Crossing Bridges v3.0 Sapa & Hanoi, Vietnam 27 Aug - 1 Sep

[ed9119]

Welcome to Crossing Bridges v3.0 Sapa/Hanoi, Vietnam.

2004 saw Crossing Bridges v1.0 at Yogjakarta in Central Java
2005 saw Crossing Bridges v2.0 at Hong Kong and Macau


This is the 3rd annual trip organized to foster friendships amongst photographers from the various Asian photo forums in South East Asia. This year, 2006 will see Crossing Bridges in Sapa and Hanoi, Vietnam.

2006 participants will see photographers gather in Vietnam from photo forums in Indonesia (www.fotografer.net), Malaysia (www.photomalaysia.com), Vietnam (www.photo.com.vn) and Singapore (www.clubsnap.org)

The main aims of the trip are to

1. foster inter-forum friendships and understanding amongst the different online photo forums of SE Asia
2. foster personal friendships amongst photographers from different asian countries
3. learn from one another’s cultural background
4. have fun shooting at a new exciting location with like-minded photographers

About Sapa and Hanoi

Sapa is located in the high mountains of northern Vietnam and home to numerous ethnic hill tribes. It is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site and renowned for its weekend ethnic markets where hills people dressed in every tribal color imaginable descend onto the village to trade and barter essentials.

Nearby tribal mountain villages of Taphin and Laochai are still mostly untouched by the modern world retaining most of their traditional charms.

The mist shrouded mountains of Hamrong are profoundly beautiful in their own right

VERY unlike its southern commercial city, Hanoi is still very much the cultural capital of Vietnam with a pace very much slower than Ho Chih Min. Rivers of motorcycles and bicycles still swarm through its streets every morning and in the late afternoons. The French Quarter holds much of its colonial past close to its hearts while the Old Quarters with its unique layout of streets and crafts shops has retained its unique spirit for the past half century.

What activities are expected ?

Apart from shooting, a couple of evenings will be dedicated to photo talks and displaying of participants’ works from the trip’s shooting activities during the day.

Affordable shopping opportunities for modern art and tribal handicrafts is an activity that is hard to escape from either in the day or evening.

The organizers have put together a NON-TOURIST evening of authentic ethnic hilltribe dance festivities while we are in Sapa

Whats included in the price of the trip

Trip cost is S$600 per person twin sharing.

Trip includes

- Singapore – Hanoi – Singapore air ticket INCLUDING ALL airport taxes
- ALL Meals (no-pork)
- ALL Accomodations (twin sharing basis 3 star or equivalent quality)
- ALL Land Transportation Including Overnight Train Rides (and bunks)
- Photography guides

Who are the organizers?

The entire planning of the itinerary of the land arrangements in Sapa and Hanoi in Vietnam has been undertaken by a team of dedicated photographers from www.photo.com.vn led by Vietnamese photo forum founder Long PT. These photographers have had extensive experience shooting at these locales mentioned in the itinerary

They have constructed the itinerary as photographers that cater to the unique needs and timings of photographers.

The Vietnamese photographers are extremely fun folks and naturally very inquisitive about the latest photo developments outside.

Are there any prizes or competitions?

As in previous trips, we try to provide prizes for different ice-breaking competitions Eg most networked photographer, photographer using the simplest equiptment, most gung-ho photographer etc etc etc

Itinerary - Crossisng Bridges 2006 Sapa&Hanoi, Vietnam


26/08/06 4.30pm Evening to sundown 2 model half bikini shoot
Saturday Singapore Pre-trip Orientation, introductions and briefings

27/08/06 8.00am Morning walk-about breakfast shoot of Little India
Sunday 6.20pm Arrive in Hanoi Airport
S'pore & Hanoi Transfer to Train Station for overnight train to Sapa

28/08/06 5.00am Get off train
Mon 5 – 8am Bus to Cancau Market
1pm Leave Cancau
6pm Return to Sapa
Dinner and stay at Sapa

29/08/06 5 – 7am Take photo at Hamrong mountain
Tues 7 – 8am Have breakfast
8 – 11am Get off Sapa. Bus to Laochai, Tavan villages
11.30am Have luch
1pm Bus to Banho village
7pm Return to Sapa and have dinner
8.30 – 10pm Enjoin tradition ethnic music show

30/08/06: 7am Have breakfast
Wed 8 – 11am Take photos at Sapa market and the church
11.30am Have lunch
1 – 5pm Bus to Taphin village
5 pm Return to Laocai province and have dinner
8pm Get on train to Hanoi

31/08/06 6am Get off train and check in hotel
Thursday 8am Have breakfast and free shooting around Hanoi old quarter
11.30am Have lunch
1 – 3pm Free shooting around Hanoi old quarter
5 – 9pm Photography workshop

1/09/06:
Friday 6 – 12pm Bacninh province about ceramic villages (Thoha or
Phulang)
2 – 5pm Free shopping
5PM: Leave Hanoi
7pm Flight departs Hanoi

2/09/06 Whole Day Shopping in Singapore
Saturday - camera equiptment/gear
o general shopping and lazing around



Departure Point from Singapore???
Homework has been done on the cheapest route to fly to Hanoi. The conclusion is that it is best to depart for Hanoi from Singapore.

The departure date of 27 Aug (Sunday) has been picked to allow Indonesians and Malaysians to arrive in Singapore easily on Saturday or Sunday morning to make the Sunday afternoon departure for Hanoi

Likewise the return to Singapore on Friday 1 Sept is to allow time for Indonesians and Malaysians enough time to get home over the weekend.

