Can a single, Jamaican, minimalist, vegan, author and nomadpreneur escape the rat race, reinvent his life, live true to himself, find love, happiness, organic food, but more importantly, an apartment with a kitchen, sunshine and a wi-fi connection in China and beyond without paying the ultimate price….the foreigner’s price?
Blog Mission: ” To create an alternative travel narrative to encourage people who can identify with me to break free and see the world fearlessly (and inexpensively)!”
You asked for it, you got it! Here’s your chance to hear it not from me and my observations and experience, but from an actual, living, breathing Vietnamese girl! Ánh and I chatted for about a half hour about everything from life in Vietnam, political freedom to dating, marriage and more! This is just a TEASER, a very short preview to whet your appetite! If you want to be notified about the full interview, please subscribe to the Youtube channel….AND, ask Ánh your own questions in the comments section, and receive an answer!
“What do you (and your girlfriends) think about foreign guys (African, Asian, European….um, Jamaican)? Any biases?”
In this episode, we meet my new friend, Trinidadian in Vietnam, Ronnie Defour, who shares his experience thinking and living outside the box! Enjoy, and don’t forget to say hello to Ronnie on Facebook (see video)!
Every two weeks, hostel manager Hủng takes a 70 km drive south to Quang Nam province to a little town called Tam Ky to visit for two days with his family. With his 24-hour/on-site job responsibilities running the Stingray hostel in Danang, those two days are the only days he gets to spend quality, bonding time with his toddler son and infant daughter.
For this particular visit, even though one of those days was his birthday, and even though he’d never invited a hostel guest to his home before, he graciously requested that I take the trip with him to meet his family and spend the two days with him in his home. Of course, I accepted!
We set out at 10:45am on Monday…
Right before we left,, the ever bubbly, ever cute laundry service vendor Tham showed up to take the day’s hostel laundry (bed sheets, customer clothing, etc). She says if I want to come live in Danang, she’ll wait for me! I just may take her up on the offer!
Outside waiting for our cabFour of the eight passengers in the Da Nang to Tam Ky SUV! Her name is One, and she’s a high school English teacher in Tam Ky.
We got to Hủng’s village in about an hour and then walked around a bit to meet neighbors and see the nearby lake….
Walking down Hung’s street towards his home.
Nearby lake. We passed banana, breadfruit, noni, lemon and other fruit trees
Then, we had lunch (Kudos to Hủng’s wife! Best of my trip so far!)!
Lunch with three-fourths of the family!
Later, we picked up his son from school, went shopping for food for dinner, and then just hung out for the rest of the afternoon and evening. I met his mother and father who live next door…
Dinner time in Tam Ky
The next morning we headed out to the Tam Ky Cafe for some juice (for me) and coffee (for Hủng).
Tamky Cafe
Oh, remind me to tell you about the lady who pulled up a chair at our table, leaned in to eavesdrop every word I spoke, followed me to the men’s room (as I attempted to lose her!) and even jumped in front of my camera as I attempted to take a photo of the grounds near the cafe! Yep, remind me to tell you that story!
Um, excuse me….
Update: Just before I was about to post this, I discovered Hủng had captured the encounter and he just sent me a photo of that special lady in red!
Keep in mind this is 8am on a Tuesday morning!
We left in a hurry to escape the stalker, and then went to visit Phu Ninh Lake, home of the hot mineral springs! On the way there, we passed a road with rice drying on blue tarps on the street. Note to self: I’ve got to stop and get some on the way back!
Drying rice along the roadside
We arrived at Phu Ninh Lake, paid our entrance fee and shared a ride up a hill to the actual site grounds and a few photos with Hậu and Thủy. Nice to meet you, girls!
Sharing a ride with Hậu andThủy
Beautiful scenery at Phu Ninh
Next, we boarded a boat with several other passengers for the scenic tour of the lake!
On the lake
We stopped at a deck in the middle of the lake to experience the hot mineral springs being brought to the surface by a pipe way deep below the surface.
Getting water from the mineral springs
Then, just before the hour long ride ended, we approached a small island….
….and fed monkeys who (yes, I said “who”) gathered at beach side as the boat approached! Seems they may have done this before!
Monkey. See.
On the way back, we stopped at one of the homes where the harvested rice was drying, and I offered to purchase a half kilo or so to take back home!
I found a willing entrepreneur and made my purchase! Don’t ask me when I’ll get a chance to prepare this as my hostel does not have cooking facilities. I may have to resort to my tried and true Coffeepot Cookbook techniques!
