Stories From Vietnam

Map of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Day 162: Over My Head

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Maybe the cold I am battling contributed to my being overwhelmed, but my head swam with the sight before me. We had landed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam an hour ago. As our taxi driver navigated throug

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Map of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Day 163: Secret Service in Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

This morning we woke up to pouring rain - the steady kind of rain that shows no signs of relenting. The kind of wetness that sucks the adventure from you and drives you back into bed. But today was ou

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Map of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Day 164: Food Chain

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

What starts in the market: Ends up eaten by a family in a back alley:

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Day 166: Free Samples

Dalat, Vietnam

Dalat's cool highland climate is perfect for crops like strawberries, persimmons, cabbage, broccoli, and tea. The vegetables produced here are shipped all over the south of Vietnam and are made locall

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Map of Nha Trang, Vietnam

Day 167: Green Waves of Rice

Nha Trang, Vietnam

On the bus to Nha Trang, the rice fields stretched on for hours. We passed by flat square after flat square, each separated from the other by a short earthen dike. The rice was in various stages of gr

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Map of Nha Trang, Vietnam

Day 168: Cyclo

Nha Trang, Vietnam

A cyclo sits in wait for a passenger:

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Map of Hoi An, Vietnam

Day 170: Thanksgivng in Vietnam

Hoi An, Vietnam

For Thanksgiving we spent 14 hours on a bus. It's rainy season in central Vietnam and it has rained almost constantly since we have been here. As thick gray skies hung overhead, water cascaded down th

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Day 171: Colors

Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An is a historic town located halfway down the coast between Saigon and Hanoi. It is a place where a simple walk down the street saturates your senses with textures, color, people, and sound - a p

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Day 173: Shopping Spree

Hoi An, Vietnam

From the beginning of this trip to arriving in Hoi An I have shown much self-control in shopping. All along the way souvenirs have called my name, begging to be bought and taken home: bracelets from B

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Map of Hoi An, Vietnam

Day 176: Photos

Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An has color even in black and white. Take a Chinese bike around

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Day 178: Train Diary

Hanoi, Vietnam

3:00 p.m. Arrived promptly for night train to Hanoi. Train is delayed until 6 p.m. due to flooding and poor track conditions. 6:15 .,m. Three forty-five train arrive

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Day 179: Street Buzz

Hanoi, Vietnam

I'm not quite thrilled with Hanoi. The people seem distant and the noise level is crazy. Nevertheless, I know I'm going to

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Day 181: Green Water

Halong Bay, Vietnam

I woke to the sound of gentle waves breaking against the side of our boat and walked topside to watch the sunrise. The morning was beautiful. Calm water, peaceful silence, and tall cliffs surrounded o

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Map of Hanoi, Vietnam

Day 183: Sipping Coffee

Hanoi, Vietnam

Tim and I are splurging and are sitting in an upscale cafe in Hanoi. While jazz music plays in the background and sunlight streams through the large open windows, we sit, write and sip coffee. All aro

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Map of Sapa, Vietnam

Day 184: Journey to Sapa

Sapa, Vietnam

5:30 a.m., Hanoi: It is still dark outside. The street is quiet and peaceful, no hints of the frantic energy that will consume it shortly. Tim and I sit on the steps outside of

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Day 185: Sapa Adventure

Sapa, Vietnam

Sapa is a strange and unique place û so different from my Western world. It is dusty remote roads and colorful peopl

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Day 186: Hill Tribes

Sapa, Vietnam

The colorful Sapa weekend market in northern Vietnam should be a wonderland of photographic "good shots". On a flight of stairs above the commotion, I had a great view of the many hill tribe people be

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Day 187: Colors of Bac Ha

Bac Ha, Vietnam

Bac Ha is famous for its Sunday market, a weekly hill tribe event that draws locals in from all over the surrounding area.

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