Things that Never Happen at Home #3

Being out here traveling is so fundamentally different from my day-to-day at home that I often find myself pondering these differences. There's the obvious - Not sitting behind a desk + computer all day; Not having neck cramps from holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I multi-task; No stress; No set routine. Now, in contrast - We brave the hot sun + freezing cold outside; My cramps are now in my legs from walking all day long; We ARE free to do as we like, but we're not out here with endless time or money to burn so we ARE judicious in our spending + in making each day count. When I reflect back at the end of each day, week, month... What are the things that seem worthwhile or even important??? It's the experiences of meeting memorable local characters or other like-minded travelers that you can picture yourself being friends with at home; Of tasting some delicious + unique food that you never even knew existed that you'll try to replicate for friends; A wonderous, soul-inspiring sight that burns itself into your memory and which you revisit later in your dreams; AND those rare moments when the big, bright lightbulb in your head goes off and you gain a new insight. THIS will be my ongoing attempt to capture + relate some of the latter. Here goes...


Social Commuting

Sitting by yourself in a sealed-up metal box on wheels on your cell doesn't count! I'm talking about real, organic communication. We are LOVING the two-wheeled mode of transport here in Vietnam. Motos + bicycles RULE the road and you can often look up and down the street without a car in sight. For BLOCKS! AMAZING, Huh?! And while that's cool in and of itself, the fact that many people are riding side by side is even MORE interesting. We've seen a bicyclist prop their leg up on a moto to get a cruise while chatting, 2 on one bicycle and various other combinations of people using their time to get from Point A to Point B as a social hour. Even WE have been included, and in the numerous times we've now rented bicycles or motos many people have driven up along side us, matched pace, and struck up a conversation - Hello! Where are you going? Where are you from? etc., etc. Always accompanied by a huge smile. So we started doing it too. What fun to surprise THEM! Being a two-wheeled culture has other advantages too - No trouble finding parking, less injury accidents because of the slower pace, AND there are more trails here to explore this side of Holland.


Check the "link" for more photos from the Central Highlands + Hoi An