Another satisfied customer? Time will tell.
Once we got back home, Hủng’s wife and mom had prepared a lavish meal for lunch! So, let me see if I understand this correctly: everything (all 7 plates in the silver platter including the bánh xèo*) are specially-prepared vegan versions just for me, and the other food is for the three of you??)
*Bánh xèo [ɓǎɲ sɛ̂w], literally “sizzling pancake”, named for the loud sizzling sound it makes when the rice batter is poured into the hot skillet is a Vietnamese savory fried pancake made of rice flour, water, turmeric powder.
You’re kidding me, right? This is about THREE days of eating for me!Hanging out after lunch as the dishes are cleared.Hủng’s daughter, mom and dad
Yep, some days, everything is served up on a silver (or red) platter!
Addendum:
Later in the evening, I entertained some kids in the neighborhood and family friends with videos and photos from my travels (um, or perhaps, as my friend Rogelio said, the Jamaican in Tam Ky WAS the entertainment for the evening!). (OF COURSE I showed them the Macau bungee jump! What did you expect??)
It was a great time meeting and getting to know the family and experiencing life in Tam Ky. We leave tomorrow to head back to Da Nang, but I WILL be back! Check out Hủng’s facebook post of our day.
Manager Hung requests a shot with me and my books for the hostel Facebook pageAnh joins the photo shootHostel mates, George, Victor, Aaron from Hong Kong!
Synchronicities, past life regressions, light workers, parallel universes, extra-terrestrial origins, soul age dating tips, Qigong, sauna detoxing, coffee enemas, Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique, and yeah, there was lunch, too…vegan style with some new friends in Da Nang:
My kind of crowd!Chris, Alya and Josh. Meet them all in a future episode of “Say Hello to my Little Friends!”
And for the Filipinos….
Jollibee in Vietnam
And for the Jamaicans…
Bata Shoes in VietnamDragon Bridgetraffic circle statue pointing toward Le Duan Road…on my way to Hoi An
Touring Hoi An with student guide, Viet
My first creation of pottery…Hoi AnViet, tour guide from Danang Free Tours
Welcome to the first in the series of brief video introductions and interviews with some of the cool folks I meet on my “Jamaican in China…and Beyond” adventures!
In this pilot episode, you’ll meet Rogelio from Cuba, and Nga from Vietnam! Plus, you’ll get to hear the first ever recording of Walt Goodridge’s Tony Montana* impersonation. It may be well worth the 7 minutes despite my not-too-great-but-ever-improving interview and selfie-stick skills!
(*from the movie Scarface!)
Next episode: Ronnie Defour from Trinidad now in Vietnam!
As promised, here is the video of my recent adventure volunteering with the Karma Waters Charitable organization in Da Nang, Vietnam! Hope you enjoy it!
How was YOUR Sunday? Well, yesterday, mine started with me waking up at 3:30am to prepare for a 4:30am pickup. Yesterday, while I was interviewing Ronnie Defour at Karma Waters, Grace Nguyen, Karma Waters owner, invited me to ride along to observe and participate in a community support project in Quảng Ngãi Province, south of Da Nang, in Vietnam.
4:29 am waiting in the doorway of the Stingray Hostel on the deserted streets of Da Nang, VietnamMy pickup posse arrives. First, Tran, then Uyen arrived, then a third
My pickup posse of three arrived, we greeted each other and headed out into the pre-sunrise morning to Karma Waters.
Waiting for the bus to arrive
After a short wait, then quick loading and boarding, our two-vehicle convoy (supply truck and passenger bus) set out at 5:29am.
We set out on our journey at 5:29am!Catching the Sunday sunrise in Da Nang, Vietnam!
Okay, Okay. I know I may not LOOK happy in this next photo, but trust me, once the bus driver told us he would NOT be able to turn on the air conditioning, I was in heaven! Imagine! A window seat, an open window for natural breezes, a four hour plus drive through the hills of Vietnam! This is exactly the sort of thing I thrive on!
“No, this IS my happy face.”Stopping for fuel. Petrol is 21,560dong/L (About $0.93US/liter or $3.50/gal)
Yes, this is exactly how I like to get to know a new location–spending a few weeks hanging out with local folks, doing what local folks do, being outdoors, breathing the air, feeling the sunshine and rain, taking the pulse of the community, adjusting to the pattern and pace of everyday life….just living like a local!
