Happy 1 year anniversary!

I didnt even realise it but it has been a year since i started this blog!!

Let me recap how it all happened.

It all begin with my first trip to japan. It is also my first independent travel since young. I paid for it myself, i planned the trip myself, i did extensive research myself and all in all, it is MY trip. I had a deep sense of belonging to it and together with my travel mates, i had the most fun ever. Maybe it was because i wanted to share with others my joy or could be i needed some place to record my travel and adventures so that i could savour it whenever i hit a emotional downturn in my life. No matter what, it gave birth to the creation of this blog.

From Japan to taiwan to singapore and now to my 7months backpacking trip around asia, this blog has grown tremendously, as of I. Initially there were doubts as to whether this blog could sustain, right now i am very sure that as soon as i return home, i would once again don my backpack and hit the roads again and fill these pages with more facinating tales.

So here it is, a little history of how it all started. I even spent a couple of hours reading everything i wrote from day 1. Oh i miss those days!!

To all waiting for me in singapore! i will be home soon!! Cheers!

Take care all!
JAY

It all started with a plate of lungs

Prevalent in Vietnam is the concept of open tour buses. More expensive than local buses, they provide a more comfortable and hassle free transport operating from a much more convenient location than the buses from the bus station. Since you need to pay to get to and fro the bus station, the price of the open tour buses really adds up to be almost the same.


Sinh Cafe!
Climb up the mountain

A cross bred between Vietnam and the French Alps, dalat sitting on high altitude(1500-2000m) is highly popular with domestic tourist. It could be the famous agricultural products or the contrasting cool weather to Saigon or the abundance of scenery in the vicinity that draws the crowd, whatever it is, this place IS the place to go if you visit vietnam.

The main town area is easy to navigate on foot, just remember 3 landmark, Cho Dalat(Dalat market), Xuan Huong lake and the Eiffel tower copy cat of the post office to the south.
In front of Dalat Market
Cool town(literally!)
Romantic paddle around the lake
Or some quiet fishing Cho Dalat(Market Dalat)
Too cold for you?no worries, clothes aplenty!

Very popular in dalat is the production of strawberries. Strut along the streets and you will encounter several ladies with baskets of strawberries sitting along the side. Otherwise, head to the market to buy them dried with sugar. Yum!Fresh strawberries?
Preserved sweeten ones?

It all started with a plate of lungs. Beef lungs to be exact. I had this idea for the blog title ever since that very night.

Walking along the perimeter of Xuan Huong Lake, i entered into a crowd encircling several motorcycles. At the back of these motorcycles is a big box each and everybody around is holding on to a small plate and chopstick. I was feeling hungry(not surprising) so i went to get myself one. As i place piece by piece into my mouth, still unaware of what i am eating,i went to ask the seller hoping she could speak enough english to answer me. What is this??

Fortunately, 2 ladies sitting at the side overheard and explained to me that i am eating Xap Xap, Vietnamese Beef Lungs. Hoa and Uyen is a big fan of Xap Xap and Hoa even had a total of 5 plates!!~ Anyway we chatted a little and they invited me for lunch the next day. Turns out, they invited me for meals almost every single day for the next few days!

Uyen(left), Hoa(Right) Mobile stall
Uyen admiring her newly collected wedding card! Hoa's wedding pictures
VVV!!Simple and cosy meal

Through a friend in Saigon, i had a contact of a very cool guy in Dalat. Studying his last year in University in Dalat, Nghia has very similar interests with me including traveling and he used to work part time for a travel company in dalat before. Since he did not have school the following period, he graciously offered to bring me around dalat for the next few days! Whoo Hoo!!

