Saigon is huge and crazy and I didn’t see enough of it.Some things still remind me of it. Lemongrass oil to keep the mosquitos away and sooth their bites. The strong minty smell of Tiger Balm, as you rub it on your feet to battle a cold. A silly child’s song, Jasmine tea. It always … More Saigon
Morning at the docks. The sea is not quiet, the ferry is jerking on the waves. Before we set sail, a severe woman was giving sick-bags to anyone who requests them. A woman sat next to me, nodded and smiled politely, and then began vomiting violently into her bag.We went outside to get some fresh … More A Journey Back North
It took about four hours on the bumpy roads to get to Rạch Giá, in a bus filled to the brim with people.A van took us from the central station towards the hotel by the shore, passing bridges and rivers with houses built right on the water. After a bit of a walk, we got to … More Great Ocean
If the strong tasty coffee we had at the hotel didn’t wake me up, the motorcycle’s growls on the rugged road and the wind on my face sure did.After about thirty minutes of driving out of town, we stopped at a rose farm, where we got off the bikes and Nip told us about his … More A Chautauqua About Elephants Falling
After breakfast, we checked out and sat outside with our backpacks and had coffee.The Easy Riders showed up – Mister Lam, with flames painted on the front of his heavy motorcycle, and Yen, with a big red motorcycle.They began loading our bags on their bikes as Quoc and his wife Giang were also getting ready … More A Journey to Đà Lạt
We really liked Huế but it was time to move on. We decided that the next destination will be Đà Nẵng, a big city with a beach. In the morning, after we booked the next hotel, we had coffee and sat by the river with books. A young woman approached us and wanted to chat to practice … More A Big City with a Yellow Dragon
It was strange to get back to Hanoi after we thought we said goodbye from it for good. After a brief shower at the hotel we went outside to eat at a place ran by a married couple, who sold fried meat in a baguette in the middle of the street. The woman sits in … More A Night Train to Huế
Our room’s porch viewed the town and the mountains around, and roosters called each morning. There weren’t many restaurants around, and the hotel’s restaurant was the biggest, so it attracted many people. It was not bad, too. It was Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year. I guess many Israelis used the opportunity to go on … More Happy Roshoshana
In the morning we went back to the old lady with the crooked teeth for coffee. A man with a floral apron stood by a tiny wagon and sold various dishes of fried rice, so we took one with pork and a fried egg. Then we packed our thing and waited at the hotel’s lobby … More Frog Legs
It’s nine PM in Moscow. We are in the lounge at the grey airport, sipping white wine with a hint of funky flavor, and waiting for the flight. Probably about 14 hours had passed since I woke up at home that day, and it already seemed like ages ago. Some last arrangments – picking up … More Grey Airport, Red City
Days of travel take a big variety of different experiences. Taxi drivers, expensive beer at the airport, connecting flights, strange people. Buses, minibusses, trains, ferries. Changing view out the window, sunrise, sunset, rain, clear skies, gas stations, refreshment stops. With the backpack on me, with the backpack in the baggage, with the backpack god knows … More Oh, the Places
