Dear Friend,

The pace of life picked up dramatically when I joined a tour group in Vietnam earlier this month. A wise Canadian woman in that group mentioned something that resonated with me about traveling versus touring. When you are a tourist, it is go-go-go everyday… you want to pack as much as you can into a single day and utilize every hour until you board your home-bound flight. With extended travel, however, you can spend an entire afternoon in one coffee shop, recharge by going to the gym or binging a TV show, chat with locals with no time crunch, and pause to reflect on the energy of where you are.

I will do my best to recap the past few weeks… During the TEFL program in Chiang Mai, I was feeling uneasy that I didn’t know exactly what my next move would be. I knew I wasn’t ready to have a full time teaching job in Thailand, and that I wanted to take advantage of the time and money that I’ve set aside for this time in Southeast Asia. So, I decided that exploring Vietnam was next on my list. I had allowed myself a couple of weeks in Chiang Mai after the course ended to explore the beautiful mountains and spend time with new friends. I was also able to “visit home” by catching up with friends and family in the U.S. However, there was a day that I felt particularly lonely, and it spurred me to sign up to join a group tour. I had some anxiety over spending the money on an organized trip because I was confident I could probably do the same route independently with a much smaller budget. However, after all is said and done, it was well worth the money and I would make the same decision again.

G Adventures organized all logistics for the ten day trip throughout Vietnam, which was absolutely stunning. Even though there is a very satisfying pride that comes with learning a foreign country’s transportation system, I can’t deny that it was very convenient that our bus was always there to greet us and that the bikes were lined up for us upon arrival. Having a very sweet Vietnamese guide constantly telling us where to be and what to bring allowed us to see so much of the country in such a short amount of time. We were able to visit Saigon, Hoi An, Hue, Mai Chau, Halong Bay, Hanoi, and Sa Pa.

One of the most unique experiences was taking the overnight train from Hue to Hanoi. I have never been on a sleeper train before and it was quite an experience! I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would… being rocked to sleep was actually quite pleasant. Note: Earplugs are a must in my opinion! It is not a quiet ride. Also, I will admit that it is not a train ride I would have taken by myself. I enjoyed sharing my cabin with three people I knew, even if we had just met a few days prior. I’m not sure how I would have felt with three complete strangers, especially since I had all of my belongings with me! (And it is a pretty small space) 🙂

I also really enjoyed the four bike rides we took as part of the tour; we cycled for a few hours near Saigon, in Hoi An and in Hue, and also around Hanoi. I was quite impressed by the courage my fellow travelers had on the busy streets of these bustling cities! I was definitely glad to ride near the back of the pack as we ventured on the congested streets. This is another activity I would have avoided if I were solo, so I am so happy I was able to experience it with the G Adventures group! To be honest, I can’t really remember the last time that I rode on a multi-speed bike for a prolonged period of time so that pushed my comfort zone a bit. I had to laugh when another group member said I looked like I did it all the time and that I could even stand up on the bike. I came clean with her… I could not figure out how to make the gears work in my favor so I just kept it in one gear the entire time and stood up when I needed extra power 🙂

Another memorable experience was the night we spent in Halong Bay. Some people might tell you it is too touristy or that the water is too polluted, but I thought the views were sensational. I have also never slept overnight on a boat, so that was special for me. Our room even had A/C at night! Here is a picture of the boat and where it was anchored for the night…

I must close for now because I need to work on an article for another blog! I am volunteer writing for a local travel guide in exchange for some lovely accommodations in Hoi An, Vietnam. I was lucky to get in touch with them through Workaway, which is a network that connects people from all over the world.

I will be back sooner than later to write more about my experiences! Thank you for reading and I hope you are doing well 🙂

Love,
Marissa