Im proud to announce Niagara Universitys 2015 Legacy of War Tour, a 20-day backpacking trip through Central and Northern Vietnam, scheduled for May 18-June 5. Throughout the trip, we will focus on two of the countrys most pressing issues: (1) the unexploded ordnance that litters the countryside, and (2) the debilitating effects of Agent Orange on the current generation of Vietnamese children. Well hike in Vietnam’s jungles and mountains, spend two nights in Hmong and Tay homestays in the mountains near the Chinese border, visit sites of war significance throughout Central Vietnam, and meet with leaders of internationally renowned NGOs dedicated to alleviating the war-related suffering that continues to plague the country, including Project RENEW and The Vietnam Friendship Village. ITINERARY Days 1-2: By private shuttle, we’ll make our way to Toronto, then fly to Hanoi via Tokyo, a 30-hour journey covering 8,000 miles. Days 3-4: By foot and by shuttle, we’ll explore Hanoi’s Museum of Ethnology, Ho Chi Minh’s complex, the Army Museum, the Women’s Museum, Hoa Lo Prison (aka the “Hanoi Hilton,” where Senator John McCain was held captive), and the History Museum, before catching the overnight train to Dong Ha. Days 5-6: Thanks to former US intelligence officer Chuck Searcy, we’ll have the rare opportunity to spend two days touring Project RENEW, an NGO dedicated to removing unexploded ordnance (landmines, grenades, bombs) from the countryside of Central Vietnam. Days 7-9: By private shuttle, we’ll explore Central Vietnam’s sites of war significance, including the Vinh Moc tunnels, the DMZ, the Ho Chi Minh trail, Bru Van Kieu, Aloui, Khe Sanh, Hamburger Hill, and the former imperial capital, Hue. Day 10: By dragon boat, we’ll travel down the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda, where we’ll visit the car of Thich Quang Duc and the adjacent Buddhist monastery. From there, we’ll travel by private shuttle to Hue’s ancient citadel, Emperor Minh Mang’s tomb, and Dong Ba market. Days 11-12: After our flight from Hue to Hanoi, we’ll catch the overnight train to the Chinese border city of Lao Cai, en route to the Vietnamese mountain village of Sapa, where we’ll rest up for the next two days of hiking. Days 13-14: We’ll embark on a 20-mile hike through the breathtaking landscape surrounding Sapa, exploring local culture and staying overnight at Hmong and Tay homestays. Days 15: We’ll explore Sapa and catch the overnight train back to Hanoi. Days 16-19: We’ll volunteer at the Friendship Village, a home, school, and clinic on the outskirts of Hanoi that serves 150 children living with moderate to severe disability owing to Agent Orange. Day 20: We’ll say goodbye to Vietnam early in the morning as we embark on the 8,000-mile journey home, and somewhere along the way, begin to understand why no one comes home from Vietnam unchanged. COST There is no monetary profit built into this trip (you can thank NU for that). Therefore we are able to offer the trip at a very affordable price (less than cost, actually). The program fee for this 20-day experience is $3975 and includes everything (all international and domestic flights, trains, shuttles, boats, visas, travel insurance, hotels, hostels, homestays, park and museum entrance fees, guide fees, gratuities, and taxes) except food. We recommend you bring $350-450 for food. You are also responsible for obtaining your own passport and immunizations. To register for this trip, youll need to submit a nonrefundable deposit of $2000 and a copy of your valid passport to NU no later than November 7, 2014. The remaining balance of $1975 will be due no later than January 20, 2015. NEXT STEPS If youre interested, email me! Im available at [email protected].
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 12:53:16 +0000
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