The CARE Footy Challenge to Vietnam
A very special CARE Challenge led a group of AFL football stars around northern Vietnam by bicycle in 2006, visiting CARE projects and seeing first-hand the difference CARE's work is making. The players also made a difference themselves - helping reduce the isolation suffered by children touched by HIV/AIDS.
Like all CARE Challenges it was a combination of fun, adventure and learning. You're invited to come along for the ride by following their story right here - and perhaps joining us yourself on a CARE Challenge soon!
Day 1, Thursday October 19
‘I'm excited,' says St Kilda player Sam Gilbert, surrounded by baggage and footballers at Melbourne airport. ‘I'm expecting the ride to be hard but it will be a good time with good players.'
On the plane the boys settle quickly into the long journey. Many zonk out after just minutes, while others get into some intense in-flight video watching. After an hour-long stopover in Bangkok, we make the final journey to beautiful Hanoi.
It seems we land literally in rice paddies, but the bus ride into the old quarter of the city reveals streets bustling with motorbikes. ‘It's amazing,' Joel Keating says, gazing out the bus window, ‘people are busy and there's traffic everywhere. Everything is the opposite of Australia.'
After lunch we tour temples and visit the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh - all introduced in detail by our guide and Hanoi city mentor, Mr. Kung.
CARE Challenges often create new friendships and it starts early on this journey. ‘They're a good bunch of blokes,' says Dylan McLaren, the sole representative from the Carlton Football Club, traveling with players who would normally be opponents, from St Kilda and Brisbane.
‘They're a good bunch of young kids from St Kilda that I'm looking forward to getting to know. It's great that CARE Australia does this with us. I'm looking forward to it.'
Day 2, Friday October 20
The highlight of CARE Challenges is often the project visit, and today is no exception. Setting off from Hanoi to spectacular Halong Bay, the footy stars learn for the first time from the CARE staff that they are about to visit an HIV/AIDS project.
Our visit to the Immortal Flower Women's Group is both inspiring and moving as the group members share their personal experiences with HIV/AIDS with the players. The massive players tower over the Vietnamese women, but there is a rapport, and the women share their stories openly despite their natural shyness.
‘Seeing the CARE HIV/AIDS project makes you realise that no matter what problems you have back home, whether it's in footy or in life, it doesn't compare to what people affected by HIV have to go through.' says Carlton's Dylan McLaren.
After lunch we visit a school where CARE operates an after school programme for children affected by HIV, either directly or indirectly. The idea is to share some playtime and a few pointers about AFL football. It is also to show the local community that the ‘big friendly giants' are not scared of playing with the children who are often shunned due to ill-founded fears and misconceptions about HIV.
‘We took a bag full of footballs and gave a bit of a footy demo, and then we let them run wild,' says St Kilda's Dylan Pfitzner. ‘The kids got right into it. Some of them were better at AFL then the kids we take for clinics in Australia.'
‘It was a great initiative by the local community, because the discrimination the kids get from other schools would be difficult. And it's great to see kids so happy and able to get a good education,' he adds.
St Kilda trainer Craig Starcevich led the demonstration that swelled into a huge, fun free for all. ‘Everyone responded tremendously well.' he says of the hour spent helping the kids to enjoy themselves. We depart the school, leaving behind free footballs, with both the kids and the CARE challengers carrying big smiles and new friendships.
Day 3, Saturday October 21 [Hanoi to Sapa]
‘That was the beginning of an epic adventure,' says Dr Paul after the first day of cycling through the hills around Sapa. There were exhilarating downhill sections and grueling uphill passages too, as we rode through tiny townships and stopped to purchase homemade wares from the villagers.
‘The kids were so friendly,' says the Saint's Phil Raymond, smiling. ‘I bought a little tea cozy and some pillow cases.'
Kyla from CARE Australia reflects, ‘It was so nice to get off the transport and have a good big ride. The village today was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my life.'
After a well deserved rest and another huge meal we wander through the township of Sapa with our many new friends - the Hmong kids from the local villages, who show us the local ‘love' markets. Traditionally very important to the Hmong people as a place to meet, these markets are still used as a place for young people to meet up with friends and prospective spouses.
Day 4, Sunday October 22 [Sapa to Phong Tho]
‘Today I saw some of the most beautiful territory I've ever seen from a bike,' says Marty from Intrepid who is leading the cycling challenge. It's an impressive statement from someone who has seen much of Vietnam by bicycle and cyclo.
‘That must have been some of the best scenery in Vietnam,' agrees St Kilda's Mark McGough.
The day covered 73km of undulating road, much of it winding through mist topped mountains, past buffalos, waving children and fields. We stopped frequently to take photos and talk with local people.
‘The Vietnamese people welcome you with a big smile,' says Joel Keating. After riding for hours up hill, some of the Challengers also took the chance to soak their tired selves in a beautiful rock pool and waterfall. Water has never felt so good!
‘We saw the most amazing things today,' reflects Paul over a cold beer in Phong Tho at the end of the day, ‘like a mud hut in the middle of nowhere with a satellite dish! The ride today was grueling, but rewarding.'
Day 5, Monday October 23 [ Phong Tho to Lai Chau]
‘It's amazing how each village is unique,' says St Kilda player Leigh Fisher as we glide down the hill through another township perched in the mountains. Coasting a while is a welcome patch of relief after yesterday's tough ride.
‘It's been a big couple of days,' says Brisbane's triple premiership star Clarke Keating, ‘yesterday was quite intense, with a lot of hill climbing. Today has been pretty much the same except we've done 120km. It's been a long day.'
