My journey started on a cold rainy Thursday morning in Berlin Schönefeld. I arrived at the Aeroflot counter and an unpleasant looking lady told me: If you don’t have a Visa we refuse to transport you. Okay, I thought, this is definitely a problem.
Lesson one: If you want to stay longer than 15 days in Vietnam, you need a Visa.
Lesson two: My problem solving skills have definitely developed since my last trip to Asia three years ago.
Fastforeward 17h later, I landed safely in Hanoi and got a Visa stamped in my passport. I needed to book an extra flight I didn’t take, to make Aeroflot happy, had some discussions with Vietnamese immigration and my passport disappeared in a random office in Hanoi to get a Visa extension.
Hanoi is a busy city and if you google it you find videos like: „Here is why Hanoi is the only city we didn’t like“. Even though I had been to Asia before, a slight culture shock was noticeable. People sitting in the dirt, noise, heat, humidity, thousands of motorbikes, more noise, neon signs, dirty bathrooms. Yes, I remembered.
So I booked a 3 day trip to Halong Bay. The first night we slept on a boat, we did some hiking, swimming, kayaking. I had a great group and started realizing how much luck I have to be able to be here.
The second night we spend on Cat Ba Island, did some more hiking, visited a „Monkey Island“ and a floating fishermen village. Awesome experience. Ready to get back.
As I said Hanoi is a busy city, but it sleeps. In the nights the streets are almost empty. At 6 the city begins to wake up. The people open up their little shops, the first motorbikes appear and the temperature is still coolish.
I got in the tiny bus that picked me up for my next trip. The backseats were already taken, so I squeezed in the front row, in between driver and organizer. Everybody was still sleepy and didn’t like to speak. We were driving calmly through the streets and saw Vietnamese people preparing for the day. And all of the sudden I didn’t see Vietnamese people any more.
I saw fathers and sons, a grandma on a bike, schoolchildren getting a snack, a businesswomen on the way to work. Two boys on a scooter crossed in front of the car in the very last moment, and all three of us in the front row made a noise.
I felt the first wave of culture shock pass on. It’s a magical moment when they and we becomes us and its all just people. All with similar hopes and dreams. All love their children. All fear death. All want happiness in life, even though the idea on how to achieve that might be different.
I realized I had this experience many times before. It was just the first time I gave it a name. And maybe this feeling, after all, is the true reason to travel.
The tiny bus arrived at the station and I went on a bigger bus, which would take me up north to a mountain area close to the Chinese border.
I think the area around SaPa is one of the nicest landscapes in Vietnam, but I was a little unfortunate with the weather. After a long and good night of sleep I started for a day-hike only, because it was raining. If you go there I can highly recommend a two-day hike with a night in a Homestay in a Vietnamese family. I only heard good stories about that experience.
So far, Vietnam was coming up with some pleasant and unpleasant experiences, but I am very happy to be traveling again, seeing more in one day, then at home in one month. Exploring nature, exploring culture, exploring my own attitudes.
If you are interested in going to Vietnam, these are my favorites so far.
P.S. Since the Yoga Teacher Training in September I eat vegetarian food only, so I am also going to write about nice places to eat.
Hanoi
Hanoi Centre Hostel: Central, 6$ per night (dorm), free breakfast, free beer (happy hour), clean, easy, good to meet people
Old Quarter View Hostel: 7$ per night (dorm), free breakfast, clean, awesome bathrooms, good to meet people, even more central, partyish
Om Hanoi: Awesome vegetarian food, nice Yoga classes, calm atmosphere
Nhà Hàng Chay Aummee: A bit outside central area, but even more awesome vegetarian food
Halong Bay trip
Lilys travel agency: Central, good advices, Certificate of Excellence 2016, 3 day trip with shared room 120$ (cheapest option would be 90$)
SaPa trip
InterBus (sleeping bus): Night trip or day trip available. If you do the night trip, you arrive in the middle of the night. You can book the bus in your Hotel or Hostel.
Mu`s Trekking: Mu or her sisters, experienced guides with good English knowledge, private tours: one day 38$, two day with night at Mu’s brothers house 88$.
Good Morning Vietnam: I ate here three times, good food (also vegetarian), quick service.
vibrantlife 
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