacket. It is something that I hope will last for a long time to come. It is a big red and black jacket with a small jumper inside. The food here is incredible and there is such a vast variety of different foods to eat and street vendors offer things you would never see in Australia. 

Harry
  
One of my favourite experiences so far was the overnight train from Hanoi to Hue. It was very comfortable and great fun. We stopped off at the supermarket beforehand to buy snacks and breakfast to get us through the trip.  

James C. 
   
Vietnam is beautiful. The culture here is amazing. Already there have been so many things worth writing about, however my favourite thing has been the tailors who have created a garment for me that I LOVE! All the little trinkets in shops are sweet and so cool. It is hard to know what to buy and what not to. The Vietnamese are so different. They are so welcoming and kind. It is such a great place. I am having such a good time. 

Hi parents and. Bro!

Meg
  
Today and yesterday we went to the tailors and decided what we wanted to get made. I,m really happy with my jumpsuit and can’t wait to wear it. I also really enjoyed the bike ride down to the beach today. 

P.S. Hope everyone is well back home. 

Faye
  
On this trip we have had the chance to experience amazing things such as abseiling, eat lots of Vietnamese food and buy many unique items. My favourite objects that I have bought are a movie poster, genie pants and the jumpsuit that I am getting tailored. Prices are very cheap here and I don’t know how I will get used to Melbourne prices again. 

Looking forward to seeing everyone very soon. 

Anna

Going to the tailors was such an awesome experience as the women were so professional and there was such a beautiful range of materials. I had one blurry image of an outfit and from that came two absolutely stunning pieces of clothing. 

Elise 

  
Hoi An has been amazing so far,even with the heat and busy traffic! A highlight for me was abseiling, where we made two descents of 25 and 15 meters. Admittedly it was quite scary, but afterwards I had quite an adrenaline rush.

Nicole

   
   

  

  
Waking up to an early start we left Hue with a feeling of excitement for our day ahead. First up was the terrifying yet satisfying abseiling we had planned. There were a lot of nerves rushing through our bodies as we were confronted with staggering heights. The first few steps were very daunting but once we got the swing of things it became very enjoyable bouncing off the vertical rocks. Even though we had to deal with the frustrated voices of those coaching us through the process were a little unsettling, as my (Elise’s especially) ability to take direction was not amazing, the experience was something we all will never forget. After all, “life starts out of your comfort zone”. We survived this even with our lack of skill, and all shared a great sense of accomplishment.   
    
   

 
We then hopped onto the bus once again, and headed off to the beautiful city of Hoi An. These calm and sleepy streets were completely contradictory to the busy streets of Hanoi. First impressions were that of delight and wonder, for the beautiful lakes and lanterns were a sight to see. We started off at the tailors, where we all got something (or in some cases a lot of things) made just to fit us. They had such a gorgeous range of designs and fabrics to choose from, we dived straight into it all with excitement for the finished product. 
  

  
We hit the streets of this beautiful city and gawked at the lovely items that were on display. Intriguing artwork, a sea of genie pants and over-priced shoes mixed with a large amount of tourists and extremely incessant shopkeepers made it quite the experience. With all the amount of rice and other Vietnamese foods we were all craving a good western meal. Once we saw the western styled dishes on offer we couldn’t resist and quickly got a table. After consuming an abundance of burgers and pasta we were highly satisfied and ready to take on the city with style. 

     
With a week to go we have already done so many incredible things, and seen so much. We are taking in all the opportunities that we are given and making the most of what is left. Every one has come to that stage were we are all missing our families, however our enthusiasm towards the activities and experiences yet to come makes this a lot easier to endure. 

  
– Elise and Sofie 

  
For a day that was advertised as a relaxing recap day, it was all but that. Sleep in the overnight train with the constant rocking and clanking noises was hard, relative to the serene and peaceful nights at Mai Chau. We stepped out of the train and admired the transition we had just done in three days, from Mai Chau, to the bustling streets of Hanoi, which was a testament to how busy a city can get. We arrived in the previous capital and current cultural capital of Vietnam, Hue (pronounced hway). After getting the “No Hue!” jokes out of our system, we proceeded to the relatively quiet streets of Hue. We were in a quieter section of the city and that was relieving to many of us. We proceeded to our hotel room for a quick relax and then back out on a dragon boat. Going at a speedy five kilometres an hour we cruised down the rivers of Hue in style, on our way to the lady Buddha pagoda. It was a very serene, peaceful place, lessened by the virtually constant stress of tourists, including ourselves. Continuing on we made a quick visit to the forbidden city and learnt a bit about Vietnam’s history and its most recent dynasty, the Nguyen dynasty, which ruled from 1802 to 1945. 
     
   
  
After the incredible forbidden city we all headed back on the boat and to the hotel to go up into the pool on the 7th floor. The much needed swim was ended sooner for myself as Will and I decided to do the gladiator. Headed back to the room to freshen up we had dinner plans at a restaurant nearby and everyone needed to be down stairs in the modern Foyer at 6:15 to exit the building. Arriving at a very interesting restaurant, we were told to dress up in traditional costumes whilst enjoying ancient Vietnamese music. After dinner we headed to an underwater type market which was filled with interesting and home-made goods. 

Parker and Harry   
   

  
  

After an exciting 13 hour train journey we have arrived in Hue with time in our hotel to freshen up before heading out to explore the former capital. 

    
   
  

  
It’s day eight of the big experience and we have already done so much. Today we visited the Hanoi botanical gardens and had a chat with Vietnamese students who were studying english, and wanted to test their skills against us. The students and other locals were very keen to take photos with/ of all of us. The Hanoi Botanical Gardens is a popular place among the locals who come for an assortment of reasons such as exercise, relaxation and to play sports.    

  

  
   
  

   

 From the botanical gardens we walked to a small lake, where an American B52 plane crashed after being shot down. The remains have been left as a reminder of Vietnam’s strength against the US. 

   
 After a lunch of Pho and spring rolls, we visited the Hanoi zoo. Quite a few of the animals were hiding due to the heat and not the greatest living conditions, so we didn’t get a chance to see them, but in the hour we were there we got the chance to visit most of the zoo. A personal favourite of ours were the Northern White-cheeked Crested Gibbon. 

To finish off the day we bought food and drink from the Lotte Mart to prepare for our twelve hour train ride later in the day.
   
 Taliesin and Pat