We are going to VIETNAM!!! And THAILAND!!! Someone Wake Me Up. This is the dream we've been saving and planning and holding on to for two years. It's the dream that got us through some pretty hard times this year and kept me going when I had nothing else to look forward to. So ja, it's a big deal. Why Vietnam? It all started with this episode and James May's colander on his head and those silk suits and....why not?!
We are doing a three week stint (three whole weeks of leave, what?! YES please) consisting of two weeks touring Vietnam and a week cocktailing and beaching and infinity pooling it up in Thailand. Did I yet mention how unbelievably excited I am? I think I did. Now let me shatter your American-fed misconceptions about Nam. It is NOT all Vietcong and tunnels to Cambodia and eating doggies. Not that the thought of seeing a dog hanging in a window doesn't send me into orbit, I will FLEECE that butcher, but apparently the dog eating is quite over-rated. Please, Lord. Howard would never forgive me. Vietnam is insanely good and sticky food, and French influenced architecture and limestone cliffs and pristine blue water and floating markets in the Mekong Delta and pointy grass hats and general South East Asian wonderfulness.
Let me show you.
We will be spending two days on a junk boat in How Long Bay (known to those outside our household as Ha Long Bay). This includes a Tai Chi class on the deck in the morning. HELLO! In case you didn't know, Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Like the Great Wall of China baby. But wetter. And better.
Ko Phi Phi a la The Beach.
Infinity pool-swim-to-the-bar-private beach 5 star luxury in Krabi
Venice in Vietnam (the ancient shipping village of Hoi An)
A gentle paddle along the Perfume River in Hue
Stinky but delicious dragonfruit from the floating markets in the Mekong Delta
Beautiful old Vietnamese people, who show that age has indeed got it's own beauty.
And yes possibly the funniest part of the trip is getting to say "And how many dong do you want for that?".
Photographs from: Pinterest, here, Trip Advisor, Jim's Junket, Steamy Kitchen, Jean-Marie Hullot, the Restrospective Traveller, All Points East Travel and Rehahn Photography.
And if I have sparked your interest in this magical country...Dawn Jorgensen, The Incidental Tourist living in Cape Town, tells the story of Vietnam in a way that I love.
Katie so terribly exciting, will follow with great interest and envy.
ReplyDeleteQuite glad I will be included in this one!
ReplyDelete