Sunday, September 06, 2026
Week 4, Hue & Da Nang, Vietnam
Wow - 4 weeks in Vietnam?! We've entered Central Vietnam (the Vietnameese/American War DMZ lies between Hue and Da Nang - though we didn't visit it...)
A lot of history here! Hue is the historic residence of Vietnam's last imperial family (the Nguyen Dynasty, built in the early 1800s. The compound, as well as being representative of Vietnamese architecture, has tons of French influence, but also Chinese and Japanese. As we were there for the National Day (Sept 2) holiday, all Vietnamese got free entry to the local historic sites, which may be the reason there were SO many people in traditional dress visiting for photo ops. Regardless of the reason, it was extra beautiful with all the costumes.
As Hue is a larger city, that's not entirely focused on tourism, we were able to be around tons of locals - out for a walk at night, gathered with friends and family at local open air restaurants, passing time playing some board game we could not identify (apparently it's Cu tuong, aka Chinese chess), kids riding tiny light up go carts in the park...
We also spent a lot of time in our hotel/B&B - a lovely family-run homestay in an older house - they included breakfast - and for 2 of our 3 nights we were also offered a delicious dinner - where we met some like-minded travelers of our generation - a couple from Bavaria and a solo traveler from Dresden - I hope we cross paths again!
We relatively quickly moved on to Central Vietnam's biggest city - Da Nang - a working port city with an extensive beachfront on the coast of the South China Sea. We are staying on the Son Tra Peninsula - a bit of Miami in the aesthetic, with palm trees along the endless (~9 km) My Khe Beach, party vibe at all the beachfront bars, and even some beach volleyball. One of the things I love is that all the highrise hotels (and there are MANY) seem to be along the city side (not the beach side) of the road, so the beach itself is less crowded. Here, there are a ton of restaurants and coffee shops (serving all the international tourists - more Russian & Indian visitors than we've seen elsewhere), including multiple Korean and Indian eateries, in addition to all the local food and Seafood!
Da Nang nightlife seems to be centered on the Han River, which divides the city - especially lovely at night, with decorated bridges, one spanned by a giant dragon which spits fire and water at 9pm on weekend evenings, attracting a huge number of even more lit-up dinner cruises which come to watch along the equally lit riverfront. There's also a huge swing bridge which opens at 11pm on weekends.
Overall, the city hasn't invited us in (granted, we have been laying low during the day, staying out of the sun, hitting the beach at sunset, and exploring only after dark), we'll see if anything else grabs us before we head to our main stop in central Vietnam - Hoi An!!
Monday, August 31, 2026
Week 3, Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Another week in Vietnam
I feel like we change locations every 4 days so I haven’t established the kind of routine I like for keeping track of time. The constants have been excursions, morning meals, & laundering outfits in our accommodation to alternate until we move on to the next place. I imagined Vietnam as 3 month long stays with some day trips or weekend getaways mixed in. I’m not sure why I thought that was possible. I fear I’m shit at planning.
This place is casually picturesque, with beautiful skies and limestone karsts interrupted by things people have made like temples, roads, bits of agriculture, old towns, & new solitary neighborhoods between the whole collection.
We came here to see the Trang An landscape park, but were rained out (the water level was too high in the caves), so the only tours available were caveless. It was still lovely, getting paddled around the water & looking at the scenery, but I don't think we'll see any of Vietnam's really impressive caves this trip.
While in the area we saw the Emperor of the Reeds show. It reminded me of a Cirque du Soleil production or the kinds of circus we used to take Ahsaan to @ the New Victory Theatre in NYC. It was a nice outing with song, acrobatics, & fireworks. I hope we see some more shows before we leave Vietnam.
We rented bikes from our homestay a few times & it was great. The area is pretty flat & the traffic wasn't terribly hectic, so it's nice biking. I've missed biking. We went down quiet streets, rices paddies, & washed out roads in some pretty good weather & some amazingly refreshing downpours. We would have done more, but I am delicate & used to riding a noseless saddle, so 3 days of regular bike seat up in my business was my limit.
