Around the World and Back: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in 3 weeks

**7 months later here ya go!**

Vietnam sure was great. My brother came to visit us which was an extremely joyous reunion after 2 long years apart! I feel so so lucky to have been a part of his first big travel experience… what an honor for me! I was happy to be able to talk to him about all the excitement and challenges of being in a foreign country. Watching him adjust to life in Vietnam really reminded me of my own trip to Korea in 2006 (first bite by the travel bug!) and how shocked I was to see such a stark difference being in an eastern country for the first time. It's a special feeling: the combination of surprise, excitement, fear, comfort, discomfort, vulnerability, and humility. Maybe a few other things too… I highly recommend it. :)

Brian and I had a few days in Hanoi before Ry joined us, and we used those days to drink ca phe sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk), walk the city (those crazy tourists!), visit museums, and eat a lot of yummy food. After Ryan joined us, we spent another night in Hanoi and then made our way down to Ha Long Bay/Cat Ba Island for a 3 day, 2 night cruise on an old junk boat. SO MUCH FUN, I can't even tell you (so I'll just post pictures). Swimming, kayaking, beer, fresh seafood for every meal, all the card games you can play, 2 years of story-telling to catch up on, and OH YEAH some of the most breathtaking views you could imagine. Perfecto.

After our cruise we had a few days of chilling out on Cat Ba Island, which provided plenty of laughs. Then we were off to Ninh Binh, "Ha Long on Land" as it's known, due to the similarly beautiful limestone outcrops all around outside the city. That trip included bicycling around temples, NERTS marathons when it was too rainy to explore, motorbike adventures, and paddling around on a beautiful lake.

Next was Hue, which you can read all about in my other post. Another item worth noting about that leg of the trip was the excellent overnight train trip from Ninh Binh to Hue! Catch the train at 11pm, drink a few beers over a few rounds of cards, tuck into your little bunk, and close your eyes… 9-10 hours later you awake in your destination! Brace yourself for the toilets though :)

After Hue we made our way to Hoi An, which I can't say much about other than that it was slightly spoiled for me by high expectations. Almost everyone I asked about Vietnam said this was their favorite place, and so I went into it with high hopes. I can see why so many people feel that way; it was a really charming city, with a heavy focus on local wares and souvenirs. The buildings are pretty and set all along the water, with bright colors and friendly folks all around. If you like shopping, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU. One of those other life-realizations I've had about myself over the years (like how I weirdly don't like hot weather) is that I don't like shopping. So, Hoi An, while beautiful and full of lovely things, wasn't exactly my cup of tea. We still had a great time there, especially when it came to eating! We finally took a cooking class which we had been wanting to do ever since we were last in SE Asia about 3 1/2 years ago. You're all invited over for homemade cau lau one of these days!

Our last few days in Vietnam were a little wacky due to a minor injury for Ryan and the devastating super typhoon Haiyan (aka Yolanda in the Philippines). After much ado, we made it safely to Ho Chi Minh City and spent the next few days melting in the sun, museum-ing, market-ing, eating, drinking, and playing cards (as per usual). Three weeks wasn't enough time, but we really packed it full of unforgettable times. Having my bro able to visit us there was so special and is something I will cherish forever. Next destination was Manila… stay tuned for that update!