Kronka

Viet Nam! Ho Chi Minh!

Viet Nam, Ho Chi Minh...
Viet Nam! Ho Chi Minh!
Viet Nam, Ho Chi Minh...

(We were taught part of a Vietnamese song. Only those words, though...)

Oh, God. Ohgodohgodohgod.

We would later joke that of the places we visited, half drove on the left, half drove on the right, and then there was Hanoi… where it was not clear whether the roads even had sides to begin with. How society functioned in the face of such blatant disregard for motor vehicle safety was beyond me.

For the moment, we just needed to cross this road. Our hostel was mere yards away, but we had to face apparent death to get there: mopeds, motorbikes, and cars zoomed past us in a chaotic and unrelenting stream. Passing, swerving, cutting, intersecting — inches from our toes. They paid us absolutely no attention.

“I think we… uh… should just start walking.”

Eric looked like he’d rather break both legs while traversing a glacier.

Sonya was wide-eyed, but grinned. “Okay.”

We nervously shuffled across the street. Somehow, the less attention we paid to the oncoming motorists, the easier it was. Or at least, the less we’d have to stare death in the face and wonder whether our travel insurance was a good investment.

Despite the constant dangers, Hanoi had a certain charm. In the evenings, the whole city seemed to burst into a different kind of activity, as the residents flocked to Hoan Kiem Lake to amble and relax. By dinnertime, the sidewalks were crowded with makeshift stoves and grills, while plastic tables and chairs spilled into the roads. Street markets in the city’s Old Quarter sold wares to eager buyers, each street still specializing in their original, centuries-old trade: Paper Street, Silk Street, Textile Street, Random Cheesy Knick Knack Street…

When we eventually made it out to Halong Bay, four hours from Hanoi, it was an entirely different world. Our little cruise slipped in and out of tranquil bays surrounded by majestic limestone karsts, as we ate and drank and read and sunbathed. Not another ship was in sight, and nothing was in a hurry. There was time for kayaking in sea caves, swimming in the bay, picnicking on a beach, fishing for squid, singing folk songs, and more.

After three glorious days of relaxation, it pained us to leave. We promised our tour guide we’d be back, and that we’d spend a little more time in the rest of Vietnam. For now, though, we had flights to catch and promises to keep…

And miles to go before we sleep.