In the mornings, mist envelops the valleys and the cooler temperature makes even the toughest riding easier. But many riders take to the bus today as the sun begins beating down on our tired legs. Even the toughest in the group find it hard going.
‘It's day three, our legs are sore, our bodies tired, and there are a few aches and pains.' says Clarke Keating, stopping for water with sweat pouring from his brow. ‘We're taking it pretty easy today.' agrees his brother, Aaron.
During summer Lai Chau is the hottest part of Vietnam and even in these winter months it is steamy. The riders mostly take to their rooms early this night, for sound sleeps in front of air conditioners.
Day 6, Tuesday October 24 [Lai Chau to Dien Bien Phu]
After cycling uphill for a good 25km we cruise downhill at a cracking pace. With the wind in our hair there is a good feeling in the group and everyone is looking after each other. The scenery here is more rural, with farmers working small plots of land and the tinkling of cow bells everywhere we go. The cows here seem to literally cling to the mountainsides that are their pastures.
‘I'm in cruise mode now,' says Joel Keating happily, as he navigates his way down the mountain road.
‘I stopped off at a local village and gave a baby a toy koala. Everyone seems to have their own trade - mostly in agriculture.' Joel is traveling with brothers Aaron and Clarke, and the three can often be seen in the distance, joking and laughing together. ‘It's good. I've traveled with Aaron before but this is the first time all three of us have traveled together.'
Marty and Kyla fill us in on the history of this area as we hurtle toward Dien Bien Phu - the site of the ferocious battle of the Indo China war in 1954, where the French were defeated and forced to withdraw from Vietnam after almost 100 years of occupation.
Day 7, Wednesday October 25 [Dien Bien Phu to Son La]
‘I've been doing a few sessions a week in the gym and three sessions a week on the road bike,' says a decidedly trim Dr Paul, who has shed kilos since starting on the challenge.
‘I spent an hour a day on the stationary bike and I tell you what, this is a lot more exciting than looking at myself in the mirror everyday!'
The day includes a visit to the Dien Bien Phu museum and as we drive out of Dien Bien Phu by bus, it's the visibly thinner Dr Paul who recounts the historical facts that we learned.
Back on the bikes, the scenery takes a breathtaking turn, with limestone mountains jutting from the horizon beyond the lush green paddy fields of the foreground. The anticipation builds up in the bus as we climb higher and higher toward the start of an 18km downhill stretch through rough terrain.
‘I'm pretty excited,' says Leigh Fisher, who has led the pack almost everyday, earning himself the title of Lance Armstrong. ‘It's cooler today,' says a pleased Clarke Keating, who has suffered the effects of the burning sun during the trip, but who knows he needs to concentrate on this section of the ride. ‘There's glare because the sun's going down, there's a bit of traffic on the road and there's some construction work. It's a lot of things to contend with when you're going downhill at 60km an hour!'
The group focuses as we navigate the winding roads, and as the sun dips below the mountains we climb wearily back onto the bus to reach Son La - a small, scenic lakeside town. For some, this is the last day of riding and the group bonds in the evening, recounting many stories of the adventure behind us.
Day 8, October 26 October Son La - Hanoi
It is the day of the much talked about football match against the Hanoi Swans - the only AFL team in Vietnam - and like on the day of any big match, the boys are focused as they complete the short ride and long bus trips of the day.
Tonight the Hanoi Swans face the CARE team in an historic game at the bizarrely named Dead Cat Stadium. After arriving in Hanoi, the boys doll themselves up with big mustaches and CARE t-shirts with rolled-up sleeves. The CARE staff prepare for the match by checking the rules of the game. ‘So... are you allowed to run with the ball?' I ask St Kilda Trainer Craig Starcevich, who suddenly looks very nervous about my position in the back pocket!
‘We're pretty confident,' says a Hanoi Swans team member as we arrive at the venue. He looks out over the dry, patchy ground of Dead Cat Stadium. ‘We've got their measure.' he says.
Phil, the organiser of the match, is excited as the warm up begins. ‘We know which way the wind's blowing here at Dead Cat tonight. We know that when you're on the outer wing you kick it long and high. The boys are all pretty pumped, we've been taking about it all week and the CARE staff members have just been absolutely fantastic.'
The match begins and near tragedy follows, as the one and only bright yellow football is kicked out the stadium and into the distance several times. Thankfully it is recovered each time and the match continues, goal for goal. St Kilda's Sam Gilbert and Phil Raymond, the youngest members of the CARE team, are the standout players on the night, and the crowd joins in barracking in the spirit of the night.
Finally, the umpire, dressed in traditional white jacket with a Vietnamese hat, instigates a local rule and calls ‘next goal wins!' Inspired, the CARE team make a final surge and kicks the winning goal, and there are hugs and back-slaps all round between the teams.
After the match, the Australian Embassy in Vietnam plays host to the CARE challengers and the Hanoi Swans - probably the sweatiest bunch that has ever poured through the generously opened embassy gates! After a quick dip in the pool we hear from CARE's Vietnam Country Director, Carol Sherman; Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell, who praises CARE's work with people affected by HIV/AIDS; and wonderful speeches from several of the Challenge boys: Craig Starcevich, Leigh Fisher and Clarke Keating.
Marking the end of a wonderful journey, the Challenge team then takes to the clubs, along with members of the Hanoi Swans to dance the night away - and recount stories of a trip that will be remembered for a very long time.