First up, cable car ride over Quang Trung reservoir and the monastery Truc Lam Pagoda at the end. Set in a very good fengshui position(mountain behind, river in front), this place gives anyone who walks the ground a very surreal peaceful feeling. The air you breath is cool and fresh, the surroundings is set in picturesque foliage and the the breeze hitting on your arms is cold but not chilly causing the 3 large wind chime to strike with rhythm. I swear even the clouds looks different here.Huge view at the top
Cable car
Huge wind chime
Beautiful gardenLooks like a painting huh?

Next we went to dantala waterfall where there is a luge which for a fee you can take down to the waterfall area. Datanla
Luge. Take the luge down, it is great fun!
The world is great!
Snaky business
Dalat train station
Forward!

If you are crazy enough, head to the infamous Crazy house of dalat. Designed by the daughter of Ho Chi Minh's third successor to the presidency of vietnam, this place not only functions as a tourist sight. If you have the mood(or the money) for it, you can actually stay in these strangely designed rooms.

Crazy house
Giant spiders

Spooky buildings

Nghia

Strange bridgesGrilled rice paper with egg

The 2nd day, Nghia brought me to Langbiang Mountain for some trekking.

If you are lazy to walk(and rich), you can opt to take the jeep up to the top

Timeless shotoff we go!

The climb is steep and easily leave you breathless,thankfully the air is cool and niceThe view at the top is well worth the climb
Baguette with a view! WOOOT!
See the river meandering the valley?
I can see the clouds below my feet! Is this heaven already?!?
Dalat university daily exercise. Funny huh
Dinner invitation again at Hoa's place!
Dalat has good soil, resulting in the agriculture boom

Not only are there strawberries and flowersCoffee is another famous production in the area!Silk worm
Silk worm Cocoon
Elephant waterfall
Very nice if you can ignore the innumerable garbage aroundLinh An Pagoda
Buddha with extra arms to help people And the all seeing buddha with extra eyes
Not forgetting the ever happy... HAPPY BUDDHA!!
Golden valley

This place ironically is excluded in many of the tours offered around town. Mainly due to the admission fee(20,000vnd~$1.80) which is higher than the other sights. And those who decided to join tours would be missing out on this great beauty hidden in dalat. Even Hoa's wedding picture(see above) was taken here.Even though this is a man made place, the tranquility can never be forged
Nghia, my brother from a different mother(and father of course)

Throughout these few days, Nghia and me we talked about everything under the sun. From our pasts to the present to where we see ourselves in the future down the road. Though the time we met is short, he felt like a brother i never had. And i am very sure i will soon see him again :D

Received a sms from Quynh inviting me for ice cream!! woo hoo!! Ice cream with fruits, a healthy choice
Cutie Quynh :p

Hoa is extremely nice, she invited me to visit her parents rural house on my last day in dalat!!Buying BUN(rice noodle) in the marketA short trek is needed to get to the house
As well as a cross over the self made bridge
Left: Hoa's Parents, Hoa, her friend, her sister and ME!!
They even have a Vu Sau(breast milk) tree right at their door step where they climb whenever they feel like having one!
Private waterfall.
The house has no water or electricty supply, power is dependent on a generator and water from the waterfall through a tube to the house
Monkey face!
Cheese!
Small eyes Jay
V!
Loving!

I was told we were going fishing in the nearby river. When we arrive, hoa jumped into the water and told us to wait for her as she started to turn the rocks from the riverbed.What is she doing?
Turns out she is looking for our baits!
The 3 of us caught a total of 5 fishes!! ok Hoa caught all 5 of them and her friend caught a small crab. Me? well i caught lots of leaves. It counts ok! better than nothing!

Before we part, Hoa handed me her wedding invitation card and told me explicitly that i must return for her wedding 2 weeks later. I thought to myself, 2 weeks later i am still in vietnam. From a plate of lungs, i got invited to a wedding dinner! WHY NOT??

And Nghia said i have to come back for HIS wedding too 4-5 years later! WHY NOT??

And off i go in minivan packed to double its capacity with a maniac driver cruising 90km/h along narrow winding mountain roadsArgh! i hate the minivan!