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So long Hong Kong!

Tuesday, August 1st, 2006

Before I share my thoughts on Hong Kong I want to share a message with all of you that I recieved from my brother Jeff. To me, my brother Jeff was, and i emphasize the word was, one of the smartest people I knew. He holds a masters degree from Harvard, and this fall will pursue his PHD at the University of California San Diego. To me he’ll be my brother Jeff, but soon to others he’ll be Dr. Gagnon. When I write posts he always responds with good words, however this last time was different. I honestly feel dumber after reading this in his e-mail. I’m hoping those who care about him will sit him down and get to the root of this cause quite frankly i want those 10 seconds back Jeff where I had to read what you wrote. So here it is, you tell me what you think.

Jeff Gagnon wrote: (Saturday July, 29 2006 – 10:34:18 PDT)

“Don’t forget that King Kong played ping pong with his ding dong in Hong Kong all day long so sing a song in your tongs.”

Ok, so let’s get back to reality. Hong Kong is in my opinion New York City with chinese symbols but without huge assholes, overpaid athletes, and shitty sports teams…had to put that in there.

The traffic, the pollution, the massive crowds of people are here like they are in most big cities. It is very westernized and seeing all the white guys with business suits and cell phones pinned to their ears makes you feel like you are in an american city. The Skyline is like absolutley nothing i’ve ever seen in my entire life. It stretches so far across the harborfrount of Hong Kong Island it hurts your neck trying to look at it. The best views are from the waterfront in Kowloon. There are serveral Islands that make up Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island and Kowloon being the main two, seperated by about a ten minute ferry ride. Hong Kong can definitely make ones wallet feel extremely light. Prices are right on par with what they would be in the United States. When you go from buying a beer and a meal in Vietnam for about $2, to paying upwards of $12 it is a crushing defeat. I spent most of my time walking around the city and doing some thinking. It had been a while since I’ve been on my own so the time by myself was nice.

I would like to share with you that I’ve had numerous dreams the past few nights that have absolutely scared the hell out of me. No, they weren’t of my teeth falling out, or that dream where you realize you went the whole semester without going to that one class and now you can’t graduate. They were dreams that I was home from my trip and I didn’t know why…holy crudbugglers, they are not. Now that I’m halfway through my trip the thought of coming home is becoming fairly relevant but it’s still a long way off and I don’t want to ever think it will happen.

So as for Hong Kong, i can’t imagine ever really wanting to come back. It’s a nice place to look around and shop if you have money. The culture here is lacking in my opinion. I mean, either go completely western or chinese, they seem to want to lie somewhere in the middle, maybe it’s better that way.

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Hanoi…How Annoying!

Saturday, July 29th, 2006

Here are my final thoughts on Hanoi and Vietnam. I spent three weeks in this country and learned an incredible amount. Vietnam has been blessed with some of the most beautiful countryside i’ve ever seen. Miles and miles of endless beaches. Amazing lush, green hillsides that flow majestically down to the sea. Rice patties that litter the sides of the road for miles with a color of green i’v never seen anywhere. It was really out of sight. The main issue for me was the people. Honestly I could take them or leave them, preferably leave them. Maybe leave them in the middle of the desert without any food or water. Unlike Cambodia, where they couldn’t do enough, in Vietnam they couldn’t do anymore but still wanted your money and would do whatever they could to get it. The stories from other travels were way more astounding than mine. Travelers being locked in hotels until they agreed to stay. Being threatned if they didn’t. Stories of travelers being robbed. It seemed completely out of control. Walking down the street in Hanoi and having a motorbike driver pull right up to you and beep in your face until you would move would sometimes almost make you violent. I have to admit a couple times I did break and got really pissed, but to no avail. It doesn’t get you anything. Now don’t get me wrong, there are alot of great people here in Vietnam. Go into a few shops and look around and talk to the shop owners and they are great. The problem for me was that there seemed to be more bad than good. These people had a terrible chip on their shoulder. You couldn’t joke around and if you did you got a tongue lashing. You got the feeling that when they saw you they instantly didn’t like you because it was assumed you had money, yet whenever they had the chance they would go to great lengths to get it from you.

Then I sat and wondered. Why do they act this way? What gives them the right to treat people the way they do? Does the fact that until 30 years ago this country had done nothing but try and preserve what sort of individuality and culture it had? Does the fact that they were constantly under the threat of invasion have anything to do with it? For hunders of years Vietnam had to constantly be at war with wealther nations to protect what they thought was rightfully theirs.

I’ve been reading this book called, “Vietnam Now,” written by David Lamb. He was in Vietnam during the war and went back in 1997 for the LA Times to be a post war correspondent and tell people what Vietnam was like now. He provides some great insight into the people, and great historical accounts of the war and america’s controversial involvment. Reading the book did help me understand what these people had went through. After being at war for so many years, it was time to move on and grow. Looking back on the past only took away from what you could do in the future. They wanted to progress, to learn, and catch up. In America the Vietnam War is still a black eye for us. We have memorials and movies that you can never really seem to get away from. In Vietnam, the American War as it’s called, is over and what’s done is done. These people don’t want to be told how to run their country. They are still a communist country led by people who refuse to adapt and to grow with the world. Somehow that’s what they need. Maybe they need to do things their way, the hard way, until they can figure out a better way. There is a stronger generation of young Vietnamese who look at the way things are done in the west and want that way of life. They want cell phones, internet, western clothes and things that we may take for granted. They do ultimately want to stay attached to their heritage however.
I can’t say I blame them however what’s rude is rude and what i represent being american will unfortunately continue to follow me around on my trip. I can’t say that I get positive responses when I tell people where i’m from. However when I don’t get a negative one, i view that as positive.

The Vietnamese are strong, hard working, persevering people. They do what they can to survive and as frustrating as it may be for me and other tourists it’s just a reality that you have to deal with if you want to go there.

I would go back to Vietnam in a heartbeat. I’m now armed with the knowledge that I have and i think it might be easier. I’m sure when I come back things will be greatly different but that’s ok. The challenge alone was worth it and accomplishing it was greatly rewarding. I guess they say it’s not the destintion but the journey. Vietnam and most of southeast asia is like that…and i’d have to say that I liked it alot.
I said goodbye to Andy this morning and headed to the airport to go to Hong Kong. We gave each other manly hugs, exchanged a few warm insults then said goodbye with the knowledge that we both know we will see each other again. Andy became a great friend to me over these past few months. I feel lucky to have met him and to have shared his company. People come and go everyday day but I’d have to say we probably both had a profound impact on each other. (You better be reading this Douchebag and know that i’m not crying.) I also said goodbye to the Kiwi’s. The 5 of us formed a tight group for about 3 weeks or so. I will see Kim and Lil in London in September and If i ever go to New Zealand, Officer Amy Austin will surely get a visit.
I wish you well Andy Smith and my Kiwi Friends…until we meet again!

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Singapore…Woo Hoo!

Friday, May 12th, 2006
So i arrived in Singpore yesterday at about 4:30 in the A.M. I was very tired but extremely excited. I couldn't wait to walk off the plane to see what types of exotic asian shops and people would ... [Continue reading this entry]

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