Brixton Around the World is back. This week, Allen shares what happened when he jumped on his Brixton, sights set on Asia, Vietnam. He didn’t have it all planned out and the unbeaten track was his guide. First stop was Vietnam, where he spent time with indigenous people, celebrated the new year, and had a close encounter with an open dam.

Adventures in Vietnam

“I was already familiar with Vietnam, so the idea was to travel the country off the beaten track and to meet the indigenous people of Vietnam. I was able to spend time with the Hmong Den in the north of the country, where I discovered their trades, traditional dances and songs. Also the Cham people, who graciously invited me to celebrate Ka Té with them (their new year), where I immersed myself for a few days in the life of the village whilst preparing for the festivities. I also learned that several indigenous groups could coexist within the same village, for example the Ê-dê and the Mnông. With both groups speaking in different dialects, it made communication complicated! It was truly a great life experience. I will always remember attempting to cross a river at a bad time, when the gates of a dam opened upstream, raising the level and power of the current. The gold hunters located nearby were quick to get me out of this situation. It was a moment of panic, so many warm thanks for helping me!”

Copyright: Allen Cledseth

Follow Allen on Instagram: @cledseth