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Central Vietnam: Imperial Cities and Handy Bridges
“Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” – Benjamin Disraeli Travel MOOD I’m going to take a self indulgent moment of whining. There are days where I tire of acclimating to new places. Don’t get me wrong. I love traveling. I mean I LOVE it. Obviously, or I wouldn’t have turned country hopping into a full time career that pays in the currency of life experience. But I’m constantly starting over. And there are days where this feels positively exhausting. Great….let’s pull up a map and figure my way around. Again. Time to get lost. Again. Let’s spend the next…
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A Giant Cave in Vietnam
Adventure, yeah. I guess that’s what you call it when everybody comes back alive. – Mercedes Lackey Heading South After leaving my friend Ankit in Hanoi I took a trip south to central Vietnam. Flying into Dong Hoi, I caught a pre-arranged shuttle to Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park. Phong Nha’s claim to fame is its world record worthy cave system. The largest cave in the world, Hang Son Doong, is here. The third largest cave in the world, Hang En, is also here. I came to Phong Nha to camp in Hang En. Let me start by saying I almost didn’t do this particular nature adventure. Vietnam a cheap country…
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It’s Raining in Vietnam
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” — Anthony Bourdain Hanoi: Part 1 My early impression of the Old Quarter in Hanoi was that it is just like many other Asian cities. Truthfully, the city didn’t peak my interest much on arrival. The one oddly fascinating quality of Hanoi is the systematically themed avenues of shopping. Our hotel was clearly on Christmas street. …
