Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Hiking in Vietnam

We, Jane and I did a 9 km hike in a park in Vietnam a few days ago into two caves with a trekking company. It is at the narrowest part of Vietnam opposite the port of Dong Hoi. Trails were slippery with mud and we had to wear rubber covered gloves due to the sharp karst rocks along the trail. It was an exhausting adventure, all the time I kept thinking of both forces North and South who had to in full combat gear carrying guns, communication equipment etc. march on such trails in much warmer temperatures and higher humidity. I can appreciate better what it was like on the trail although we were dressed in modern high tech apparel it still was an ordeal. Ok I am 66 and had there not been an excellent group of American trained chiropracters in Hanoi I would not have been able to do the trip but we were only out there for one day and an hot shower good food and a comfy bed to retire to after glad I did not have to endure these conditions such as some of you may have.

So Paul, gotta ask...

Was CCR's "Run Through the Jungle" playin' in your head while on this little trek here?

(...bet it was, huh)

In '69/'70 I was sing along with the Animals "We got to get out of this place".

I made up words to go along with the the phrase "What the heck am I doing here?"

Like most I did not want to be here during the "American Conflict" but I wish I had ventured to Vietnam maybe 15-20 years ago. I would have liked to have seen it back when it was still quite virgin as far as tourism goes. Da Nang through which we passed on a bus has a beautiful beach I am told but we only caught glimpses of it as it is resort after resort and if not built yet they are excavating. Reminded me of Cancun, YUCK! Also wish I had dropped some bucks into an ETF with invests in this country it is rocking and rolling in commercial development, still might.

My mate, an ex-Aussie army vet went back about 20 years ago and he said some were pretty unfriendly towards him ,obviously pegged him as a Vietnam Vet.Had trouble with the customs when he was leaving, with them going through ALL his stuff.He went back again about 9 years ago and he said the whole place and attitude had changed completely. Friendly people etc.He had a great time.
I found the same in a small way.I first went over to Laos about 15years ago.I have been a few times since.The customs/immigration folk were surly and unfriendly as were some of the population.The last time I went about a year back, The boss at the customs came and helped me personally and the Lao themselves were a lot more friendly.

I was stationed at Da Nang Air Base in 1970, the beach there was called China beach the plot for the TV show. I was at Cam Ranh Bay the year before (1969), to me it was a nicer location for a beach. Worked maintaining F-4C/E Phantom aircraft.

After re-enlisting, I was sent to Beale AFB 9th OMS Phase Docks in 1971-1973. Will there went TDY to OKINAWA in the summer of 1972. Performed launch and recovery on the Blackbird, I was phase dock maintenance on the SR-71 while at Beale.

My first encounter with the blackbird was at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. one enters the museum along an elevated, suspended walkway gazing all the while at a Corsair hanging in flight position (to the right in this photo). Then when you reach the end of the walkway and look down, the SR-71 shouts at ya! An amazing off campus part of the Smithsonian, located at Dulles, er Chantilly Virginia.




My neighbor toured Thailand, Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia about a year ago. He loved it.

Just to show y age, my first encounter with the black bird was as a child in the 60s. Somebody bought me a plastic toy one and I love the sleek lines, as it roared through my immediate atmosphere at the length of my arm. I always loved the looks of planes and had quite a collection when I was a kid. It's a wonder I never got interested in the Air Force or flying real planes later in life.

Old SR71 stories

https://www.reddit.com/r/SR71/comments/2dpmw7/the_sr71_speed_check_story/

https://thelexicans.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/my-favorite-sr-71-story/

https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/blackbird-diaries-180953373/

I remember hearing them on the UHF radio talking to center requesting a DESCENT through 60 thousand feet. It was fun just knowing they were out there.

No, I didn't make it that far away from Da Nang AB, being Air Force I wasn't allowed to travel off base except for a day off now and then to China Beach,just east of the base.

In Nha Trang now, an Auzzie told me that it was was used for R and R during the conflict. It has a beautiful beach so it would not surprise me. The difference today is that it is now the main destination for Russian tourists. If there were 300 people on the beach yesterday I think Jane and I were the only ones that cant write in the Cyrillic alphabet.

China Beach was used as an in country Rest & Recuperation, I had my R&R in Hawaii. Some of the guys in my unit took their R&R in Sydney.

Funny thing is Americans go to well we"ll will say Cabo San Lucas They bring dollars the Mexicans quote them in dollars for food drink activities etc so they only spend dollars. The Russians come to Nha Trang the Vietnamese quote them in American dollars and they spend mostly American dollars.

Not my experience of Russians abroad. I travel often to Cyprus...which is a big destination for Russians.....the locals resent the fact that they simply don't spend any money.

The ones that take a cheap vacation are cheap the ones that are staying in some of these hotels must have some bucks even if they are on some kind of charter. The hotel rooms are pretty reasonable though ,we had room in 3 year old hotel king bed shower bath refrige in room for keeping the beer cold for $25 CAD a night two blocks from the beach so a $100 a night gets you a pretty nice place.

I agree in general....but I also recall staying in one of the top hotels in Cyprus and seeing Russians at breakfast shovelling food into their rucksacks... presumably to eat during the day.
There was something just a bit unsavoury about that.

Perhaps they remember or heard from their parents about going to GUM and there were lots of people to serve one but nothing on the shelves. Travelling is an acquired skill it has to be learned the dos and don'ts.

There is a new group of western backpackers on the road today that feel entitled beg in the streets or busk put very little back into the economy of the country they are in and expect others to support their travels.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4400790/Rise-Western-backpackers-begging-fund-trip.html