URBAN DOMAIN 2024

Vietnam Orange Day 9

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Welcome to Hoi An

  

This morning we left Ho Chi Minh city for the last time.   

We boarded a private bus that took us straight to the airport, where we caught a domestic flight to Da Nang. The flight was 1 hr 20 min long but it felt much shorter with the help of some music and card games. As soon as we had finished ascending it felt like we were preparing to land. When we arrived in Da Nang we gathered our luggage and took a 45 minute bus ride to the ancient city of Hoi An that is well known for it’s tailor made clothes. The city was used as a secret trading port many years ago during the Vietnam war.

Once the bus ride was over we found ourselves at a beautiful and peaceful hotel. We had a short time to check out the place before we went into town for lunch. We ate lunch at a local restaurant. We were served some flavoursome traditional dishes that included pork, salads and noodles. We all left feeling full and regenerated. After lunch we made our way to the tailor called Yally’s where many of us began to create our own garments with the help of some experts. We spent around an hour there looking at different fabrics and getting measurements taken. When all of us were finished we walked back to the hotel.

  
When we arrived back the teachers allowed us to have a well deserved swim. We all eagerly rushed to put some bathers on and go to the pool. The pool was so refreshing and the palms next to it made it even more relaxing. After a first hot and tiring week in Vietnam a swim was exactly what we needed. After swimming we able to have a shower and get cleaned up for dinner. 

 

   
 
We gathered as a group at reception and headed out for dinner. Before dinner we were given an hour of free time to go shopping. Many people bought clothes and gifts for family and friends. the haggling with the shop owners was experienced once again with the standout bargainers being Duncan and Aaron. After we finished exploring the streets and shops we went to eat dinner facing the river. Like any other day in Vietnam, we were treated like royals and provided with filling and tasty food. After we finished enjoying our meals we headed back to the hotel were we all could not wait to get a good night’s sleep.

Thiago Jay. 

L C Pagodas – Day 8

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We started the day off slowly with a well deserved sleep in to prepare for a tour around the beautiful Royal Palace of Cambodia. The Royal palace contained many extravagant temples and pagodas made of silver, gold and diamonds. The gardens surrounding the place were beautiful and well looked after, constantly being trimmed and nurtured by many gardeners. The Royal palace provided us with a great taste of how the Royal family of Cambodia live.
After the tour we made our way back to our hotel to pack, and we then set off on an estimated three hour bus trip to Kampot. Our road trip was cut short and soon resulted in much disaster for us and our previously happy bus driver. One hour into our journey to Kampot our beloved party bus decided that it didn’t want to go any further. We were 30 km’s away from Phnom Penh and over 100 km’s away from our intended destination. 

We were stranded in the lush Cambodian countryside for a grand total of 3 hours. Our happy and chirpy driver went to work on his bus only to find out that it was beyond his mechanical capability, he was devastated as the bus was also his mobil home whilst working away from his family. We were all relieved when another bus arrived, we quickly transferred all our luggage to our new our bus, completing a smooth transition to then be well on our way. 
We arrived at Veronica’s Kitchen for dinner at about 9:00pm where we all ate plenty of yummy Cambodian food. Feeling tired and with a full belly we eventually made it to Kampot Diamond Hotel at 10:00pm. We were all so keen for a good night sleep but no, no the blog was still to be done!, the three bloggers soldiered on and with the help off the legend himself Mr Walsh were able to write a ripper blog. 
Today’s blog by – Jake Harrowell , Rachel Heath and Luca Micallessi

   
    
    
    
    
   

China – Day 10 – Dali to Guilin

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This blog post comes in the form of a photo montage video. Today was another big travel day for the group. We took advantage of the down time to further reflect about our learning on the trip so far. Each student on the trip needed to create a phrase and an emoji reflecting a learning highlight on the trip so far, whether this be reflecting on the learning about a sight, the culture or the history of China or reflecting on one of the bigger questions featured in the CUE program. As the phrases were to be part the photo montage, words were limited to what would fit on the screen (around 5-8 words). This provided a further challenge for each member of the group. Enjoy!

China from Nicole Hutchinson on Vimeo.

Tomorrow we travel up to the Longsheng mountains so a wifi connection may prove to be a challenge. If that is the case Day 11’s post will be uploaded the following day along with Day 12. 🙂

Temples Day 9 Kep កែប

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Today, our 9th day into our Big Experience, was our last day in Cambodia – and all of us are tired after the exciting events of the trip so far. The day was filled with relaxing activities all around, with some early sightseeing leading into a laid back afternoon in the town of Kep, perfect for recharging our batteries for our entry into the new unknown land of Laos.

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An hour long bus ride out of Kampot took us to the peaks of Bokor mountain range, a location featuring a number of historical French colonial buildings, dating back as far as the late 19th century. First up was the Black Palace, a retreat built for the Khmer king to escape the intense heat of the Cambodian climate, reminding us slightly of the Dandenong’s back home. Stepping out of the bus, the cold refreshing air was a welcome change from the humid air we’ve become accustomed to – it was immediately clear why this place was picked for a holiday retreat. Following our stop there, we travelled a bit further into the mountain range to a short stop at an abandoned French church. The highlight of our adventure into the Bokor mountain range was a derelict, abandoned French casino. We stopped here for lunch, brushing shoulders with the clouds, and took the time out to reflect on our experiences in our journey so far.

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The journey so far has been unlike any regular tourist travel. Experiencing a much more in-depth understanding of the Cambodian world has, at times been challenging and sleeping in a different place each night has kept us constantly busy. However, even though we are consistently on the move, we keep a positive outlook as we know the rewards of this special experience is one that will be carried with us for the rest of our lives!

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Shani Mitchell and Jake McCauley

Vietnam Red-day 9: Another day in paradise

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The day begun with a well-deserved sleep in, after three tiring days in the Mekong Delta. After yet another delicious breakfast, we all checked out of our rooms and prepared to say goodbye to what we used to call Ho Chi Minh City, dubbed Saigon by the smiling locals. Our second enjoyable plane trip entailed breathtaking views of Da Nang and its surroundings, and a swift exit from the airport. Once outside, we were greeted with a refreshing change from the populous Saigon with clear roads and a culture strongly linked with nature. A quick bus ride took us to the spectacular Hoi An Hotel, situated on the edge of the old town. Our jaws dropped when we laid eyes upon the modern yet classically colonial resort, featuring a large swimming pool and massive grounds. After quickly unloading, we set out to explore the historic old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We then split up into small groups to go shopping in the town, famous for its tailored clothes which come at little expense. We then enjoyed some modernised Vietnamese cuisine before resuming our pursuit for bargain prices. To conclude our first day in Hoi An, the group decided to have a relaxing swim at the hotel, highly anticipated by all.

Just another day in paradise.
By Oliver and Alec

  
  

  

Vietnam Yellow: Day 9 – Hue

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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