On our way out of town we did a few interviews with local children. I don't think I've ever had an 8 year old ask me "May I speak with you for a little while?" Let alone follow up with a series of basic conversation questions "Where are you from?" "What is your favorite animal?" "What sports do you like?" I thought the kids were traveling as well, but they weren't. Parents bring them to the train station at night to practice their English with the tourists. Being chatted up by a child is very cute & a little confusing at first. By the end, Ellie & I had friends & very appreciative parents who wanted photos of us.
Sidenotes:
I've been making body products for our household since Ahsaan was small. For this trip we only packed some scented oil & a little body butter trying not to overpack. I should have packed my homebrew deodorant, the 'natural' deodorant we brought with us is not cutting it here.
Foods: Vietnamese sticky rice is yummy, it's like a broken rice version of a tamale. I had a delicious green bean stir-fry that we were assured had no meat in it after we asked 3 times & being told there was only garlic and olives. I checked the Chinese translation & recipe. It was pork tossed in green beans. My veggie inspired version of green beans will feature a mince of mushrooms, olives, & peanuts garnished with chilis & fried onions once I get around to making it. I REALLY like tofu here, which is kinda amazing because contempt best describes my feelings for it in the US. The tofu here is going to be fresher, made in small batches, and coagulated with acidified soy whey, "sour water" not industrially produced and coagulated with gypsum like in the US (which I suspect is why tofu normally tastes chalky to me). Ellie really likes Vietnamese sour fish soup (which I think is more sweet & sour? There's pineapple & tamarind in the broth). We had some tasty Indian food in town one day. I suspect all the Indian food is gonna be more tasty in Asia than in the US... & finally I unlocked salted coconut foam iced cocoa coffee. I don't know if it's the final coffee boss, but it's beating everything else so far.
Sunday, August 30, 2026
Lao Cai -> Ninh Binh via overnight train
We left Sapa on warm sunny day, which got even hotter as we left the mountains heading north towards the Chinese border. Lao Cai sits in a valley at the junction of the Red and Nanxi rivers, where you can cross to Hekou, China.
Did I mention it was hot! The weather had been SO pleasant in Sapa I immediately regretted it, but I managed to suck it up and we walked over to see the border crossing.
Amusingly Google maps does not recognize directions beyond driving in some parts of Vietnam (7 min to drive, 12 days to walk - WTF?!).
Then after an air conditioned, but otherwise forgettable dinner we boarded our luxury Laman Express train south to Hanoi. We booked 2 berths in a 4 person sleeper carriage for the 8 hour trip, but ended up with the car to ourselves! I slept :) 💤
We were awoken at 5am with the coffee we had ordered, and watched the sun rise as we entered the outskirts of Hanoi - it was fun to watch the streets narrow - though the drama of vendors and tourists crowding the tracks between the buildings on "train street" must happen later in the day.
In Hanoi we stowed our bags, checked out the location where the high speed rail station is being built, found a VP Bank ATM to get more cash (most of the ATMs we've encountered charge an 8% VAT to withdraw funds, this is the one exception!) and then a quick coffee before the 2ish hour train to our next stop: Ninh Binh aka "Halong Bay on Land" (stay tuned for that post...)
Once settled in our next homestay and unpacked, I realized I'd left the beautiful Moroccan scarf Ahsaan had gifted me hanging (on the right side - see image) of the doorway of our train to Hanoi! After a minor freakout (where Ahsaan reassured me that if I funded another trip to Morocco for him he's replace it 🤣), I messaged Laman Express on their customer service WhatsApp number, gave them all my info and a photo of the scarf, and they found it!!!
Then our amazing host here in Ninh Binh called and arranged for them to ship the scarf to her - she picked it up from the station the following evening - and there was NO CHARGE for shipping (as they just put it on their own train).
