Travel experiences across the world
Sigh. So, another day to explore priceless architectural and historical wonders of the world, another day that's rainy, cold, and foggy. Google Weather and my iPhone said that it would stop raining at 10:00, but it was a filthy lie. It never stopped raining. It hasn't stopped yet.After chaining boats, buses, and trains, I slept… Continue reading The Imperial Citadel of Hue
I caught thr sun ONE MORNING and I immediately put on a cap and sunglasses, applied sunscreen on my face and neck, wore long sleeves and long trousers... And STILL I managed to get sunburnt on the sides of my neck (only the sides!) and the backs of my hands. I look like a walking… Continue reading From Hanoi to Hue
Amazing news: it's sunny today! It happened! I saw the sun today for the first time since that one day in Versailles when we had a nice morning. When I opened the window today, instead of a solid white wall of fog I could actually see the entire valley sprawling in front of me. I… Continue reading Sapa, Lao Chai, Ta Van
It's Sapa time! Sapa is a village in the northeast of Vietnam, known for its views of the valleys below and its proximity to the Fansipan, Vietnam's highest peak at just over 3,000 m. It's also very close to the hometowns of one of Vietnam's ethnic minorities, the Black H'mong (so called because they dye… Continue reading Off to the mountains
So, after the adventure of actually getting here, I was dropped off at the Sapa Lodge hotel, which looks fine, and was given a fairly terrible breakfast while they processed my check-in. At around 9AM, our guide arrived and we left on our first tour. It was raining heavily outside -more than when I arrived- so… Continue reading Sapa, Cat Cat village
When I got up today at SCST (my new acronym for Soul-Crushing Six Thirty) the view was definitely clearer. It was still misty and overcast, but you could see further along in the distance. When you can actually see what's around you, the landscape is magnificent: we sailed all morning and as far as the… Continue reading Halong Bay, Part 2
I woke up at a soul-crushing 6:30 today to be picked up for my Halong Bay cruise!Halong Bay is this amazing site with all the limestone rocks jutting out of the water that you've probably seen a million times in magazines or movies. It's 180 km from Hanoi, which in Vietnam takes at least four… Continue reading Halong Bay, Part 1
After overextending yesterday, I slept in today and took it slow over breakfast. Today's my last day in Hanoi, and I used it to visit the last few items on my list.I got out at about 10 and walked along Hoan Kiem lake, all the way until the French Quarter. It's still gray and misty,… Continue reading The French Quarter, the History Museum, Hoa Lo Prison
Sleep is awesome, you guys! You should totes try it! Last night I fell asleep the moment my head touched the pillow at around 20:30 -I woke up wide awake at 2AM, thinking the jet lag was going to screw me over, but next thing I know my alarm is waking me up at 7AM.The… Continue reading The Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature
So we left off when I left the cozy hotel at what must have amounted like 5AM my time on no sleep to delve into the chaos that is the Old Quarter of Hanoi. I figured I would just walk around the area for a bit until I became tired again -I took the Lonely… Continue reading The Old Quarter of Hanoi
This Is A Lake 