Our Walkabout

Planet View: N21°03.081′ E106°40.349′ Street View: N21°03.081′ E106°40.349′ As with our trip up into the mountains to Sapa, Halong Bay is similarly one of Vietnam’s most famous tourist destinations.  The waters around Halong City are home to an astonishing 1969 limestone islands jutting out of the green waters of Halong Bay.  We explored the bay […]

Planet View: N21°05.842′ E105°47.184′ Street View: N21°05.842′ E105°47.184′ We traded the laidback streets of ancient Hoi An for the bustling metropolis of Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city.  The 40 kilometers from Hanoi’s airport to the city centre were a mix of old and new: endless rice paddies intermingled with village-sized campuses of electronics manufacturers.  As with […]

Planet View: N22°20.110′ E103°50.320′ Street View: N22°20.110′ E103°50.320′ Elevation: 4566 feet We set out from Hanoi on the overnight train bound for Lao Cai on a tour organized by Kangaroo Cafe, one of the plethora of tour outfits in Hanoi.  We weren’t sure what to expect on the train but were pleasantly surprised with a […]

Planet View: N15°52.779′ E108°19.429′ Street View: N15°52.779′ E108°19.429′ It was an interesting flight from Ho Chi Minh to Danang as Lisa was seated next to a monk who, in no uncertain terms, let Lisa know that she was not to touch the monk’s clothes or skin during the flight!  It seems that I was allowed […]

Planet View: N10°46.077′ E106°41.705′ Street View: N10°46.077′ E106°41.705′ The humidity of the tropics was palpable as soon as our plane’s doors opened to Vietnam last night, the air was sometimes so thick today that you could see the mist hanging in the streets just before the skies opened up to relieve themselves.  We arrived in […]