Google says I have traveled 7100 miles from Beijing to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. By my count, I have traveled this distance using 9 different types of transit (airplane, train, metro, foot, car, boat, bus, tuk tuk, moto). In each country I enjoyed learning the transit system. In Vietnam, transit within a city was mostly via foot, cab,…
Category: Vietnam
Eating Well: Vietnam & Cambodia 10.29.16
I am not sure the cause, but the food I am eating in Cambodia is mostly western style. It is not pictured, but in Phnom Penh I could not pass up a stop at both Krispy Kreme and Domino’s Pizza. Super tasty! Curries are common Khmer food and two well-known dishes are amok and luk…
Mekong Delta 10.28.16
Like water cooler talk at work, travelers have go-to topics of conversation too. As a person from the U.S., I am often asked about the election and Donald Trump. People ask for my opinion without regard for social conventions dictating politics is off limits. It is great to discuss a topic that we avoid in…
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 10.19.16
In South East Asia (SEA) the cost structures for health care and telecommunications services are different from the United States. Here are two stories highlighting the differences. For data and internet access while traveling it is less money to buy a local SIM card than to maintain a US-based plan with international add-ons. When I enter…
Dalat 10.15.16
The last time I long-term traveled I was 20 years old and in between study abroad semesters in Chile. I met many other travelers but one person, English Sarah (I was American Sarah), stands out. English Sarah and I were roommates on a multi-week South American tour. She was closer to 30 years old than…
Hoi An & An Bang 10.13.16
Perhaps more than any other country I will visit, Vietnam’s economy is growing and the pace is fast. GDP growth in the last quarter was over 6%. For comparison, US GDP growth is close to 2%. The literacy rate in this country exceeds 90%. The people I meet are motivated, entrepreneurial, smart, and hard working. College age students…
Eating Well: Vietnam 10.11.16
The food in Vietnam is outstanding. Fruits and vegetables are a common part of most meals (hurrah!) and all the ingredients are fresh. Very little food is fried and oil is not heavily used for cooking. It is a far into the future, but when I return to Minnesota and begin cooking I will be trying to use…
Hue 10.7.16
Arriving in Vietnam from China, I was hit with unexpected culture shock. I think the shock came from 1) seeing many backpackers 2) seeing a lot of white people and 3) the highly visible Vietnamese tourist infrastructure. Items #1 and #2 were not a part of my experience in China. Infrastructure for tourists is present in China but it is targeted at domestic travelers, not…
Halong Bay 10.4.16
Coming up on two months away, I have been backpacking long enough to appreciate small, and funny, details about hostel life. I am also adding and subtracting items from my bag. Funny things that get me excited: Hostels that provide towels at no extra charge! Hotels with shampoo and body wash in the showers! Hostels with free…
Sapa 10.1.16
It is a privilege to be traveling long-term internationally. Some other privileges I think about are my good health, being able-bodied, having financial means, and enjoying so much support from family and friends. Being a native English speaker is one privilege I think about daily. My interactions with other travelers, regardless of their country of origin, are in English….
Hanoi 9.30.16
I flew from Hong Kong to Vietnam almost two weeks ago! Money was a big, unexpected, and comical adjustment from China to Vietnam. The Vietnamese Dong (VND) to USD exchange rate is 22,000 to 1. My math skills are not quick so adding three zeros to every conversion was good mental gymnastics for about the first…
The Year of Sarah Joy 