Those who depart from Singapore will enjoy additional:

1. afternoon 2 model half bikini shoot on Saturday afternoon
2. Sunday morning breakfast shoot-about in Little India
3. Serious shopping time in Singapore both BEFORE and AFTER the trip

Can I change the dates of the trip?

YES if you want to stay longer beyond 1 September (no problem, just pay whatever the airline penalty is if any [normally extra s$30])

NO if you want to go to Hanoi earlier (too much risk of getting lost and out of touch for the organizers)

What should I bring for the trip?

1. An inquisitive and positive attitude
2. Hunger to make new friends
3. Your camera?
4. A warm smile


Closing Dates of Bookings

Crossing Bridges is planned with ONLY a maximum of 40 photographers from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore to join up with their Vietnamese counterparts in Hanoi so yes places ARE limited.

Those who are keen to participate in Crossing Bridges v3.0 Sapa& Hanoi, Vietnam should advise the representative below by NO LATER than next week Friday 24th June 2006.

A 1st deposit of S$250 should also be submitted with each name by 24th June. The balance of S$350 will be collected on the departure date itself.

For registrations and payments of deposits: please contact:

Eddie Ng
Hp 96611331
email: eddie@walkeast.com

Deposits to be made into Posbank Savings account 021-12076-6
(PLEASE send me an sms or email to register and then send in the initial S$250 deposit)
(SMS me asap once the deposit is made WITH your deposit confirmation number so that I know where/who the money is from, thanks.)

For more questions please post them below in this thread and I will try my best to reply them

[grimicer]

wow, sounds fun !

[ed9119]

Its VERY Fun!!!

This is the 3rd year we're organizing this for the purpose of making photography friends from other asian countries.

I think many of the photogs who went either to the Jogjakarta or HK/Macau trips has made really good friendships

I let them vouch for the fun times we all had.

[ed9119]

Mods, pls help me make this a sticky? Thanks!

[Tupi Guy]

It really a meanful event! Great work Ed!

[ed9119]

THANK YOU for all the PM's and enquiries, there are a half dozen spaces still available

[ed9119]

[sweeper]

Ya, i can vouch for this outing
just refer to the crossing bridge 2.0 thread ... great fun !

though i will probably miss it this year

[novello76]

Hi Ed

Is it possible to meet you guys in Vietnam instead, i.e. I get my own plane ticket..If that is possible, could you also pm me the price for the trip w/o plane ticket. Thanks!

[Canonised]

Best value ..... entertaining and educational ..... fun and inspirational.

Guys and gals ..... take your leave and go go go go go .....

[look4mi]

wow!!! I had been to Sapa and i have my P&S camera pix still
it is a nice place and it is strongly recommended.

Will seriously consider going if i can take my leave keke

[ullyss]

The last few crossing bridges have been very exciting, this is an opportunity for sg photographers to meet other like-minded overseas folks.
I enjoyed the previous ones and got to know many new friends from the different countries.

Hanoi and sapa most definately a fantastic place for photo op! I'm definately gonna miss out on all the fun.

All the best to you guys, am sure you will enjoy the trip

[ed9119]

Wow!

Thanks for the very kind positive endorsements for the Crossing Bridges project guys!

really appreciate the good words and encouragements!

So far, we have 8 sign-ups from singapore including 5 who have paid up the deposits.

Indonesia has asked for 15 places

[ed9119]

for those who want to meet in Hanoi directly ..... NO PROBLEM.... you will meet us on Day 1 either at:

1. the Hanoi airport arrival area when the rest of the group arrives OR
2. at the Hanoi train station (we're going from airport straight to train station after arriving)

the land costs are S$348...... I will STILL need a deposit of at least S$150

THAT MEANS, you arrive in Hanoi BEFORE we do. The group will NOTwait for a couple of guys to arrive

[retrok]

Sounds good.

I am pretty keen to go for this one... just need to find a partner to go with and soon.

[ed9119]

Heh heh heh..... you're can come alone and look for a partner ......

Ok seriously, last couple of years, many came for the trips alone on their own and by the first day had made friends and by end of the trip it was pretty hard to imagine that we had all been strangers a few days earlier

IF I remember correctly, 4 of the girls who went on the trip last year ALL signed up individually

Same thing for 2004 too where we had 5-6 ladies signing up individually for the trip too

Dont play play with the ladies OK..... they pack really serious equiptment that even put me to shame

[ed9119]

Our hosts have put up the trip banner on their website beginning today...

http://www.photo.com.vn/

[retrok]

Originally Posted by ed9119 Heh heh heh..... you're can come alone and look for a partner ...... Ok seriously, last couple of years, many came for the trips alone on their own and by the first day had made friends and by end of the trip it was pretty hard to imagine that we had all been strangers a few days earlier IF I remember correctly, 4 of the girls who went on the trip last year ALL signed up individually Same thing for 2004 too where we had 5-6 ladies signing up individually for the trip too Dont play play with the ladies OK..... they pack really serious equiptment that even put me to shame

That's a possibility.

Will confirm with you guys asap.

[look4mi]

hihi.. put me in the reserve list too.... I am trying to get leave now...

[Canonised]

Originally Posted by ed9119 Heh heh heh..... you're can come alone and look for a partner ...... Ok seriously, last couple of years, many came for the trips alone on their own and by the first day had made friends and by end of the trip it was pretty hard to imagine that we had all been strangers a few days earlier IF I remember correctly, 4 of the girls who went on the trip last year ALL signed up individually Same thing for 2004 too where we had 5-6 ladies signing up individually for the trip too Dont play play with the ladies OK..... they pack really serious equiptment that even put me to shame

wonder whether YOU and yr kakis will be crossing the borders again this trip for some R&R recreations ....