Vietnam and Tour Leaders

Here in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam internet access is a litle restricted. So for example I can post to the blog but I cannot read it. So if I repeat myself or forget something I'm sorry. We leave Vietnam next Monday so until then I will be posting blind.

Arrived in Hoi An this morning. Its gorgeous but will tell you more about it tomorrow - we fly to Ho Chi Min City (Saigon) on Wednesday morning..

This part of my trip i.e. the last 2 weeks has been fantastic. Incredibly beautiful cities, towns, people and places - impossible not to find something that gives you the wow factor. And one of the factors has been the tour guides - who have been really good.

We had a tour guide - Mark - in Thailand for 3 days who was really knowledgable. However, his stories of life in Thailand were as fascinating as the place. He was 31 and was getting married this year. Being a Thai he has to do national service and also become a monk before he is allowed to get married - as otherwise he is not responsible enough. He did his national service when he ws 21 but because he was a footballer he plated for the army team and saw no action. He is getting married to his girlfriend in September. To do this he had to convince her father that he was good enough for her and then has to pay 400,000Baht to his in laws when he get married - about 7,000quid. His in laws may give him the money back in a few years if he leads the family well and proves to be a good hussband. Amazing.

In Laos we had a ttour guide called Phan. He was brought up in a farm in the country near to Luang Probang and was very poor. The only way he could get an education was to leave his family and become a monk. So he left home at 12 and joined the local temple as a novice monk. When he was 17 he moved to Vientaine to join a bigger temple as this allowed him to learn English and get a better education. The temples are the only way that most children can get any education. They live very frugally and collect alms (money and food) from the people in return for prayers and blessings for the people when they need it i.e. births, marriages, deaths, new extensions, new cars, new businesses etc.. During his time in Vientaine, 4 years, he never saw his family once!!

He left the monastry when he was 22 and met a local girl in Luang Probang. After 1 year of courtship - for that read talking to her at her work (in the market) and at her house (with the parents ) the parents decided they should marry - because they could see that they were suited (if he had not wanted to get married he would npot have but he would have had to stop visiting her). Now they have 2 children (he is 29). In the future he wants to save enough money to get his children educated and get his wife a better house, and also buy a big gong for his monastry. However, he thinks that when he gets to 50 he will become a monk again (he does not come across as particularly religious). He will discuss this with his wife and if she approves of he will go. If she doesn't approve he may decide to go anyway. Once he is amonk he leaves everything behind him - children and family and all goods. If he joins the temple then his wife can divorce him and he also loses all possessions. But 30% of Laotian men do this and it is not seen as an afront to the wifes. Its just that the wife and husbands duty is done once they have raised their family and provided for the wife. Once they get to 50 (they only expect to reach 60) their time is up. After that they then become a burden to their children.

Amazing. Can you imagine going home to the wife / girlfriend ' think I fancy becoming a monk, what do you think..' Even worse is if you go home and your wife/girlfriend says ' ever thought of becoming a monk.....

Will tell you more about the Vietnamese tour guide later. He is totally hilarious, it like walking around with the Morecambe and Wise show..

Shorts are now back in fashion... at least with me