What is Tet, and Why Am I Preparing For It?

The blog post pretty much says it all! What the heck is Tet, and with so much time off, why am I doing anything but laying around eating banh mi and re-watching Fringe?

So first, I guess:

What is Tet?

Tet is the Vietnamese lunar new year. It is considered the first day of spring in Vietnam and, because it's a lunar holiday, happens on a different date each year - usually the end of January and the beginning of February. While it's also celebrated in Cambodia, the tour books all say it's a pretty fun time to visit - very colorful. Staying in Vietnam for the Tet holiday is problematic for a couple reasons.

Vietnamese Tết is held concurrently as the Chinese New Year, though changes due to the time difference between Vietnam and Beijing result in the moon phases being calculated differently. It is observed from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar until the third day, at least. Traditionally, special foods are cooked and the entire house is completely cleaned. Most people will visit relatives and friends on either the first or second day, depending on their family's traditions, and ancestor worship, well-wishing, and the giving of lucky money to kids and grandparents are all various ways people celebrate the holiday.

It's the Year of the Horse - look at these great My Little Pony stamps!

Tet is also the perfect time to remember and visit with your extended family, especially if that family is still in a hometown far from your current locale - many journeys across the country are undertaken during this time. Typically, the two weeks surrounding Tet are dedicated to travel, preparation, celebration, and family business. Shops are traditionally opened on Tet for good luck in the coming year. Along with the first day of spring, people view Tet as an opportunity to shed the disappointments, struggles, and troubles of the previous year and start the new year with a clean slate.

Why am I leaving Vietnam for Tet? Three reasons:

1. Vietnam basically rolls up the sidewalks and shuts down for two weeks, and what is left open is more expensive.
2. Rumor has it foreigners get pulled over more often during Tet because there are so few Vietnamese in town - everyone goes to their hometown.
3. Cambodia awaits!

Cambodia, you say?

I do say.

Starting Monday, January 27, I'm on my way to my neighboring nation, the Kingdom of Cambodia. I'll be there for 12 days of relaxation, sightseeing, and reconnecting with old friends. This will be my very first time touring another country just to tour it. I'm so excited!

Old friends, you say? You betcha. Chris and Anya, I'm coming for you - get ready!

The plan is pretty badass right now. Check this out.

• Monday: HCMC - Phnom Penh - stay in a hostel

• Tuesday: 9hr Speedboat tour up the Mekong from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. Connect with friends. Relax.

• Wednesday: Angkor Wat, Day 1.

• Thursday: Angkor Wat, Day 2. See sunrise over the temple. Bicycle tour of temple grounds (it's huge), maybe.

• Friday: Angkor Wat, Day 3 -  if desired. Afternoon nap. City Tet celebrations. Friday night on Pub Street?

• Saturday: Go check out a nearby National Park - waterfalls! Hiking! 

• Sunday: Bicycle tour of the countryside! Relaxing dinner! Markets. Floating villages of Tonle Sap if possible.

• Monday: Leave on a bus for Phnom Penh, or direct to Sihanoukville if possible. Arrive late. Stay in Hostel.

• Tuesday: If not in Sihanoukville, get there. Beaches. Beaches, beaches, beaches. National Park.

• Wednesday: Eco tour of southern coast. Different National park if time. Relaxing.

• Thursday: Leave Sihanoukville for Phnom Penh. Stay in hostel overnight.

• Friday: Bus from Phnom Penh to HCMC.

• Saturday/Sunday: Lock myself in my room and prepare for work on Monday!

Of course, it's all flexible. Who knows what's going to happen?? I look forward to the spontaneous adventures! My mantra for the holiday (and K-Mart's old Customer Service slogan): "The answer is Yes." I'm ready to make the most of this crazy opportunity.

As you can see, I'll be having a lot of time to do what I want and will be able to see a the main stretches of the country. Basically: if it's happening, it's in Siem Reap - Phnom Penh doesn't have a lot of activities, besides roughly a billion temples nearby. Sihanoukville is rumored to be a bit of party town, so we'll see what I can find to enjoy there that's not terribly crazy - who knows though, I might meet some fun people and have a good time. Anything can happen! Well, anything but beer and much seafood... damn you, The Gout!

Honestly, I don't know a lot about Cambodia. I know it has a very bloody history. I'm aware of Pol Pot (whose home is now a historic site, weirdly), and that there was a coup. I'm looking forward to learning a heaping dose of history on my visit. So, come the middle of February, prepare for a deluge of posts about things to see in Cambodia! One SE Asian country down... many more to go.

In between now and Tet, however, I've got a lot of planning and preparing to do - Allons-y!