Facing the next cycle of life

Started my 2019 with a few projects , both on going and new findings.

As I am gathering my thoughts on the road this March. This solo trip has lead me emotionally at my lowest, a little afraid, yet at the same time so much exciting travels are ahead. Working the Rat Race made me less alert of my surroundings. I begin to fall into comfort zone. So a trip is called for.

This trip was a back to back of my best friend's wedding + farewell as they will be moving to the USA. Then the very next morning after their wedding, I have to be in Thailand for The Biggest WaiKru Ceremony, part of Muay Thai Day. A few of my friends and I planned to do this trip together but sadly everyone's work schedule and plans makes it impossible, solo trip it is.

Believe it or not, I dream about watching the railway train passing through the narrow houses in Vietnam back in 2018. A week after I met up with my friend, and he announced to me that he had proposed to his girlfriend and the wedding will be in 2019 in Vietnam. I had a strong feeling a friend of mine is gonna get married. Spot on!

All of us were super excited for it!

What happened was, after I arrive in my hostel/hotel in Saigon dripping in perspiration from crossing the busy roads with my luggage. I sat at the lobby for 2 hours waiting for my room to be ready, the guy at the reception tried his best to communicate with me. He gets excited every time I understood his words of English. He had friends come and go, together shared a little conversation. We chatted about languages, travels, comparing diversity in countries over ice coffee and orange juice from an old man running a mini mart next to us. Soon, I have myself settled in my room, took a quick shower, sat down on the bed.. Literally, I have no plans in mind of where to go, except to eat.

The next day, I woke up with tummy ache from some take away food I had yesterday. Spent half of the day just lying around, watching Youtube videos on the Internet TV about Vietnam food. I checked my couch surfing app and texted the two Vietnamese locals who are free to bring me around. One of them was free in the evening after work, so I fixed a time with her, for dinner and coffee at a Reptile Cafe.

She picked me up at my hostel with her scooter, off we went to have street food for dinner. There we met a friend of hers, we had pork blood, seafood noodles. I wasn't that kin on pork blood, but I tried it anyway. We sat in the tiny chairs with tiny tables, kids sized I would describe them as. I love the fresh chili and parleys added into the bowl. After that, she drove me around District one and District four. We stopped at a bar for coffee and tea as the Reptile Cafe was closed that evening. We shall try again tomorrow. The third day, every one seems to be busy so I wondered into the city myself. I Grab to 2 tourist locations. First was the War Museum, which honestly made me really depressed. I was lost in the moment when I was there, thinking about life, how everything comes and goes and life can be so fragile. How people in the past just want to live, comparing with the modern humans who are greedy with possessions, why really. Next stop was the Cultural History Museum, where I chanced upon the Water Puppet Show, which the guy at the hostel told me about. I love it! Puppets are silly, they made my day.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my March Trip!

Denise

Xoxoxo