On the road up to the mountainsA rest & rejuvenation stop halfway through the journeyLots of beautiful scenery
The trip took 4 hours 43 minutes We left Da Nang at exactly 5:29am, and pulled up to the Tra Khue Ethnic Minority Primary School in Quảng Ngãi at 10:12am. (Sorry, it’s the former civil engineer in me who tends to get so detailed!)
A screen shot of Google maps on my phone places me at the blue dot. Approximate distance on the map: 165km or 102mi, but we definitely traveled a bit more than that!
Now, on to important matters. This trip was part of Karma Waters’ series of Charitable Programs. From their website:
“Our Karma Waters Ethnic Support Program delivers daily plant-based meals and support (such as books, clothing, toys and more) to ethnic minority families in the Quang Nam Province in Central of Vietnam.
With this program, and with funds collected in the Karma Waters restaurants, we help provide critical support to children and families in poverty through improved nutrition, health and even friendly support visits and friendship which provides them with some happiness.
With your help, Karma Waters can expand this program and help even more ethnic minority families. Check out our video and gallery below [see website] and you can see the impact this program has on the children and families in the Quang Nam Province.” Donate
Photos from the event:
Students, teachers and parents await our arrival
View of the compound. photo: Diễm Uyên Nguyễn Hồ
photo: Diễm Uyên Nguyễn HồAs in nature and throughout many cultures, the vegan does the heavy lifting. (“A nuh nuttn, mi do dis all di while inna Saipan!”) photo: Diễm Uyên Nguyễn HồNarrating the adventure…Video coming soon!College student volunteers organize the giftsHoisting the school banner donated by Karma WatersStudents line up by grade and wait to be called by name
The founder of Karma Waters is Nguyen Thi Bao Duyen (Grace Nguyen). Grace is an IT graduate, a professional vegan chef, and the founder of 2 vegan restaurants called Karma Waters in Vietnam. She also helps run the Karma Waters Charitable Association, teaches vegan cooking classes, creates menus for restaurants and hosts private dinners.
How Karma Waters Began
[According to Grace] “I became vegetarian in 2002, and later a vegan. I became vegetarian myself because of an incident with a fish. Yes, a fish changed my life! One day, while I was in China…(Read Grace’s amazing story here)”
Nguyen Thi Bao Duyen (Grace Nguyen) Karma Waters founder addresses the gathering and speaks about the missionThe school’s principal accepts an additional gift of a laptop from Karma Waters donor, Trinidadian Ronnie DefourEach student receives a backpack, jacket, treats and other giftsParticipating in the distribution. photo: Diễm Uyên Nguyễn Hồphoto: Diễm Uyên Nguyễn Hồphoto: Diễm Uyên Nguyễn Hồ
All the students waited patiently until their names were called, and Ronnie helped them pass the time a little more enjoyably while they waited.
photo: Diễm Uyên Nguyễn Hồ
Ultimately, every single student there that day (between 125-150) received a gift package. Once the distribution was complete, the volunteers posed for a few photos:
Job well done. Karma Waters volunteers pose after all the distribution is complete
The giving, however, was not over. Volunteers also helped erect a children’s slide….
…and a swing.
We all ate some guavas, watermelon and spicy tofu with sticky rice…..
Sticky rice and tofu for the dogs, too!
…then headed back north in the rain, departing at 1:45pm! It was sad to leave after such a rewarding day….
So, this would be my sad face. Just kidding, wasn’t sad at all, simply very fulfilling!
Congratulations to Grace and family, Karma Waters, the volunteers, Ronnie and family, the bus driver, his assistant, and all the unseen folks who made the event a success! And, thanks for letting me be and see a part of it all!
More beauty on the journey backHomes with satellite dishes aboundMountains in their overcast gloryhay stacks for feeding livestockSunset in Da Nang
Back at Karma Waters Headquarters, we said our goodbyes, and my pickup posse took me back to the Stingray Hostel! It was a great experience, exactly the sort of thing that exemplifies why I travel abroad!
Faahword! Likkle more!
….and THAT’S how I spent my Sunday. Like I said, how was YOUR day?
I’ll be working on the video over the next few hours and will make another post announcing it!
Rogelio, whom you met last episode, recommended I try Revolution of Mushroom, so that’s where I went on Day 4 in Vietnam!
Once there, I met computer programmer/coder, Vuong. who was nice enough to share a recommendation to try his favorite meal and translate a few requests to the wait staff.
Vuong eats coconut rice, served in a coconut, at Revolution of Mushroom
We talked for a bit, and Vuong shared his travel suggestions (Hue City) and his insights into life in Hue City vs life in Hoi An (a city that’s on my list for Vietnam). I can’t wait to check them out and compare!
