Exercise KILGORE FINN, 4 R IRISH Adventure Training Expedition, Vietnam.

Ex KILGORE FINN was a 4th Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment trekking expedition to Vietnam from 13 February – 10 March 2001. The outline plan was to fly into Hanoi and then move to Sapa as an administrative base for trekking the surrounding Hoang Lien Mountains. The expedition first conducted a challenging ascent of Mount Fansipan, which, at 3143 meters, represents the highest peak in Indochina. This was immediately followed by an eight day trek to the ethnic minority 'Montagnard' villages in the Sapa region. A sightseeing itinerary was then designed to include highlights of Vietnam’s Buddhist and Hindu cultures, as well as battlefield relics from the recent conflicts with France and the United States including the ancient citadel at Hue, the historic port of Hoi An (A UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) and the tunnel complex at Cu Chi.

Sapa provided the group with a first opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and multi-cultural ethnicity of Vietnam. The expedition had left Belfast some four days prior, and had little time to catch their thoughts before being plonked into the middle of what the French christened the “Tonkinese Alps”.

The following day began with a familiarisation trek into the hills before spending the night back in the town. A young Vietnamese guide had travelled with the expedition from Hanoi and took pleasure in correcting their identification of Fansipan; the towering grey-green peaks visible under a blanket of cloud to the south only represented the lower slopes with the actual summit much higher. Along the well-trodden paths they passed many ethnic groups, mainly Hmong in their characteristic indo-blue garb, but also colourful Red Dzao women with their distinctively flame-red headscarves, and tiny Tay women in their pastel-coloured shirts.

Morale was high the next morning with the thought that the expedition would at last hit the Mountain. Packs were light and carried only the bare essentials – warm clothing for the chilly nights at altitude, food, medical pack, sleeping bag and inflatable rollmat. Petrol cookers, water filters and tents were split between the group. The trek began with a sharp drop into a steep gully, a trot over a steel/bamboo suspension bridge, and then a equally sharp climb. The gradient steadily increased and in many cases necessitated recourse to all fours to ascend particularly steep climbs. Leech-infested tracks and a diversity of microclimates ranging from steamy tropical jungle to wind-blown passes and cold, damp gullies compounded the physical effort. The group eventually stumbled into the campsite shortly after 1800hrs and, at a height of 2300m, settled down to an early first night under canvas.

The expedition broke camp early next morning and pushed along a narrow animal track, the quickest, but by no means easiest way of gaining height was to use the dry waterfalls and rocky streambeds. At a height of 3000m they were rewarded with spectacular views of alternating razor-sharp ridges, sheer cliff faces and deep, densely-vegetated valleys to each side of them.

They reached the new campsite at dusk and the GPS confirmed their altitude at 2600m. The harsh, steep terrain restricted the group to only a small clearing on a steep gradient and tents were pitched at erratic angles on whatever ground could be found.

Following a predictably uncomfortable attempt to sleep the expedition broke camp at 0730hrs and pushed to the summit. Four hours supreme effort later and they scrambled up onto a concentration of rocks crowned by a steel triangle which their guide informed them was Fansipan peak, the 'roof of Vietnam'. After a quick lunch they started their descent back down the same route. They finally pitched camp at dusk, and their last reserves of energy were spent erecting tents and cooking food.

The downhill scramble the next morning, through claustrophobic, leech-infested jungle and thicket made it potentially more dangerous. Copious amounts of DEET were applied to lower limbs and boots to deter the thirsty bloodsuckers, but in most cases this proved useless. By dusk the group were tramping their filthy, unshaven selves back into Sapa and welcoming the prospect of a hot shower and fresh food.

A late start next morning did not ease the stiffness in their legs, so it was a pleasant surprise to discover that their Vietnamise guide had procured the use of 2 Soviet-style four wheel drive jeeps to move the group to a drop-off point a short distance down the Sapa Valley. The first stop was a real eye-opener; their guide negotiated the entrance to the bamboo home of a Red Dzao family. Once their eyes became accustomed to the transition from dazzling sunlight to smoky gloom, they discovered that they had been transported back to 18th century Europe; an earthen floor supported a multitude of shy, staring children. Gifts of pens, pencils and crayons swiftly broke the ice, and the children were soon videoing each other with the camcorder, and fighting over an opportunity to play with the torches and fireflies.

The route meandered through what their guide claimed to be the most spectacular scenery in Vietnam, a crown of rugged, dramatic peaks surrounded the horizon, and although Fansipan was always obscured by cloud, the remainder jutted out starkly against the clear azure sky. The warmth and friendliness of each village was, consistent, however, as was the universal screaming of 'Haaaaloooo' by the inevitable band of small children who shadowed their every move!

Evenings were spent in stilt houses as guests of the family. These varied immensely in quality, from exceptionally spartan to very comfortable. All however, were clean, safe and friendly and the expedition members feasted on a staple spread of spring rolls, bananas, boiled vegetables, noodles, rice and chicken. Running water and electricity were non-existent and entertainment typically involved varying quantities of locally fermented rice wine around the fireside.

Eight good days were spent trekking through the ethnic diversity of villages in the lower foothills of the Hoang Lien Mountains. Although less physically challenging than the Fansipan trek, this phase was infinitely more pleasurable against the stunning backdrop of the Tonkinese Alps.

The physical aspect of the expedition ended and thoughts now turned towards the sightseeing agenda. The Vietnam War Sites proved particularly captivating and the group witnessed at first-hand the effects of B-52 carpet-bombing along the northern banks of the Dong Ba River. The old US Army bases at Camp Carrol, The Rockpile and Khe Sanh were all visited and they went underground into claustrophobic tunnel complexes at Vinh Moc near Saigon.

In summary, for 4R IRISH personnel, Vietnam was a fascinating part of Asia which provided unlimited scope for trekking and was only just opening up to the tourist market.