Vietnam continues to surprise me! But now to keep a closer eye on my things!! 😔
Sunday, August 23, 2026
Week 2, Sapa, Vietnam
(I honestly chose it because it was the only option with a bathroom rather than scheduled bathroom stops.) The experience was interesting - from the really good provided food at the bus company station, to all the passengers bagging shoes on stepping onboard, to the tiny curtained cubicles complete with flat bed and non-functioning TV. As I dozed on the 5 hour overnight trip, I reflected on the difference between my hope to actually sleep on an overnight sleeper train, and the reality of a road vehicle's unpredictable movements and angle changes - imagine swerving sideways while heading uphill with your head lower than your feet as the bus drives uphill on windy mountain roads...
I took an epic nap on our arrival at our remote homestay about 5.5km north of the town of Sapa.
We thoroughly enjoyed our self guided trek through an abundant farming community (with terraced rice paddies, covered rows of tomatoes and peppers, creeping squash vines, fields of cabbages, fruit trees, etc) to the Ta Phin Commune about 5.5km north: home of Red Dao ethnic minority,
the Ta Phin Cave (where a local boy happily took ~75 cents each to turn on the lights inside the cave - there we walked, crawled and climbed through an expansive cave system which has important historical significance for sheltering soldiers, food, and weapons while protecting Vietnam's northern border in 1979), and multiple locations for relaxing in medicinal herbal baths ($7-8), drinking tea, and eating delicious local food. Would recommend!
The highlights were Fansipan Cable Car (which covers a horizontal distance of over 6km and a vertical rise of almost 1.5km into the clouds) followed by the ~700 step climb passing numerous Buddhist statues and shrines to the summit of Fansipan Mountain, the Roof of IndoChina.
There were moments when the clouds blew away and we could see back down into lush valley below (but we didn't manage to snap those pictures).
In town we've had some delicious food (Kepfram has more on that coming...) - including some of the best vegetarian food I've ever eaten at: SU Vegetarian Restaurant (@MichelinGuide, you missed something)....
Next we're heading north to the Chinese border in Lao Cai where we'll start our train journey back south on an 8 hour overnight sleeper to Hanoi, changing there for a 2 hour ride onwards to Ninh Binh ("Halong Bay on Land"). Stay tuned!
-Ellie
Labels: Vietnam
What I'm getting used to
Outside of our first stop at small luxury boutique hotel (Hanoi Esplendor Hotel and Spa - where we'd stayed briefly when we first visited in 2023) - all the hotel/homestay bathrooms seem to be "wet rooms" - so I'm learning to limit shower spray and keep TP outside of the bathroom!
Oh, and I didn't even mention the "bum gun" - my personal favorite style of bidet - present in every public/private bathroom!
Shoes off inside - I love this, and always prefer it at home, but was not used to the provided slippers to enter hotel rooms, medical offices, some restaurants (SU Vegetarian with its pebble floor!), or the shoe bag on the long-distance sleeper bus!
Communication - we've traveled quite a lot, but primarily in places where we could speak Spanish or where English was common - less so here, but with Google Translate/Google Lens voice<->speech it is SO much easier to communicate! (Interestingly, it is just that ease that makes it harder for me to remember to simply/remove nuance from everything I say to these non-native speakers!)
Technology - that brings me to travel with computer and smartphone - so different than 20 years ago with guidebook in hand! I do feel a lot more connected to my peeps at home, and it's much easier to research/book places to stay/things to do - but it also means less time talking to and meeting locals & fellow travelers - we shall see if we can change this!
(Need I say more?!)
-Ellie
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Week 1: Hanoi, Vietnam
Ellie lost a dental filling on the plane. [midway through our 27 hour 3 leg journey in a sleepless haze…] She thought she bit down on a walnut shell in an otherwise unremarkable brownie. Thankfully we found a dental spa near the hotel.