Vuong and me outside ROM!
Next, I had a chance to meet a great, nomad, vegan couple–Alya from Russia and Chris from Australia–and we had a really, really great conversation, connecting on quite a few life philosophies, perspectives, opinions, quests and world views! They shared a top secret “passionpreneur” project they’re working on manifesting, and (hint, hint), I expect a certain Jamaican in China will be granted an advanced interview when it’s ready to launch!
Coming soon: Chris and Alya featured in “Say Hello to My Little Friends” video…I promise!New friends, Chris and Alya, outside Revolution of Mushroom, Da Nang, Vietnam
Day 5: Free Day Tour of Da Nang!
If I recall correctly, it was a couchsurfing.org “Things to do in Da Nang” post led me to sign up for a free tour of Da Nang Free Tour–Hometown
[From their Facebook page:] “Hometown – Da Nang Free Tour is an organization established on October 10th, 2015 with the aim of connecting tourists and local people in the city of Da Nang. …tourists will have the opportunity to talk with the locals and learn more about geography and the history of our country. …Almost all tour guides are students studying in different universities in Da Nang. We are friendly, sociable, open-minded, enthusiastic, and willing to learn; You will have to pay for your food, drinks, and entrance tickets to our various locations. Local citizens will have more realistic opportunities to practice their English speaking abilities with foreigners….we can further our knowledge of several different unique cultures and get to know people from all over the world. Last but not least, we can contribute a small part to the development of Vietnam’s tourism industry by promoting the image of the country and the city to international tourists.”
My student tour guide was a second-year tourism industry major at the University of Foreign Language Studes, named Nhật Minh. Nhật picked me up at the hostel at 9:00am, outfitted me with my helmet, and off we went! It would be my first time on a motorbike in Vietnam….cool, cool, cool!
Nhật Minh and me, ready to ride! “Ace Ninety Skank” style, for yaardies who know!Videos to come!
We saw lakes…
Green lake, a favorite photo spot for wedding photosA local couple get prepared for their photo
…saw some great vistas…
A view from our mountain bike ride
….visited Buddhas and pagodas…
Nhật took some great photos for me….
Remind you of anything? See http://www.jamaicaninchina.com/jicpreview.html
…and we met some sweet and beautiful people…
Myanh used to work for a Japanese bank in a stuffy, office building. Now, at the pagoda, she greets guests from all over the world. I asked which she prefers. I’ll let you guess!
…and that was all well and good, but I believe that we–you and I–as enlightened and evolving spiritual beings must each clearly identify what our priorities are in life, and honor them to the best of our ability. So, as I mentioned to Nhật: given my unique set of priorities, the latest, and clearly most important addition to my itinerary for the day in Da Nang would be to stop someplace appropriate…
Nhật. I’m afraid this cannot wait any longer. There’ something that’s been bothering me since we started this tour…I insist, at this point that we go somewhere…
….and buy a helmet that fits my head and a cool black face mask like his! (No way would I post any more photos of myself with a tight helmet falling off my head and wearing a light blue plaid mask! I have the “Jamaican Coolness Factor” to uphold, after all. JCF? Look it up!)
Ahem…THAT’S better. Now we can continue the tour!
With that accomplished, we then went to lunch, and then Nhật took me to the Fine Arts Museum
The Fine Arts Museum in Đà Nẵng officially opened at 78 Lê Duẩn Street in December 2016. The museum, the only one of its kind in the Central and Central Highlands region, has a total area of 1,100sq.m, displaying 413 donated works by artists from the city and provinces in the region. The centre comprises three spaces for displaying contemporary fine arts, sculpture and paintings, and regular exhibitions.–from Vietnamnews Read more
A fish made out of fish hooksSculptures at the Fine Arts MuseumHappiness, wealth or long life? Given a choice, which would you choose?
Next, I had some more errands to run…
Nhật asks for directions to the nearest copy centerNhật explains that I want to go to a special page on my website…
….and voila! After cutting, a necessary tool for any nomadpreneur–a stack of contact cards, you know, just in case there’s anyone I want to stay in touch with…you know, for business and such…
Again…it’s all about priorities!
…then, we went to the “Big C” superstore for me to get a few items for my hostel stay. We parked on a lower level, and I was presented with a scene like no other:
Bike like sand!Um, Nhật, just curious, how do you propose we find and correctly identify our bike once we finish shopping?
