I continued to fight a cold and wanted to sleep in because I didn’t fall asleep until 12:30 am. At 7:40 am, there was a knock on my door. It was the front desk woman reminding me that I had a tour that day at 8:00 am. This was the second hotel in Vietnam whereContinue reading “Days 276-277: Friends When You Need Them”
Tag Archives: new friends
Day 272 – No Glitter. No Party: My Introduction to Vietnamese Street Food
After spending a few days in Hue, Vietnam, I continued south to Da Nang. I had arranged for a van company to take me on the two and a half hour drive. At 11:00 am, I received a phone call from the driver, but he didn’t speak English. To communicate, he hung up and textedContinue reading “Day 272 – No Glitter. No Party: My Introduction to Vietnamese Street Food”
Day 267: Driving a Motorbike in the Rain
It was cold at the homestay in northern Vietnam. I grabbed a blanket from the empty mattress pad next to me and put it on top of mine. That kept me warm and comfortable through the night. As I ate breakfast, I talked with the three travellers from Holland about medical school and how theyContinue reading “Day 267: Driving a Motorbike in the Rain”
Day 266: The Chinese Border
After we said goodbye to Erik and Melana, we continued our trek through the mountains in northern Vietnam. Ben and Berry rode on the back of the bike of two guides and I continued to drive my own bike. It was colder that day, 48°F (8°C), so I put my coat on instead of myContinue reading “Day 266: The Chinese Border”
Day 264: Driving a Motorbike Through the Vietnamese Mountains
I woke up in my hotel, packed my bags, and asked the front desk where the nearest ATM was located. The man didn’t speak much English, but gave a few instructions. After walking for seven minutes and not finding the ATM, I asked store owners if they could help. I kept getting led astray andContinue reading “Day 264: Driving a Motorbike Through the Vietnamese Mountains”
Days 248-249: Phi Phi Island is One Big Party
I woke up still exhausted from the day before. I needed to apply online for an extended tourist visa for Australia because I planned to go there after Vietnam. I booked my airfare from Vietnam to Melbourne after I was accepted for a house and cat sit in Ballarat, an hour and a half outsideContinue reading “Days 248-249: Phi Phi Island is One Big Party”
Days 237-238: Art in Paradise
After nine adventurous days of hiking and biking through the Chiang Mai Province, I was happy to sleep in. My studio apartment was comfortable and quiet. I watched Master of None on Netflix until I realized I needed food other than my protein shake. I didn’t feel like getting dressed and going out. I justContinue reading “Days 237-238: Art in Paradise”
Days 163-169: Friends in Whistler
I met Brittany during a nightclub crawl and a daytime brewery tour. We agreed to have some sushi over lunch one day. She’s 30, fit, and has long dark hair. When I arrived, Brittany was already sitting at a table so I joined her there. I couldn’t help but notice the green painting on the wallContinue reading “Days 163-169: Friends in Whistler”
Day 67: Mystery Man
Two of my cousins were getting married in Denver over Labor Day weekend. Since I didn’t want to cut my Alaska trip short, I booked a flight to Denver and left my car in Alaska. I would be in Denver for five days and it would be an opportunity to see family members while celebratingContinue reading “Day 67: Mystery Man”
Day 61: Alyeska Resort
It was a cold, rainy day when I left Homer, Alaska. I was headed to my next Airbnb in Anchorage. The owner said I couldn’t check-in until late that evening and Jerry (my previous host) recommended that I stop at the Alyeska Resort on my way there. The bright red fireweed blazed on the sideContinue reading “Day 61: Alyeska Resort”
Days 59-60: Homer, Alaska
When I was in Fairbanks, the bartenders recommended that I go to Homer because it looks like the postcards of Alaska. They said it was a great, quaint little town on the water and was very walkable because all of the shops/restaurants are close together. It was raining when I hit the road and cloudsContinue reading “Days 59-60: Homer, Alaska”
Day 56: Friends in Fairbanks
It was my last full day in Fairbanks and I hadn’t done any hiking for about a week. I found a trail that was near the Chena Hot Springs. It was about an hour and a half drive northeast, so I filled up on gas before leaving town. I tried my newly learned trick: askingContinue reading “Day 56: Friends in Fairbanks”