The rest of the week went okay. She fixed her tooth, we did a little sightseeing: Hoa Lo Prison (thanks for the suggestion Ahsaan!), walked around the Old Quarter, & ate some foods. Most meals were remarkable one way or another.
Ellie & Kepfram in Hanoi
Ellie reconnected with her egg coffee, I drank Vietnamese coffee, tried coconut coffee (delicious), iced jasmine green tea (new fav), & longan iced tea (sweet, but yummy). Most of the beverages were strong brews balanced with something sweet or creamy which I really liked.
We ate pho (obvs), Cha ca La Vong: grilled turmeric fish with herbs & greens; a weak veggie bahn mi that prompted me to learn about Vietnamese fermented tofu so I could make a sandwich I'd like more. I'm not sure if I'm happy or mad about having to develop a tofu recipe...
Labels: Vietnam
Thursday, August 13, 2026
A new adventure begins!
After 20 years sleeping, this blog is ready to awaken! We have landed in Hanoi, Vietnam!!
Ellie & Kepfram begin their year in SE Asia - after 20 years back living in NYC & raising a phenomenal kid (who's now beginning his solo adventures), it is time to explore, immerse, and reconnect!
We hope you will follow along as we slow travel! Our proposed itinerary: Aug-Oct 2026 Vietnam, Nov 2026 Cambodia, Dec 2026 Laos, Jan-Feb 2027 Thailand, Mar-May 2027 Malaysia, June 2027 Indonesia, July 2027 ???
We look forward to sharing the new things we do, see, taste, and learn - stay tuned!
Labels: Status Update, Vietnam
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
It's hard to believe that this aventura is over, and that we've been back home already for almost 2 weeks....
I feel blessed to have met so many great people along our journey: my fellow teachers (& co-Spanish students) from Universidad Latina (Katie & Mike, Rachael, Shiona, Denise, etc), friends we explored Costa Rica with (Omar & Lea, Elizabeth & Isaac, Kassi), my students (especially Rocío and Ernesto who started out as students but ended up as real friends - and there are so many more - too many to list), my Costa Rican/Argentine Spanish teacher (Monica - one of the best teachers I've ever had) & her husband (Monte - gifted musician & friend), our incredible hosts in Nicaragua (Marcela & Boris), our traveling companions in Bolivia & beyond (Yvan & Cécile, Rafael, Franck & Charlotte), our new friends in Argentina (Araceli, Claudia & her family), plus all those other people who were kind to us along the way. (I'm sorry I don't have pictures of everyone - how could that have happened?!! Come visit us in NY, we need to document our friendship!!)
We saw so many incredible places, tasted many unique foods, got sick several times as a result, learned tons Spanish, laughed at our fortunes and misfortunes, read some great books (highlights for me being: Mountains Beyond Mountains, and Nine Hills to Nambonkaha), and overall expanded our horizons.
To see where we've been look in our archives:
July 2005 - getting to know Costa Rica
August 2005 - settling into Costa Rican life and our Villa Lakshmi apartment, looking for work, our trip to Cahuita
September 2005 - exploring San José, Montezuma, Cartago, Volcan Irazú, plus an intro Nicaragua
October 2005 - recap of our trip to Nicaragua, info on our new apartment
November 2005 - a quick update from Costa Rica
December 2005 - more from Costa Rica including our trip to Rincon de la Vieja, plus the start our holiday in Guatemala
January 2006 - more from Guatemala
February 2006 - more updates from Costa Rica including apartment photos
March 2006 - we say goodbye to Costa Rica then visit Panamá, explore Ecuador, and enter Perú
April 2006 - our trips through Perú & Bolivia (will Kepfram ever finish his post about el Salar de Uyuní??)
May 2006 - our visit to Chile and our first weeks in Argentina (including Bariloche, Mendoza, our intro to Buenos Aires)
June 2006 - our Buenos Aires apartment and our visits to Igauzú Falls (post pending - are you listening Kepfram??) & to Uruguay
July 2006 - our last days in Buenos Aires and coming home