All in all, it was a great day! Just the sort of educational as well as practical, personalized tour I like! I shared some tour tips and tools with Nhật to help with future marketing of his guide services in the tourism industry, based on the part time tours I give on Saipan!
Days two and three in Da Nang, Vietnam, were simply dedicated to roaming about. (Um, actually, every day of my travels is simply dedicated to roaming about, with an occasional bungee jump or invasive medical procedure or dental visit thrown in to mix things up!)
In any event, a couchsurfing.org contact recommended Ngoc Chi restaurant–which was only 500m from the Stingray Hostel, so I headed out in the light afternoon rain for a walk, found it quite easily and had a quick meal.
Ngoc Chi Restaurant
I then wandered about town enjoying the atmosphere, taking the pulse of the city, basking in the curious stares and practicing my “xin chào” (“hello” in Vietnamese) and chanced upon a market I later found out was pretty famous:
“Han Market is a significant landmark in Da Nang, having been in operation since the French occupancy in the 1940s. This local market is set within a two-storey building at the grand intersection of Tran Phu Street, Bach Dang Street, Hung Vuong Street and Tran Hung Dao Street, where you can find hundreds of stalls selling an array of local produce, handicrafts, T-shirts, and accessories. It’s very much like a miniature version of Ben Tanh Market central market in Ho Chi Minh City, and even if you aren’t necessarily looking to buy anything it still offers a fascinating glimpse into local life in Da Nang.” —www.vietnam-guide.com
Check out the quick video walk through:
Then, I went to Ngo Restaurant (I had passed it on the way to Ngoc Chi and promised the staff I would return).
a quick meal at NgoSelfie stick. Selfie stick. Practice makes perfect!
Did some more walking about, then headed back to the hostel since the rain had gotten a little heavier.
DAY 3
I found my next day’s destination on Happycow.net where they now have 38 reviews, all positive! Thực Dưỡng Bao Ăn is a macrobiotic restaurant. (Thực Dưỡng Bao Ăn means essentially “food for nutrition”)
The word macrobiotic comes from “macro” which means big and “bios” which means “life”. So, macrobiotics can be also called the art of a great life. Macrobiotics is not actually a diet and it’s more a way of life. It includes also the spiritual part of living and it teaches us to see the bigger picture, to consider the ups and downs in life as gifts given to us in order to become better beings.
One of the important nutrition principles in the macrobiotic diet involves consuming foods that are rich in nutrients and have balanced yin/yang properties. The macrobiotic diet contains foods like whole grains, beans and bean products (like tofu), organic vegetables (local and in season), soups, sea vegetables, desserts (sweetened with rice syrup, barley malt, fruit and sometimes maple syrup), a little fish, a little fruit, pickles, condiments, nuts, seeds and non-aromatic teas. –from gourmandelle.com
Major principles of macrobiotic diets are to reduce animal product, eat locally grown foods that are in season, and consume meals in moderation.
I don’t consider myself a macrobiotic practitioner, but much of the philosophy is consistent with the practices I’ve developed for myself over the years.
Thực Dưỡng Bao ĂnDiners at the outdoor tables at Thực Dưỡng Bao ĂnThe menuAwaiting my daily mealI ordered the brown rice plate, and noodles with spring rolls! Absolutely amazing! I shall return!
I had a chance to film a short video interview with Nga, the owner. She got into macrobiotic food preparation in an attempt to improve her husband’s health. Once she realized the many benefits of this lifestyle, she started the restaurant to share the philosophy and practice with others!
Stay tuned for the interview with Nga in a future postNga, the sweet dispositioned owner!
I also met and had a nice long conversation with Rogelio from Cuba, now living in Da Nang!
Rogelio’s home (Cuba), is just 90 miles north of mine (Jamaica) Rogelio will also be in the video interview series!
Note to self: I’ll compile these quick hellos and interviews in a series of videos called “Say Hello to My New Friends!” or something like that… (Important: you have to say it with a Scarface style, Pacino-esque Cuban accent…um, or perhaps I’ll use a less violent reference that won’t offend the pacifist-vegan-macrobiotic crowd, or any real Cubans!)
Wait staff, Linh, also gave me a list of places to visit!After a busy lunch hour, Nga enjoys the food in her restaurant
Yes, I’m jumping ahead a little, but here’s a 50-second video of how I spent the day! Stay tuned for full details in 72 hours at http://www.jamaicaninchina.com
An alternative travel narrative: Pursue Passion! Break Free! Cross boundaries! See the world!
I am on Saipan! (This is actually Tinian!)
